DESCRIPTION
An active committee for younger APAWLA members, new attorneys, and law students that organizes events/programs directed toward our YLLS members.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING YLLS EVENTS
CONTACTS
The current co-chairs of the YLLS committee for the 2015-2016 term are Ayano Wolff and Maitria Moua.
Myungjae (Jane) Song is a first year law student in the Southwestern Law School's accelerated two-year J.D. SCALE Program. She graduated from UCLA in 2016 with a degree and honors in Asian Humanities. She will be interning at the Labor Relations Division of the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office the summer of 2018. Prior to starting law school, she worked as a paralegal for a civil litigation firm and was registered as a Legal Document Preparer in the County of Los Angeles. She is currently a law student advocate at the Small Claims Clinic and Teen Court Clinic, an executive board member of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, Labor and Employment Law Association, and International Law society, and volunteers at the Korean American Bar Association monthly clinic.
Judy Yen is a second-year J.D. student at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. She has been serving on the board of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association at Loyola since 2017 and will serve as External Vice President in the 2018-19 school year. Judy aspires to be an intellectual property attorney that works with creative people. Judy is also the fashion chair of the Intellectual Property & Cyber-Security Law Society at Loyola and will serve as the treasurer in the 2018-19 school year. Judy is also a member of the Loyola Fashion Law Clinic and Entertainment Moot Court. She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Accounting from University of California, Los Angeles.
YLLS PAST EVENTS
December 6, 2014: YLLS Bar Support Group Event
If you did not pass the bar exam, you are not alone. It can be a struggle trying to figure out what went wrong and what your next steps should be. For that reason, we developed this event to create a supportive community for repeat bar exam takers. Attorneys who have successfully passed the bar after a repeat attempt shared both their experience and advice about the process.
August 30, 2014: The APAWLA YLLS Annual Welcome Reception
This was our annual welcome reception. We invited young lawyers and law students, as well as other current and prospective APAWLA members to join a community of fellow API women in the legal field: both law students and recent attorneys. We decided what types of events our group would like to hold this year, and we also set aside time for one-on-one conversations between law students and young lawyers.
August 24, 2014: YLLS Appreciation Lunch Reception"
This was an exclusive reception for past co-chairs of APAWLA YLLS and/or dedicated YLLS members who helped the co-chairs plan an event in the past. The APAWLA Board would was able to show its appreciation to these leaders with a small reception and good food.
March 15, 2014: So What Happens Next? Preparing for the Bar Exam
APAWLA YLLS members enjoyed a delicious family-style lunch with our panelists of long-time bar prep mentors and instructors as they discussed everything you'd want to know about preparing for the bar exam. We asked members to bring $10/person in cash to help cover costs.
February 6, 2014: Joint API Bar Mentoring Circles
APABA, APAWLA, KABA, SCCLA and TABA held its first ever joint mentoring circles event. The mentoring circles matched up students specifically with attorneys in their areas of interest, including business law, health law, nonprofits, and government. Students had the opportunity to meet attorneys and gain valuable insight while also enjoying tasty food provided by sponsors. The event began promptly at 6:30 PM and run until 9:00 PM. We asked that all student participants remain for the entirety of the event.
December 7, 2013: Bar Exam Support Group
The California Bar Exam is arguably one of the most difficult bar exams in the country. If you did not pass the July Bar Exam, you are not alone. It can be a struggle trying to figure out what went wrong and what your next steps should be. YLLS held this event to create a supportive community for repeat bar exam takers. Attorneys who have successfully passed the bar after a repeat attempt shared both their experience and advice about the process.
November 9, 2013: Solo Practitioner Event
Have you ever considered starting your own practice? Perhaps the idea appeals to you, or you feel like it's an avenue you should explore, but it just seems too intimidating! At this event, we heard from three APA women who have decades of combined experience as solo practitioners, and their own practices in the areas of criminal defense, immigration law, business law, and trusts and estates. With this much expertise in one room, you'll be glad you came!
Panelists: Jane Oak, Beti Bergman, and Grace Lou
August 14, 2013: YLLS Welcome Meeting Brunch
We invited community members to join a community of fellow API women both in law school and in the legal field. At this event, we set aside time for one-on-one conversations between law students and young lawyers. We decided on the types of events that the group would like to have in 2013. In the past, we have had dim sum mentorship socials, clerkship luncheons, panels and breakout sessions on job search, interview techniques and more.
May 18, 2013: 2nd Annual Dim Sum Mentorship Social
April 28, 2013: YLLS Clerkship Brunch
This event was created in response to the hostility and discouragement that womyn of color are facing in the judicial clerkship process. Many womyn of color have been told that they are not qualified for clerkships and do not bother applying. As a result, it is an uphill battle to obtain information and utilize resources made readily available to other colleagues. We are left to empower ourselves and assist one another through the application process. At this APAWLA YLLS event, we engaged in a candid conversation with Asian American womyn who have experience with clerking or working with a judge. The conversation was centered on how to approach the clerkship application process, tips on how to create a strong application, institutional barriers that exist for womyn of color and how we can overcome them. This conversation was intentionally capped at 10 members to allow for an intimate and in-depth conversation about how we, as womyn of color, can best position ourselves to secure a judicial clerkship.
Featured Speakers:
Vivian Lee, Associate at Dykema's Los Angeles Office, Former Law Clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
Christine Gonong, Law Clerk in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Diana Wang, Law Clerk in the Central District Magistrate Court
April 20, 2013: Navigating the Workplace: Discussion on How to Handle Difficult Challenges in the Workplace
APAWLA's YLLS committee hosted an informal afternoon conversation where our APAWLA board members shared their journey and offered suggestions on how to successfully navigate workplace challenges.
September 29, 2012: YLLS Annual Meeting
August 11, 2012: "You Are Not Alone"
This was a panel with break-out discussion sessions that focused on (1) recent graduates who have taken the California Bar Exam and were/are searching for opportunities, (2) junior and mid-level attorneys looking to lateral and (3) lawyers who have taken a leave of absence from the profession and are interested in rejoining. By providing seasoned advice and support, APAWLA's goal with this event was to equip and to encourage new attorneys in finding great learning opportunities as they begin their new legal careers; to assist junior and mid-level associates in dealing with tough work situations and lateral to new positions to pursue their passions; and to offer support to women whow are rejoining the profession. Other attorneys who needed some career support (or were feeling a bit alone in their careers) were welcomed to attend as well.
Panelists included:
Elise K. Lau, Attorney Recruiter
Jennifer Kim, Assistant Director of Career Services at Chapman University School of Law
Hon. Holly Fujie, Judge at the Los Angeles Superior Court
March 3, 2012: Ladies' Night Out
December 17, 2011: First Annual Dim Sum Social
October 18, 2011: Best Practices of Informational Interviewing