In the past several years, Asian Women United of Minnesota (AWUM) has seen a marked increase in those seeking assistance, including an increase in refugees and new immigrants seeking protection from domestic violence.  The cases are often complex and harrowing. 

Over 1,000 individuals seek some form of support from AWUM each year.  AWUM operates a 24-bed shelter for women and children (this “House of Peace” is often at maximum capacity) and makes advocates accessible in the community.  AWUM also offers training to other service providers on issues unique to the Asian community.

AWUM is seeking applications from candidates who are interested in creating a safer environment for women and children in Minnesota by participating in the end to domestic violence.

Attached is additional information on AWUM and an application for the Board. Please feel free to contact Board member Judge Regina M. Chu at regina1478@gmail.com should you have any questions.

Scott County is seeking volunteer pro bono attorneys to serve as Conciliation Court Referees.  Conciliation Court, also known as "Small Claims Court," is a division of District Court and handles money claims of $15,000 or less. Panel Referees preside over general and collection calendars of 12 to 50 cases per half-day session.  Calendars are currently scheduled every Friday at 8:30 and 1:00 p.m. Individually appointed Referees may be asked to serve up to two calendars per month.  View the detailed duties.  The ideal candidate is a group of attorneys within one firm who could rotate the responsibilities on their own schedule and provide the necessary court coverage.  A two-year commitment to the appointment is preferred.  The ideal candidate will have extensive civil litigation experience. 
 
If you are in need of additional information, you may contact the following:
(952) 496-8207 or  vicky.carlson@courts.state.mn.us
 
To apply, please complete the application for a firm or an individual and send to the contact listed on the application by Wednesday, April 13, 2016.

The Call for Programs for the 2016 NAPABA Convention is now open. Please click here for complete information about submitting a general CLE panel or a proposal for the International Law Symposium and/or Solo & Small Firm Boot Camp. The deadline for submissions is April 15 at 5.pm. EDT. 

We encourage all submitters to work with NAPABA committees/networks to seek endorsements. We request your direct involvement in this critical Convention process. Your endorsement helps NAPABA and the CLE Committee ensure that our programming is high quality, relevant to cutting edge issues in practice, and represents a broad and diverse range of member interests.

We’ve updated the Committees and Networks page on the NAPABA website to give our members easier access.

Judge Gail Chang Bohr (retired) of the Ramsey County District Court, received the Minnesota Council on Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Distinguished Service Award. The ceremony was on January 18, 2016, Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and was held at the Ordway Music Theater, St. Paul.

Read more here: http://aapress.com/community/gail-change-bohr-receives-minnesota-mlk-distinguished-service-award/ 

ST. PAUL, MN – Today, Governor Mark Dayton announced the appointment of Richelle M. Wahi as District Court Judge in Minnesota’s First Judicial District. Ms. Wahi will be replacing the Honorable Mary J. Theisen, who retired earlier this year. Ms. Wahi will be chambered at Hastings in Dakota County.

“I am pleased to appoint Richelle M. Wahi to serve as District Court Judge in the First Judicial District,” said Governor Dayton. “Throughout her career, Ms. Wahi has demonstrated her commitment to justice through her work in family law, and her commitment to public service and volunteerism.” 

Ms. Wahi is a partner at Lindquist & Vennum LLP, where she handles cases primarily in family law and general litigation, and chairs the firm’s Diversity Committee.  She also serves as a Conciliation Court Referee in Dakota County and previously was an attorney at the law firms Moss & Barnett and Henson & Efron. Ms. Wahi earned her B.A. from the College of St. Catherine and her J.D. with honors from William Mitchell College of Law.  

Ms. Wahi volunteers with the Tubman Safety Project, coaches volleyball for the Eagan Athletic Association and softball for the Mendota Heights Athletic Association, and mentors law students from the University of St. Thomas Law School, Twin Cities Diversity in Practice, and Mitchell Hamline School of Law. 

Minnesota’s First Judicial District consists of Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, LeSueur, McLeod, Scott, and Sibley Counties.

More information on the Commission on Judicial Selection, as well as vacancies it is currently considering, can be found at http://mn.gov/governor/appointments/judicial-appointments/.

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 Conrad I. Freeberg, and will be chambered at Milaca in Mille Lacs 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 12th Street, St. Paul, MN 55155, or by contacting Lidya Makonnen, Appointments Coordinator, via e-mail at lidya.makonnen@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, February 22, 2016. Interviews are scheduled to be held on Monday, March 14, 2016.

For inquiries concerning the application process, please contact Lidya Makonnen at lidya.makonnen@state.mn.us or at (651) 201-3451. Read the original press release here.

