Tag: congratulations

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CONGRATULATIONS TO PRBA BOARD MEMBER Justice Luis A. Gonzalez (Ret.) on his appointment to the Mayor’s Judiciary Committee

Announcement from the Puerto Rican Bar Association (PRBA): 

MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS LUIS A. GONZALEZ TO ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY

Mayor de Blasio today announced the appointment of Luis A. Gonzalez to the Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, who was the first Latino individual to have been appointed a Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court in the State’s history.

“Luis Gonzalez has much to be proud about, being the first Hispanic to serve as a Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division in New York State,” said Mayor de Blasio. “But he also has a solid track-record serving New Yorkers as a Housing Court and Civil Court Judge, as well as a New York State Supreme Court Justice.  I’m confident that he will continue to serve the best interests of New Yorkers on the Advisory Committee.”

Luis A. Gonzalez was the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court’s First Judicial Department from 2009 through the end of December 2015. Justice Gonzalez was designated a Justice for the Appellate Division’s First Judicial Department by Governor George E. Pataki in 2002, and appointed Presiding Justice in 2009 by Governor David Paterson.  Justice Gonzalez was appointed by Mayor de Blasio alongside Justices Eugene Nardelli and Christopher Chang, who were nominated by former Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Jonathan Lippman and the Presiding Justice of the Second Judicial Department Randall T. Eng respectively. On the Advisory Committee, Justice Gonzalez will be responsible for recruiting, screening and nominating highly qualified candidates for judicial appointment to the Family Court and Criminal Court of New York City, as well as the Civil Court for interim appointment.

About Luis Gonzalez

Luis Gonzalez has been an instructor at Lehman College since 1991. Prior to serving on the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court’s First Judicial Department, Justice Gonzalez served as a New York Supreme Court Justice in the 12th Judicial District from 1992 to 2002. In addition, Gonzalez served on the New York City Civil Court as a Housing Court and a Civil Court Judge. He also was General Counsel for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1978 to 1980. Justice Gonzalez began his career at the New York City Department of Investigation. Justice Gonzalez received his B.A. from Eastern Mennonite University, and holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

About the Advisory Committee on the Judiciary

The Committee recruits, screens, and nominates highly qualified candidates for judicial appointment to the Family Court and Criminal Court of New York City, as well as the Civil Court for an interim appointment. Based on the Committee’s nominations, the Mayor makes appointments to these courts. The Committee also evaluates incumbent judges for reappointment to these courts and submits its recommendations to the Mayor.

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MCCA Welcomes Jean Lee as New President & CEO

Lee, a trailblazer in the legal profession, becomes first Asian American to head the Minority Corporate Counsel Association.

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The Board of Directors of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association is happy to announce the appointment of Jean Lee as the association’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Lee currently serves as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at JPMorgan Chase & Co and brings more than a dozen years of relevant industry experience in the legal profession, including her work as a member of the Global Legal Diversity Committee at JPMorgan Chase. Ms. Lee will officially begin her tenure in mid-March.

Ms. Lee has demonstrated her leadership skills throughout her personal and professional life having been honored as a Trailblazer by the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York and a Catalyst Agent by the Council of Urban Professionals. As a member of the largest affinity bar in New York State since 2008, she served as the President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York in 2012 and continues serving on its Board of Directors to this day. Prior to her role at JP Morgan Chase, she was a Senior Litigation Associate and member of the firm-wide Diversity Committee at Milberg LLP and, earlier in her career, served as a law clerk to the Honorable John J. Hughes (retired), United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey. Ms. Lee also serves as a member of the New York City Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award Selection Committee.

“Among her many assets, Jean brings to the role an extensive knowledge of MCCA having been an active board member as well as a demonstrated commitment to leadership in diversity within the profession. Her experience and relationships with corporations, law firms, and bar associations make her well equipped to continue the great work MCCA does, advocating for the expanded hiring, retention and promotion of diverse attorneys across the profession,” said Michelle Banks, Global General Counsel of GAP Inc. and Chair of MCCA’s Board of Directors.

