AABA’s new officers and board members are kicking off the bar year with a reception on October 2 to welcome you and all AABA general members, prospective or former members, allies, and anyone else interested in learning more about our organization! During this event, you’ll meet the 25-26 board, hear about our upcoming programming, and meet other attorneys in roles such as in-house, solo practice, biglaw, public interest, government, and more. We have been working hard to expand AABA’s programming this year to make it more impactful, and want to tell you all about it, while also providing an opportunity for you to network with us and others in the AABA community.
As a preview and just one example of our upcoming programming, Asian American attorneys have made huge strides in the legal profession in recent decades, but we’re still underrepresented at the highest levels of our profession, an issue that organizations like NAPABA and others have recognized and been addressing. For the benefit of our members, we hope to address through some new efforts of our own this bar year.
For background, while about 13 percent of associates at law firms are Asian American, the percentage of law-firm partners is much lower – about 5 percent of partners, according to NALP data. And while the percentages have gone up over time, the gap between associates and partners remains large.
Why this gap exists is complicated, but the 2022 Portrait Project found that the two most widely perceived barriers to carrier advancement are (1) the lack of formal leadership training programs and (2) inadequate access to mentors and contacts.
AABA will attempt to address these barriers over the coming year through some programs that we’re developing, including efforts specifically for mid-level attorneys looking to advance to senior positions such as partnerships.
Please reach out if you’d like to get involved or would like more information. You can email us at chicago.aaba@gmail.com.
