News

  • Thursday, June 29, 2017 8:39 AM | Anonymous

    CONTACT:  Deborah Yim, dyim98@gmail.com; Philip Nulud, nlpamg@gmail.com

    June 29, 2017, Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) and the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) congratulate the Honorable Winston Keh on his appointment as Judge for the San Bernardino County Superior Court.  He was sworn in as a judge on May 26, 2017 and will be enrobed in the very near future.

    Judge Keh joined the PABA Board of Governors in 2007.  He served as the President in 2013.  Judge Keh also served as a board member of APABA from 2012 through 2013.

    Prior to his appointment, Judge Keh served as Court Commissioner for the San Bernardino County Superior Court since 2015.  He previously served as Judge Pro Tem for the Los Angeles County Superior Court, presiding over traffic and small claims cases.  Judge Keh served as a volunteer attorney for the Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (formerly Asian Pacific American Legal Center), assisting members of the community with immigration documents and petitions for expungement.  In addition, during his tenure as the President of PABA, Judge Keh led a group of Filipino-American attorneys in providing pro-bono legal assistance to members of the Filipino-American community.

    “​APABA congratulates our friend and former board member Winston on his well-deserved appointment to the bench.  Throughout his distinguished legal career, Winston has shown he has a tremendous heart for community service, giving countless pro bono hours to serving others.  We are glad that the Governor made such a great choice in appointing Winston, and we know that he will be a real asset to the courts,” stated Deborah Yim, APABA President.

    “Winston has been a tremendous friend, mentor and example to us all at PABA.  His appointment is well deserved and we congratulate him.  He follows in the footsteps of many other fine PABA board members who have been elevated to the judiciary, and he also leads the path for others.  We are greatly proud of Winston's accomplishments as they are reflective of PABA's role in the community.  With Winston, there are now sixteen Filipino-American judges in California,” stated Philip Nulud, PABA President. 

    PABA will be hosting a reception for Judge Keh, co-sponsored by APABA, on Saturday, July 8, 2017, starting at 2 p.m. at The L.A. Hotel.  If you would like to attend, please RSVP to pabalaevents@gmail.com  by Wednesday, July 5, 2017.

     

  • Wednesday, June 07, 2017 8:37 PM | Anonymous

    Los Angeles, CA – On May 18, 2017, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) celebrated APA Heritage Month by presenting a panel discussion entitled 100 Days Later: APA Perspectives on the Trump Administration.  Held at the LAPD’s Deaton Auditorium, over 80 attorneys, law students, community activists, and members of the general public attended the event. 

    The event featured five distinguished panelists who spoke on the impact of the policies of the Trump Administration on APA and other minority communities.  Moderated by Annette Wong, attorney at Cox, Castle & Nicholson, the panelists were Laboni Hoq, Litigation Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles; Dr. Sue Kim, Assistant Professor of Clinical Preventative Medicine at USC’s Keck School of Medicine; Cori Racela, Senior Attorney on Western Center on Law and Poverty’s Health Team; Gowri Ramachandran, Professor at Southwestern Law School; and Adrienna Wong, staff attorney at ACLU So-Cal, Advocacy Department. 

    “APABA's APA Heritage Month event has been one of its signature events during its 19-year history.  This event provides a unique opportunity for APABA members, friends, and partners to hear from distinguished speakers and engage in a dialog about critical, timely issues affecting APA and minority communities.”  Stated Seaton Tsai, APABA board member and event committee co-chair.  “Our past events have touched on hot-button social issues, such as police brutality, volunteerism, APAs and the media, and more.  This year, the decision on the topic of presentation was obvious from the beginning.  No presidential administration is without some controversy.  That being said, these first 100 days have been particularly unique in certain respects, and we hope this uniquely all-women panel had shed light on the legal and practical implications of new presidential policies that have recently come to the forefront.”

    The APA Heritage Month event featured a clothing drive for Dress for Success and a performance by accomplished violist, Camille Lin.  26 community organizations co-sponsored the event.  The 2017 APA Heritage Month committee chairs are Seaton Tsai, Diana Taing, and Eleanor Ung.

