So You Think Your White Lawyer Is Better Than A Brown Monkey Lawyer, Eh?

by Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq

When I started practicing law in San Francisco in the 80s, I also had a full-time job writing law books for Bancroft-Whitney Publishing Company on Brannan Street.

I did not really need to practice law then because my salary was sufficient. I also dabbled in real estate sales and management.

It was my nephew who suggested that I start a law practice to help the Filipinos, with the advice: “Uncle, you will need a partner and you should get a white one.”

I asked why “white”? He said that many Filipinos are racists and believe that a white lawyer is better than a brown lawyer. So, I got two, not only one, white lawyers. They were women.

I did all the work because they did not know immigration law. Yet our earnings were split three ways. We ended the partnership years later.

A Filipino said that Filipino lawyers do not have as good an education as white lawyers. Do you know a white lawyer handling immigration cases who went to Yale or Harvard? This writer is a Filipino lawyer and was awarded a Fulbright/Smith-Mundt scholarship to study at Yale Law School where he obtained a Master of Laws degree.

Another Filipino told me that the immigration officials are white, so they will always favor a white lawyer.

That’s not true. There are other colors among immigration personnel, including brown. I worked for the immigration service. I am brown.

How would the immigration officials know that the lawyer is white when they are in Laguna Niguel or in other places and the lawyer is not physically present?

“By his surname,” the Filipino said. But not all white lawyers are surnamed White, Jones, or Smith. Some are even surnamed Brown and Black. So, you are not going to hire a white lawyer named Brown or Black?

What about my surname – Tipon? Immigration officials cannot tell by my surname alone whether I am white or brown or any other color. There is a family name “Tipton”. It is an English name. Immigration officials could think that “Tipon” is an abbreviation of “Tipton” – or that “Tipon” is a misspelling of “Tipton”. In fact, I have received communications with the surname “Tipton”.

When I was working part-time in the advertising department of Gannett Newspapers in Rochester, NY, I was asked on the phone what my name was. I answered “Tipon”. The caller asked: “Are you French or German?” I answered: “Have you heard of Carlo Ponti, the film director who married Sophia Loren?”

“Oh, you are Italian, I am Italian, too,” exclaimed the caller.  “I think the name “Ponti” was originally “Tipon,” the caller added.

There you go. I could be English. Or I could be Italian. Whichever, English or Italian, are white. Will those immigration officials ever think I am a brown Ilocano without looking at my face?

Winnability of white vs. Brown
Let us talk about winnability or capacity for winning of a white vs. brown monkey lawyer.

Who is the white lawyer who has successfully saved a Filipino from deportation, even though he was charged with having been convicted of sexual assault for having licked his daughter’s genitalia while massaging her? Ilocanos call that “Agdildil”. Immigration authorities charged him with aggravated felony for having committed rape and sexual abuse of a minor.

Who is the white lawyer who has successfully saved a Filipino from deportation, even though he was charged with having been convicted of theft for receiving money from taxi drivers at the airport while he was a security guard which was alleged to be a crime involving moral turpitude?

Who is the white lawyer who has successfully saved a Filipino from deportation, even though she was charged with having been convicted of theft and manslaughter in that she did not turn over in bed her patient, resulting in bed sores, gangrene, and death and received compensation to take care of the patient, which immigration authorities alleged were crimes involving moral turpitude?

Who is the white lawyer who has successfully saved a Filipino from deportation even though he was charged with misrepresenting facts twice to U.S. officials – first to consular officials, and second to border patrol officers at the Honolulu airport – by telling them that he had no child even though he had?

Who is the white lawyer who has successfully saved a Filipino from deportation, even though he was charged with having been convicted of two counts of sexual assault of a minor child which immigration officials alleged were aggravated felonies and crimes of child abuse?

Is there a brown lawyer who has successfully done these? You bet.

Challenge
If you know of a white lawyer who has done all of these, I wish to meet the lawyer after reviewing proof that he has done all of these, and give him and you a free roundtrip ticket from San Francisco to Honolulu.

The information provided in this article is not legal advice. Publication of this information is not intended to create, and receipt by you does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

ATTY. EMMANUEL SAMONTE TIPON was a Fulbright and Smith-Mundt scholar to Yale Law School where he obtained a Master of Laws degree specializing in Constitutional Law. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, New York, and the Philippines. He practices federal law, with emphasis on immigration law and appellate federal criminal defense. He was the Dean and a Professor of Law of the College of Law, Northwestern University, Philippines. He has written law books and legal articles for the world’s most prestigious legal publisher and writes columns for newspapers. He wrote the best-seller “Winning by Knowing Your Election Laws.” Listen to The Tipon Report which he co-hosts with his son Attorney Emmanuel “Noel” Tipon.  They talk about immigration law, criminal law, court-martial defense, and current events. It is considered the most witty, interesting, and useful radio show in Hawaii. KNDI 1270 AM band every Thursday at 8:00 a.m.  Atty. Tipon was born in Laoag City, Philippines. Cell Phone (808) 225-2645.  E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com. Website: https://www.tiponlaw.com

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