In-House Counsel (IHC) + Partners Summits August 28-29 | New York
The IHC Summit and Partners Summit return to New York City on August 28-29, 2025. Held concurrently, these premier gatherings bring together top NAPABA members for two days of high-impact networking and career-building opportunities.
In-House Counsel (IHC) Summit
Partners Summit
A career development program helping senior in-house attorneys accelerate their competitive advantage. Participants will gain insights from General Counsels, C-Suite Executives, and search firm leaders on navigating leadership transitions and positioning themselves for top legal roles.
An interactive program for law firm partners to strengthen leadership skills, collaborate on career strategies, and build connections with the next generation of law firm leaders. The Summit is hosted in parallel with the IHC Summit, providing unique networking opportunities with senior in-house attorneys from Fortune 1000 companies.
Congressional Reception in Celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month
Tuesday, May 20, 2025 | 6:00 – 8:00 PM ET
Join NAPABA members and community leaders from across the country in celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month with members of Congress at the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. The reception will unite Lobby Day participants, Congressional members and their staff, as well as influential leaders from the AANHPI community.
This is a unique opportunity to engage with our political leaders and hear their insights. In 2024, participants heard from influential figures such as Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Judy Chu, Chair Emerita of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
This is a widely attended event. An RSVP is required to secure your spot.
Registration for Lobby Day is not required to attend the Congressional Reception, but we invite you to participate in Lobby Day, which consists of training and meetings with Congressional offices. Please note that only NAPABA members or members of NAPABA affiliates are eligible to participate in Lobby Day.
We understand how hectic schedules can be and you may not have had a chance to submit your proposal for the 2025 NAPABA Convention. That’s why we’ve extended the deadline to March 24 at 8:00 pm ET. This is your opportunity to fine tune and perfect your proposal.
Here’s a reminder for what we’re looking for:
GENERAL CLE PROGRAMMING
At NAPABA, we are committed to offering inclusive and innovative CLE programming that reflects the diverse experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our membership. Our general CLE programming aims to appeal to the broadest audience by covering a wide range of legal topics. We encourage proposals that bring fresh, relevant discussions to the forefront.
SPECIALTY PROGRAMMING
Our Specialty Programming takes you deeper into topics that will help you excel in your practice and career. With immersive and interactive learning opportunities, you’ll get to lead the conversation and provide members a session that goes beyond what may be possible during a general CLE session. Share your expertise in one of these tracks:
International Law Symposium – Explore global legal topics with diplomats, judges, and business leaders.
Young Lawyers Workshop – Tackle real-world career challenges and professional growth.
Solo & Small Firm Boot Camp – Get practical strategies for business development and firm expansion.
Law Student Workshop – Equip law students with essential skills for a successful legal career.
WASHINGTON – For nearly 25 years, Executive Order 13166 required that every federal agency meet the needs of limited English proficient (LEP) individuals when it delivers critical services. It similarly required those that received federal funding, such as non-profit organizations as well as state and local governments, to guarantee that LEP individuals had meaningful access to their services. EO 13166 brought the full import of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits entities that receive federal funding from discriminating based on national origin, to life. This meant that a Mandarin-speaking LEP individual, for example, could access life-sustaining government entitlement programs or a Vietnamese speaker could receive legal services from a non-profit organization. Those guarantees are now called into question.
The majority of the Asian American community are immigrants. Nearly 32% of the community is limited English proficient. The Asian American population is comprised of over 50 different ethnicities and speak over 100 different languages. NAPABA has long championed linguistic access for AANHPI communities in the legal system, including through our groundbreaking report, which highlighted and provided recommendations on the state of language access in federal and state courts and agencies.
The executive order, which also purports to designate English as the official language of the United States without the consent of Congress, places an unnecessary obstacle for LEP individuals within the AANHPI community who need and deserve to access critical, federally funded services. We call on Congress to engage in appropriate oversight over the Administration’s unwarranted action and strengthen the protections of Title VI.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.
Beyond our outstanding CLE sessions, the NAPABA Convention offers specialty programming designed to provide hands-on, in-depth learning from top experts. These immersive workshops go beyond the basics, equipping participants with practical skills and actionable insights to advance their careers.
We’re seeking proposals for these dynamic specialty tracks:
International Law Symposium – Dive into global legal topics like IP, national security, and dispute resolution with diplomats, judges, and business leaders. Presented by the International Law Committee on Thursday.
Young Lawyers Workshop – Designed for early to mid-career attorneys, tackling real-world challenges like work-life balance and career growth. Presented by the Young Lawyers Network on Thursday.
Solo & Small Firm Boot Camp – Tailored for solo and small firm practitioners, covering business development, firm expansion, and legal strategy. Presented by the Solo & Small Firm Committee on Thursday.
