News

  • Tuesday, April 20, 2021 6:08 PM | Anonymous

    APABA Statement on the Verdict of Derek Chauvin's Trial in Minneapolis

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) released the following statement on the verdict of Derek Chauvin's trial in Minneapolis:

    Today, a Minneapolis state jury held Derek Chauvin accountable for the death of George Floyd on all counts. Accountability is a quintessential component of equal justice under law that has not always been delivered. While the verdict today cannot bring Mr. Floyd back, as President Biden said, "This can be a giant step forward in the march toward justice in America." APABA stands with the Black community and the family of Mr. Floyd as we move toward healing and commonsense reforms to ensure justice for all.


  • Saturday, April 17, 2021 11:39 AM | Anonymous

    APABA Statement on the Mass Shooting in Indianapolis

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County ("APABA") is deeply saddened by the senseless acts of violence in recent weeks, including the most recent shooting that has taken the lives of eight victims, four of which are from the Sikh community, in Indianapolis. 

    From the myriad cases targeting Sikh Americans since 9/11, to the Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin in 2012, this latest attack reminds us of the painful history the Sikh community faced as targets of xenophobic violence.

    Although the details are still forthcoming, APABA calls on authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident.  APABA expresses its heartfelt condolences to the friends, families, and the communities of the victims in this latest attack.  


  • Wednesday, March 24, 2021 9:41 PM | Anonymous

    APABA Congratulates Assemblymember Rob Bonta on His Appointment as California Attorney General

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County ("APABA") congratulates Assemblymember Rob Bonta on his historic appointment as California’s Attorney General. Mr. Bonta will be the first-ever Filipino American to serve as Attorney General, following the state Legislature's confirmation. APABA is honored to have supported Mr. Bonta in the appointment process.

    APABA applauds California Governor Gavin Newsom for the momentous appointment. APABA looks forward to Attorney General Appointee Bonta’s continued leadership in protecting the most vulnerable and underserved communities, serving as a voice for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and standing up for all Californians.


  • Wednesday, March 17, 2021 9:30 PM | Anonymous

    APABA Statement on the Violent Tragedy in Atlanta and Stop AAPI Hate

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County ("APABA") expresses its deepest condolences to the friends, families, and the communities of the victims in the senseless and abhorrent attack in Atlanta, Georgia. 

    APABA strongly condemns the act of violence in Atlanta and the appalling and continuing rise of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) across our nation. Recent events continue to serve as a grim reminder that anti-Asian sentiments always lead to tragic consequences in our history, from the Chinese Exclusion Act, to the Japanese American internment in World War II, to the murder of Detroit autoworker Vincent Chin more than 35 years ago, to the deadly attack on 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee in San Francisco last month, to the latest tragedy in Atlanta, and more. 

    APABA stands in solidarity against xenophobia, hate, and violence perpetrated on AAPIs. We continue to urge our leaders at all levels to work swiftly in combating discrimination, fostering inclusion, and promoting equity and justice in our communities.

    We urge anyone who have been a victim of or witness to discrimination and harassment to report the incident to local authorities and to StopAAPIHate.


  • Friday, February 12, 2021 3:00 PM | Anonymous

    APABA Condemns the Rise in Attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) strongly condemns the appalling rise in violence and hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in California and across the nation.

    The series of recent assaults on the Asian American elderly in Oakland and the deadly attack on 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee in San Francisco scratch only the surface of the widespread anti-AAPI sentiment and xenophobia fueled by misinformation relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. These sickening and disheartening attacks have no place anywhere in America.

    As a nation of immigrants, diversity is the strength of America. APABA commends President Joe Biden's recent signing of the Memorandum condemning and combating racism against AAPIs in the United States, a major first step in addressing this issue. We urge our leaders at all levels to work swiftly to fight discrimination against the AAPI community and further promote inclusion and equity in our communities.


  • Friday, February 12, 2021 1:58 PM | Anonymous

    APABA Commends the Nomination of Julie Su as U.S. Deputy Labor Secretary

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County ("APABA") commends President Joe Biden for nominating California's own Labor Secretary Julie Su to serve as the Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor.

    Appointed as California's Labor Secretary in 2019, Secretary Su has been on the forefront of protecting workers' rights and served as California Governor Gavin Newsom's advisor on labor policy, including worker safety and protection from the COVID-19 pandemic. Before serving in her current post, Secretary Su worked as a civil rights attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (formerly Asian Pacific American Legal Center), the nation’s largest non-profit civil rights organization focused on issues affecting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. For nearly two decades, Secretary Su has fought against workplace discrimination and unfair labor practices. Notably, Secretary Su represented 74 Thai garment workers who were forced to spend 18-hour days sewing clothes behind barbed wire at a sweatshop in El Monte in Bureerong v. Uvawas. Secretary Su received APABA’s Public Service Award in 2011 and APABA’s Trailblazer Award in 2020, both for her tremendous work in paving new laws protecting human trafficking survivors and workers' rights.

    Secretary Su's appointment as Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor will help move our nation's labor policies in the right direction.


