For Immediate Release:
April 13, 2022

NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of John Z. Lee to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

WASHINGTON—Today, President Joe Biden nominated Judge John Z. Lee to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. If confirmed, Judge Lee would be the first Asian American appellate judge on the Seventh Circuit.

"NAPABA congratulates Judge John Z. Lee on his historic nomination to the Seventh Circuit,” said A.B. Cruz III, acting president of NAPABA. “Judge Lee is a well-qualified nominee who has a decade of experience on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He will make an excellent contribution to the appellate court.”

Judge Lee is the son of a coal miner and a nurse, and immigrated to the United States when he was only five years old. Throughout his career, Judge Lee has been very active in serving the greater community, particularly in providing legal services to those in need. He was the President of the Board of Directors for the Coordinated Advice and Referral Program for Legal Services (“CARPLS”), a co-founder of the Willow Creek Legal Aid Clinic in Hoffman Estates (a joint program between CARPLS and Willow Creek Church), and the President of the Board of Directors of Asian Human Services. Judge Lee is a former Board Member of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, and he continues to be active with both AABA and NAPABA.

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Lee and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Senator Durbin and Senator Duckworth for recommending and supporting his nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting APA communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of all backgrounds in the legal profession.