“It’s provided
me with a lot of oppor tunit ies, profes siona l ly and person- ally,” says Chiu. “SCCLA off ers a lot of the net- working that you would
meeting
expect, judges
as well as fellow prosecutors. For me, it’s been a good way to get to know private practi- tioners and those in private law fi rms who I otherwise wouldn’t come in contact with doing criminal work. I’ve met a lot of my personal friends through SCCLA.” According to Chiu, SCCLA’s annual awards banquet
CYNDIE CHANG AND KENNETH CHIU
attracts 600-800 Asian Pacifi c American lawyers, students and those working in the legal profession. SCCLA also hosts a summer associate networking mixer for law students who are clerking. “Out of the mixer, informal mentor relation- ships are formed,” Chiu said. “We’ve found that this organic approach works better than formal mentor matching.” Law students are supported by SCCLA through train-
ing, informal mentoring, and networking. T ey also receive fi nancial support through scholarships and fellowships. T e SCCLA Scholarship Fund awards several scholarships of $1,000 each to law students based on academic merit, fi nancial need, and demonstrated commitment to serving Asian American communities. Two non-voting board seats are reserved for law stu-
dents who participate in all other aspects of board activity. SCCLA members include in-house counsel, state and fed- eral judges, general counsel, government attorneys, faculty, solo and small practice attorneys, as well as law students and non-Chinese members. Both Chiu and Chang acknowledge an appreciation for the structured climb through the ranks of leadership,
MCCA.COM
which requires presidents to have served in every offi ce before becoming president. “We are a
little more struc- tured than some bar groups,” Chiu said. “It has a practi- cal purpose in
developing organizational history. We also wanted to put in a structure that throughout your tenure, each position gives you a new skill. You have to know how the fi nances of the board work to be president. T ere are diff erent things that we want each board member to learn. When they leave our board they will have the skills that can be used elsewhere. “For us, being on the board is a kind of informal leader-
ship skills and organizational training,” says Chiu who is preparing to pass the baton to Chang. “We don’t want new members to feel the pressure of someone who has been on the board so long that they are not open to new ideas. Our hope is that board members will use the experience from being a scholar board member or scholar offi cer to be a part of a larger board. ” While training and development are at the core of
SCCLA’s priorities, Chiu says community outreach is another priority for the organization. SCCLA has promoted equal access to justice for the Asian Pacifi c American community through a monthly pro bono legal clinic in San Gabriel Valley, a youth mentorship project, a holiday toy drive and food basket program at the Chinatown Service Center, as well as a charity golf tournament. D&B
Dianne Hayes is a freelance editor and writer based in Maryland.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 DIVERSITY & THE BAR®
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