The Board is interested in consulting with an attorney with nonprofit experience to discuss some exciting and positive ideas for MNAPABA and its future endeavors. If you have this type of experience and would be willing to share some insight with the Board, please email mnapaba@gmail.com

MNAPABA Members had a great time volunteering and making a difference at Second Harvest Heartland on June 1! The 8 volunteers packed 82 meals per person, for a grand total of 656 meals to make a difference in the community. Thanks to the volunteers, and we look forward to seeing many of you at our next volunteer opportunity!

The application for The Terry M. Louie Founder's Scholarship has now opened! 

MNAPABA awards a summer law scholarship of approximately $1,500 to law students or recent law graduates who will, through a summer internship, perform legal work for underserved communities or otherwise leverage their legal training for the betterment of the public or Asian Pacific American communities. In alignment with our commitment to support those contributing significantly to public service, preferential consideration will be given to candidates accepting positions with a governmental, nonprofit, or public interest organization. Preference will also be given to those directly serving Minnesota and/or Asian Pacific American communities.

This scholarship is named the Terry M. Louie Founder's Scholarship to honor the legacy of Terry Louie, a founding member of MNAPABA and the organization's first president. Mr. Louie was an indomitable spirit who, along with a handful of like-minded APA attorneys, saw the need to band together and organize as an affinity bar organization. That organization has flourished to what MNAPABA is now, and we are forever grateful for Terry's contributions and influence.

To access the application, please click here. 

The application closes on July 1, 2024. 

Join the MNAPABA Women's Committee for a Night of Crafting and Cocktails!! This event will take place at Upstairs Circus (135 N. Washington Avenue, Minneapolis, MN) on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 7:00-9:00 pm.

Registration is free for the first 10 responses!

Please RSVP by March 29 by emailing Mayura.Iyer@gmail.com

MNAPABA has the privilege of appointing one member to the Ramsey County Bar Association Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 bar year. Please contact Nicole Dailo Jison (nicole.dailo@gmail.com) or Oliver Li (yli@hsml.com) with any interest by November 15, 2023.

If you'd like to get more involved with MNAPABA this year, please consider joining one of our committees! Our Antiracism, Awards, Judicial Selection, Programs, Public Sector, and Women's Committees provide valuable programming and networking opportunities for our members, and they're looking for volunteers to join their efforts this year. If you're interested in joining a committee, please contact Nicole Dailo Jison (nicole.dailo@gmail.com).

The NAPABA Convention is just around the corner! We are looking forward to bringing a strong Minnesota contingent out to Indianapolis this year. In advance of the Convention, if you would like to share your contact information so that we can all try to connect and meet up in Indianapolis (and, of course, coordinate our annual photo), please fill out this Google Form. Responses will be collected until Wednesday, November 1, 2023, after which time a separate email will be sent to those who responded.

The MNAPABA Executive Board is proud to announce that the following law students were honored at this year's Annual Gala as recipients of the Terry M. Louie Founder's Scholarship:

• Christopher Nam- University of Minnesota Law School (Class of 2025), summer internship with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (Metro Housing Division)

• Alfonso Gunaratnam- University of St. Thomas School of Law (Class of 2024), summer internship with Judge Diane Bratvold, Minnesota Court of Appeals

The Terry M. Louie Founder's Scholarship honors the legacy of Terry Louie, a founding member of MNAPABA and the organization's first president. Mr. Louie was an indomitable spirit, who along with a handful of like-minded APA attorneys, saw the need to band together and organize as an affinity bar organization.

The MNAPABA Executive Board is proud to announce that the following members were honored at this year's Annual Gala for their achievements and contributions to the community:

• The Honorable Keala C. Ede (Minnesota Fourth Judicial District) - Trailblazer Award
• Alexander J. Kim (Greenberg Traurig, LLP) - Leadership Award
• Valerie Narcy (Hall Law, P.A.) - Member of the Year Award
• Saraswati Singh (Ramsey County Attorney's Office) - Trailblazer Award

[ST. PAUL, MN] — On July 24, 2023, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan announced the appointment of Judge Keala Ede to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Judge Ede is the first Asian Pacific Islander to be appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Before Judge Ede’s appointment, he was a District Court Judge in the Fourth Judicial District, an Assistant Federal Defender, an Assistant Attorney General with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, and an Assistant Public Defender in both American Samoa and Orange County, California. He is also a member of several community organizations, including the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Minnesota American Indian Bar Association, and the Fourth Judicial District Court’s Equal Justice Committee.

Please join us in congratulating Judge Ede and celebrating this momentous accomplishment.