Congratulations to MNAPABA member, Jamie Cork, for her judicial appointment. Governor Mark Dayton announced the appointment on June 10, 2016. Ms. Cork will replace the Honorable Patrice K. Sutherland, and will be chambered at Hastings in Dakota County.

Ms. Cork is an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney, where she works in the Child Protection Division. Previously, she was an adjunct professor at Hamline University School of Law and the University of St. Thomas School of Law, a counselor at Ryan Community, Inc., and a patrol officer in Outagamie County in Wisconsin. She earned her B.A. from Mount Senario College in Wisconsin and her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law.

MNAPABA plans to host a reception for Ms. Cork soon. Stay tuned.

Carolina A. Lamas is a judge of the Fourth Judicial District of Minnesota. Governor Mark Dayton appointed Judge Lamas to the bench on February 3, 2014. Her initial term expires on January 2, 2017. She is running for her seat in the primary election against Luke Bellville on August 9, 2016.

During her time on the bench, Judge Lamas has presided primarily over felony-level criminal trials. She has also received extensive training in “problem-solving” courts. Judge Lamas earned a reputation as a thoughtful, fair and impartial judge. The MNAPABA Board was impressed with Judge Lamas’ understanding of issues for people of color in the courtroom, including specific issues that face the Asian community. For all these reasons, the MNAPABA Board chose to support Judge Lamas in her campaign.

Lamas earned both her undergraduate degree and her Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota. Before she became a district judge, she was the executive director and chief attorney for the Neighborhood Justice Center, Inc. Before that, she was an assistant public defender in the Ramsey County Office of the Public Defender, in the Second Judicial District.

You can view Luke Bellville’s profile here: http://lukeforjudge.tripod.com

To support Judge Lamas in her re-election, please visit her website: http://judgelamas.com/

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WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is disappointed by the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court’s split decision announced today in United States v. Texas. The court did not reach a decision in a challenge to the President’s executive action on immigration, including the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The split outcome leaves in place the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s decision to block implementation of the programs.

“We are disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision not to make a clear statement on the Fifth Circuit’s ruling to enjoin the implementation of these important immigration policies. The outcome leaves over four million undocumented immigrants living in the shadow of deportation,” said NAPABA President Jin Y. Hwang. “Today’s result underscores the importance of Congress taking swift action to pass comprehensive immigration reform”

The lower court in this case temporarily blocked the implementation of the expanded DACA and DAPA programs, which affected an estimated 4.9 million undocumented and vulnerable immigrants, including approximately 1.3 million Asian Pacific Americans. Under these programs, eligible applicants would not be a priority for deportation and could apply for a temporary work authorization. The original DACA program remains unaffected and more than 100,000 Asian Pacific Americans remain eligible for that program.

NAPABA, along with a diverse coalition of 325 immigration, civil rights, labor, and social service groups, including the National Immigration Law Center, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in this case to urge the Court to lift the injunction that has blocked the President’s executive action on immigration from moving forward. View the brief here.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or bschuster@napaba.org.

This week, NAPABA proudly shines the spotlight on the Pro Bono Award and the Women's Leadership Award. The Pro Bono Award recognizes an attorney or a team of attorneys for outstanding achievements in pro bono service. The Women’s Leadership Award is presented to an individual who has achieved professional excellence in her field or who has demonstrated leadership and advancement of women or women’s issues. 

At the 2015 NAPABA Convention in New Orleans, NAPABA selected McManis Faulkner attorneys James McManis, Elizabeth Pipkin, Christine Peek, Ruby Kazi, and Jennifer Murakami as the recipients of the Pro Bono Award and Michelle K. Lee as the recipient of the Women's Leadership Award. 

NAPABA is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of the lawyers and judges who comprise its membership. We encourage you to submit a nomination for the 2016 Pro Bono Award and the 2016 Women's Leadership Award!

Please visit www.napaba.org/awards for complete information on all of our awards.

Congratulations to MNAPABA Board Member, Emily Faber-Densely, for being recognized as one of the 2016 Minnesota’s top Up & Coming Attorneys.

Emily Faber-Densley is an attorney with 3M Company's Office of General Counsel. Prior to joining 3M, Emily was an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell (London). Emily received her Juris Doctorate from Columbia University, her Master’s degree from the University of Oxford (St. Antony’s College), and her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester.

