2019 VABA-DC
Scholarship Application
VABA-DC was established, in part, to contribute to the public interest by serving as a voice for the local Vietnamese American community and assisting community members with legal concerns. In furtherance of that mission, we are proud to sponsor a $2,500 scholarship for law students who have served or plan to serve the Vietnamese American community or have overcome significant adversity in achieving their academic goals.
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of community service, academic performance, and their written essay. The scholarship recipient(s) will be expected to attend the VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner in their honor to be held on April 9, 2019, at Kutak Rock, LLP, 1625 I St. N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006.
The deadline for applications is February 15, 2019. Please click HERE for the 2019 scholarship application package.
VABA-DC
Annual Tet Celebration
Please join us for the
Ninth Annual VABA-DC
Scholarship Dinner
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Networking Cocktail Hour - 6:00 p.m.
Dinner - 7:00 p.m.
Ropes & Gray LLP
2099 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20006
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Charles C. Nguyen
Professor and Dean Emeritus of the Catholic University of America
Tickets and Sponsorship opportunities
are now available!
Click HERE to Buy Tickets or Sponsor this Event.
DIRECTIONS TO 2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW
By Public Transit: Take the silver, blue or orange line Metro to Foggy Bottom Metro Station and walk .23 miles east to the office.
From the North/East: Interstate 95/Baltimore Washington Parkway (Rte. 295)—Follow Baltimore Washington Parkway South. Take the ramp to I-695 towards Capitol Hill. Keep straight onto I-395 S. At Exit 4 take Maine Ave towards downtown. Keep straight onto Independence Ave SW. Bear right onto 17th Street SW. The road name changes to 17th Street NW. Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue. Arrive at 2099 Pennsylvania at the intersection of 21st & Pennsylvania Ave., NW. The office will be on the right.
From the West: Interstate 66 East/ US-50 E toward Washington, DC—Take left ramp and follow signs for E Street. Take right ramp towards Virginia Avenue. Keep straight onto D Street NW. Take left ramp for E Street NW, towards 23rd Street. Turn right onto 23rd St. NW. At roundabout, take 1st exit onto Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Arrive at 2099 Pennsylvania at the intersection of 21st & Pennsylvania Ave., NW. The office will be on the left.
From the South: Interstate 395 North toward Washington, DC— Take the ramp for George Washington Memorial Parkway toward Memorial Bride/Arlington Cemetery. At roundabout, take 1st exit onto Arlington Memorial Bridge. Stay on there until you get to 20th Street. Use the two left lanes to turn onto 20th Street. Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue. Arrive at 2099 Pennsylvania at the intersection of 21st & Pennsylvania Ave., NW. The office will be on the right.
VABA-DC 2018
Scholarship Applications
VABA-DC was established, in part, to contribute to the public interest by serving as a voice for the local Vietnamese American community and assisting community members with legal concerns. In furtherance of that mission, we are proud to sponsor up to two $2,500 scholarships for law students who have served or plan to serve the Vietnamese American community or have overcome significant adversity in achieving their academic goals.
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of community service, academic performance, and their written essay. The scholarship recipient(s) will be expected to attend the VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner in their honor to be held later this year.
The deadline for applications is March 30, 2018. Please click HERE for the 2018 scholarship application package.
2017 Annual Summer Picnic
A good time was had by all at VABA-DC's annual summer picnic on July 8, 2017!
Great Falls Park, McLean, Virginia
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VABA-DC 2017 Scholarship Applications
VABA-DC was established, in part, to contribute to the public interest by serving as a voice for the local Vietnamese American community and assisting community members with legal concerns. In furtherance of that mission, we are proud to sponsor up to two $2,500 scholarships for law students who have served or plan to serve the Vietnamese American community or have overcome significant adversity in achieving their academic goals.
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of community service, academic performance, and their written essay. The scholarship recipient(s) will be expected to attend the VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner in their honor to be held in April 2017.
