National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street N.W., Suite 1400
Washington, D.C. 20006

NEW NAPABA STAFF EXPANDS ORGANIZATION’S ABILITY TO SERVE ITS MEMBERS

Washington, DC – NAPABA has added two new staff members to expand NAPABA’s services to members, committees, and affiliates and to move key projects forward. Palak Sheth, NAPABA’s most recent hire, joined NAPABA as Program Director in late April. This position was newly created by the NAPABA Board in February. “NAPABA felt we could serve our members better by adding a Program Director whose responsibilities focus on supporting our committees and affiliates,” said Helen B. Kim, NAPABA President.

Already, Palak has begun developing a plan to further NAPABA’s assistance to its committees and affiliates. She is also expanding general service to members by working, for example, to complete NAPABA’s directory of APA-owned law firms.

Palak brings to NAPABA a wealth of experience uniting diverse Asian communities in various capacities. As founder of a non-profit South Asian dance company and former Vice President of University of Michigan’s largest APA student organization, she looks forward to applying her appreciation for diversity among APAs as Program Director. Palak earned her law degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Also, earlier this year, NAPABA selected Azizah Ahmad as its new Language Access Program Director through Americorps VISTA. In this position, Azizah works to increase access to justice for limited English proficient APAs, working closely with NAPABA affiliates and relevant NAPABA committees to implement recommendations issued in NAPABA’s Language Access Report, which was published last spring. In March, Azizah led a roundtable discussion to educate attendees of the Hmong National Development’s annual conference about the language assistance many APAs need in order to achieve meaningful access to the justice system. Azizah believes many of her life experiences, including her Cham heritage, have sensitized her to the needs of underrepresented APA communities. She has a bachelors degree from the University of California at Davis, with a double-major in Sociology and Religious Studies.

“With the talent, commitment, and enthusiasm that both Palak and Azizah bring to the table, NAPABA will expand immensely its ability to serve our members, committees, and affiliates,” said Les Jin, Executive Director of NAPABA.

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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 approximately 55 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.