NAPALSA CONFERENCE — CALL FOR ATTORNEY MENTORS

The National Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (NAPALSA) has again partnered with NAPABA this year to create a unique networking and professional event for law students to interact and learn from current Asian Pacific American legal practitioners. NAPALSA is now seeking attorneys from all sectors to volunteer for Resume Reviews on Friday, November 7, and Mock Interviews on Saturday, November 8.

The purpose of these programs is to enhance and improve students’ professional development skills for the current job market. Each session would allow law students to have a one-on-one experience with an attorney for fifteen minutes either to have their resume critiqued or to conduct an interview. If you are interested in participating in the resume reviews, mock interviews, or both, please email your bio to NAPALSA Conference Chair Jeanna Lee at conference.napalsa@gmail.com by September 22, 2014.

2014 NAPABA Prospective Partners Program

The NAPABA Prospective Partners Program (PPP) aims to increase the number of Asian Pacific American partners at major law firms through introduction, mentorship, and relationship building. In anticipation of the program’s fifth year, the PPP is inviting candidate applications and nominations for participation in PPP sessions taking place during the Convention. Applications are due September 15, 2014.

Click here for more information.

NAPABA SEEKING AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER CANDIDATES — SEPT. 15 Deadline

The NAPABA Board of Governors will appoint two At-Large Board Members to serve a two-year term that will begin in the 2014-2015 bar year. The NAPABA Nominating & Elections Committee invites all members in good standing to submit their names and statements as candidates for At-Large Board Member to elections@napaba.org on or before September 15, 2014. For additional information, click here to review the complete At-Large Board Members Guidelines.

NAPABA ANNOUNCES 2014 DANIEL K. INOUYE TRAILBLAZER AWARD RECIPIENTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 14, 2014

Contact: Tina Matsuoka
(202) 775-9555

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 attorneys. Trailblazers have demonstrated vision, courage, and tenacity, and made substantial and lasting contributions to the Asian Pacific American legal profession, as well as to the broader Asian Pacific American community. The 2014 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazers Awards will be presented on November 9, 2014, at a special ceremony during the 2014 NAPABA Annual Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona, to the following recipients:

  • Emilia “Mimi” R. Castillo, Castillo Mediation and Arbitration Services
  • The Honorable Lance A. Ito, Superior Court of California, Los Angeles Country
  • Julie A. Su, Labor Commissioner, State of California
  • Bruce I. Yamashita, Partner, Law Office of Bruce I. Yamashita, PLLC
  • Marian M. Yim, Shareholder, Wong Fujii Carter, PC

This year’s Trailblazer Award recipients are a diverse and impressive group. Ms. Castillo has had a successful legal career including over 25 years over as a solo practitioner and participated in the founding of NAPABA, as well as several other local and national Asian Pacific American bar associations. During Judge Ito’s long career in public service, he has presided over a number of high profile cases, including the O.J. Simpson trial, while making time to train other judges about the importance of foreign language interpreters and to mentor Asian Pacific American judicial candidates. Ms. Su successfully advocated for the rights of poor and disenfranchised workers, consumers, students, and, in particular, the Asian Pacific American immigrant community, before becoming the first Asian Pacific American Labor Commissioner for the state of California. Mr. Yamashita fought back against the anti-Asian bias he faced in the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School and changed the way the military handles allegations of racial discrimination. Before becoming a shareholder in Arizona’s first Asian majority owned law firm, Ms. Yim served as an Arizona Assistant Attorney General, Counsel to the Mayor of Phoenix, and founding president of the Arizona Asian American Bar Association.

NAPABA congratulates the 2014 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 (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 70 national, state, and local 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 engages in legislative and policy advocacy, promotes APA political leadership and political appointments, and builds coalitions within the legal profession and the community at large. NAPABA also serves as a resource for government agencies, members of Congress, and public service organizations about APAs in the legal profession, civil rights, and diversity in the courts.

NAPABA Officer Elections Underway

NAPABA Officer Elections Underway

NAPABA Lawyer – Submit Now

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The Spring issue of the NAPABA Lawyer is now available online. Read the newest and past issue here.

NAPABA is currently looking for substantive articles on the legal and/or APA communities for the Fall issue of the NAPABA Lawyer. Please contact NAPABA Communications Manager Azizah Ahmad if you are interested in submitting an article.

2014 Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition

2014 Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition

NAPABA APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF AMIT MEHTA TO THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2014
Contact: Tina Matsuoka
(202) 775-9555

WASHINGTON – Today, President Obama nominated Amit Mehta to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. If confirmed, Mehta will be the first Asian Pacific American to serve as a federal district court judge in the District of Columbia.

“Amit Mehta has had a distinguished legal career and will serve admirably on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “I urge the Senate to ensure a speedy confirmation for Mr. Mehta.”

Mehta is currently a partner at the Washington, D.C. office of Zuckerman Spaeder LLP. He is an experienced trial, litigation, and investigations attorney focusing primarily on white-collar criminal defense, complex business disputes, and appellate advocacy. Before joining Zuckerman Spaeder, Mehta was a staff attorney for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Early in his legal career, Mehta was an associate at Latham & Watkins and clerked for the Honorable Susan Graber of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Portland, Oregon. Mehta served as Director for Facilitating Youth in Leadership and currently serves as Vice-Chair for the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project. The National Law Journal, Benchmark Litigation, and Superlawyers have all recognized Mehta for his legal excellence. Mehta graduated from Georgetown University magna cum laude and University of Virginia School of Law order of the coif.

NAPABA commends President Obama for nominating Amit Mehta to the bench and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia for her support of his nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 70 national, state, and local 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 engages in legislative and policy advocacy, promotes APA political leadership and political appointments, and builds coalitions within the legal profession and the community at large. NAPABA also serves as a resource for government agencies, members of Congress, and public service organizations about APAs in the legal profession, civil rights, and diversity in the courts.