National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006

1500 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN ATTORNEYS GATHER
IN ARIZONA FOR 26TH ANNUAL NAPABA CONVENTION

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) celebrated its 26th Annual Convention, “Convergence: Collaborating for a Grand Tomorrow,” in Scottsdale, AZ. The event was attended by roughly 1,500 Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law students, legal scholars, and elected officials from around the country.

The Convention, lasting from November 6-9, offered over 50 panels and plenaries on a wide range of issues affecting the legal and APA communities. And for the first time, NAPABA hosted the State Lobby Day, where NAPABA members lobbied local Arizona legislators on issues such as immigration, language access, and LGBT rights.

“It’s asking the question, 'How do you define American?’ that is at the core of our conversation on immigration and citizenship in an America that is undergoing an unprecedented demographic shift,” said Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas as he gave a moving keynote address during the 26th Anniversary Gala and Installation Dinner on Saturday, November 8, 2014.

Also during the Gala, Hon. Theodore D. Chuang of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland swore in Convention chair and Arizona native George C. Chen as the 2014-2015 president of NAPABA along with the 22-membered NAPABA Board of Governors. The following members will make up the 2014-2015 NAPABA Board of Governors:

Executive Committee

President: George C. Chen, Partner, Bryan Cave LLP

President-Elect: Jin Y. Hwang, Managing Assistant General Counsel, Verizon Enterprise Solutions

Vice President for Communications: Cyndie M. Chang, Managing Partner, Duane Morris LLP

Vice President for Finance & Development: Alexander M. Lee, Principal, Law Offices of Alexander M. Lee

Vice President for Membership: Brad Yamauchi, Partner, Minami Tamaki LLP

Vice President for Programs and Operations: Lloyd S. Costales, Law office of Lloyd S. Costales

Secretary: Tacie Yoon, Associate, Crowell & Moring LLP

Treasurer: Pankit J. Doshi, Senior Associate, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Immediate Past President: William J. Simonitsch, Partner, K&L Gates

Regional Governors

Central Region: Bonnie Lee Wolf, Assistant General Counsel, Nationwide

Northeast Region: Sophia Lee, Chief Counsel - Litigation, Sunoco, Inc.

Northeast Region: Austin K. So, Associate General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Heraeus Inc.

Northwest Region: Emilia “Mimi” R. Castillo, Castillo Arbitration & Mediation Services

Southeast Region: John Truong, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia

Southwest Region: Eileen Sullivan, Principal, Sullivan Law Firm, PC

Northern California Region: John S. Hong, Labor & Employment Attorney, Littler Mendelson

Eastern California/Nevada Region: Marlo Nisperos, Deputy District Attorney, Solano County District Attorney Office

Central California Region: Audra Mori, Partner, Perkins Coie

Southern California Region: Eugene Kim, Shareholder, Gresham Savage Nolan & Tilden

At-Large Members

Thy B. Bui, Associate, Sanchez & Amador LLP

Curtis Hom, Principal, Innova Legal Group, PLLC

Daniel Sakaguchi, Partner, Armstrong Teasdale LLP

Marla Tun Reschly, Of Counsel, Kirkland & Ellis LLP

The 27th Annual NAPABA Convention will take place in New Orleans, LA on November 5-8, 2015.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 70 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA engages in legislative and policy advocacy, promotes APA political leadership and political appointments, and builds coalitions within the legal profession and the community at large. NAPABA also serves as a resource for government agencies, members of Congress, and public service organizations about APAs in the legal profession, civil rights, and diversity in the courts.