From June 24-26, 2018, the American Bar Association and Greenberg Traurig, LLP hosted the Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy (CBLA) in Miami, Florida. The CBLA was attended by the American Bar Association, Hispanic National Bar Association, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, National Native American Bar Association, and the National Bar Association. The CBLA started in 2013 and this was its 6th Annual Meeting. Over 70 past attendees and first time attendees convened to discussed mutual bar collaboration, leadership training, and professional development.

The sessions focused on how the collaborative efforts by the sponsoring bar associations could positively work to foster and develop greater diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and our respective multicultural communities. We were proud that NAPABA had a huge presence with over 25 APA Attorneys attending. 

Those attending on behalf of AABANY and KALAGNY included Margaret Ling, AABANY Director of Development and Co-Chair of Real Estate Committee and CBLA Alum, Class of 2014; Christopher Kwok, AABANY Co-Chair of Asia Practice Committee and Issues Committee and CBLA Alum, Class of 2016; Marianne Chow-Newman, AABANY Board Director and First Time Attendee, CBLA Class of 2018; Cary Chan, AABANY Co-Chair of Real Estate Committee and Solo & Small Firm Practice Committee and First Time Attendee, CBLA Class of 2018; and Brian Yarzab, KALAGNY VP of Membership and First Time Attendee, CBLA Class of 2018.

Congratulations to all the attendees, and thanks to ABA and Greenberg Traurig for organizing and hosting this important Annual Meeting.