WhenCity & State New Yorklaunched its inaugural Asian Trailblazers list in 2025, the publication set out to recognize Asian American leaders helping to shape New York’s future in law, government, business and public service. For Lawrence Han, being named to the list again this year — after earlier recognition on the publication’s Asian Power 100 list — still feels surreal.
“It’s very humbling,” Han said. “There are a lot of people out there more deserving than I am.”
The modesty is unmistakably characteristic of Han. But his impact on the legal profession and Asian American community has been substantial. A partner at Rivkin Radler LLP, Han practices complex litigation in areas encompassing privacy and cyber law, professional liability and class actions. He also serves as president of the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York, where he has helped expand mentorship programs, pro bono clinics and scholarship initiatives for future lawyers.
Han, 42, has witnessed dramatic changes in Asian American representation in law since beginning his career in 2011. Early on, he often found himself the only Asian litigator in the courtroom.
“I’d walk into court and sometimes people assumed I was the paralegal,” he recalled with a laugh. “Now when I look around, there are a lot more Asian American litigators.”
He credits senior Asian American attorneys in organizations like the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York with helping younger lawyers overcome what was once widely described as the “bamboo ceiling” in large law firms. When some of the organization’s founders first gathered four decades ago, Han said, the group had only about 10 members, many of them solo practitioners helping immigrant-owned small businesses. Today, the association has grown to more than 600 active members and offers mentorship, legal clinics, networking opportunities and scholarships, reflecting how far Asian American lawyers have advanced in the profession, Han said.
Han said he has also been fortunate to receive strong support from Rivkin Radler throughout his 13 years at the firm. While heavily involved in community leadership and nonprofit work, he said the firm consistently encouraged him to devote time to mentorship, bar association leadership and outreach efforts.
“Not every firm supports that,” Han said. “Without them giving sponsorships and understanding the importance of the work, I wouldn’t have been able to do as much.”
Born in the Bronx, Han spent much of his childhood moving between New York, Seoul and Singapore because of his father’s work in international banking. But it was Great Neck, where he attended Great Neck South schools, that ultimately gave him a sense of belonging.
“At the time Great Neck was very different,” Han said. “I had friends from all different backgrounds, and some of those are still my closest friends today.”
Source: LI Press