Law Student Workshop – A two-day boot camp helping law students develop essential career skills through interactive sessions and expert-led discussions.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the Bay Area Asian American General Counsel network (BAAAGC) were proud to celebrate and honor the achievements of more than 200 Bay Area Asian American general counsel, a historic high, at this week’s 2025 BAAAGC x NAPABA Celebration. The event, which was held on February 27, 2025, in San Francisco, honored the leaders of the legal departments of a diverse range of companies and organizations including nationally and globally recognized brands such as AMD, Bill.com, Broadcom, Coinbase, Databricks, Google DeepMind, Impossible Foods, Instacart, Juniper Networks, Recology, Reddit, Ross Stores, SurveyMonkey, Unity, VF Corporation, and many more.
“The 2025 BAAAGC x NAPABA Celebration demonstrates the incredible progress that the Bay Area Asian American in-house legal community has made to break through barriers that have long stymied advancement to the top echelons of the legal profession, as we have long identified in our Portrait Project,” said Thy Bui, President of NAPABA. “NAPABA is grateful to this group of incredible Bay Area lawyers who truly are global leaders for their companies, their industries, and our bar.”
“BAAAGC is incredibly proud of this landmark achievement,” said BAAAGC Co-Chairs Irene Liu, Thomas Chow, and Stephen Mar. “In 2017, we celebrated the milestone of reaching 100 Bay Area Asian American general counsels. It is encouraging to see that our numbers have more than doubled since then, and we look forward to seeing that growth accelerate.”
With nearly 450 attendees, the celebration acknowledged a remarkable milestone for Asian American general counsel and the important role that bar organizations such as NAPABA’s Northern California and Bay Area affiliates (including Community Sponsors: Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley, Filipino Bar Association of Northern California, and the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California) play in fostering mentorship, learning, connections, and professional development to ensure that Asian American lawyers have equal opportunity to serving in leadership roles.
All net proceeds from the event, generously sponsored by leading national firms and companies, are earmarked for two worthy causes. First, they will support the next iteration of the Portrait Project of Asian Americans in the Law, which is the ground breaking, systematic account on how Asian Americans, including in-house counsel and law firm lawyers, are situated in the legal profession. Second, the proceeds will create the Bay Area Asian American General Counsel Summer Public Interest Fellowship at UC Berkeley School of Law to support the work of law students supporting the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.
Applications are now open for NAPABA’s Leadership Advancement Program. This experiential program provides Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) attorneys a unique opportunity to develop and harness their leadership style and foster deep and lasting connections with their peers, including both in-house counsel and law firm attorneys.
This exclusive, year-long experience is designed to transform rising AANHPI attorneys into bold, confident leaders.
This isn’t just another leadership program—it’s your chance to:
Discover your leadership style, sharpen your strengths, and understand your weaknesses
Master the art of communication, listening, and influence
Overcome challenges with confidence and strategic thinking
Connect with 24 peers who will become your advisors, champions, and lifelong community
This is YOUR time. If you’re ready to lead with purpose and power, don’t wait! Spots are limited so take the first step into becoming the leader you’re meant to be by submitting your application.
The program is designed for developing mid-career AANHPI attorney leadership skills. Enrollment in the program is limited to 24 participants, with an even balance between IHC and law firm attorneys. All NAPABA members are encouraged to apply, although the selection committee will focus on the following criteria this year:
Law firm candidates: preference for candidates with between six and 10 years of experience.
In-house candidates: preference for a minimum of three to four years of IHC experience, with six to 10 years of overall practice experience.
WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Board of Governors has approved and welcomed the Oklahoma Asian American Bar Association (OKAABA) as an affiliate of NAPABA. Founded in 2024, OKAABA is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the interests of Asian American attorneys and legal professionals in Oklahoma.
“We are delighted to welcome the Oklahoma Asian American Bar Association to the NAPABA community,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “This addition to NAPABA underscores our unwavering commitment to empowering and advocating for the diverse communities within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations across the nation. OKAABA’s dedication to the legal profession, community service, and advocacy strengthens our shared mission to uplift the AANHPI community, and we look forward to building a meaningful and impactful partnership together.”
“The Oklahoma Asian American Bar Association is thrilled to link arms with the NAPABA as we foster a sense of community, empowerment, and purpose,” said Jacqueline (Jacki) Phelps, OKAABA’s president. “OKAABA’s central purpose is rooted in the notion that there is unity in diversity, and, indeed, it is our diversity that gives us strength. As we all are currently navigating difficult and uncertain times, partnering with NAPABA amplifies that purpose as we work together to empower our communities both within the legal profession and without.”
The Oklahoma Asian American Bar Association joins a community of approximately 90 local, state, regional, and national bar associations in the United States and Canada that are affiliates and national associates of NAPABA. The affiliates hold certain voting rights under the NAPABA Bylaws, and individual members of the affiliates are entitled to complimentary NAPABA membership and the benefits that accompany it. For more information about how to become a NAPABA affiliate, please visit our webpage and learn more here about the benefits of becoming a NAPABA member.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.
