NAPABA PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2013
Contact: Azizah Ahmad
(202) 775-9555
NAPABA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
WASHINGTON — Over 1,200 Asian Pacific American (APA) judges, attorneys, law professors, and law students attended the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) 25th Annual Convention in Kansas City, MO, from November 7-10, 2013. The Annual Convention’s MOmentum theme highlighted and celebrated the monumental achievements of APA attorneys over the past 25 years at the highest levels of the legal profession while also encouraging attendees to collaborate for future progress and successes.
The four-day convention included an annual International Law Symposium, Pro Bono & Public Interest Summit, and over 50 panels and plenaries with some of the brightest minds in the legal profession. Special events included a lunch plenary with special guests Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI), who talked about their experiences as APA women in Congress. The Convention’s sold-out annual basketball tournament tested the talents of attorneys and law students against the Benchwarmers—an all-star line-up of APA judicial luminaries, including Judge Denny Chin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Justice Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court.
The Honorable Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit gave the keynote address during the 25th Anniversary Gala and Installation Dinner on Saturday, November 9, 2013. During the Gala, Judge Alok Ahuja of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District swore in the following members of the 2013-2014 NAPABA Board of Governors:
Executive Committee
President: William J. Simonitsch, Partner, K&L Gates LLP
President-Elect: George C. Chen, Partner, Bryan Cave LLP
Vice President for Communications: Cyndie M. Chang, Partner, Duane Morris LLP
Vice President for Finance & Development: Alexander M. Lee, Principal, Law Offices of Alexander M. Lee
Vice President for Membership: Brad Yamauchi, Partner, Minami Tamaki LLP
Vice President for Programs and Operations: Jin Y. Hwang, Assistant General Counsel, Verizon Enterprise Solutions
Secretary: Tacie Yoon, Associate, Crowell & Moring LLP
Treasurer: Pankit J. Doshi, Associate, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Immediate Past President: Wendy C. Shiba, retired (former Executive VP, General Counsel & Secretary, KB Home)
Regional Governors
Central Region: David S. Kim, Attorney, Armstrong Teasdale LLP
Northeast Region: Judy H. Kim, Associate Counsel, New York Liquidation Bureau
Northeast Region: Sophia Lee, Chief Counsel – Litigation, Sunoco, Inc.
Northwest Region: Trung D. Tu, Partner, McEwen Gisvold LLP
Southeast Region: John Truong, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Columbia
Southwest Region: Eileen Sullivan, Principal, Sullivan Law Firm, PC
Northern California Region: Quyen Ta, Partner, Keker & Van Nest LLP
Eastern California/Nevada Region: Marlo Nisperos, Deputy District Attorney, Solano County District Attorney Office
Central California Region: Audra Mori, Partner, Perkins Coie
Southern California Region: Lloyd S. Costales, Partner, Page, Lobo, Costales & Preston, A.P.C.
At-Large Members
Curtis Hom, Principal, Innova Legal Group, PLLC
Steven Y. Reeves, Partner, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP
Janet Shih Hajek, Of Counsel, Holland & Hart LLP
Marla Tun Reschly, Of Counsel, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Please join us next year in Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ, from November 6-9, 2014, for the 26th Annual NAPABA Convention, Convergence.
###
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 67 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service 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.
CUP Fellows Program: Deadline Nov. 22

Dear CUP Members & Friends,
The Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) is seeking dynamic emerging leaders from the business, consulting, digital and technology, finance, legal, media and entertainment, and non-profit and public sectors for its CUP Fellows Program. Powered by American Express, the CUP Fellows Program is entering into its seventh year.
CUP Fellows are talented and visionary, multicultural and women professionals, aged 25 to 45, with the passion to become powerful leaders in their community. Through the CUP Fellows program, participants complete a rigorous ten month leadership development experience that includes skills-based training, networking events, and board placement services that prepare them for impactful civic involvement.
There is no greater experience than being a CUP Fellow!
In addition to equipping professionals with the skills needed to lead with impact, the CUP Fellows Program provides participants with a lifelong springboard for prestigious opportunities such as appointments to nonprofit and public sector boards. By exposing CUP Fellows to public sector opportunities and an influential network of professionals, the program is designed to equip participants with the skills, information, and resources needed to manage their careers effectively and position themselves for leadership opportunities.
PROGRAM PARTICIPANT PERKS
- Capstone Experience: The Capstone Project is a significant part of the CUP Fellows experience. The purpose of the project is to give the Fellows the opportunity to apply the leadership and professional skills learned throughout the program to a real-life organizational challenge in the non-profit sector.
- CUP Board Matching Program: Through CUP’s “A Seat at the Table” initiative, we secure strategic board and career matches for CUP Fellows, fulfilling our vision of increasing the diversity of boardrooms and enhancing the capacity of organizations to better serve our communities.