Jean Lee graduated from New York University with a B.A. degree in politics and psychology and a M.S.W. in social work. Ms. Lee received her J.D. degree from Rutgers School of Law. During law school, Ms. Lee was a Senior Editor of the Rutgers Law Record.

“I am deeply honored by this opportunity to build on the legacy of MCCA as an organization that not only impacts the lives of diverse legal professionals, but also has a direct impact within the decision-making offices of corporate America,” said Jean Lee. “As an MCCA board member for several years, I have always admired the dedication of its staff in helping diverse attorneys at all stages of their careers to excel within our profession. As CEO, I look forward to building on our success and furthering our mission to inspire all people to achieve a diverse and inclusive legal community.”

Congratulations to Jean Lee on this historic appointment!

Thank you to Minority Corporate Counsel Association for sharing this announcement on February 11, 2016. 

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Update: NAPABA Announces 2015 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award Recipients

For Immediate Release
Oct. 8, 2015

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

Update: NAPABA Announces 2015 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award Recipients

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has selected five exceptional attorneys to receive NAPABA’s highest honor — the Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award. This award recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of lawyers who have paved the way for the advancement of other Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys. These Trailblazers have demonstrated vision, courage, and tenacity, and made substantial and lasting contributions to the APA legal profession, as well as to the broader APA community.  

The 2015 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazers Awards will be presented on Nov. 6, 2015, at a special ceremony during the 2015 NAPABA Convention in New Orleans, to the following recipients:

Captain Benes Z. Aldana — United States Coast Guard
Assemblymember Rob Bonta — California State Assembly
David Louie — Kobayashi Sugita & Goda LLP
Justice Sabrina Shizue McKenna — Supreme Court of the State of Hawai’i
Judge Amul Thapar — United States District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky

The 2015 Trailblazers class is represented by a diverse and impressive group. Captain Aldana serves as the Staff Judge Advocate (Chief Legal Officer) of the Eighth Coast Guard District, the largest district in the Coast Guard, and is responsible for providing legal advice to the district commander and oversees the provision of legal support to Coast Guard operations spanning 26 states, including the outer continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, he is currently a judge on the U.S. Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals. He is believed to be the first Asian Pacific American to be appointed as a military trial judge (2005) and as an appellate judge (2015) in the U.S. military. As a leader in the American Bar Association, he is currently a board member of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative and on the ABA Commission on Diversity and Inclusion 360.

Assemblymember Bonta is the first and only Filipino American ever elected to the California State Legislature in the 165 year history of the state and has led a number of significant legislative efforts to empower the APIA community, including: Assembly Bill (AB) 7 to establish a state day of recognition to honor Filipino American labor leader and California hero, Larry Itliong; AB 123 to require the state public school curriculum to include the contributions of Filipino Americans to the farm labor movement in California; and AB 817 to assist the nearly 2.6 million eligible voters in California who are not yet fully proficient in English by providing them with language assistance at the polls.

Mr. Louie most recently served as the attorney general of the State of Hawai‘i from 2011 to 2014 — the first Chinese-American attorney general in the nation. As attorney general, Mr. Louie was the chief law enforcement officer for the state, providing advice, counsel, and representation to all aspects of state government (including the Governor) on all legal matters for the state, both civil and criminal. Mr. Louie helped to pass and defend Hawai’i legislation legalizing same sex marriage, settled 30-year-old claims of Native Hawai’ians against the State for $200 million, negotiated a $40 million conservation easement on 665 acres of ocean front land, and worked with other state attorneys general on the national mortgage foreclosure settlement, Internet safety and consumer protection.

