VABANC’s 27th Annual Gala Dinner
Mark your calendar! We are excited to announce that VABANC’s 27th Annual Gala Dinner will be on Friday, September 19, 2025 at Villa Ragusa (35 S Second St., Campbell, CA 95008).
The evening is a celebration of VABANC’s commitment to cultivating and nurturing relationships between Vietnamese American judges, legal professionals, law students, and the Vietnamese American communities of Northern California.
Our Gala Dinner will recognize recipients for the “Trailblazer,” “Community Impact,” and “Lifetime Achievement” Awards. Scholarships will be conferred to Bay Area Vietnamese American law students who demonstrate a commitment to serving the needs of the Vietnamese American community and intend on furthering their work in public interest.
Ticket sales will end on Friday, September 5th.
Interested in Sponsoring the Gala?
Proceeds will go towards providing scholarships for future Vietnamese American law students, and ensuring critical resources are available to continue the work of promoting professional development for Vietnamese Americans in the legal community. If you are interested in becoming a Gala Sponsor, please see our packet below or the Gala Dinner page for more information.
Please email scholarshipdinner@vabanc.org for questions about our sponsorship packet.
VABANC Legal Clinic — Calling for Volunteers!
Every first Wednesday evening of the month, VABANC Legal Clinic is hosted from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at the Vietnamese American Service Center (2410 Senter Rd., San Jose, CA 95111), fully operated by volunteer availability. Our next clinic is on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
In collaboration with the Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC), VABANC invites attorneys and law students to volunteer at our legal clinics. Since 2016, our dedicated VABANC volunteers have been the backbone of our mission.
The San Jose Vietnamese community needs your support more than ever. We are particularly seeking volunteer attorneys with experience in housing, immigration, employment, and family law.
Non-attorneys, law students, and community members are also welcome to volunteer and engage directly with clients through intake consultations or Vietnamese translation assistance. Your support make a significant difference!
Join us at our next General Board Meeting!
Our next General Board Meeting is Tuesday, September 16 at 5:45 PM PST on Zoom.
Please email Ally Phan (secretary@vabanc.org) for the virtual meeting link and General Board Meeting calendar invitations.
August Recap: Top Golf Mixer
From our Social Chair Vivian Tran:
This month, we swung into good times with the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California (VABANC) community at our Topgolf social in Burlingame!
After hosting our last social in San Jose, we wanted to make this event more accessible to our members based in San Francisco and throughout the Peninsula. It was a wonderful evening of connection, conversation, and camaraderie and we are especially excited as things gear up for VABANC’s 27th Annual Gala Dinner on September 19th!
Community News
Gaysian: AAPI LGBTQ+ Conference
AABA’s LGBTQ Committee is hosting a first of its kind half-day gathering around issues affecting the AAPI and LGBTQ+ communities. The conference will be held on Friday, September 12, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Morrison Foerster (425 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94105).
The conference will start with a lunch at Morrison Foerster followed by three panel sessions. Immediately following the conference there will be a reception at Ginger’s, a queer bar in downtown San Francisco. Everyone is welcome to the conference and reception, including allies.
Santa Clara Juvenile Dependency Courts
Seeking Guardian ad Litem Contractors
The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, is seeking proposals from qualified individuals to serve as Guardian ad Litem (GAL) contractors in Juvenile Dependency Court. This critical role involves advocating for dependency participants who are mentally ill or incompetent, ensuring their legal rights are protected in court proceedings.
The Guardian ad Litem is appointed to safeguard the dependency participant’s interests, oversee litigation decisions, and provide necessary support throughout the legal process. This contract opportunity offers professionals a chance to make a meaningful impact in the lives of vulnerable families while assisting the Court in fulfilling its mission of providing equal justice for all.
For more information and to apply, visit: GAL Request for Proposal.
Announcements
Seeking Job Opportunities for Law Students
Due to current economic conditions, we are reaching out to our network to support our student members. If your workplace is hiring students for summer or post-grad opportunities, please email info@vabanc.org with the job description and application process.
Seek VABANC’s Endorsement
Are you applying for a bench position or running for a prosecutorial or public defender position? Reach out to us! VABANC welcomes all applicants to seek our endorsement (irrespective of Vietnamese background). VABANC endorsements carry significant weight, particularly in the judicial application process. For more information, contact Nguyen Luu at nguyen@luulaw.com.
2025 VABANC Membership Means 2025 NAPABA Membership
Your VABANC membership gets you a complimentary membership in NAPABA. That means, along with VABANC’s local events, networking, and advocacy you get access to national resources like:
• Career Center, including NAPABA’s online national legal job board and career resources
• Networking opportunities nationwide
• Scholarships to attend NAPABA events
• Leadership development programs to boost your career
• Webinars and workshops for continued education
Click here to renew your VABANC membership today for 2025 and get your code for free NAPABA membership!
AABA/APILO Pro-Bono Legal Clinic
The AABA Community Services Committee and Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (APILO) operate a pro bono legal clinic that is staffed by volunteer attorneys and law students. The clinic helps ensure that low-income Bay Area residents, including many mono-lingual immigrants, will receive free legal information and advice from AABA volunteers.
The APILO/AABA Clinic assists individuals in a number of areas, including immigration and family law issues. The APILO/AABA Clinics are now held virtually via Zoom, and they occur every third Wednesday of the month from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering at the clinic, please sign up for our clinic mailing list via this link.
If you would like more information, please contact AABA Community Services Committee Co-Chair Ly Ly at ly.ly@compass.com. No prior clinic training or expertise is required, and foreign language skills are in high demand (particularly Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese).
Job Opportunities
The California Appellate Project is looking for an Executive Director to oversee their operations, guide their strategic direction, and inspire their team. See here for the application and more information.
The Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) is seeking a Deputy District Attorney IV to prepare and litigate complex and serious cases (primarily felonies) before the Superior and Appellate Courts. See here for the application and more information.
Santa Clara University School of Law is looking for Semester Adjunct Lecturers. See here for the application and more information.
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco is looking for multiple Adjunct Professors in a variety of curriculums. See here for hiring announcement and more information.
Farella Braun Martel is seeking to hire multiple Associate Attorney positions. See here for the application and more information.
The Oakland City Attorney’s Office is looking for a Neighborhood Law Corps Attorney. See here for hiring announcement and more information.
Membership Renewal
Have you renewed your membership this year?
You can conveniently renew online here. Thank you for your continued support and belief in our mission.
#VABANC, #ProvideEncourageFoster, #ChampioningChange
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