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  • 6 Oct 2023 12:00 AM | Anonymous

    Good evening!

    It is wonderful to have the whole APABA-DC family here together.  There are so many familiar faces.  Can you believe we have 13 former APABA-DC Presidents who joined us today.  The strong support from our board alumni network keeps us going.  The time, effort, and care of the 42 boards that came before us have brought us where we are now, and we strive to continue our important work of serving the APA legal community in the nation’s capital.

    Our work is not possible without the strong allyship with our affiliate and peer bar organizations.  I thank the leaders of the D.C. Bar, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Hispanic Bar Association of D.C., and Women’s Bar Association of D.C. for joining us tonight.  A long-time supporter of APABA-DC, Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby of the D.C. Court of Appeals, could not join us tonight, but she sends her greetings and congratulations to tonight's honorees.

    When I first moved to D.C. seven years ago, I knew maybe five people in town.  One Wednesday, I found myself at an APABA-DC happy hour.  From there, I joined the board of its charitable foundation, AEF, and then the APABA-DC board.  APABA-DC provided me with this community, and I am truly honored to lead the organization as the 41st president.

    Our founding member Margaret Chao told me – back in 1981, there were a dozen government attorneys who gathered around at a bar and decided to incorporate as a non-profit organization. The charter stated that our mission includes “improv[ing] the quality of legal service to the Asian Pacific Americans”; “strengthen[ing] equal opportunities” for Asian Pacific Americans; and “provid[ing] support [for] the elimination of discrimination and prejudice against Asian Pacific Americans.”  Seven years later, in 1988, APABA-DC leaders helped found the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.  In 1993, APABA-DC founded its educational fund to give scholarships to law students pursuing career in public interest.  In 1998, APABA-DC helped establish the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, APALRC, providing the first telephone hotline service that focused on addressing legal needs of APA residents in Washington, D.C.

    Since the beginning of the pandemic, the broader APA communities here and across the nation have faced hatred and violence.  Even with no in-person events due to COVID, APABA-DC brought us together when we desperately needed a sense of community and belonging.  I want to recognize Ms. Erica Lai, Ms. Ethel Badawi, and Ms. Yifang Zhao, who so ably led the organization through the pandemic and our transition to the fully in-person programming.  Please give a round of applause to the three former APABA-DC presidents.

    APABA-DC is stronger than ever.  Our membership grew 50% compared to the pre-pandemic level.  Our newsletters now reach nearly 2,000 registered contacts.  With my sincere gratitude, I am happy to report that we broke the fundraising record this year, nearly doubling the previous record.  I thank you for your support and being here.  With the outpouring of support, we will continue the important work of helping our members advance their professional growth, being the voice for our community on important issues that matter to us, and providing educational programs in collaboration with our affiliates and peer bar organizations in and out of the region.

    Finally, I would like to thank the colleagues from my firm, Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, for joining me tonight and your support of my voluntary bar activities. 

    Now, I would like to invite Ambassador Katherine Tai, the Nineteenth United States Trade Representative, up to the stage for a fireside chat.  Please welcome Ambassador Tai.

  • 16 Aug 2023 1:45 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    news@apaba-dc.org

    APABA-DC Announces the Recipients of APABA-DC Annual Awards

    The four awardees to be honored at
    the 2023 Awards & Installation Gala on October 5, 2023

    Washington, D.C. – The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area (APABA-DC) today announced the recipients of its annual awards to be honored at the 2023 Awards & Installation Gala on October 5, 2023.

    • Pioneer Award: Josh Hsu
    • Member Appreciation Award: Shaila Ohri
    • Community Appreciation Award: The Honorable Raymond Chen
    • Rising Star Award:  Yiyang Wu

    "We are fortunate to have such inspiring, talented, and devoted members of our community as this year's award recipients," said APABA-DC President Minsuk Han.  "APABA-DC is honored to recognize them at this year's Awards & Installation Gala, and I hope you can join us on October 5 as we celebrate our community members’ achievements, inspire greater accomplishments, and provide a platform for developing relationships across the APA legal community in the nation’s capital."

    APABA-DC's Pioneer Award recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of an individual who has paved the way for the advancement of APA attorneys. The Member Appreciation Award recognizes an individual's outstanding service to APABA-DC. The Community Appreciation Award recognizes an individual or organization in the Greater Washington, D.C. area such as community leaders, judges, or leaders of other bar associations who has demonstrated strong support for APABA-DC and its members. The Rising Star Award recognizes talented individuals within the APABA-DC community, who are under the age of forty and have achieved prominence and distinction in their respective field while demonstrating a strong commitment to APABA-DC and the APA community.

    The 2023 Gala will be held on October 5, 2023 at Conrad Washington DC, during which the recipients of this year's annual awards, together with this year's diversity champion, will be honored.

    Award Recipient Bios

  • 7 Aug 2023 5:26 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    APABA-DC joins other AANHPI organizations in endorsing the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act and signing on to a Letter to Congress raising concerns over increasing anti-Chinese rhetoric that has been reflected in other proposed legislation.

    Introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Rep. Judy Chu of California, who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Rep. Al Green of Texas, the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act would nullify any state law that prohibits or otherwise restricts an individual’s right to purchase real property based merely on that individual’s citizenship.

    The full letter is attached.

