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AFFINITY BAR LEADERS’ DIRECTORY
Minnesota State BarAssociation
Hmong American Bar AssociationMai Lee Yang
Infinity Project Irene Kao
Lawyers Concerned for LawyersHoward Bolter
Minnesota American Indian Bar AssociationArielle Wagner
Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar AssociationSukanya Momsen
Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers Frank Aba-Onu
Minnesota Black Women Lawyers NetworkLateesa Ward
Minnesota Hispanic Bar AssociationZuri Balmakund Santiago
Minnesota Lavender Bar Association Jessica DuBois & Lisa Beane
Minnesota Mother Attorney Association
Adebisi Wilson
Minnesota Women LawyersBreia Schleuss
Somali American Bar AssociationAbdifatah Mohamed
Twin Cities Diversity in PracticeSummra Shariff
Affinity Bar Leaders’ Directory
The Minnesota State Bar Association is committed to fostering strong partnerships with Minnesota’s affinity bar associations. The
goal of this booklet is to help leaders within the MSBA and the affinity bars to identify avenues for collaboration and to facilitate inter-organization communication as we work to serve the legal
community across the state.
Hmong American Bar Association (HABA)
ABOUTA leadership organization for the advancement of legal professionals, the Hmong community and the community at large.
ANNUAL EVENTS(dates undecided)
Fall Social
Winter Banquet
MAIN INITIATIVESn Get a Hmong judge appointed
to the bench;
n Increase membership; and n Fundraising.
President
MAI LEE YANG
CONTACT
Infinity Project In the Eighth Circuit Courts
ABOUTThe Infinity Project’s mission is to increase the gender diversity of the state and federal bench to ensure the quality of justice in the Eighth Circuit.
CURRENT FOCUSAdvocate for and highlight the need for more women of color on the bench in Minnesota and throughout the Eighth Circuit, both within the legal community and with decision makers.
www.theinfinityproject.org
President
IRENEKAO
CONTACT
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers(LCL)
ABOUTLCL provides free, confidential peer and professional assistance to Minnesota lawyers, judges, law students, and their immediate family members on any issue that causes stress or distress.
EVENTSCLE Programs Monthly
Common Experiences GroupsMonthly
INITIATIVESn Reduce stigma regarding mental
health (including substance issues) and the legal profession;
n Increase outreach to bar and other legal profession organizations through programs, announcements regarding services, and articles or posts; and
n Continue to be a safe and confidential place for free peer and professional assistance.
www.mnlcl.org
Chair, Board of Directors
WARRENMAAS
CONTACT
Minnesota American Indian Bar Association (MAIBA)
ABOUTA non-profit organization of American Indian attorneys, law students, and officers of tribal courts. The organization also welcomes non-Indian attorneys and law students who are interested in Indian law.
ANNUAL EVENTSIndian Law CLEMay (annually)
MAIBA Golf TournamentJuly (annually)
MAIBA General Membership MeetingSeptember (annually)
UPCOMING GOALSn Our goal is to strengthen connections
with our out-state memberships; n Build strong relationships with our
tribal communities; and
n Continue our efforts to get more Indians to attend law school.
President
ARIELLE WAGNER
CONTACT
www.maiba.org
Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association(MNAPABA)
ABOUTPromoting and supporting the personal and professional development of Asian American and Pacific American lawyers, judges, and law students, serving as an advocate for the community in Minnesota, and promoting equal access to justice.
ANNUAL EVENTSNew Attorneys ReceptionJudges ReceptionAnnual GalaLunar Dim SumAnnual Summer Party and SchoolSupply DriveAnnual Winter Retreat
INITIATIVES n Creating valuable programs
and opportunities that allow our members to develop and thrive professionally;
n Continuing efforts to promote more Asian American attorneys for judicial posts; and
n Deepening relationships among our 200+ members.
www.mnapaba.org
President
SUKANYA MOMSEN
CONTACT
Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers (MABL)
ABOUTOur mission is to promote and support the professional development of black lawyers, judges, and law students in Minnesota.
ANNUAL EVENTSMABL Annual PicnicAugust MABL Foundation Scholarship Gala NovemberMABL Law Student Welcome Soiree FallCelebration of Minority Judge SpringVolunteer for Books for AfricaSpringMABL Law Student Reception Spring/Summer
www.mabl.org
President
FRANK ABA-ONU
CONTACT
Minnesota Black Women Lawyers Network(MBWLN)
ABOUTA nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis that supports the the professional development of black women lawyers.