Justice McKenna was a trial judge for 17 years before joining the Hawai’i Supreme Court in 2011 as its third woman and as the first open member of the LGBT community of Asian Pacific heritage to serve on a state court of last resort. Throughout her career, she has pursued civil rights, social justice, and equality in access to justice for all. As a young associate in the early 1980’s, she successfully advocated for her firm to provide 50 hours of annual billable hour credit for pro bono time, a policy that was also later adopted by other Hawai’i firms. Justice McKenna oversaw implementation of Hawai’i’s court interpreter certification program, instituted a policy requiring free language access for all participants in Oahu’s family courts as the then presiding judge, then advocated for adoption of the same policy for the entire judiciary. As an appellate and trial judge over the last 22 years, she has ruled in many high profile and important cases.

Judge Thapar was nominated by President George W. Bush to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2007, making him the nation’s first South Asian American Article III judge. Prior to his confirmation, Judge Thapar served as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. While U.S. attorney, Judge Thapar was appointed to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) and chaired the AGAC’s Controlled Substances and Asset Forfeiture subcommittee.

NAPABA congratulates the 2015 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award recipients and thanks them for paving the way for Asian Pacific American attorneys.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and approximately 75 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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Consovoy McCarthy Park Celebrates First Anniversary

Consovoy McCarthy Park Celebrates First Anniversary

Congratulations to Consovoy McCarthy Park on celebrating their one-year anniversary! AABANY’s very own Michael Park, who is a Co-Chair of the Career Placement Committee, is a named partner at the firm.  

“This firm really is a team,” said Park. “We draw on the experience and expertise of each member and rely on each other a great deal. And since we are also good friends, we are having a blast working together.”

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Jean Lee – Catalyst Spotlight

Jean Lee – Catalyst Spotlight

Congratulations to AABANY’s very own Jean Lee for being featured as a Catalyst Spotlight on the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) website! 

Jean served as AABANY President from 2012-2013 and currently sits on the AABANY Board of Directors. 

CUP interviewed Jean and asked her about the challenges she has faced in this profession, proudest achievements, and leaders that she looks up to. 

“What is your proudest achievement?
My proudest professional achievement is in two parts: (i) being a lawyer for JPMorgan Chase & Co.; and (ii) winning several Daubert motions against very senior partners when I was a mid-level associate. They are my proudest moments because it was so unexpected and unlikely.”

Jean also credits much of her success to having mentors in her. Seeing the value and benefits of mentorship, she currently mentors students and young lawyers. 

To read the full profile, click on the link in the title.

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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Announces Its 2015 Best Lawyers Under 40

For Immediate Release
Sept. 23, 2015

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

NAPABA Announces Its 2015 Best Lawyers Under 40

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has selected 14 attorneys to receive the 2015 Best Lawyers Under 40 Award (BU40). The BU40 recognizes talented individuals in the Asian Pacific American (APA) legal community who are under the age of 40 and have achieved prominence and distinction in their respective fields while demonstrating a strong commitment to the APA community at relatively early stages in their careers.

The BU40 Award will be presented on Nov. 5, 2015, during the 2015 NAPABA Convention in New Orleans, to the following recipients:

  • Christine Bautista — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Christopher Y. Chan — RedMart Limited
  • Mark J. Furuya — Clark Construction Group LLC
  • Josh M. Hsu — U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Office of Senator Patrick Leahy
  • Miranda L. Lam — McCarthy Tétrault LLP
  • Gloria Lee — Rutan & Tucker LLP
  • Christine Li — Nationwide
  • Sujit Raman — U.S. Department of Justice
  • Darren S. Teshima — Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
  • Stacey H. Wang — Holland & Knight
  • Karen I. Wu — Perlman & Perlman LLP
  • Hli Xyooj — Farmers’ Legal Action Group Inc.
  • Amy Yoshimi Yeung — ZeniMax Media Inc.
  • Gary Zhao — SmithAmundsen LLC

“These distinguished lawyers represent some of the best in their field under the age of 40,” said NAPABA President George C. Chen. “As these 14 men and women continue to make strides in their respective careers, the pipeline for national Asian Pacific American leaders in the legal profession appears bright.”

