Page 7 - Phoenix Vol 11 No 3

Arizona Asian
American Bar
Association
BY KATYA M. LANCERO AND ANN CHING
When Arizona lawyers think about bar membership, it’s likely that the State Bar of Arizona rst comes to mind. With limited excep-
tions, membership in the State Bar of Arizona is mandatory for those who want to practice law in Arizona. Beyond the State Bar, how- ever, the Arizona legal community is enriched by a variety of specialty bar associations o er- ing voluntary membership in exchange for a wealth of professional, social, and networking opportunities.
Among these specialty bar associations is the Arizona Asian American Bar Associa- tion (AAABA). Founded in 1993 by the late Honorable omas Tang – the rst Chinese- American judge appointed to the federal bench – AAABA is a community of attorneys, law students, and non-attorney community members who are interested in Asian Ameri- can issues.
AAABA’s mission is to engage the commu- nity at large by providing opportunities for leadership, education, community service, and networking. is mission is accomplished in part by promoting the professional growth of Asian American lawyers and assisting Asian American law students through schol- arship and mentorship programs.
In furtherance of its mission, AAABA or- ganizes numerous professional and social events throughout the year. In June 2018, for example, AAABA presented a continuing le- gal education seminar at the annual State Bar of Arizona Convention entitled “Race, Color, and Citizenship.” e CLE consisted of reen- actments of U.S. Supreme Court oral argu-
ARIZONA COLLABORATIVE BAR PROFILE
ments from the 1920s exploring topics on U.S. citizenship and naturalization.
AAABA’s annual capstone event is its ban- quet. e purpose of the banquet is to raise money for scholarships that are awarded to law students in Arizona. In 2018, AAABA awarded four scholarships to Arizona law students in the amount of $2,500 each. At this year’s 23rd Annual Scholarship Awards & Installation Banquet March 28, 2019, our keynote speaker was the national Deputy Le- gal Director for the American Civil Liberties Union, Cecilia Wang.
AAABA also o ers the unique opportunity to lawyers to be part of a tight-knit “Network- ing Circle,” a group of approximately three to ve attorneys (and possibly one law student). Networking Circles meet monthly both in Phoenix and in Tucson, o ering opportunities for small-group networking and mentorship. For those looking for broader networking op- portunities, AAABA also hosts several happy hour networking events throughout the year for attorneys and law students in Phoenix and Tucson.
AAABA membership is open to anyone interested in Asian American issues. All members are encouraged to participate in planning and implementing AAABA’s ser- vices, programs, and events by joining a committee or volun- teering to help with speci c
programs.
FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CON- TACT KATYA MARIE LANCERO AT [email protected] OR VISIT WWW.AZASIANBAR.ORG.
I am honored to help my clients navigate the path to justice, but the Arizona justice system does not yet resemble
our diverse community, creating a risk of cultural bias.
7