Continuing Legal Education

AABA’s Continuing Legal Education Committee develops programs designed to help attorneys remain current regarding the requisite knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill the professional responsibilities and obligations of their respective practices and thereby improve the standards of the profession in general.

General Counsel/Partner Committee

This committee is primarily a networking and business development group, which works to bring together General Counsel and Law Firms Partners. Additionally, this committee will work with the CLE committee to develop educational programs and procure a network of speakers and educators to assist the CLE Committee.

Judicial Evaluation Committee

AABA evaluates state and federal candidates for the judiciary including Cook County Associate Judge vacancies, judicial primaries, and retention elections. After undergoing extensive investigation and interview process, the candidate is rated and such rating is published to the public-at-large. AABA is a member and currently co-chairs with the ISBA the Alliance Executive Committee of the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening ("Alliance"). The Alliance includes the following bar associations: AABA, Black Women Lawyers Association, Chicago Council of Lawyers, Cook County Bar Association, Decalogue Society, Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois, Puerto Rican Bar Association, and the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.

Law Student Services & Program

AABA and various governmental entities, most notably the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, have teamed up to provide paid summer internships for AA law students. AABA is actively working to increase opportunities for AA law students in other offices by hosting an Annual Summer Associates/Clerks Reception where students and members can form mentoring relationships, and the "Career Day" program featuring one-on-one resume review and informative panel discussions for law students.

Legislative & Membership Development Services Program

This committee’s goal is to retain and recruit new members by planning events that encourage professional development and create networking opportunities.

Public Service Committee

The Public Service Committee ("PSC") advocates the responsibility of Asian Pacific American legal professionals to give back to the community by focusing on unaddressed issues or underserved communities. AABA members recognize and appreciate the privileges they experience and the PSC serves as a means for AABA members to help the less fortunate members of the Asian American community in an organized and constructive way. Since 2005, the PSC has organized a toy/book drive and fund-raising in support of domestic violence prevention programs that focus on Asian Pacific American communities and sponsored a book reading by author Paula Kamen, of Finding Iris Chang, to highlight the impact of the model minority myth on mental health in APA communities. The Committee is currently partnering with Senn High School to train high school student leaders to facilitate student-led discussions concerning legal issues that impact youth.

The Community Services Committee develops programs and projects to help serve the legal needs of various communities throughout Chicago, including most recently the "Women Everywhere Project: Partners in Service Project." The committee supports the Asian American Legal Services Clinic, organizes law seminars and workshops, and works with other legal organizations and Asian organizations in the greater Chicagoland area. It helps promote awareness of legal rights, issues, and concerns.

Small/Solo Firm Committee

This committee addresses issues pertinent to the small and solo law firms and their law clerks including business development, continuing legal education, networking, developing programs that uniquely apply to the small and solo law firms, and creating a support network. This committee works with the CLE committee to develop educational programs geared towards the small and solo law firms and those who may be interested in either working in a small law firm or opening their own practice.