Awards
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Sen. Durbin (2024 Otaka Trailblazer Award recipient)
Stacey Kim, Thor Inouye, Lei Shen, and Ann Chen- Sandra J. Otaka Trailblazer Award - AABA’s highest honor, which recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of a lawyer who has paved the way for the advancement of Asian Pacific American attorneys and other diverse attorneys in general.
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- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (2024). AABA recognized Sen. Durbin for his work on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has resulted in greater diversity in the federal judiciary, including in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Hon. John Z. Lee (2023)
- Linda Lu (2022)
- Gilda Livingston Spencer (2020)
- Mayor Lori Lightfoot (2019)
- Vanguard Award - This special award honors the individuals and institutions who have made the law and legal profession more accessible to and reflective of the community at large.
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- Theodore "Ted" Yi (2025)
- Nancy E. Sasamoto (2024)
- Samera Syeda Ludwig (2023)
- Ann Chen (2022)
- John K. Kim (2021)
- Andy Kang (2019)
- Raja Gaddipati (2018)
- Sang-yul Lee (2017)
- Hon. Jessica Arong O’Brien (2016)
- Anne Shaw (2015)
- Hon. Laura C. Liu (2014)
- Asian American Institute (2013)
- Hon. Young B. Kim (2012)
- Selma D’Souza (2011)
- Michael P. Chu (2010)
- Aurora Abella-Austriaco (2009)
- Calvin Maschio (2008)
- Christina M. Tchen (2007)
- Hon. Rena Van Tine (2006)
- Benjamin Lumicao (2005)
- Hon. Sandra Otaka (2004)
- Sharon Legenza (2000)
- Sandra Yamate (1999)
- Hon. Lynne Kawamoto (1998)
- Justice Award - For a lawyer who has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to providing access to equal justice through public service.
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- Thor Inouye (2025)
- Dennis Mondero (2024). For more than a decade, Dennis has served as the Executive Director of Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA), a non-profit organization that helps immigrants and refugees. Prior to leading CMAA, his legal career spanned work in both the private sector and government, including serving in the City of Chicago as Senior Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer for the Chicago Transit Authority. He is a past president of AABA Chicago.
- Peter Ohr (2023)
- Aneel Chablani (2022)
- Fred Tsao (2020)
- Kristina Yi (2019)
- Law Firm Partner Leadership Award - For a law firm partner with an exceptional track record of collaborative leadership in promoting inclusion, belonging, cultural empathy, and mentorship in the legal profession.
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- Lei Shen (2025)
- Sharon A. Hwang (2024). Sharon is a Shareholder and Executive Committee member at McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd., where she focuses her practice on patent litigation and intellectual property counseling in the areas of medical devices, electronics, and consumer products. She has served on the Board of Directors for Chinese Mutual Aid Association and is a past president of AABA Chicago.
- Avanti Bakane (2023)
- Amol Parikh (2020)
- Binal Patel (2019)
- In-House Counsel Leadership Award - For an in-house counsel with an exceptional track record of leadership in the in-house counsel communities in advocating for diversity and inclusion.
- Ann Chen (2025)
- Abiman Rajadurai (2024). Abiman has served as Senior Counsel, Global Labor & Employment Law, at McDonald's Corporation since March 2017. In April 2023, he was named General Counsel for McDonald's Operating Company, which operates the McDonald's company-owned restaurants in the United States. He led the team that developed Empower, the legal department's supplier diversity award. Outside of McDonald's, he has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations.
- Rudy Figueroa (2023)
- Alan Tse (2022)
- Elliot Stulz (2020)
- Rising Star Award - For a rising lawyer who has demonstrated high achievement, vision, leadership, and community service.
- Stacey Kim (2025)
Ivy Lee (2024). Ivy is an Assistant General Counsel at CompTIA and is a regular volunteer at the Chinatown Pro Bono Clinic.
- Eirene Nakamura Salvi (2023)
- Huy Nguyen (2020)
- Jean Liu (2019)
Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago 321 S Plymouth Court |
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