The deadline for applications is March 10, 2017. Please click HERE for the 2017 scholarship application package.
| Date(s): January 11, 2017 |
| Time: 5:30 PM EST - 8:00 PM EST |
Location:
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP; 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW; Washington, DC 20004 |
Presented by: Young Lawyers Committee and Government Attorneys Committee
Co-sponsored by: DC Bar’s Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Section, LGBT Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Iranian American Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Vietnamese American Bar Association of the Greater Washington DC Area, Bar Association of the District of Columbia
Featuring:
Shannon Beebe, Associate, The Spiggle Law Firm
Nick Cordell, Attorney Adviser, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Emilie de Lozier, Associate, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP
Shira Helstrom, Associate, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
Vered Krasna, Attorney Recruiter, Parker & Lynch Legal
Moderator:
Nancy Long, Associate Counsel, American Association of University Professors
If you are new to the legal profession and want to readjust your career path, please join us for a discussion on career transitions! Our speakers have successfully navigated the road to their chosen practice areas and will share their insights. The program will cover 1) how to transition from a non-legal or quasi-legal job to a practicing attorney role; 2) tips on switching practice area tracks from a current attorney role to one that is more in line with a legal practice area closer to interests/passions; and 3) how to transition away from document review projects.
Cost:
Advance Registration:
Members - $20
Non-members - $30
Student Members - $12
DC Bar Section Members - $20
After 1/8/2017:
Members - $25
Non-members - $35
Student Members - $17
DC Bar Section Members - $20
http://www.wbadc.org/calendar_day.asp?date=1/11/2017&event=1296
Refunds can only be processed for cancellations received more than two business days prior to the event.
The WBA regularly hosts programs for the education and enjoyment of its members and guests. The WBA is committed to ensuring that its employees, members and guests are able to conduct their activities free from harassment or intimidation. The WBA, in its sole discretion, therefore reserves the right to deny access or to remove any attendee.
Registration or participation in events and other activities constitutes an agreement by the registrant to WBA's use and distribution of the registrant or attendee's image in photographs of such events.
DMV-area NAPABA Affiliate
Happy Hour
When: Wednesday, September 28 at 8:30 PM
Where: Tonic at Quigley's Pharmacy, 2036 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20036
2016 CONFERENCE
NCVAA 10th Annual Conference
&
VABANC 18th Annual Scholarship Dinner
October 14-15, 2016
San Jose, CA
CONFERENCE INFORMATION
The National Conference of Vietnamese American Attorneys (NCVAA) is pleased to announce that the 10th Annual Conference will be held on October 14-15, 2016 in San Jose, California. The 2016 conference will take place in conjunction with the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California’s (VABANC) 18th Annual Scholarship Dinner on Friday, October 14, 2016. VABANC is honored to co-host the combined event this year as NCVAA returns to San Jose, where VABANC co-hosted the very first conference in 2006.
This year’s conference, based on the theme “Innovate”, provides an opportunity for attendees to network with attorneys, members of the judiciary, prominent legal scholars, jurists, and law students from all over the nation. Attorneys can receive valuable continuing legal education (CLE) credits on a number of stimulating current topics taught by scholars and practitioners.
ONLINE REGISTRATION AVAILABLE NOW
Register today to take advantage of early bird prices. After September 9, 2016, registration prices will increase. To register, please click here.
VABA-DC's 8th Annual Scholarship Dinner
April 27, 2016
On the evening of April 27, 2016, we gathered at the Willard Event Center in Washington D.C. to hear Lan Cao, professor and author of Monkey Bridge and The Lotus and The Storm, deliver an inspirational keynote speech. We also had the pleasure of awarding scholarships to Thuc-Doan Phan (George Mason University School of Law, J.D. Candidate 2017) and Emma Nguyen (The George Washington University School of Law, J.D. Candidate 2018).
A special thank you to our sponsors, donors, speakers and guests for being a large part of our continued tradition of success!
Please join us for the
Eighth Annual VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
at 6:00 p.m.
Willard Event Center
1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20004 (map link)
Keynote Speaker
Lan Cao
Professor and Author of Monkey Bridge and The Lotus and The Storm
Tickets and Sponsorship opportunities
are now available!
Please RSVP by Sunday, April 17, 2016
Click HERE to Buy Tickets or Sponsor this Event.
Parking:
Valet: (approx. $23 for 2-4 hours)
Located on south side of F Street between 14th and 15th streets
Visitors must all valet park on first level
Entrance and exit is at the elevator lobby of the Willard Hotel
Nearby Parking Garages: (approx. $9-13)
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. (0.1 miles away)
1220 E. St. N.W. (0.1 miles away)
1425 New York Ave. N.W. (0.3 miles away)
Nearest Metro: Metro Center on the red, orange, silver, and blue lines (0.3 miles away)
VABA-DC 2016 Scholarship
VABA-DC was established, in part, to contribute to the public interest by serving as a voice for the local Vietnamese American community and assisting community members with legal concerns. In furtherance of that mission, we are proud to sponsor up to two $1,500 scholarships for law students who have served or plan to serve the Vietnamese American community or have overcome significant adversity in achieving their academic goals.
