About the
NAPABA Civil Rights Committee
The NAPABA Civil Rights Committee was formed shortly after the founding of NAPABA in 1988. The Committee brought legislative issues and policy positions to the NAPABA Board on the Wards Cove Cannery Workers, certification of court interpreters, immigrant rights, and affirmative action. NAPABA became an important national voice on legally related issues both for APA communities which lacked an organized APA legal presence and for APA lawyers seeking a greater voice in the legal system. Besides contributing resolutions and policy positions to the Board, the Committee considers the resolutions offered by other minority national bar associations on issues of common interest. The recommendations on resolutions from other bar associations are circulated to the NAPABA Board for approval before the May meeting of the Coalition of Bars of Color. The Coalition resolutions become the basis for lobbying Congress, the White House and other government bodies. They also inform NAPABA's delegate to the ABA's House of Delegates on issues before that body in August. The Committee is an important tool for activist lawyers to share experiences annually at the NAPABA national convention and to plan civil rights oriented panels at the convention. This year, the Committee will meet at 4:00 pm on Saturday November 13, 2004 at the NAPABA Convention in Dallas. All are welcome to attend.
