On January 8, 2014, APABA hosted an informative panel discussion on how to apply to and serve on State Bar Committees. The Honorable Holly Fujie moderated a panel of esteemed individuals including:

• Luis Rodriguez (President, California State Bar Board of Trustees; Los Angeles Office of the Public Defender)
• Craig Holden (Vice President, California State Bar Board of Trustees; Partner, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP)
• Cynthia Loo (Chair, California State Bar Council on Access and Fairness; Judicial Officer, Los Angeles Superior Court)
• Jason P. Lee (Vice Chair, Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation; Attorney, U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission)
• Gretchen Nelson (Former Member, California State Bar Board of Trustees; Partner, Kreindler & Kreindler LLP)

A reception honoring State Bar President Luis Rodriguez followed the panel discussion. Mr. Rodriguez's achievements as a community leader and an advocate for justice include serving as president of the Mexican American Bar Association of the Los Angeles County, president of the California La Raza Lawyers Association, president of the Latino Public Defenders Association, member of the California State Board of Education, and chairman of the State Bar of California' Council on Access and Fairness. He currently serves as the first Latino president of the State Bar of California. The event was co-sponsored by Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance, John M. Langston Bar Association, Japanese American Bar Association, Korean American Bar Association, Latina Lawyers Bar Association, Philipine American Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association, and Southwestern Law School's Asian Pacific American Law Student Association and Latino Law Student Association.

For more information on how to apply to serve on State Bar Committees, please click here.