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of community service, academic performance, and their written essay. The scholarship recipient(s) will be expected to attend a VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner in their honor to be held in March 2016.
The deadline for applications has been extended to March 28, 2016. Please click HERE for the 2016 scholarship application package.
Annual Lunar New Year Celebration
February 25, 2016
Come join APABA-DC's Annual Lunar New Year Celebration and celebrate with other local Asian bar associations! APABA-MD, APABA-VA, KABA, and VABA-DC are confirmed co-sponsors.
This event will be held at Capitale (1301 K St., NW, Washington DC) on Thursday, February 25, 2016. Doors open at 6 pm, and the party will go from6:30 to 9 pm. Food will be provided and will be vegetarian-friendly. There will be a cash bar for drinks.
Event is free to members of APABA-DC and the co-sponsors and is $10 for non-members.
Please RSVP here.
For questions about the event or if your organization is interested in co-sponsoring it, please contact Scott Lee and Neville Jiang at programs@apaba-dc.org.
VABA-DC Winter Potluck
The Lotus and The Storm - Novel Launch
VABA-DC Third Annual Women's Happy Hour
VABA-DC invites all Vietnamese women attorneys and law students to our Third Annual Women's Happy Hour. Please join us for an evening of informal networking and casual conversation. VABA-DC hopes to establish a foundation of support to address the unique aspects of being a woman of Vietnamese heritage in the D.C. legal field. Food and drinks are on us!
Date and Time: Thursday, October 8, 2015; 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Location: Philos, 401 Massachusetts NW, Washington DC 20001
RSVP to vi.nt.mai@gmail.com by Friday, October 2nd. Please include "VABA-DC Third Annual Women's Happy Hour" in the email subject line.
Rooftop Summer Sign-Off Happy Hour
NCVAA Conference Sponsorship
Application Due Date: August 17, 2015
Are you interested in attending the 9th Annual National Conference of Vietnamese American Attorneys (NCVAA) in Boston on September 18-19, 2015?
If so, VABA-DC is offering to sponsor up to two VABA-DC attorneys and/or student members to represent VABA-DC at the conference. Each of the sponsorships will cover conference registration fees. If you are interested in applying, please send a brief (300 words or less) statement of interest to vabadc@gmail.com on or before Monday, August 17, 2015. The VABA-DC Board will give special consideration to your past involvement in the DC area Vietnamese community and financial need in making this decision.
VABA-DC's 7th Annual Scholarship Dinner
May 18, 2015
On the evening of May 18, 2015, we gathered at the Willard Event Center in Washington D.C. to hear the Honorable Tu M. Pham deliver an inspirational keynote speech. We also had the pleasure of awarding scholarships to Anh Vu (UDC David A. Clarke School of Law, J.D. Candidate 2016) and Natalie Phan (University of Georgia School of Law, J.D. Candidate 2017).
A special thank you to our sponsors, donors, speakers and guests for being a large part of our continued tradition of success!
Please join us for the
7th Annual VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner
Monday, May 18, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.
Willard Event Center
1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 800
Keynote Speaker: The Honorable Tu M. Pham
U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Tennessee
Tickets and Sponsorship opportunities
are now available!
Parking:
Valet: (approx. $23 for 2-4 hours)
- Located on south side of F Street between 14th and 15th streets
- Visitors must all valet park on first level
- Entrance and exit is at the elevator lobby of the Willard Hotel
Nearby Parking Garages: (approx. $9-13)
- 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. (0.1 miles away)
- 1220 E. St. N.W. (0.1 miles away)
- 1425 New York Ave. N.W. (0.3 miles away)
Nearest Metro:
Metro Center on the red, orange, silver, and blue lines (0.3 miles away)
VABA Hiking Event
With spring in the air, please join us for an exhilarating HIKE and post-hike PICNIC in Great Falls! We will provide the entrees, but please bring a side or dessert to share. Here are the details:
When: SATURDAY, APRIL 25 AT 11:00 AM. WE WILL BEGIN THE HIKE SHARPLY AT 11:15 AM. (Rain date will be Sunday, April 26 at the same time)
Where: Great Falls Park (Meet outside the visitor’s center)
9200 Old Dominion Drive
McLean, VA 22102
Please RSVP to Linh Ly at lly@susanhicksgroup.com by April 20th and indicate what food you will be bringing. Get excited for the warm weather!