    Contact: Seaton Tsai (seatontsai@gmail.com)    

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    APABA is a nonpartisan member organization comprised of attorneys, judges and law students throughout Los Angeles County. It is a voice for issues of concern to the Asian Pacific American community. APABA provides legal education and assistance to underserved communities and sponsors programs in professional development, community education and law student mentorship.


  • Monday, May 15, 2017 3:43 PM | Anonymous

    Los Angeles, CA, May 15, 2017 - In light of the current administration’s priorities, which in the first 100 days appear to target our immigrant communities, we at APABA feel it is important to make a clear statement denouncing any and all anti-immigration enforcement policies that directly contravene our mission of inclusiveness.  As we did with President Trump’s executive orders that targeted Muslim immigrants, we similarly condemn any attempts by the federal government to intimidate and instill fear in our immigrant communities, including the recent arrests of undocumented immigrants by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in courthouses in California and nationwide. These targeted arrests have also been reported in other public locations such as public schools, and county health and social services facilities.                            

    We believe these new enforcement policies, in particular, have had and will continue to reap a detrimental effect on our communities. As noted by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, “[o]ur courthouses serve as a vital forum for ensuring access to justice and protecting public safety. Courthouses should not be used as bait in the necessary enforcement of our country’s immigrant laws.” She further opined that, as a result of such courthouse arrests, “both documented and undocumented immigrants will no longer cooperate with state and local law-enforcement agencies; crimes or civil wrongs will go unreported and communities will live in fear.” Courts in New York City, Boston, Denver, and other U.S. cities have cited similar consequences of recent courthouse enforcement actions.

    APABA believes that anti-immigration policies undermine our judicial system, which is supposed to serve and protect the poor, abused and vulnerable. Instead, these policies discourage immigrants from reporting crimes and serving as witnesses in crimes against them.   Furthermore, we are deeply concerned that immigrants will not go to public agencies to apply for vital social services and healthcare and other necessary assistance for which they are eligible out of general fear of immigration authorities. 

    The consequences of the new administrations’ anti-immigration policies directly conflict with Congress’ efforts to protect immigrant crime victims.  Laws such as the Violence Against Women’s Act and the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act encourage immigrants to come forward and assist law enforcement with prosecuting criminals who have victimized them.  They are less likely to do so now in light of the increase in courthouse enforcement actions and other anti-immigrant policies.

    APABA encourages our members to take an active part in building community dialogue and rejecting any policies or conduct that promote fear-mongering and discrimination. In furtherance of our commitment to engage our communities through civic education, outreach, and activism, APABA conducted a series of Know Your Rights Immigration Town Halls in Los Angeles and Orange counties in February and March 2017. We recently joined the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) in a public statement, expressing concerns about ICE’s practices at courthouses. The statement can be read here. APABA also joined NAPABA’s amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth and Ninth Circuits to support a preliminary injunction of the revised Executive Order barring individuals from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. The appellate courts will hear the cases later this month. Information about the amicus briefs can be found here.

    To commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we invite community members to participate in our “100 Days Later: APA Perspectives on the Trump Administration” event to be held on May 18, 2017 where we will review the impact of the first 100 days of the new administration, and how each of us can bring about positive change in our local community.  APABA remains steadfast in our mission to confront discrimination and promote inclusivity through mobilizing our community with outreach programs and education efforts.

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    The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County is a nonpartisan member organization comprised of attorneys, judges and law students throughout Los Angeles County. It is a voice for issues of concern to the Asian Pacific American community. APABA provides legal education and assistance to underserved communities and sponsors programs in professional development, community education and law student mentorship.

    CONTACT: Dinh Luu (dinh@goldfarbluu.com); Ash Puri (apuri@foxrothschild.com)

     

  • Monday, January 23, 2017 9:41 AM | Anonymous member

    The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County’s (APABA-LA) members, like those of OCBA, are diverse attorneys who have a vast range of backgrounds, from families who helped build this nation in its nascent days to first-generation immigrants. APABA-LA strongly condemns the inflammatory language in Mr. Baroni’s column suggesting that America is under “unprecedented attack” by immigrants.

