APABA-PA is a proud sponsor of WITF ’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Programming that includes a lineup of over 20 programs during May. WITF’s May schedule is available here, and options for viewing WITF’s programming online are available here.
Mission Statement
The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania’s mission is to support the advancement of Asian Pacific American attorneys and to promote justice, equity, and legal access, especially for all Asian Pacific American communities.
History and Accomplishments
The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania (APABA-PA) was organized by ten lawyers in 1984 as The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Delaware Valley (AABADV) to provide a legal resource in the underserved Asian Pacific American (APA) communities and a voice for APA attorneys in the organized bar and judiciary in the Greater Philadelphia area. Recognizing the potential for growth of APA lawyers in Allegheny County and throughout the Commonwealth, in 2007 AABADV re-named itself APABA-PA to include the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. AABADV was a founding member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) in 1988.
Since its inception, the APABA-PA has gained a permanent seat on the Philadelphia Bar Association (Philadelphia Bar) Commission on Judicial Retention and Selection, a rotating seat on the Philadelphia Bar Board of Governors, and liaison slots with many Sections and Committees of the Philadelphia Bar. Over the last twenty-five years, APABA-PA members have served in state and local bar leadership positions, from which they have advocated issues of concern to APA communities.
In 1994, the APABA-PA received the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Harrison Tweed Award for legal representation of the Golden Venture detainees. In 2000, its members formed the foundation of the legal committee for the Stadium Out of Chinatown Coalition, which played an important role in halting the construction of a baseball stadium in Philadelphia’s Chinatown community. In 2006, the APABA-PA hosted the highly successful NAPABA Annual Convention in Philadelphia. The APABA-PA and its individual members have been involved in addressing other major issues affecting the APA community, including violence in the schools, particularly in South Philadelphia, language access for individuals with limited English proficiency, unjustified photo stops of APA youth, and the threat of a casino near Chinatown. The APABA-PA has offered free legal seminars to the APA community and has supported APA naturalization and voter registration drives and poll-watching during election season. Its members actively participate in pro bono, community education, and legislative advocacy.
The APABA-PA worked with the late Judge William Marutani to establish a legal fellowship in his name. Judge Marutani was the first APA judge of general jurisdiction east of the Mississippi River. Greater Philadelphia law students who spend their first summer after law school in public interest or public service employment have been recipients of the Marutani fellowship in his honor.
The APABA-PA is dedicated to the advancement of its members and the Asian American community. The APABA-PA also educates its members about issues critical to Asian Pacific Americans and advances the interests of Asian Pacific American attorneys as well as the interests of the local Asian American community.
Members of APABA-PA are also members of NAPABA. NAPABA is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students, providing a national network for its members and affiliates. NAPABA monitors legislative developments and judicial appointments, promotes APA political leadership, advocates for equal opportunity in education and the workplace, works to eliminate violence against APAs, and builds coalitions within the legal profession and the community at large.
Join APABA-PA Family to gain access to our membership benefits.