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| Paul S. Chan |
I am honored to accept the position of President of the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association.
Since its formation 33 years ago, SCCLA has grown from an informal gathering of pioneering lawyers to one of the largest and most active minority bar associations in the country. SCCLA was founded when a half-dozen lawyers met over dinner to celebrate the appointment of Elwood Lui as only the second Chinese American judge – after Delbert Wong – in California history. Tonight, over 700 judges, attorneys, and community leaders will convene to celebrate SCCLA’s 33rd anniversary – including many of the dozens of Asian Pacific American judges who have been appointed to the federal and state court benches during SCCLA’s lifetime.
The reach of the organization within the Southern California community has grown in ways beyond just numbers. Today, SCCLA organizes and sponsors an exhaustive (and often exhausting) slate of legal services, professional development, and community education programs. Our signature events include a monthly free legal clinic that provides free legal services to hundreds of clients in San Gabriel; the Holiday Food Basket Program and Toy Drive, which distributes toys and holiday gift baskets to needy families in Chinatown; the Trial Skills Workshop, which provides trial training for young lawyers; Phoenix Rising, a professional development workshop for women and minority attorneys; and the Blue Car Project, an in-classroom curriculum that introduces high school students to the legal system. Throughout the year, SCCLA board members also organize low-cost MCLE programs, attorney and law student mixers, and fund-raising events for the scholarship programs.
The benefits of these programs redound not only to the Asian Pacific American legal community but the community as a whole. Many former students of the Blue Car project have gone on to attend college and law school. Numerous SCCLA scholarship and fellowship recipients now serve the community at public interest law organizations like the Asian Pacific American Legal Center. And growing numbers of former SCCLA board members have ascended to positions of stature in government and the judiciary.
At tonight’s Installation Dinner, SCCLA is proud to honor no less than three of its own – former SCCLA President Robert Kwan, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Central District of California; former SCCLA board member Ted Lieu, California Assemblymember for the 53rd Assembly District; and former SCCLA board member Julie Su, Director of Litigation for the Asian Pacific American Legal Center – as well as long time SCCLA supporter and Asian Pacific American community leader Charlie Woo. SCCLA is also thrilled to welcome back our only recently-departed former President Elaine Lu – now Superior Court Judge for the County of Los Angeles.
The strength of SCCLA has always been rooted in the vision, energy, and dedication of its membership. The new Board of Governors that will be sworn in by Judge Lu exemplifies every one of these qualities. Our new Board is comprised of outstanding lawyers from the government, non-profit organizations, and the private sector. Our ranks include federal and state prosecutors; in-house lawyers; government officials; and partners and associates from large, small, and public interest law firms. The talents and dedication of these leaders are what sustain the organization and its community outreach efforts. Along with each member of the 2008-2009 Board of Governors, I welcome you to tonight’s dinner and look forward to serving SCCLA and the community in this coming year.
Since its formation 33 years ago, SCCLA has grown from an informal gathering of pioneering lawyers to one of the largest and most active minority bar associations in the country. SCCLA was founded when a half-dozen lawyers met over dinner to celebrate the appointment of Elwood Lui as only the second Chinese American judge – after Delbert Wong – in California history. Tonight, over 700 judges, attorneys, and community leaders will convene to celebrate SCCLA’s 33rd anniversary – including many of the dozens of Asian Pacific American judges who have been appointed to the federal and state court benches during SCCLA’s lifetime.
The reach of the organization within the Southern California community has grown in ways beyond just numbers. Today, SCCLA organizes and sponsors an exhaustive (and often exhausting) slate of legal services, professional development, and community education programs. Our signature events include a monthly free legal clinic that provides free legal services to hundreds of clients in San Gabriel; the Holiday Food Basket Program and Toy Drive, which distributes toys and holiday gift baskets to needy families in Chinatown; the Trial Skills Workshop, which provides trial training for young lawyers; Phoenix Rising, a professional development workshop for women and minority attorneys; and the Blue Car Project, an in-classroom curriculum that introduces high school students to the legal system. Throughout the year, SCCLA board members also organize low-cost MCLE programs, attorney and law student mixers, and fund-raising events for the scholarship programs.
The benefits of these programs redound not only to the Asian Pacific American legal community but the community as a whole. Many former students of the Blue Car project have gone on to attend college and law school. Numerous SCCLA scholarship and fellowship recipients now serve the community at public interest law organizations like the Asian Pacific American Legal Center. And growing numbers of former SCCLA board members have ascended to positions of stature in government and the judiciary.
At tonight’s Installation Dinner, SCCLA is proud to honor no less than three of its own – former SCCLA President Robert Kwan, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Central District of California; former SCCLA board member Ted Lieu, California Assemblymember for the 53rd Assembly District; and former SCCLA board member Julie Su, Director of Litigation for the Asian Pacific American Legal Center – as well as long time SCCLA supporter and Asian Pacific American community leader Charlie Woo. SCCLA is also thrilled to welcome back our only recently-departed former President Elaine Lu – now Superior Court Judge for the County of Los Angeles.
The strength of SCCLA has always been rooted in the vision, energy, and dedication of its membership. The new Board of Governors that will be sworn in by Judge Lu exemplifies every one of these qualities. Our new Board is comprised of outstanding lawyers from the government, non-profit organizations, and the private sector. Our ranks include federal and state prosecutors; in-house lawyers; government officials; and partners and associates from large, small, and public interest law firms. The talents and dedication of these leaders are what sustain the organization and its community outreach efforts. Along with each member of the 2008-2009 Board of Governors, I welcome you to tonight’s dinner and look forward to serving SCCLA and the community in this coming year.