    Regardless of our origins, we attorneys have all sworn an oath to support the Constitution, including the principles of equal protection and free speech. Yet Mr. Baroni appears to advocate equal protection and free speech only for those who voice uncritical nationalism. The Constitution protects dissent and those who are in the minority, whether they are minorities based on race, immigration status, or viewpoint.

    As such, attorneys have a responsibility to guard against the wielding of laws to silence communities, and erase the experiences of immigrants, Native Americans, and other minorities. Attorneys have a responsibility to protect the rights of those who seek equal protection from law enforcement. We are disappointed that Mr. Baroni seems to encourage otherwise.

    OCBA’s Vision Statement says: “We will demand inclusivity, charity, and relevancy by and for our members . . . .” APABA-LA encourages Mr. Baroni to honor OCBA’s Vision Statement, and ensure that OCBA stands for inclusivity and equal protection for all of its members and those community members who rely on OCBA’s services.

    CONTACT: Jade Leung

    Email: jadehleung@gmail.com

  • Tuesday, January 17, 2017 9:07 AM | Anonymous

    Los Angeles, CA, January 17, 2017 – In response to the recent presidential election, we the Directors of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) wish to reaffirm our organization’s purpose and values to our members, the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in Los Angeles County, and the greater legal community.

    APABA was founded on the principles of social justice, self-empowerment, and community service. To these principles we remain more committed than ever. In light of the 2016 presidential election, today some in our communities face social, economic and legal uncertainties. APABA will use all resources at its disposal to educate, assist and empower those who are affected. APABA members are immigrants and the children of immigrants. We must stand together now against injustice and discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or religion. We urge our elected officials to condemn inflammatory language and fear-mongering and reject discriminatory policies.

    In the coming months, APABA will engage the community through education, outreach and activism. Starting in January, we will hold a series of four town halls to discuss possible changes in immigration laws and their impact and march in Women’s March - LA. We will also continue to hold clinics, sponsor continuing education courses, and plan community events in the spirit of APABA’s founding principles. To our members we urge you to participate in the planning of these events and volunteer in pro bono efforts. To our sister organizations and community partners we look forward to working with you so we can collectively engage the broadest possible audience.

    In closing, we recall Justice Frank Murphy’s dissent in Korematsu v. United States that “All residents of this nation are kin in some way by blood or culture to a foreign land. Yet they are primarily and necessarily a part of the new and distinct civilization of the United States. They must, accordingly, be treated at all times as the heirs of the American experiment, and as entitled to all the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.”

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    The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County is a nonpartisan member organization comprised of attorneys, judges and law students throughout Los Angeles County. It is a voice for issues of concern to the Asian Pacific American community. APABA provides legal education and assistance to underserved communities and sponsors programs in professional development, community education and law student mentorship.

    CONTACT: Dinh Luu   

    E-MAIL: dinh@goldfarbluu.com

  • Thursday, October 20, 2016 6:40 PM | Anonymous member

    APABA, APAWLA, KABA, and SCCLA are pleased to offer a limited number of travel scholarships to law student members to attend the 2016 NAPABA Convention in San Diego, California.

    Applicants must be current law students and members of one or more of the Sponsoring Bar Associations as of the application deadline, which is Thursday, October 20, 2016, at 8 pm Pacific Time. Applicants must also request funding from their law schools. Please see the Scholarship Application for additional details and requirements.

    Email completed applications with resumes and/or questions to: Ed Lew, 2016 Scholarship Committee Chair, edlew.apaba@gmail.com. Please indicate "2016 NAPABA Travel Scholarship" in the email's subject line.

  • Saturday, March 26, 2016 4:40 PM | Anonymous member

    APABA is pleased to announce that it will award a Public Interest Fellowship in the amount of $5,000 to one deserving law student during the summer of 2016.