  • Wednesday, January 27, 2021 8:25 AM | Anonymous

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    “APABA applauds President Joe Biden's January 26, 2021 Memorandum condemning and combating racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). The President's swift action is a critical step in addressing the racist attacks targeting the AAPI community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Discrimination, prejudice, and hate have no place in America. APABA welcomes community-based opportunities in working with the Attorney General in curbing bigotry. We look forward to the Biden-Harris Administration's prompt and continuing efforts in promoting equity, celebrating diversity, and healing the nation.”


  • Friday, January 22, 2021 12:23 PM | Anonymous

    APABA Celebrates the Historic Biden-Harris Inauguration and Applauds Early Executive Actions in Restoring Justice for Marginalized Communities

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (“APABA”) congratulates President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their historic inauguration this week. In particular, APABA celebrates California's own Vice President Harris in breaking multiple ceilings as our nation's first South Asian, African American, and female Vice President.

    APABA applauds the Biden-Harris Administration in advancing racial equity and supporting underserved communities on several fronts from day one, including President Biden’s Executive Orders to end unjust immigration enforcement policies, to preserve Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”), and to repeal the travel ban to predominantly Muslim countries (“Muslim Ban”). APABA has consistently supported furthering fair and just policies toward immigrant communities, including awarding grants to DACA applicants and joining the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (“NAPABA”) in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court opposing the Muslim Ban in the consolidated cases, Trump v. State of Hawai'i and Trump v. International Refugee Assistance Project.

    “The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County applauds President Biden’s initial Executive Orders to restore justice, order, and legal sensibility to our federal government’s policies toward immigrants and marginalized communities”, said Arnold Lee, President of APABA. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s policies demonstrate a prioritized commitment to racial justice and social equality that align with APABA’s mission and values.”

  • Thursday, January 07, 2021 6:31 PM | Anonymous

    January 6, 2021

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee

    Statement of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County on the Attack on Our Democracy

    Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County ("APABA") issued the following statement on the events surrounding the U.S. Capitol and Washington, DC during the Electoral College vote count:

    "The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County strongly condemns the appalling and despicable acts of violence at our nation's capital today during one of the most sacred processes of our republic: vote counting of the Electoral College for the election of the President and Vice President of the United States.

    "For centuries, the United States has always been a beacon of democracy and a symbol of hope, freedom, and justice. What we witnessed today - a direct threat to the democratic process - has no place in America. It reminds us of the fragility of the very values that we hold most dear.

    "Our resilient nation is built upon the rules of law. We must continue to work to protect our cherished principles and strengthen the foundation of our republic. To that end, we call on our elected leaders to publicly denounce the blatant attack on our democracy by these rioters and militants, unite our communities against tyranny, and move us forward."


  • Tuesday, November 17, 2020 7:22 PM | Anonymous


    APABA APPLAUDS THE HISTORIC APPOINTMENT OF FORMER APABA PRESIDENT BRYANT YANG AS JUDGE OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

    CONTACT: Arnold Lee, arnoldlee.apaba@gmail.com

    November 17, 2020, Los Angeles, CA - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) celebrates the historic appointment of Bryant Yang as Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Yang is the first Burmese American judge in the United States.

    Judge Yang joined the APABA Board of Governors in 2009 and served as its President in 2016, and is currently actively involved on its Advisory Board. His experience in the legal field includes a wide range of civil and criminal work at both the state and federal levels. Most recently, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California. Prior to that, he handled complex criminal defense and business litigation at the law firm of Irell & Manella LLP. He has also clerked for esteemed judges on both the Ninth Circuit and Central District of California courts.

    Judge Yang’s commitment to APABA has spanned well over a decade, and it is merely one of the ways he has dedicated himself to community service. On the APABA board, he has helped Asian American and Pacific Islander candidates secure appointments to the judiciary, created a Judgment Enforcement Clinic to assist litigants in collecting on judgments won in court, and established programs highlighting diverse trailblazers in the legal profession throughout the state. To name just a few of his other avenues of community involvement, he has also chaired the City of Monterey Park’s Recreation and Parks Commission, and served on the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants.

    Judge Yang’s humble beginnings make his appointment by Governor Newsom all the more impressive. At the age of five, Judge Yang immigrated to the United States and had to immediately learn a new language and assimilate into a new culture. During his childhood, his parents worked as cashier and stock boy at the National Dollar Stores chain. After his father passed away, Judge Yang worked three jobs in college to finance his education and support his mother, and he continued to work part-time while attending law school. He also maintained his connection with his Burmese roots by spending several months working with Burmese refugees at the Myanmar-Thailand border. Over thirteen years ago, he established a memorial scholarship in his father’s name, and it awards funds every year to worthy San Gabriel Valley students who are immigrants or children of immigrants, to support their pursuit of higher education.

    “APABA congratulates our friend Bryant on his outstanding and well-deserved appointment. Bryant’s professional qualifications more than speak for themselves, but it is his tireless commitment to the community that truly defines his character and is what endears him to our organization,” stated APABA President Christina Yang (no relation). “We are so pleased that the Governor made such a phenomenal choice for the bench. We know that Bryant will be an invaluable addition to the courts, and will ensure access to justice for all who come before him.”

    APABA applauds California Governor Gavin Newsom for the momentous appointment of Judge Yang, and is thankful for the Governor’s continued commitment to diversity on the bench.


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