 | Asian PaCIFIC AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION oF colorado |
Welcome to Colorado! We are so excited to have you join our vibrant Asian Pacific American (APA) community.
Colorado is a state of stunning natural beauty, with mountains, forests, and rivers. It is also a state with rich Asian heritage, a strong sense of community, and a commitment to social justice.
You bring your unique perspectives and experiences, and we are lucky to have you. Law school can be challenging, and we are here to support you every step of the way. We have gathered some useful resources for you, for work and play, and - most importantly and firstly - food!
We encourage you to take advantage of these resources and to get involved. We are excited to see what you will accomplish in your legal career, and we look forward to meeting you soon! And, if there’s anything you need from us, feel free to contact us.
The APABA Board, on behalf of the APABA Colorado community
Table of Contents:
-
Upcoming Events from local APA organizations
-
Restaurant Recommendations from APABA Members
-
APABA Overview
-
Professional Development
Upcoming Events
Denver
-
Jaya Asian Grill - Indonesian, Malaysian, & Singaporean food. Their Hainanese Chicken and Laksa are great!
-
Seoul BBQ’s Hot Pot - AYCE hotpot. It’s nice to have kimchi as sides with hot pot and lots of fresh veggies
-
Dim Sum - Empress Seafood, Superstar Asia, and Star Kitchen are the popular spots
-
Sushi Sasa - Go for the hamachi jalapeno. See if you can get an attorney to take you
-
Tokyo Premium Bakery - Japanese baked goods! (Also close to Sushi Den and Izakaya Den)
-
Yum Yum Spice - DRY pot (also serving hot pot and some noodle soups)
-
Kiki’s Japanese Casual Dining - Fast Japanese food, but also have dishes like donburi
-
Ros Siam - Thai food
-
Dauther’s Thai (expensive), but same owner as La Mai Thai (by Edgewater) - both have great Khao Soi
Boulder
-
Sushi Yoshi - for sushi actually owned and operated by someone Japanese! that’s Yoshi behind the counter
-
Busaba - the mango sticky rice is AMAZING!!!!! Unfortunately it’s seasonal
-
Zo MaMa - for all of your Taiwanese favorites
-
Chez Thuy - go for the pho. Bonus: try the duck noodle soup
-
Amu - Japanese Izakaya (expensive – but SO great) – owned by the Zanmai people
-
Osaka’s - Japanese and they have okonomiyaki as well as a variety of other foods (mid-range price)
-
My Ramen - Japanese and they have foods other than ramen ($18 for a bento box)
-
AOI sushi and izakaya: Japanese (expensive, but cheaper than Amu)
-
Buddha Thai - affordable thai
-
Rakkan Ramen - Japanese chain, but I love the spicy beef gyoza
-
Sushi Zanmai - if you love sushi and karaoke – this is the place for you (owned by the Amu people
-
Dim Sum - Yeah, right. Go to Denver.
APABA Overview
What is APABA and why should I join?
The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado (APABA) is an organization of APA attorneys, judges, law students, and legal professionals. APABA was founded in 1990 and is committed to representing the interests of the APA community and spearheading programs benefiting underserved communities, promoting civil justice, & fostering professional development, mentorship, and community.
Law students can benefit from joining APABA in a number of ways. APABA provides opportunities for you to meet other APA law students and lawyers, get leadership experience, learn about the APA legal community, get involved in advocacy efforts, gain valuable professional development skills and knowledge, and network with APA lawyers and law students who can help them get a job after law school.
Best of all, it’s FREE! Join here.
What are ways to be involved with the APABA community as a law student?
WAIT?!? APABA has a Dragon Boat team?
What is the APABA Banquet and how can I attend?
The APABA Banquet is an annual event hosted by APABA and is a celebration of the APA community and its achievements in the legal profession. It is well known and anticipated each year in the Denver legal community for its food and festivity.
The banquet honors attorneys and organizations who have demonstrated noteworthy service and dedication to the APA community.
- volunteering to help with event logistics (contact your APALSA leaders!)
- sitting at a sponsors table (go out and network! Hint: the law schools may have seats available), or
- purchasing an individual ticket.
What is the APABA Mentorship Program?
.jpg)
The APABA Mentorship Program matches APA law students and lawyers with experienced mentors. The program is designed to provide mentees with guidance, support, and advice as they navigate their legal careers.
The APABA Mentorship Program is a year-long program. During the program, mentors and mentees meet regularly to discuss the mentee's legal career goals, challenges, and opportunities. Mentors can provide mentees with guidance on a variety of topics, such as choosing a practice area, networking, and preparing for job interviews. To sign up, please visit the APABA Mentorship Program.What is NAPABA?
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association is a national association of APA attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA is particularly useful for those that might want to ultimately leave Colorado or who otherwise want to build their national network (hint: that should be everybody). And, their annual convention (and the associated Colorado karaoke party) is legendary. By becoming a member of APABA, you also get a membership to NAPABA. For more information, visit the NAPABA website, including their 1L internship program.
Professional Development
I am really busy. Why should I go to networking events?
Your Network is Your Net Worth - Porter Gale. We know you are busy and have lots of demands on your time. Networking is a valuable investment in your future. Networking is one of the best ways to find a job, get involved in the community, learn about the legal profession, stay up-to-date on the latest trends, and build your skills and confidence.
What is the Colorado Pledge to Diversity?
Colorado Pledge to Diversity, often called “the Pledge,” is a program focused on increasing diversity in the legal profession by recruiting, hiring, and promoting lawyers from diverse backgrounds. Put differently, it is an opportunity for 1Ls to find an amazing job in their first summer after law school. For more, please visit the Pledge website.
What are other opportunities?
Judge Lorenzo Marquez Appellate Externship Program:
The Colorado Supreme Court places two diverse 2L and 3L students each Spring semester with individual justices to work with them in their chambers, while the Colorado Court of Appeals places at least five diverse students each year with one or two judges to work with them in their chambers.
Interning/externing at the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals is a great opportunity to develop a one-on-one relationship with a judge, to see lawyers arguing cases, to develop a writing sample, and to get interesting professional experience that looks great in future job applications. Importantly, many people who are hired as post-graduate law clerks were externs during their second or third year of law school. Even for students who don’t want to clerk, or don’t want to litigate, working for a judge is a wonderful experience.
More than 20 judges/justices are interested in hiring externs this spring through the Diversity Program. Please contact the CU or DU internship/externship coordinator for more information. Applications are due in the fall.