National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street N.W., Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006

NAPABA Applauds the Appointment of Tony N. Leung
as Magistrate Judge for the District of Minnesota

WASHINGTON - The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) congratulates the Honorable Tony N. Leung on his appointment to the position of federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. He is the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the federal bench in Minnesota.

"We are proud to see another first in Asian Pacific American history with the appointment of Judge Leung," said Paul O. Hirose, President of NAPABA. "This is a great achievement and Judge Leung is exceptionally well-suited for this prestigious position. NAPABA congratulates Judge Leung and looks forward to his term as magistrate judge."

Magistrate Judge Leung was sworn in as magistrate judge on April 29. He previously served as a district court judge to the Fourth Judicial District of Minnesota since 1994, and was the first ever Asian Pacific American judge to serve in Minnesota. Before joining the bench, Judge Leung was an equity partner at Faegre & Benson, LLC. Magistrate Judge Leung earned his undergraduate degree with honors from Yale University and attended New York University School of Law.

NAPABA applauds Magistrate Judge Leung's continued commitment to and involvement with the Asian Pacific American community and broader legal community. In 2000, NAPABA recognized Judge Leung with its Trailblazer Award, NAPABA's highest honor. He was a founding board member of the NAPABA-Minnesota Chapter, as well as a past president of OCA-MN Chapter. Additionally, Magistrate Judge Leung was a founding board member of both the Twin Cities Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms and Twin Cities Diversity in Practice. For several years he also co-chaired the Minnesota State Bar Association's Court Rules and Administration Committee.

NAPABA is proud of Magistrate Judge Leung's achievement and commends the District of Minnesota for his appointment.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 61 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of minorities in the legal profession.