Honorees for this year’s event were selected by an outside panel consisting of past alumni. Up & Coming Attorneys were judged for their professional accomplishments, leadership and service to their community and profession, and achievements in their first 10 years of being admitted to the bar.

The awards will be presented on September 8, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. Up & Coming Attorneys is in its 16th year of recognition.

For more information please read the formal announcement at: http://minnlawyer.com/2016/06/20/2016-up-coming-attorneys-unsung-legal-heroes/   

MNAPABA is proud to announce its strategic plan for 2016-2019. The plan outlines five goals MNAPABA hopes to achieve in the next three years.

Special thanks to The Hon. Judge Peter Reyes for leading the planning sessions, and MNAPABA Board Members: Greg Schwartz, Alene Sussman, Alex Dyste, and Benjamin Kwan for their hard work.

The Dakota County Law Library is looking for an attorney to present a 1-hour CLE in August 2016 on anything related to diversity and inclusion.  

Each month the Dakota County Law Library hosts two 1-hour free CLEs: one in Apple Valley (the second Tuesday of the month between 8-9 a.m.) and the other in Hastings (the third Thursday of the month between 12-1 p.m.) It seeks for possible presenters in the area of diversity for ethics/elimination of bias credits. The dates would be August 9th or the 18th. Please follow up with Shannon Stoneking (Shannon.Stoneking@CO.DAKOTA.MN.US) directly if anyone is interested.

The Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA) is seeking individuals with a legal, small business or finance experience to sit on our Board of Directors.  AEDA is a grassroots economic development non-profit organization with a special focus on micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses in Minnesota's low-income Asian communities. AEDA’s activities have focused around advocating and providing direct technical and business assistance to Asian business owners impacted by the Green Line Light Rail Development on University Avenue in St. Paul. AEDA is also the host of the successful Night Market that was launched two years ago bringing over 20,000 people to the Western Station stop.

Currently AEDA has a four-person board, consisting of Asian business owners, Asian community members, and mainstream community members.  The Board of Directors is responsible for the governance of the organization as well as ensuring fiscal diligence.  The organization does have a strategic plan in place. The Board meets every month for 2 hours at AEDA’s office on University and Western Ave in St. Paul. The contact is board chair Terri Thao and she can be reached via email  at tthao@nexuscp.org or via phone at 651-379-0505. For more information on AEDA, check out http://www.aeda-mn.org/

ST. PAUL, MN – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today that a judgeship vacancy is occurring in Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial District Court. This vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable Joseph A. Evans, and will be chambered at Detroit Lakes in Becker County.

The Commission is searching for fair, experienced, and civic-minded individuals to serve on the bench and offer their talents and services to Minnesota’s judicial system. The following qualities will be considered for judicial office: integrity, maturity, health (if job related), judicial temperament, legal knowledge, ability, experience, and community service. The application process is now open for this vacancy.

An individual wishing to apply may request an application by writing to Lee E. Sheehy, Chair of the Commission on Judicial Selection, at 116 Veterans Service Building, 20 West 12^th Street, St. Paul, MN 55155, or by contacting Andrew Olson, Director of Appointments, via e-mail at andrew.c.olson@state.mn.us. A cover letter and resume should also be submitted with the application. Application materials are due by close of business on Monday, April 11, 2016. Interviews are scheduled to be held on Monday, May 2, 2016 in Alexandria.

For inquiries concerning the application process, please contact Andrew Olson at andrew.c.olson@state.mn.us  or at (651) 201-3413.

Minnesota Lawyer is seeking attorneys whose work clearly has made a difference to you, your practice or the profession. Only a few of the hundreds of attorneys who enter practice each year make their mark within 10 years of admittance to the bar (2007). This is your chance to recognize an attorney who stands out from the crowd.

Consider counsel who have distinguished themselves by their:

• Professional accomplishment • Leadership • Service to community/profession • Achievement as in-house counsel

Click here to submit a nomination!

Nominees must have been admitted to the bar in the past 10 years
Nominations close June 3rd

Event information: 

When: September 8, 2016
11:00 – 12:00 p.m. – Registration and social hour
12:00 – 1:15 p.m. – Luncheon and awards presentation
Where: Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

Seating opens August 2nd, 2016

For event questions and comments, contact Amanda Dorn, Event Manager at 612-584-1534
For new and other information about this event, click here to subscribe to Minnesota Lawyer!