VABA-DC 2015 Scholarship Announcement
Application Due Date: April 1, 2015
VABA-DC was established, in part, to contribute to the public interest by serving as a voice for the local Vietnamese American community and assisting community members with legal concerns. In furtherance of that mission, we are proud to sponsor up to two $1,500 scholarships for law students who have served or plan to serve the Vietnamese American community or have overcome significant adversity in achieving their academic goals.
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of community service, academic performance, and their written essay. The scholarship recipient(s) will be expected to attend a VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner in their honor to be held in May 2015.
VABA-DC's 6th Annual Scholarship Dinner
September 23, 2014
On the evening of September 23, 2014, we gathered at Toolbox in DC to hear the honorable John M. Tran deliver an inspirational keynote speech. We also had the pleasure of awarding scholarships to Vi Mai (American University Washington College of Law, J.D. Candidate) and Hai Binh Nguyen (Georgetown University Law School, J.D. Candidate).
A special thank you to our sponsors, donors, speakers and guests for being a large part of our continued tradition of success!
View more pictures of the event here: VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner Photos
Please join us for the
Sixth Annual VABA-DC Scholarship Celebration
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
6:00pm
Toolbox DC
1627 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Featuring Keynote Speaker
The Honorable John M. Tran
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge
2014 Lunar New Year “Tet” Festival
January 19, 2014 - Silver Spring, MD
VABA-DC would like to congratulate the Association of Vietnamese Americans (AVA) for its success in organizing and hosting the 2014 Lunar New Year “Tet” Festival in Silver Spring, Maryland. We thank everyone who visited our table for their interest in our mission and for their continued support. VABA-DC looks forward to participating and engaging the community at this event for years to come. Chúc mừng năm mới!
March 19, 2013 VABA-DC's 5th Annual Scholarship Dinner
Thank you for making the 2013 Fifth Annual VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner a huge success! On the evening of March 19, we had over 150 people gathered at GWU to hear NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden deliver a remarkable keynote speech. We were joined by NASA General Counsel Michael Wholley and enjoyed a video greeting by the first Vietnamese American NASA Astronaut Eugene H. Trinh. We awarded scholarships to Kathy Nguyen (University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D. Candidate) and Linh Ly (University of Baltimore Law School, J.D. Candidate) and celebrated the accomplishments of our Vietnamese American legal community with art flown in from Vietnam by Galerie Brigitte and traditional Vietnamese instrumentals by Nhung Vu. Our Vietnamese culinary experience was made possible by Present Restaurant’s Chef Luong Tran who prepared our meal onsite with his entire culinary team.
A special thank you to our sponsors, donors, speakers and guests for being a large part of our continued tradition of success!
View more pictures of the event here: VABA-DC Scholarship Dinner Photos
March 18, 2013 Student Outreach
The story that most Vietnamese American lawyers will tell you is that they did not know any lawyers while they were growing up and that the idea of going to law school did not even cross their minds until later in life. But, many of these lawyers will also tell you that pursuing the law turned out to be absolutely the right thing for them. Reflecting on this reality, one of VABA-DC’s former scholarship recipients insightfully observed: "We should start with the high school students at the time they are thinking about college and career directions and in need of information, guidance and inspiration. I didn't discover my interest in and passion for the law until several years after college graduation - a bit of soul searching and wandering on my part. I think that any efforts to reach out to and introduce what it means to be a lawyer in America to our young students would yield long-lasting, career shaping impact."
VABA-DC agrees and is starting a series of informal conversations with college students to teach them about the law track, possible careers with a law degree, and the doors it can open. On Monday, March 18, 2013, when Hansel Pham and Caroline Nguyen, two of VABA-DC’s board members, met with a group of Vietnamese American students at Georgetown to discuss their careers and answer students’ questions. The event was organized by the Georgetown University Vietnamese Students Association (GUVSA), and seven students were in attendance.
None of the students were currently pre-law, but everyone asked truly insightful questions about the legal practice, including the truly interdisciplinary nature of the law, the reasons why an engineer or business major might want to become a lawyer, justifications for representing unsympathetic clients, the nature of practicing law in a big law firm, and the reality about the current legal job market.
