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Millennial Attorneys Can Learn Priceless Life Lessons From Legal Affinity Groups Like NAPABA And GAPABA

Affinity groups, galas, and conferences can be impactful for the mind, body, and soul of their members and attendees.

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Renwei Chung and his father

“Legacy. What is a legacy? / It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see… / America, you great unfinished symphony, you sent for me / You let me make a difference / A place where even orphan immigrants / Can leave their fingerprints and rise up.” — Hamilton

This time of year is always a little bit rough for me. As some of our ATL readers may recall, I wrote an article titled, “3 Things A Law Student Learned From The Death Of His Father” several years ago around this time.

This year has been especially tough for me now that my mother has been hospitalized for an indeterminate amount of time. In 2015, I had the opportunity to write about her, Dontre Hamilton, and Starbucks.

Last week, I visited Atlanta, Georgia — missing the Masters Tournament by only a few days. Just as some use golf as therapy for dealing with the death of a loved one, I have always used basketball to keep my mind preoccupied. Every spring, watching the NCAA tournament, the NBA playoffs, as well as Ernie Johnson Jr., Charles Barkley, Kenny “the Jet” Smith, and Shaq talk about basketball and life becomes rather cathartic.

I definitely have a basketball jones. It’s why I write columns about basketball figures such as Steph Curry and the late Jim Valvano. From elementary school to high school, my father spent countless evenings witnessing me shoot free throws. He would give me 50 cents every time I shot 10-for-10 from the charity stripe. It’s why I chose to deliver his eulogy at the Breslin Center — home of the MSU Spartan basketball team — in East Lansing, Michigan.

As a member of the oldest cohort of millennials, and someone who was facing the prospects of a major career pivot, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it in the stodgy, non-diverse profession of law, especially during the first several months of law school.

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To my surprise, I developed lifelong relationships with other green 1Ls who were hunkered down in the trenches of their legal educations and navigating their winding paths in life. I’m still thankful for the large group of classmates who attended my father’s funeral. Yes, we all had the opportunity to bond together during our educational struggles and achievements. But more importantly, we bonded through shared life experiences — birthdays, graduations, weddings, baby showers, funerals, etc. Never feeling a part of any tribe before, I have a genuine affinity for fellow attorneys.

A couple weeks ago, a member of my LinkedIn tribe, Michael Wu, invited me to the National Asian Pacific Bar Association’s (NAPABA) Southeast Regional Conference and 25th Anniversary of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA) in Atlanta. I had a balance in my “interesting people” fund and was inspired to make the pilgrimage to honor my late friend and long-distance mentor, NAPABA Trailblazer, and GAPABA Past President, Han C. Choi. After all, it was only a year ago, I wrote about another trailblazing member of GAPABA — Trinh Huynh.

Han C. Choi

Choi was taken from us by pancreatic cancer at 52. Huynh was a victim of gun violence at 40. Even though they both passed away at a relatively young age, each of them definitely made the most of his and her time here on earth. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “it’s not the length of life, but the depth of life.”

Trinh Huynh

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After learning about Choi’s Scholarship and Huynh’s Fellowship, and watching the dedicated montages to each individual, it became quite apparent to me that their legacies will go on and continue to touch countless generations.

I was captivated by the 25 years of GAPABA history that was displayed on the projection screens throughout the Georgia Aquarium. Keynote Speaker Viet D. Dinh and Rising Star Rep. Samuel L. Park implored the audience to dream bigger. While Angela Hsu and Hon. Carla Wong McMillian reminded us of the shoulders we have been able to stand on to see further and urged us to build upon the successes of our predecessors (like Hon. Alvin T. Wong). And the honorariums for both Choi and Huynh were beautiful.

Lest I forget to mention, there were two other very impressive individuals who attended last Thursday’s event, who were not NAPABA or GAPABA members, whose remarks struck me to my core: Ernie Johnson, NBA commentator, and Catherine Abrams, wife of Han C. Choi.

I literally have watched EJ on Inside the NBA since the early 90s. But witnessing him perform as a Master of Ceremonies in person was much better than any commentating I’ve seen him do on TV, and that’s saying something remarkable as I have watched hundreds of hours of his performances. Ever the consummate professional, it was evident he thoroughly rehearsed for this special event.

A group picture from NAPABA/GAPABA

Johnson began the night telling wonderful stories and showing entertaining pictures of his family, including his daughter-in-law, Quynh Truong-Johnson, President-Elect of GAPABA. By the end of his MC duties, he got a little choked up while quoting the legendary coach Jimmy V: “if you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day — that’s a heck of a day,” and then thanked GAPABA for bringing these three actions out of him tonight.

Catherine Abrams thanked the GAPABA community for their generosity and kindness. Most of all, she was thankful for everyone who shared their stories with her children — so that Choi’s life could be remembered by her kids and her grandkids. Abrams then implored the audience to go “all in” like Choi in their respective endeavors. She pleaded that “whatever you do, blaze trails so that others can follow.”

I was in Atlanta for less than 36 hours. But during my short trip, I felt a season’s worth of emotions. I visited the street corner where Trinh Huynh was slain. I had the opportunity to run into friends like Cyndie Chang and LinkedIn connections like Michael Chu and Bonnie Youn. Ernie Johnson made me laugh out loud; Viet D. Dinh, Samuel L. Park, Angela Hsu, and Hon. Carla Wong McMillian made me think about my own future; and Catherine Abrams made me cry tears of happiness. Suffice it to say, the trip to Atlanta provided some comfort that I wasn’t aware I needed.

I’m so grateful for the bond I feel to NAPABA and its many affiliates. I can’t emphasize enough how impactful I believe affinity groups, galas, and conferences can be for the mind, body, and soul of their members and attendees. I’m always inspired by the passion and commitment of all the colleagues I meet in these type of groups and events.

Fellow millennials, I encourage you to put some money aside every paycheck and dedicate these funds to visiting interesting people, attending affinity events, and going “all in” on your respective pursuits. And don’t ever become too busy to return your parents’ phone calls. They deserve to hear from you more often. In fact, call them right now and thank them for everything they’ve done for you.

One day, you may not get the chance to do this.

To learn more about the Han C. Choi Scholarship and Trinh Huynh Fellowship, be sure to visit GAPABA’s website.

Renwei Chung is the Diversity Columnist at Above the Law. You can contact Renwei by email at projectrenwei@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter (@renweichung), or connect with him on LinkedIn. 

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