Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association upcoming events

SCCLA NLSLA Clinic 2026 Intake Completion Form (FOR VOLUNTEERS, NOT ATTENDEES) (01/21/2026)

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:00:00 GMT

2026 Mentorship Program (05/18/2026)

Mon, 18 May 2026 07:00:00 GMT

SCCLA is thrilled to announce the launch of our 2026 Mentorship Program.

SCCLA is committed to guiding the next generation of AAPI leaders in the legal community. The mentorship program aims to foster relationships among law students and attorneys.

Participants will be placed in mentorship groups consisting of an intimate group of mentors and mentees of varying experience levels. Participants will have opportunities to both provide and receive meaningful mentorship from fellow judicial officers, attorneys and law students.

Priority will be given to SCCLA members who may be attorneys or judicial officers.

Application Links:

Attorneys and Judicial Officers

Law Students

Registration Deadline:

July 31, 2026

The mentorship program is open to all SCCLA members and law students. Contact mentorship@sccla.org with any questions or concerns.

Also please join us for our Mentorship Kickoff Event – Mahjong Night where you will have the opportunity to meet your mentorship groups. More details to follow in next week’s E-Blast.

SCCLA Mentorship Program: Guidelines

SCCLA’s goal is for participants to be able to form beneficial relationships that foster growth and professional development. To achieve this goal, SCCLA has adopted the following guidelines.

(1) Minimum Number of Meetings: participants are encouraged to meet in-person or via video conference at least once per academic semester, for a minimum of two times per calendar year.

(2) Meeting Location: Meetings between program participants should be scheduled in public locations, e.g. at SCCLA events, restaurants or coffee shops, or at other MCLE or bar association events. SCCLA strongly discourages meeting at bars or at the residence of participants.

(3) Reporting Inappropriate Behavior: By participating in the 2026 SCCLA Mentorship Program, each participant hereby agrees to comply with and abide by SCCLA's Code of Conduct. If any participant feels that they have been sexually harassed by another participant or has been subject to other untoward, harassing, or coercive behavior, a report should be immediately made to info@sccla.org in accordance with SCCLA's Code of Conduct. All reports are confidential.

(4) Discipline: Individuals who are found to have violated SCCLA's Code of Conduct are subject to expulsion from participation in the program. Participants should feel comfortable with contacting and meeting with their mentors, mentees, and other participants of the program regarding professional opportunities or questions related to coursework or school activities. In person or email communication is encouraged. Texting, while convenient, should not be the sole means of communication between mentors and students. While SCCLA encourages students and mentors to learn more about one another, especially with respect to shared experiences, e.g. “What it is like to be a first generation attorney,” participants should not engage in conversations about intimate matters. SCCLA urges all participants to exercise their best personal and professional judgment while participating in the program with regard to their conduct.

SCCLA Student Representative Application 2026-2027 (05/27/2026)

Wed, 27 May 2026 07:00:00 GMT

SCCLA’s law student representatives are an integral part of SCCLA. The Board relies upon our law student representatives to be liaisons with local law schools, which is essential in our provision of mentorship and scholarship activities and connecting with the next generation of APA lawyers. Because of the nature of the role, we strongly prefer candidates who attend law school in Southern California.

SCCLA law student representatives obtain an inside perspective on the inner workings of a bar organization and receive the opportunity to forge invaluable connections. SCCLA law student representatives have access to valuable opportunities for: speaking engagements (e.g., moderating panels geared toward law students); personalized mentorship, references, and career advice from Board of Governors members; and unique opportunities to gain experience from the nation’s first APA bar association.

SCCLA Law Student Representatives assist with organizing, publicizing, and volunteering at SCCLA events, including the annual installation banquet; attending monthly board meetings; enhancing law student participation with SCCLA; and other projects with the Board.

Email apply@SCCLA.org with any questions.

Application Certification

I certify that the information provided in this application is true and correct. I understand the student representative position is a volunteer role. I agree to the following:

Attend monthly board meetings
Recruit and coordinate student participants and volunteers for SCCLA events
Volunteer at SCCLA's annual banquet
Connect with other APA law student groups of local Southern California law schools to publicize SCCLA events via email
Assist with promotion of SCCLA events through social media
Contribute as a member of the Law Student Committee (e.g., chair events geared toward law students such as mock interviews, resume reviews, and mentoring/clerkship panels)
Abide by SCCLA's Code of Conduct, which can be found here:

Virtual Immigration CLE (06/16/2026)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Join SCCLA for a Virtual Immigration CLE on Tuesday, June 16 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, with guests, Johanna Cohen and Lea Nehme of Path Immigration.

This program will provide valuable insights into current immigration law issues and practice considerations.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from experienced immigration attorneys and connect with the legal community.

SCCLA NLSLA Clinic June 2026 Intake Sheet | Attendee/Litigant (06/17/2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 01:00:00 GMT

SCCLA NLSLA Legal Clinic June 2026 | Volunteer Registration (06/17/2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Join Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association ("SCCLA") and Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County ("NLSLA") for our monthly virtual pro bono legal clinic every third Wednesday of the month from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Attorneys, paralegals, interpreters, law school students, and community members welcome. All language abilities welcome.

Litigants will speak with licensed attorneys on the phone and obtain general information on a variety of issues in English or Chinese (including Mandarin and Cantonese).

Subject areas include the following areas of law: family, immigration, business, employment, criminal, real estate, estate planning, probate, bankruptcy, consumer, intellectual property, and international (dealing specifically with China or Hong Kong).

Computer and telephone access required. A brief introduction and orientation will occur at the start of the clinic.

If this is your first time volunteering for the clinic, please fill out this form.

For additional questions, please contact legalclinic@sccla.org and BernadetteManigault@nlsla.org.