“It was really great meeting with young and energetic students, who were genuinely curious about the law path,” said Hansel. “It doesn’t matter if they are not currently pre-law; our goal was to inform them about the versatility of a JD and the different types of legal careers, and the meet-and-greet accomplished that. We are separately happy to have started a relationship with GUVSA. As we told the students, VABA-DC exists in large part to help the next generation of lawyers, so students should feel free to reach out to us at any point, even years from now, for help or advice.”
For the students’ part, Kimberly Ta, president of GUVSA, said after the event, “We are happy to see that VABA-DC is such an active network and continuing to give back to the Vietnamese community. We discussed it after the meeting and everyone seemed to have benefited in some way. It really got us thinking and considering the possibilities in law, and I think this is a great first step.”
February 21, 2013 VABA-DC Women's Happy Hour
On February 21st, VABA-DC hosted a women's mentoring event at Teasim bringing together a group of Vietnamese American female attorneys with diverse legal backgrounds, including government lawyers, in-house counsel, law firm associates, non-profit attorneys, and DC area law students. "From VABA-DC founding board members to attorneys new to the DC area, everyone was excited to get together with old and new friends who support each other in their continued career growth. There's a strong need for this type of mentorship and its great that VABA-DC is investing in it!" said Board Member Thanh Nguyen.
February 17, 2013 Vietnamese Literary and Artistic Club’s Tết Festival
VABA-DC would like to thank all of its members who volunteered at the many 2013 Tết (Lunar New Year) festivals in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. This year’s events culminated with the Vietnamese Literary and Artistic Club’s festival in Annandale, Virginia. The cultural performances and artwork provided a backdrop where young and old, and in between, enjoyed the many sights, sounds and flavors of Tết. We received valuable feedback from members of the community that we will use to focus our future community outreach projects. Thank you to the Association of Vietnamese Americans, the Vietnamese Senior Citizens Association and the Vietnamese Literary and Artistic Club for letting VABA-DC be a part of your Tết celebrations. “Chúc mừng năm mới.”
2013 Tet Festival hosted by the Vietnamese Senior Citizens Assocation
VABA-DC’s participation in the February 3, 2013 Tet Festival at Langley High School in McLean, Virginia, hosted by the Vietnamese Senior Citizens Association, was aimed at learning about and addressing the legal needs of the elderly population in the Vietnamese community. Our members distributed Vietnamese language materials on wills as well as information about citizenship eligibility. VABA-DC is encouraged by the interest expressed by many in trust and estate planning which evidences a strong desire to provide for the well-being of younger generations. Many community organizers and leaders also expressed an interest in legal support for non-profits and greater collaboration between the many groups in our community. VABA-DC will take the knowledge gained from this event and incorporate it into its upcoming projects which will hopefully connect legal service providers with those in the community in need of their services.
2013 Lunar New Year "Tet" Festival hosted by the Association of Vietnamese Americans
VABA-DC would like to thank all of its members who proudly represented the diversity of Vietnamese-American attorneys at the 2013 Lunar New Year “Tet” Festival hosted by the Association of Vietnamese Americans in Silver Spring, Maryland on January 27, 2013.
Thirteen members interacted with guests at the VABA-DC table throughout the day and engaged community members and leaders in discussions about the legal needs of the community including the pressing need for greater access to competent legal representation across all sectors. Several community leaders provided insight as to how the community could benefit from additional legal support in the area of non-profit organization. A number of individuals requested assistance in finding referrals to Vietnamese speaking attorneys to help with issues ranging from family law to trusts and estates.
VABA-DC is encouraged by the support of both its members and the community and is energized by the positive response we received at this event. As a result, VABA-DC is seeking to directly address the issues expressed by the community and is establishing a lawyer referral service to aid Vietnamese speakers in finding competent counsel who may be able to meet their language needs. In addition, VABA-DC is exploring ways in which to partner with other non-profits and community organizations to assist in sustaining our collective efforts by supporting their legal needs.
Based on the positive feedback from this event, VABA-DC will be participating in the upcoming Tet Festival on Sunday, February 3, 2013 at Langley High School in McLean, Virginia hosted by the Vietnamese Senior Citizens’ Association and will be continuing the dialog with the community and its leaders. We hope to see you there.
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