The National Asian Pacific American Judicial Council ("NAPAJC") is a membership organization of Asian Pacific American judges affiliated with the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association ("NAPABA"). Organized in 1996, the NAPAJC provides a national forum for members to meet and discuss common issues with other APA judges. The NAPAJC is committed to increasing the number of APA judges in state and federal courts and agencies, encouraging the professional growth of members, and assisting NAPABA and other bar associations in efforts to serve API lawyers, students and community groups.

The NAPAJC holds annual membership meetings in conjunction with the NAPABA convention, and sponsors programs at the convention, some of which provide CLE credits. Past programs have included several programs on how to become a judge, "Practice Tips before an Administrative Law Tribunal," "The Nuts and Bolts of Expert Testimony," and a mock trial and demonstration of trial techniques based on an actual trial of a Vietnamese American man claiming self-defense in defending against charges of murdering a "skinhead."

The NAPAJC has also been actively involved administering The Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition, a competition founded in 1993. In recent years, the competition has also attracted competitors from Pacific Rim countries. The competition is designed to provide APA students an opportunity to showcase their oral advocacy and writing skills and to bring legal topics of significance to APAs to the attention of the legal community.

To Activate Your NAPABA Membership and/or Verify Your Membership

If you need to activate your NAPABA Membership, visit napaba.org/become-a-member and select your member type to begin the registration process and create your profile.

If you are not a NAPABA member for the current year, log-in to your account to renew your membership.

If you are unsure if your membership is current, please contact membership@napaba.org to verify your status.

Completing Your Application and Council Dues

First-time members of the Council will be required to submit a separate one-time dues payment of $10. Annual dues for Sustaining Members are $20 per year.  A one-time $200 payment can also be made to become a Lifetime Sustaining Member in lieu of paying annual sustaining member dues. 

Current members are requested to keep their profiles up-to-date.

To Join the Council:

1. Download and fill out the Judicial Council Member Application
2. Email your application to the council Treasurer, Judge Pamela Chen .
3. Payment:
   

• To Pay via Check — Your application and payment by check of $10, $20, or $200, made payable to "NAPABA Judicial Council," should be mailed to: Judge Pamela Chen, U.S. District Court, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, NY 11201
  
  
  
  
• To Pay Online — Please contact Judge Pamela Chen to discuss payment via Venmo or Zelle. 
  
  

Download the Judicial Council Member Application

More Information

President: Hon. Curtis Kin

Vice President: Hon. Holly Fujie

VP of Programs: Hon. Marcine Anderson

Treasurer: Hon. Pamela Chen

Secretary: Hon. Linda Lee

Secretary of Membership: Hon. Robert Torres

Immediate Past President: Hon. Benes Aldana (Ret.)