Before the start of this new year, I wrote to you and shared not only my gratitude for an incredible 2024, but also our commitment to advance NAPABA’s mission heading into 2025. Though we are merely two months into the new year, we have already witnessed several developments that impact NAPABA’s work and the broader Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community.
On his first day in office on January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued executive orders that jeopardized the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for all persons born in the United States, the right to seek asylum, the refugee resettlement system, and the LGBTQ+ community, among others. NAPABA swiftly condemned these actions, which ran counter to our values. Since then, the federal government has enacted a slew of policies, which have already drawn significant concern for the rule of law, in addition to attacks on lawful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives both within the federal government and the private sector.
When it comes to our values, our words of disagreement are not enough. NAPABA is charged to promote justice and equity for the AANHPI community. My team is closely monitoring developments from the federal government, and we are working with stakeholders, coalition partners, policymakers, and others to respond appropriately.
NAPABA is prepared to act. I have outlined below, in broad strokes, our intended course of action and how you can get involved. In the coming weeks and months, and with your partnership, we plan to meaningfully support our community and actively counter policies that detrimentally affect the AANHPI community.
I. Direct Support for NAPABA Affiliates and National Associates
NAPABA stands ready to deliver financial support to our affiliates and national associates for their work in the community. As leaders in their respective regions, affiliates and national associates can act as trusted messengers delivering pivotal information and services to their members and broader AANHPI communities. We will prioritize projects that speak to the challenges today: for example, educational seminars on the state of immigration, pro bono initiatives to support heightened immigration needs of the Asian American population, funding language translations for educational materials and resources, and local and state advocacy efforts that align with NAPABA values and positions. To apply for funding, please visit our website.
Building on the work of the NAPABA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, we plan to create toolkits for our affiliates and national associates. They will include resources to advance the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and immigration resources such as hosting naturalization clinics and the creation of attorney directories that address priority areas like immigration law.
II. NAPABA Engagement with Policymakers
The NAPABA Policy Team leads our engagement with stakeholders and policymakers at the federal and state levels. We advance our policy priorities, whether it be in our opposition to anti-Asian hate and discriminatory alien land law policies to our support for voting rights. Now, as our engagement will necessarily go deeper, we are investing in an expansion of our Policy Team.
Plus, the planning is well underway for our upcoming Lobby Day, which is scheduled for May 20-21, 2025, in Washington, DC. As the largest AANHPI advocacy effort on Capitol Hill, NAPABA Lobby Day will bring our members from across the Nation to the halls of Congress to demonstrate not only the strength of our community, but also to advance the critical issues facing the AANHPI community. Our members will meet with Congressional offices on both sides of the aisle to highlight the causes important to us and our communities. Your voice is pivotal. For more information on Lobby Day and to register, please visit our website.
III. Narrative Change and Education In the coming weeks and months, NAPABA will highlight how recent actions from the federal government not only impact our communities, but also the critical role that the AANHPI communities played in the development of the rights that we cherish today. Whether it be on birthright citizenship, the right to asylum and the refugee resettlement program, or the barriers that our community faces in the legal profession, NAPABA will uplift those stories and our history, which are intertwined with the fabric of American life today. Please be on the lookout through our social media channels, our website, and email for additional educational resources and programming. These efforts will be on top of the multitude of informative programs during the Nation’s largest convening of legal professionals: the NAPABA Convention in Denver, Colorado, on November 6-8, 2025.
NAPABA has an exceptionally talented and enthusiastic full-time staff, but we cannot carry out our work without you. The strength of NAPABA is comprised of passionate and energetic volunteers like you. As I mentioned above, here are some ways where you can get involved:
WASHINGTON – Recently, President Donald Trump named Mark T. Uyeda as the Acting Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) congratulates Acting Chairman Uyeda. He is the first Asian Pacific American to serve as a Commissioner on the SEC and to lead the SEC.
“Over the course of two decades, Acting Chairman Uyeda has built an impressive track record of expertise and commitment to public service,” said Thy Bui, President of NAPABA. “Dedicated public servants like Mark T. Uyeda are critical to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s financial system.”
Acting Chairman Uyeda has served as an SEC Commissioner since 2022. His distinguished service spans over fifteen years as a career public service attorney, including in senior leadership at the SEC, as Securities Counsel on detail to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, roles at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Labor, and key positions in government and private practice.
Acting Chairman Uyeda earned his undergraduate degree in business administration from Georgetown University in 1992 and his law degree with honors from Duke University in 1995, where he was a member of the Duke Law Journal. The child and grandchild of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, he has been an active member of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander legal community, including serving as a past president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area (APABA-DC). In 2023, NAPABA awarded him with the prestigious Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award.
### The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.
