The 2007 NAPABA Southeast Regional Conference
The NAPABA Southeast Regional Conference was held on April 27-28, 2007 in Miami Beach, Florida. The event was hosted by the Asian-Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida (APABASF), which represents Asian-Pacific American attorneys from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County. The Conference was held at the beautiful Miami Beach Resort and Spa (Resort) which is bordered by the Intracoastal Waterway to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
The event drew approximately 75 NAPABA and affiliate members from across the country, including members of NAPABA’s leadership. In attendance were Phil Shin, President-Elect of NAPABA, Les Jin, NAPABA Executive-Director, Judge Brian Kim, NAPABA Southeast Regional Governor, and Parkin Lee, former President of NAPABA.
Upon arrival Friday night, attendees were greeted with a happy hour at the Resort’s outdoor bar which overlooks the sandy beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. Dinner was served after the happy hour at Funkshion Lounge, a hip South Beach restaurant located on trendy Lincoln Road. The food was delicious, and accompanied by a South Beach-style fashion show.
Alice Sum, President of APABASF, officially welcomed the attendees to the Conference at the Saturday morning breakfast. Judge Brian Kim and John Murray, President-Elect of the Dade County Bar Association, also provided welcoming remarks. The morning sessions included concurrent panels on current conditions in the real estate market and challenges facing intellectual property practitioners. These panels were followed by panels on international arbitration and human trafficking. The pre-lunch panels concluded with lively discussions on immigration and healthcare law.
The lunch keynote speaker was Francisco Angones, President-Elect of the Florida Bar, who spoke about the continuing need for diversity in the legal profession and of his love for Miami and its diversity. Lunch was followed by remarks from former Florida Governor, Bob Martinez, who spoke about his political successes despite being a minority during an era where minorities had very little political power. Governor Martinez’s remarks were followed by a plenary session on being a general counsel. Among the entities represented were Cingular Wireless, Wyndham Worldwide, Norwegian Cruise Line, Autonation, Inc., and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.
After the plenary session, many attendees relaxed at the Resort pool or simply enjoyed the beach a few yards away while others took the opportunity to explore South Beach. Pre-dinner cocktails were served at the Resort, which was followed by an exquisite buffet-style dinner. The dinner keynote speaker was the Honorable Judge Denny Chin, United States Judge for the Southern District of New York. Judge Chin spoke about the need for those who have found success to help those less fortunate in our community. His inspirational speech at the dinner drew a standing ovation.
After the Conference, the attendees went to SkyBar on Miami Beach and lounged on the outdoor beds while sipping mojitos. ABAPASF would like to thank all the attendees as well as the guest speakers and panelists for making the Southeast Regional Conference a success!