  • 29 Jun 2023 10:00 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    news@apaba-dc.org

    APABA-DC Announces the 2023-2024 Board's Elected Officers

    Angeline Chen wins as APABA-DC's President-Elect
    The new board to be installed at 2023 APABA-DC Gala on October 5

    Washington, D.C. – The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area (APABA-DC) today announced the election of eight officers of its 2023-2024 Board of Directors.

    • President-Elect:  Angeline Chen
    • VP for Communications:  Alicia Loh
    • VP for Program:  Yifan Wang
    • VP for Community Affairs:  William Xu
    • VP for Education:  David Yin
    • VP for Membership:  Evelyn Riley
    • Secretary:  Charles Kuo
    • Treasurer:  Wenxi Li

    Angeline Chen, general counsel and chief administrative officer for MarkLogic Corporation, has been elected president-elect of APABA-DC for the 2023-2024 term. She will serve in that position for one year starting August 1 before becoming president in 2024. With Chen's election, incumbent President-Elect Minsuk Han, partner at Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C., will become APABA-DC's president.

    "I am thrilled and grateful to the members for electing me. I look forward to fully supporting the board in building and executing on a long-term strategy for the elevation and growth of our organization," said Chen. She has over thirty years of legal and business experience, including over two decades in senior leadership positions and as general counsel and chief compliance officer for multiple companies. Chen has served APABA-DC in many roles, currently as co-chair of the women's forum. She earned her B.A. and law degrees from Villanova University, an LL.M from Georgetown University Law Center, and an MBA from the University of Maryland.

    Also elected to one-year terms were, as vice president for communications, Alicia Loh of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission; as vice president for program, Yifan Wang of the U.S. Department of Justice; as vice president for community affairs, William Xu of the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps; as vice president for education, David Yin of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP; as vice president for membership, Evelyn Riley of Cozen O’Connor; as secretary, Charles Kuo of McGuireWoods; and as treasurer, Wenxi Li of DLA Piper.

    All newly elected officers, together with all appointed members of the 2023-2024 board of directors, will be installed at 2023 APABA-DC Gala on October 5, 2023 at Conrad Washington DC.

    Elected Officer Bios

    APABA-DC is a voluntary bar association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and other members of the legal profession in the nation's capital region. Founded in 1981, APABA-DC has served our community by promoting the professional growth and advancement of our members, cultivating an understanding of the issues facing the APA community, and enabling our members to collaborate with other leaders in the Washington, D.C. community at large.

  • 26 Jan 2023 4:41 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    APABA-DC mourns the lives lost and the communities reeling from the recent mass shootings in California.  On January 21, 2023, the eve of Lunar New Year, a horrifying act of violence in Monterey Park killed eleven people and injured many more.  On January 23, 2023, two shootings in Half Moon Bay killed seven more people.  We grieve alongside the families of the victims and stand united with the communities impacted by the tragedy in condemning violence.  You can support the victims of the Monterey Park mass shooting by making a donation to a fundraiser organized by Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California.  Please also check out NAPABA’s listing of mental health and other helpful resources.

  • 21 Dec 2022 12:26 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    APABA-DC warmly congratulates Judge Errol R. Arthur on his confirmation to serve as Associate Judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia! APABA-DC endorsed him for this judgeship. He has been a Magistrate Judge on the D.C. Superior Court since 2010. Prior to his appointment to the Court, Judge Arthur joined the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) as a staff attorney in 1999 and opened his own law practice in 2002.

  • 21 Dec 2022 12:19 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    APABA-DC warmly congratulates Vijay Shanker on his confirmation to serve as Associate Judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals! APABA-DC endorsed him for this judgeship. He is Deputy Chief of the Appellate Section of the Criminal Division at the United States Department of Justice and is currently serving on detail as Senior Litigation Counsel in the Criminal Division's Fraud Section.

  • 15 Jul 2022 9:35 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Congratulations to Vijay Shanker on being nominated by President Biden for a judicial vacancy on the D.C. Court of Appeals. Vijay is currently Deputy Chief of the Appellate Section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. APABA-DC endorsed Vijay for his candidacy in 2020. Please join us in congratulating Vijay!

  • 26 May 2022 1:15 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    APABA-DC Congratulates Judge Florence Y. Pan on her nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. If confirmed, Judge Pan would be the first Chinese American to serve on the DC Circuit.

    Judge Pan was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in September 2021. She is the first Asian Pacific American woman to serve on that court. She previously served as an Associate Judge of the D.C. Superior Court for approximately twelve years, and as an Assistant United States Attorney for approximately ten years. Judge Pan graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, and with distinction from Stanford Law School.

    Judge Pan has demonstrated an impressive longstanding commitment to APABA-DC, the AAPI community, and the larger DC community. The White House announcement can be found here.

  • 8 Apr 2022 12:57 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    APABA-DC offers a hearty congratulations to our Past President, Mark Uyeda, on his nomination for Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mark has dedicated almost two decades of his career to public service working in state and federal government. He served as President of APABA-DC from 2018-2019 and as a Board member for many years. Mark is also part of APABA-DC’s inaugural class of Lifetime Members. Please join us in congratulating Mark Uyeda!

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APABA-DC is an affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

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P.O. Box 27223

Washington, DC 20038

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