The 2015 class of honorees continues the BU40 legacy of excellence and leadership in both the legal and APA communities. This year’s BU40 honorees have vast and varied experiences — representing clients in nationwide high-stake and complex business litigation matters, investigating violations of federal securities laws, providing legal services to family and underrepresented farmers, serving as the senior counsel to a ranking member of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and assistant general counsel for one of the nation’s oldest construction firms. NAPABA congratulates the 2015 Best Lawyers Under 40 award winners and looks forward to their future successes.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 75 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA congratulates the newly-elected officers of the NAPABA Board of Governors for the 2015-16 board year. They will be sworn into office at the Installation Banquet held on Nov. 7, 2015, during the 27th Annual NAPABA Convention in New Orleans.

The following individuals were elected by the NAPABA membership:

President Elect: Cyndie M. Chang
Vice President for Finance and Development: Alexander M. Lee
Vice President for Membership: Tacie H. Yoon
Vice President for Programs and Operations: Pankit J. Doshi
Vice President for Communications: Sun E. Choi
Treasurer: Steven Y. Reeves
Secretary: Brad Yamauchi

In addition to these newly-elected officers, Jin Y. Hwang will serve as President and George C. Chen will serve as Immediate Past President. Joining the officers on the NAPABA Board of Governors will be ten regional governors and four at-large board members.

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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Names McManis Faulkner as its 2015 Pro Bono Award Winner

For Immediate Release
Sept. 2, 2015

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is proud to present the 2015 Pro Bono Award to James McManis, Elizabeth Pipkin, Christine Peek, Ruby Kazi, and Jennifer Murakami of McManis Faulkner. This award recognizes a team of attorneys for outstanding achievements in pro bono service that: (1) involved impact litigation to advance or protect civil rights, (2) provided direct legal services to individuals in the furtherance of the administration of justice. The McManis Faulkner team’s historic victory in Ibrahim v. Department of Homeland Security is exemplary.

The 2015 Pro Bono Award will be presented at the 2015 NAPABA Convention on Nov. 7, 2015, in New Orleans, La.

James McManis, Elizabeth Pipkin, Christine Peek, Ruby Kazi, and Jennifer Murakami served as trial counsel in the first successful challenge to the U.S. government’s post-9/11 terrorist watch list system. The client, Dr. Rahinah Ibrahim, was a Malaysian scholar who lived in the U.S. for many years while studying for her Ph.D. at Stanford University. Dr. Ibrahim challenged the constitutionality of the Government’s terrorist watch lists after she was arrested at San Francisco International Airport and informed she was on the No-Fly List. More than eight years later, the McManis Faulkner trial team would make the Government admit that Dr. Ibrahim was erroneously placed on terrorist watch lists due to a bureaucratic error.

The five-member McManis trial team, opposing 12 U.S. government lawyers, ultimately forced the Government to concede at trial that Dr. Ibrahim never posed a threat to national security and that she does not meet the reasonable suspicion standard for inclusion in the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB). The McManis Faulkner team’s historic victory in Ibrahim laid the foundation for erroneously watch-listed individuals to clear their names by revealing: (1) the Executive Branch had created at least one secret exception to the “reasonable suspicion” standard, (2) the Government asserts absolute and unreviewable discretion in its watch list decisions, and (3) the Government’s redress system deprives individuals of due process of law.

Regrettably however, to date, the Executive Branch has still not allowed Dr. Ibrahim to obtain a visa to return to the U.S.

“NAPABA congratulates the McManis Faulkner team of James McManis, Elizabeth Pipkin, Christine Peek, Ruby Kazi, and Jennifer Murakami on receiving the 2015 NAPABA Pro Bono Award,” said NAPABA President George C. Chen. “Their remarkable effort in the aide of Dr. Ibrahim truly exemplifies the pro bono spirit, and we are delighted to honor their success in this landmark case.”