Please contact Irene Kao (ikao@lmc.org) if you are interested in these positions. Contact Greg Schwartz (gschwartz@billionarmitage.com) if you would like to seek MNAPABA's endorsement.  For more information on MNAPABA's endorsement process: http://mnapaba.org/endorsements. 

ST. PAUL, MN – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today that judgeship vacancies are occurring in Minnesota’s Second Judicial District Court. These vacancies will occur upon the retirements of the Honorable Salvador M. Rosas, effective March 4, 2016, and the Honorable Rosanne Nathanson, effective May 31, 2016, and will be chambered at Saint Paul in Ramsey 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 these vacancies.

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 12th Street, St. Paul, MN 55155, or by contacting Lidya Makonnen, Appointments Coordinator, via e-mail at lidya.makonnen@state.mn.us. A cover letter and resume should also be submitted with the application. Application materials are due by close of business on Thursday, February 11, 2016. Interviews are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016.

For inquiries concerning the application process, please contact Lidya Makonnen at lidya.makonnen@state.mn.us or at (651) 201-3451. Read the original press release here.

Please contact Irene Kao (ikao@lmc.org) if you are interested in these positions. Contact Greg Schwartz (gschwartz@billionarmitage.com) if you would like to seek MNAPABA's endorsement.  For more information on MNAPABA's endorsement process: http://mnapaba.org/endorsements. 

The Governor’s Council on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday statewide celebration is just around the corner.  The main celebration is starting at 11:00 pm in the Ordway Music Theater. This year marks the Council’s 30th anniversary and our celebration theme is “The Power of Telling Your Story: 30 Years of Us”.  The 2016 Statewide Celebration is free and open to the public so please extend this invitation with the community. Below we have included the logistics and programming details. We have an exciting line up to honor the work and legacy of Dr. King.

Schedule:
·         9:00 am Youth Rally – Ordway Concert Hall
·         10:15 am March Reenactment – Route will begin at the main entrance of the Ordway Center for Performing Arts.
·         11:00 am-1:00 pm Celebration Program – Ordway Music Theater
 
Keynote Speaker:
Talila A. Lewis, founder of Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf
 
Acceptance Speech:
The Honorable Michael J. Davis
 
Performances:
Triad for Christ; Bomba Umoya; and El Arco Iris

Award Recipients:
·         The Honorable Michael J. Davis, Lifetime Achievement Award
·         Senior Judge Gail Chang Bohr, Distinguished Service Award
·         Jill R. Gaulding, Distinguished Service Award
·         Emilia Gonzalez Avalos, Distinguished Service Award
·         Velma Korbel, Distinguished Service Award
·         Nekima Levy-Pounds, Distinguished Service Award
·         Collen Wieck, Distinguished Service Award

The NAPABA Law Foundation Summer Public Interest Internship is a grant to an organization to provide funding for a summer legal intern.  Past recipients include Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Asian Law Caucus, and Greater Boston Legal Services – Asian Outreach Unit.  Deadline for organizations to apply is Jan 15, 2016.  The application is attached and it will be available on the NAPABA website shortly.
 
Below is a list of the three remaining summer programs that will be announced shortly:
 
1)      McGuireWoods/NLF Internship Program
2)      Fred T. Korematsu Summer Fellowship
3)      Bryan Cave / NAPABA Law Foundation Community Service Scholarship

For more information: http://www.napaba.org/?page=NLF_FI

Following 2014-2015 Executive Board action and the annual ceremonial vote of the MNAPABA membership at the annual MNAPABA Gala, held this year in conjunction with the NAPABA Central Regional Conference in Minneapolis on September 19, MNAPABA is proud to announce its new Executive Board for the upcoming membership year, beginning on October 1, 2015:

President: Gregory Schwartz, Billion & Armitage

President-Elect: Benjamin Kwan, Halunen Law

Immediate Past President: Irene Kao, League of Minnesota Cities

Secretary: Alene Sussman, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Treasurer: Emily Faber-Densley, 3M

VP of Communications: Maya Tao, Wilson Law Group

VP of Membership: Malika Kanodia, Best Buy

VP of Outreach: Summra Shariff, Robins Kaplan

VP of Programs: Alex Dyste, Fourth Judicial District

Pictured Above, from L to R: Summra Shariff, Malika Kanodia, Benjamin Kwan, Alene Sussman, Maya Tao, Greg Schwartz, Irene Kao, and Emily Faber-Densley (not pictured, Alex Dyste). Photo taken on September 19, 2015, at the MNAPABA Annual Gala at the NAPABA Central Regional Conference in Minneapolis.