    The APABA Fellowship will be awarded to a law student who demonstrates leadership potential, maturity and responsibility, as well as a commitment to making a contribution to the APIA community. The law student must find a summer position (of at least 10 weeks) in a nonprofit or governmental public interest organization that serves Los Angeles County's Asian Pacific American community. The law student must be supervised by a licensed attorney. Positions at a public defender, district attorney or judge's office do not qualify for the Fellowship.

    For more information, please download the APABA Fellowship Application. All applications and supporting materials must be submitted via email by 5:00 pm on Friday, May 6, 2016. Finalists may be interviewed by one or more members of the APABA Fellowship Committee. The recipient of the Fellowship will be selected by the APABA Fellowship Committee, with the approval of the Board of Governors, and will be announced in late May 2016. Please send all inquiries with the subject line "APABA Fellowship" to the APABA Law Students Committee.

  • Sunday, September 20, 2015 10:26 PM | Anonymous member

    APABA, APAWLA, JABA, KABA, SABA, and SCCLA (pending) are pleased to offer a limited number of travel scholarships to law student members to attend the 2015 NAPABA Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana.

    Applicants must be current law students and members of one or more of the Sponsoring Bar Associations as of the application deadline, which is Friday, October 2, 2015, at 8 pm Pacific Time. Applicants must also request funding from their law schools. Please see the Scholarship Application for additional details and requirements.

    Email completed applications with resumes and/or questions to: Ed Lew, 2015 Scholarship Committee Chair, edlew.apaba@gmail.com. Please indicate "2015 NAPABA Travel Scholarship" in the email's subject line.

  • Tuesday, September 15, 2015 8:07 PM | Anonymous member

    APABA is pleased to offer its third annual Bar Review Course Scholarship, generously sponsored by Kaplan Bar Review. Scholarship recipients will receive a Complete Bar Review course redeemable in any state and any modality in which Kaplan offers Bar Review courses. The value of the 2015 California Live Course is $3,995.00.

    The Bar Review Course Scholarship will be awarded to two graduating 3L law students based on need, academic accomplishments, leadership potential, and commitment to making a contribution to the APIA community of Los Angeles County. Please see the scholarship application for instructions on how to apply.

    All application materials must be submitted via email to apabaprofessionaldevelopment@gmail.com by 5:00 pm on October 8, 2015. The Scholarship recipients will be announced on October 15, 2015.

  • Saturday, August 29, 2015 9:58 PM | Anonymous member

    *** PRESS RELEASE ***

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    CONTACT: Nisha Vyas
    E-MAIL: nisha.vyas@gmail.com

    Los Angeles, CA, August 29, 2015 – The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) condemns the use of the derogatory term “anchor babies” by lawmakers and those who seek public office. Whether directed toward Asian Pacific Americans, Latinos, or any other ethnic group, the use of this demeaning term is deeply disrespectful to immigrants and natural born United States citizens alike, and harmful to any productive civic conversation about citizenship and immigration reform.

    “We need a constructive debate about immigration that acknowledges and honors the immeasurable and crucial contributions that immigrants have made to our shared American history and culture. Offensive terms have no place in that debate," said Judy Suwatanapongched, APABA’s President.

    APABA opposes any attempt to roll back settled constitutional law on immigration and citizenship that has helped make this country great. In fact, Asian Pacific Americans played a pivotal role in deciding and settling this issue. In the case United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the Supreme Court ruled that a man born in San Francisco must be recognized as a citizen, despite the fact that his parents had emigrated from China and were excluded by federal law from becoming United States citizens themselves. The United States Supreme Court confirmed the constitutionally-enshrined right to birthright citizenship, stating that that the 14th Amendment of our Constitution “affirms the ancient and fundamental rule of citizenship by birth.”

    Instead of inflammatory race-based rhetoric and fear-mongering, APABA urges American leaders to discuss productive ways in which we can make our immigration system more fair, just and inclusive.

    The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County is a nonpartisan member organization comprised of attorneys, judges and law students throughout Los Angeles County. It is a voice for issues of concern to the Asian Pacific American community. APABA provides legal education and assistance to underserved communities and sponsors programs in professional development, community education and law student mentorship.

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