The New York City Law Department celebrated Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month in May by welcoming back alum Ryan Budhu, who shared insights from his career and experiences as an attorney in the AANHPI community. Budhu, a former law clerk to Hon. Dora Irizarry, inspired attendees with his journey.

Budhu, a Queens native and past president of the South Asian Bar Association of New York, discussed the importance of community and diversity within the legal profession with the group. 

“I had a great time reconnecting with so many dedicated public servants and friends while serving as the speaker for the NYC Law Department’s AANHPI’s Heritage Month event,” Budhu said. “The Law Department is a special place filled with fantastic people working on behalf of the people of the City of New York. I am so proud to have started my legal career at the Law Department.”

Since his clerkship with the former Chief Judge of the EDNY ended in 2019, Budhu served as a senior associate at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP until May 2023 and has been a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice now for over a year.

The event, themed “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation,” was organized by the Law Department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and highlighted the contributions and leadership within the AANHPI community.