Asian Bar Association of Washington
The Asian Bar Association of Washington (ABAW) is the professional association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students that strives to be a network for its members in Washington.

Created in 1987, ABAW advocates for the legal needs and interests for the APA community and represents more than 280 APA legal professionals in a wide-range of practice areas. It is a local affiliate of the Nation-al Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

Judicial candidates seeking evaluations from the ABAW judicial evaluations committee can contact Jill Otake at jill.otake@usdoj.gov or 206-553-7970.

The ABAW will host a general meeting in March. Please contact ABAW President Kim Tran at ktran@staffordfrey.com or 206-667-8219 for more information.

Latina/o Bar Association of Washington

Since 1992, the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington (LBAW) has continued to be led by enthusiastic and energetic attorneys who are committed to advancing the legal rights of Latinos throughout the State of Washington.

The purpose of the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington is to represent the concerns and goals of Latino attorneys and Latino people of Washington. And, to do so, we encourage and promote the active participation of all Latino attorneys throughout the state and seek the involvement of Latinos in political, governmental, educational and business leadership roles. It is our goal to become a unified and active participant within the legal community of Washington and to assist in providing solutions to the problems that confront our legal system and communities.

Currently LBAW is planning its 14th Annual Awards Dinner, which will take place on Friday, January 27 at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. The keynote speaker is New Mexico’s Attorney General, Patricia Madrid, who will be introduced by Gov. Christine Gregoire. To register for this event, please contact Lorena Gonz‡lez at lgonzalez@lbaw.org.

For more information about LBAW, please visit our web site at www.lbaw.org or contact Crist—bal Joshua Alex at cjosha@lbaw.org or Brenda Williams at bwilliams@lbaw.org.

Loren Miller Bar Association
The Loren Miller Bar Association’s (“LMBA”) history reflects the birth, growth and maturation of the African-American legal community within the State of Washington. Beginning as the Loren Miller Bar Club, the organization was founded in Seattle on August 14, 1968. LMBA was named after Loren Miller, the famed Los Angeles civil rights attorney who successfully argued Shelley v. Kraemer, 334 U.S. 1 (1948), which struck down race-based restrictive covenants in housing.

On October 14, 1978, the members officially changed the name to LMBA and, in 1997, created the Philip L. Burton Memorial Foundation as a nonprofit corporation to administer LMBA’s scholarship fund for University of Washington, Seattle University and Gonzaga University law students. The organization has grown from its 13 founders to approximately 350 attorneys statewide.

Historically, LMBA has provided leadership by example to the African-American community and mentoring to local law students. As the focal point of Washington’s African-American attorneys, LMBA is poised to continue the promotion of civil rights and the professional development, social and economic well-being, and professional interests of its current and potential members.

Upcoming Events

January 9 -- LMBA General Body Meeting at The College Club of Seattle, 5:30 p.m.

January 26 -- LMBA “Last Friday” Happy Hour, location to be announced at Jan. 9 General Body Meeting

Save the Date

May 19 -- Philip L. Burton Annual Memorial Scholarship Dinner, The Westin, Downtown Seattle

QLAW
QLAW: The GLBT Bar Association of Washington is an association of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) legal professionals and their friends. QLAW serves as a voice for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lawyers in the state of Washington on issues relating to diversity and equality in the legal profession, in the courts and in the legal system.

The organization provides opportunities for community building, professional development, education, law student mentoring, judicial evaluations and community service. QLAW is the successor of LEGALS, which ably served our community for many years. Membership dues are $25-$50 per year.

For more information on QLAW, including opportunities to get involved, visit www.Q-Law.org.

Upcoming Events

TBA -- Andersen “Day of Decision,” community events statewide; Marriage Equality Hotline, Seattle (attorney/law student volunteer opportunity)

January -- Joint Social Event with Pierce County Minority Bar Association, Tacoma

Feb. 21 -- The New Bankruptcy Laws and Your Gay and Lesbian Clients, Seattle

April -- QLAW Annual Dinner, Seattle

South Asian Bar Association of Washington
The South Asian Bar Association of Washington is an organization of South Asian legal professionals in the Northwest dedicated to providing access to legal resources and support for issues relevant to the South Asian community. SABA is also committed to identifying and advancing the areas where economic, social and political interests intersect with South Asian legal issues.

SABA has actively sought to build ties with other minority bar associations and has been a voice for the South Asian legal community in such bodies as the WSBA, the King County Bar Association and the Initiative for Diversity. In addition, members have actively participated in local diversity initiatives.