The AAB provides leadership, professional networking, and pro bono and social opportunities for its board members.
2023 Associates Advisory Board Executive Committee:
Chair: Ryan Wedell, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Vice Chair: Emerson Luke, Greenberg Traurig LLP
Secretary: Katherine J. Ellena, ReedSmith LLP
Recruitment Chair: Ji Won Kim, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Pro Bono Chair: Kendall Bass, Hillspire; Ashley Kim, Amazon
Social Chairs: Kyle Dalrymple, Secretariat
Fundraising Chairs: Alice Kim, Jenner & Block LLP
How To Get Involved:
Whether you are interested in expanding your professional network, leadership growth, providing pro bono services, planning social and recruitment events, or fundraising, the AAB has a committee for you (see below).
For more information and/or to apply, contact Pro Bono Director Phong Wong at pwong@lafla.org.
Pro Bono Committee
For more than 20 years, AAB members have been actively involved in nearly every aspect of LAFLA’s pro bono projects. Members serve as liaisons to generate support for pro bono projects by encouraging attorneys from their respective organizations/firms, as well as other attorneys in the community, to provide free legal services to the community that LAFLA serves.
Fundraising Committee
Members raise awareness of LAFLA’s services and raise funds to support key programs that help the most vulnerable. Recently, the AAB dedicated its fundraising efforts to support LAFLA’s Veterans Justice Center.
Recruitment Committee
The AAB always seeks new members and works to maintain relationships with existing members. The Recruitment Committee achieves these goals by hosting recruiting events and implementing outreach strategies to recruit attorneys from law firms, government agencies, corporations, and other entities throughout Los Angeles.
Social Outreach Committee
This Committee coordinates the annual AAB FAB event. Held each summer to welcome summer associates, the AAB FAB is a summer evening mixer that brings together the greater Los Angeles legal community so that summer associates and attorneys can mingle and learn about LAFLA.
Volunteer Awards
As we do each year, LAFLA’s AAB FAB 2023 event recognized exceptional volunteers who helped expand LAFLA’s mission by serving the community and providing direct legal services.
LAFLA honored Racquel Muindi, associate at Ballard Spahr, with the LAFLA Associates Advisory Pro Bono Attorney Award for her dedicated service to clients with their expungement needs for over more than three years. Racquel stands out as she made herself available to help clients and guide them through complex expungement issues throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also provided invaluable input about LAFLA’s pro bono programs.
Shuping Deng was awarded the Law Student Pro Bono Award for her service with the API Community Outreach Project. Shunping was a Summer 2022 LEIF Fellow, working extensively with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Mandarin speakers calling LAFLA’s Chinese hotline. Through her LEIF Fellowship, Shuping explored the difficulties LEP individuals face in seeking disability waivers on their naturalization applications. Shuping continued to volunteer with LAFLA in the fall and spring semesters, providing invaluable assistance by conducting intake, following up with clients, and preparing immigration pleadings and forms.