ANNUAL EVENTSThe Network annually sponsors the Lena O. Smith Luncheon, a law school student orientation, and other social and educational events.
MISSION n To promote black women lawyers
visibility;
n To provide opportunities for mentoring and networking; and
n To encourage black women lawyers to believe that anything is possible.
www.facebook.com/MBWLN
LATEESA WARD Lateesa is an accomplished litigator and trial lawyer. Lateesa has extensive litigation and trial experience in the areas of employment law, contracts, product liability, franchise/distributor disputes, antitrust, mass torts, medical malpractice, and civil rights. Lateesa has been involved in the legal profession for more than twenty years, first as a legal assistant and now as an attorney.
CONTACT
Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association(MHBA)
ABOUTThe MHBA mission is to unify and organize all members of the Hispanic legal community, to promote legal professionals, and to serve as an advocate for the Hispanic community in Minnesota. The MHBA strives to promote professional growth and opportunity for Latino law students and attorneys, to provide community service and to ensure access to justice for all.
EVENTSMentorship Program Kickoff and Reception (Fall)
Mid-Year Meeting (October)
Judges’ Reception (Fall)
Annual Gala (March)
Annual Meeting (April)
www.minnhba.org
President
ZURI BALMAKUND SANTIAGO
CONTACT
Minnesota Lavender Bar Association(MLBA)
ABOUTThe primary association of attorneys in Minnesota supporting the LGBT Community.
ANNUAL EVENTS
Fall Social
Annual MLBA Conference
Annual Meeting
mnlavbar.org
Chair
JESSICA DUBOIS
CONTACT
Chair
LISA BEANE
CONTACT
Minnesota Mother Attorney Association(MMAA)
ABOUTThe Minnesota Mother Attorneys Association is an organization whose mission is to promote the professional development of mother attorneys by capitalizing on the special opportunities and skills that arise from motherhood to drive career excellence.
ANNUAL EVENTSMother Attorneys and Monkey BarsSpring/Summer
Annual Membership EventFall/Winter
Leadership CLESummer
Networking Events
www.mnmaa.org
President
ADEBISI A. WILSON Adebisi is the Director of Innocent Community Development with Innocent Technologies. Prior to joining Innocent Classroom, Adebisi was an attorney with Blackwell Burke PA and an equity associate with Minneapolis Public Schools. She graduated from New York Law School in 2007. She is currently a member of the MSBA Diversity and Inclusion Council and president of the Minnesota Mother Attorneys Association.
CONTACTInnocent TechnologiesDirector, Innocent Community Development
adebisi@ innocenttechnologies.com(612) 927-2277
Minnesota Women Lawyers(MWL)
ABOUTAn association of attorneys, judges, law students, legal employers, and others who are dedicated to advancing the success of women attorneys and striving for a just society.
ANNUAL EVENTS
Committee Fair and Summer Social
Rosalie Wahl Leadership Lecture
Annual Conference for Women in the Law & Annual Meeting
INITIATIVESn Engaging and growing a diverse
membership of women lawyers from all backgrounds and career paths
n Building deeper relationships with the other affinity bar associations, corporate counsel, the judiciary, our legal employer partners, and law students
n Highlighting and promoting creative ways to address gender inequities in the legal profession.
www.mwlawyers.org
President
BREIASCHLEUSS
CONTACT
Somali American Bar Association (SABA)
ABOUTA continental association of attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students of Somali heritage.
INITIATIVES n Legal workshops in community
spaces;
n Connecting Somali businesses to legal professionals; and
n Mentorship to increase the number of Somali lawyers in Minnesota.
President
ABDIFATAH MOHAMED
CONTACT
Twin Cities Diversity in Practice(TCDIP)
ABOUTAn association of law firms and corporate law departments focused on the recruitment, advancement and retention of diverse lawyers in the Minnesota.
STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIESn Deepen member engagement
and involvement;
n Expand TCDIP’s influence as a diversity and inclusion leader; and
n Align organizations capacity to meet opportunities.
diversityinpractice.org
Executive Director
SUMMRA SHARIFF
Prior to joining TCDIP, Shariff was at law firm Robins Kaplan LLP, where she served most recently as its Pro Bono Coordinator and previously as the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator. Shariff is active in the Minnesota legal community as a long-term member of the Minnesota Justice Foundation’s Board and Executive Committee and as a board member for the Housing Justice Center. She also works with the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association, where she previously held a leadership role. Shariff is a strong advocate for intersectional diversity efforts and advancing professional and business development opportunities for attorneys of color.
CONTACT
