Asian Pacific attorney group celebrates 21 years of leadership
GAPABA President Anu Seam of AT&T. (All photos: Boon Vong)
Over 175 Asian Pacific American (APA) judges, attorneys, law professors, and law students attended the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA)’s Inaugural Gala banquet on May 15, 2014, at the historic Trolley Barn in Inman Park. The event theme–“Our History, Our Future”–celebrated GAPABA’s 21st anniversary and growth from a 13-member fledgling bar association to over 200 strong today.
GAPABA Boardmembers with speaker Justice Leah Sears (center): Bonnie Youn (Secretary), Jon-Peter Kelley, Neeli Shah (Treasurer), Hemanth Digumarthi (President Elect), Judge Carla Wong McMillian, Anu Seam (President), David Kahng (Programs Chair), Sarah Hawk, Neel Gupta, Sam Choy.
After the sold-out crowd enjoyed cocktails on a gorgeous spring evening, the Gala kicked off with a keynote address from former Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, Justice Leah Ward Sears. The GAPABA board introduced eight of the original 13 charter members on hand for the festivities, based on interviews by law student volunteers who had solicited their wisdom and advice to be passed along to the next generation.
President Anu Seam and President-Elect Hemanth Digumarthi of Sharon Ware & Associates.
GAPABA honored its cofounder, The Honorable Alvin T. Wong, by establishing and naming its highest award, the Judge Alvin T. Wong Pioneer Award, after him. The award’s first recipient was Bobby Woo of King and Spalding, the first APA to become partner at a major law firm in Georgia and a trailblazer in his own right.
Other awardees included Stephanie Chu of Alston & Bird, recipient of the Rising Star Award; Robin Sangston, chief compliance officer for Cox Communications, recipient of the Community Appreciation Award; and Lisa Chang of Taylor English Duma, recipient of the Special Recognition Award for her many years of dedicated service to GAPABA and its national parent organization, NAPABA.
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