President's Message

The Asian Pacific Bar Association of the Silicon Valley (“APBA”), formed over twenty years ago, is an excellent forum for Asian American attorneys in the Silicon Valley to network, develop professional skills, participate in community service, take positions on issues affecting Asian Americans, and empower Asian Americans in the Valley. Asian American attorneys in the Valley practice in every legal field, e.g. firms of all sizes, large and small corporations, academia, government, courts, legislature, and public interest, playing a critical role by enriching our legal and civic communities.

In order that APBA can fulfill its mission to foster professional development, advocacy and community involvement for Silicon Valley's Asian Pacific American legal community, and to promote justice and equality for all, APBA is forging coalitions with other minority bars and communities, e.g. The Minority Bar Coalition, Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California, Southeast Asian Bar, Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area; Santa Clara County Bar Association, various State Bar Committees and other local community organizations. In addition, APBA has a permanent seat on the Santa Clara County Bar Association’s Board of Trustees and is a partner with the Asian Law Alliance working to improve the lives of Asian Americans in the Valley.

The current APBA Board and Committee Chairs kicked off the year with an all day retreat. Twenty-eight Asian American attorneys attended and participated in planning for APBA. The range of skills, experience, dedication and commitment from the board members and committee chairs was extraordinary. Co-chairs were appointed for the Community Service, Communications/Newsletter, Education, In House Counsel, Judiciary & Endorsements, Membership, Mentorship, Newsletter, Scholarship, and Social committees. APBA has never been bigger and stronger than before. Each committee was assigned at least two co-chairs and a Board Member.

The agenda and priorities for the coming year include:
1) Continued Growth - expanding programs, gaining visibility, supporting networking, addressing membership expansion and recruitment, and more effectively responding to the needs of current APBA members.
2) Civil Rights/Public Interest/Community Service - speaking out and taking positions on issues of concern to the Asian American and legal communities, and forming partnerships with local community organizations;
3) Building Bridges - strengthening APBA’s ties to local, minority, state, and national bar organizations.

APBA has an incredible year of exciting programs and events planned, but it can only succeed with your involvement, so I invite you to join APBA and participate. Check out our new website, www.APBASV.org, contact the Chair of a committee that interests you, make sure you are on our email distribution, become a mentor to an Asian American law student, come to our monthly Board meetings times/place (see APBASV.org for details), and attend events throughout the year! APBA’s upcoming activities include social mixers, Annual Banquet/Scholarship Dinner, monthly meetings and luncheons, MCLE seminars, and guest-speaker events. Or, if you don’t see anything that appeals to you among these many activities and programs, drop me an email and let me know what APBA can do for you.

It is a pleasure and an honor to serve as APBA’s President. I am looking forward to greeting you at one of our many upcoming events.