- CUP Executive Level Membership: At the conclusion of the program, CUP Fellows receive a one-year CUP Executive Level membership. This membership gives access to members-only receptions, networking opportunities, leadership development forums and more.
APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW INFORMATION:
To apply, please click here to carefully read the application process details, including information about the eligibility requirements and supplemental application materials.
All CUP Fellows Program applicants must complete the application form and submit the following supplemental materials:
- Resume
- Statement of Intent
- Essay
- Letter of Recommendation
Please let us know if you have any questions and we look forward to receiving your application materials.
Best regards,
Avital Tamir, Director of Programs, CUP Leadership Institute
From CUP: Fall 2013 Executive Leadership Program
Maximize Your Leadership Potential!
Apply Today for the Fall 2013 CUP Executive Leadership Program
Kick-Off Retreat November 14 – 16
Hamilton Park Hotel & Conference Center, Florham Park, New Jersey
Who Should Apply:
High performing, senior professionals from all industries are welcome to apply. The ideal candidate for CUP’s Executive Leadership Program will have the following profile:
- Financial Services & Professional Services Firms: Senior Vice Presidents, Directors, Executive Directors, New Managing Directors
- Law Firms: Senior Associates, New Partners, Deputy General Counsels, Associate General Counsels
- Media & Entertainment Firms: Directors, Vice Presidents
For more information, click here.
All applicants must be nominated by your firm or provide two letters of recommendation from current or previous managers.
All nominations must be submitted to Sonnia Shields at sshields@nycup.org by Friday, September 27.
From the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs: Neighborhood Leadership Institute
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I hope all is well. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs is delighted to announce the second annual Neighborhood Leadership Institute (NLI), a leadership training program for emerging immigrant leaders. In partnership with Citizens Committee for New York City, the Neighborhood Leadership Institute is a signature program of One NYC One Nation, a mayoral initiative increasing civic engagement within immigrant communities.
The Neighborhood Leadership Institutes will bring residents together on quality of life issues, build a network of community partners, provide a better understanding of government, and increase resilience through emergency preparedness training. This training will be led by the Office of Emergency Management and will serve as a pipeline for multilingual New York City residents to join Community Emergency Response (CERT) teams in their communities. Starting in April, we will conduct a series of NLI workshops in each of the five boroughs.
The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs is NOW accepting applications for the NLIs in each borough. The ideal Neighborhood Leadership Institute candidate is an emerging immigrant leader who wants to develop a better understanding of local government and a range of communication, problem solving and community building skills. Candidates must possess a strong motivation to participate in local civic engagement opportunities. Candidates must be interested in the well-being of their neighborhood and working within their community to make a difference. Upon completion of the Neighborhood Leadership Institute, groups will be connected to leadership and funding opportunities, and will receive a certificate of completion from the Mayor’s Office. Candidates must be proficient in English and be willing to commit to at least five 3-hour workshops to receive a certificate.
For more information on workshop details and tentative dates, please see the institute brochure attached to this e-mail. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis HERE. Please share this opportunity widely. If you have specific questions contact Sarah Flatto at sflatto@cityhall.nyc.gov / 212-341-9075.
Click HERE to see the brochure.
Council of Urban Professionals: 6th Annual Leadership Gala
and Benefit Committee
CUP PROUDLY HONORS
______
_____________________________________________________________________________
HONORARY GALA CHAIR
Nicole Bernard, The Fox Group
CUP is Grateful for the Support of Our
_____________________________________________________________________________
For sponsorship information, please contact:
Samantha E. Erskine, Director of Development, at serskine@nycup.org.
View Photo’s from Last Year’s Gala
To Purchase Tickets, Click Here.
2013 CUP Fellows Application Deadline
Dear CUP Members & Friends,
Please note that the new deadline for the 2013 CUP Fellows Application is Monday, December 17, 2012 at 5:00pm. Further details are below.
There is no greater experience than being a CUP Fellow!
In addition to equipping professionals with the skills needed to lead with impact, the CUP Fellows Program provides participants with a lifelong springboard for prestigious opportunities such as appointments to high profile cultural institutions, policy commissions and more. By exposing CUP Fellows to public sector opportunities and cultivating their networks, the program is designed to equip participants with the skills, information and resources needed to manage their careers effectively and position themselves for leadership opportunities.
Application and Selection Information:
All information about the application process can be found here.
The application deadline for the 2013 CUP Fellows is Monday, December 17, 2012 at 5:00pm.
Interviews of select candidates will be scheduled to take place between January 7, 2013 and January 25, 2013.
The 2013 CUP Fellows will be announced on February 4, 2013. Thank you!
Alicia L. Young, Director of Programs, CUP Leadership Institute