A member of the trial bar for more than 40 years, Mr. McManis is an honorary bencher of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, the oldest institution of legal education in Ireland. In addition, he is a Fellow of the Academy of Court Appointed Masters, American College of Trial Lawyers, Litigation Counsel of America, American Bar Foundation, and International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Ms. Pipkin is one of the youngest members of the Board of Trustees of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, the largest provider of free legal services for those in need in Silicon Valley. She serves on the litigation committee, which manages all impact litigation brought by the Law Foundation. Elizabeth is also a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA) and the Harvard Law School Alumni Association of Northern California.

Ms. Peek is an active member of SCCBA and is currently a member of the High Technology Section. Previously, she was co-chair of the SCCBA’s Rainbow Committee and was a member of the SCCBA’s Board of Trustees, its Appellate Courts Committee and the Conference of Delegates. She also served as managing editor of the Santa Clara Law Review. Christine is also a member of California Women Lawyers and has moderated proceedings examining women lawyers’ relationship to technology and how that relationship can enhance the practice of law.

Ms. Kazi serves as president of the Asian Law Alliance (ALA), a non-profit organization that provides legal services to Santa Clara County’s low income population, particularly within the Asian/Pacific Islander community. She is also the founder of Lady Lawyers for Lunch, an informal group that meets quarterly to allow women attorneys to exchange ideas, discuss balance, and increase their networks.

Ms. Murakami is a member of SCCBA and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley. She was the editor-in-chief of the Asian American Law Journal of Berkeley School of Law and she also frequently hosts Berkeley Law Alumni events in San Jose.

McManis Faulkner, a San Jose, Calif.-based trial firm, provides a full range of services, representing both corporations and individuals through trial and appeal. The firm handles a wide range of litigation, including business, civil rights, class actions, criminal, employment, family, general civil, intellectual property, personal injury, probate, and professional negligence. With experienced, well-trained trial lawyers and staff, McManis Faulkner prides itself on its diversity – beyond ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, women comprise a majority of the firm’s management and staff.

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 70 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Announces Lee Tran & Liang LLP as its 2015 APA-Owned Law Firm of the Year

For Immediate Release: Aug. 19, 2015

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

NAPABA Announces Lee Tran & Liang LLP as its 2015 APA-Owned Law Firm of the Year

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has named Lee Tran & Liang LLP as the 2015 Asian Pacific American (APA)-Owned Law Firm of the Year. NAPABA created the APA-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award to recognize APA-owned law firms that have achieved prominence and distinction while maintaining the highest ethical and legal standards in the profession, and have demonstrated a strong commitment to the APA community.

The Award also celebrates growing APA ownership and entrepreneurship in the legal marketplace. The 2015 APA-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award will be presented at the 2015 NAPABA Convention on Nov. 7, 2015, in New Orleans, La.

“NAPABA is proud to honor Lee Tran & Liang LLP with the Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award,” said NAPABA President George C. Chen. “We applaud the firm’s continued commitment to excellence both within and outside the legal arena.

With over 30 attorneys across three offices in California, Lee Tran & Liang LLP (LTL) is one of the largest and fastest growing APA-owned law firms in the country, and one of the largest APA-owned litigation boutiques. LTL started in 2003 as the first spin-off from trial powerhouse Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. Devoted solely to trials and litigation, the firm represents global companies and handles complex matters nationwide.

LTL was recently included on the 2014 National Law Journal Litigation Boutiques Hot List (one of ten firms nationally), and was awarded the 2013 Client Service Award by the California Minority Counsel Program. Its attorneys have been honored as among the “Top 20” in California (Daily Journal), “Super Lawyers” (Los Angeles Magazine), and one of LTL’s partners was named “Best Lawyers under 40 in America” by NAPABA (2003).

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 70 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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