Congratulations to the Honorable Michael Kwan (Taylorsville City Judge) on his recognition by the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce Saturday night as one of 2009's Professional Awardees.

Congratulations to Cheryl Mori, who received the 2009 Raymond S. Uno Award for the Advancement of Minorities in the Legal Profession from the Utah State Bar at the Mid-Year Convention this past Friday. Mention of her achievement was also in the local St George paper: http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090314/NEWS01/903140332/1002/rss

The UMBA Board Meeting will not be held this month. UMBA encourages its members to attend the Mid-Year Bar Conference in St. George, Utah this week.

The UMBA Board Meeting will not be held this month. UMBA encourages its members to attend the Mid-Year Bar Conference in St. George, Utah this week.

The Bar is seeking interested volunteers to fill four vacancies on the Ethics & Discipline Committee of the Utah Supreme Court. The Ethics & Discipline Committee is divided into four panels, which hear all informal complaints charging unethical or unprofessional conduct against members of the Bar and determine whether or not informal disciplinary action should result from the complaint or whether a formal complaint should be filed in district court against the respondent attorney. Appointments to the Ethics & Discipline Committee are made by the Utah Supreme Court.

Please send a resume, no later than May 2, 2008, to:
Utah Supreme Court
c/o Matty Branch, Appellate Court Administrator
P.O. Box 140210
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-0210

Message from the Multi-Cultural Legal Center:

The Multi-Cultural Legal Center needs your support for their programs. Your cash donations help to support the legal services that they provide to battered spouses of lawful permanent residents or US citizens. As with any other non-profit, they rely on the generosity of the community. If you would like to donate to MLC, please contact Marlene Gonzalez @ 486-1183. Address: Multi-Cultural Legal Center, 205 North 400 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Your contribution may be tax-deductible.

UMBA now has its own membership group on the professional networking site, LinkedIn. Please join our group.

We have been informed that the deadline for nominations for the following awards is due on January 16, 2009.

More information regarding these awards are published in the Bar Journal for January 2009. These awards are given out at the Mid-Year Meeting in St George, Utah. If you know of anyone within our legal community who is deserving of this award, please nominate him or her.

American Bar Association's Section of Business Law is requesting nomination for the following awards.

2009 Jean Allard Glass Cutter Award

http://www.abanet.org/buslaw/committees/CL360000pub/glasscutter.shtml

The Jean Allard Glass Cutter Award is presented annually to an exceptional woman business lawyer who has made significant contributions both to the profession and to the Section of Business Law. The award is named for Jean Allard, the first woman to chair the Section. The 2009 Award will be presented at the 2009 Spring Meeting in Vancouver, BC.

UMBA would like to congratulate all those who were admitted to the Bar on October 23, 2008! Welcome to the profession. Please come and get involved with UMBA.

The ABA Journal noted in an article that the economic crisis would affect law firms minority recruitment efforts.

http://www.abajournal.com/news/hard_times_could_affect_law_firms_minority_recruitment_efforts/

The Deseret News wrote an article on UMBA member, Clayton Simms, after he received the award for Lawyer of the Year from UMBA. http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705256585,00.html Congratulations, Clayton!

WOMEN ATTORNEYS OF COLOR:

Women Attorneys of Color: From Visible Invisibility to Visibly Successful [INCLUDES FREE DOWNLOAD]
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To transform the careers of women of color in law firms from visibly invisible to visibly successful, law firms have to first understand the specific issues facing women of color, and then address these issues in partnership with the women of color in their workforce. With consistent commitment and strategic action, the attrition statistics of women of color in law firms can be reversed, and the reversal of these statistics not only ensures true opportunity for all lawyers in law firms, but also will make law firms stronger and more competitive in an increasingly global marketplace where diversity is a critical component for sustained success.

Read more: http://maestro.abanet.org/trk/click?ref=zpqri74vj_3-7497x2a8d5x1150656&

We know that there are good attorneys in our ranks who should be recognized for their professionalism, service and dedication. If you know of an UMBA member who should be recognized, please let UMBA know. Please see the following for award nominations.

We need your input on a new UMBA logo. Please go to the home page of our website (www.umbalaw.org) and let us know what you think of the new logo. Please email any of the officers: Simón Cantarero (jscantarero@hollandhart.com), Chrystal Mancuso-Smith (cmancuso@dunndunn.com), or Roger Tsai (rtsai@parsonsbehle.com). You can also email Su Chon (sjchon@gmail.com).

Elections for next year's executive officers is a month away. Please let Simón Cantarero (jscantarero@hollandhart.com) or Chrystal Mancuso-Smith (cmancuso@dunndunn.com) know ASAP if you would like to nominate or be considered for President-Elect (2008-2009), Treasurer, or Secretary. This is a great opportunity to develop your leadership skills in one of the Utah State Bar's most exciting and active specialty bars.

Sean Reyes received a 2008 Asian American Professionals Award from the Asian Chamber of Commerce on Saturday evening. Congratulations Sean!

UMBA would like to congratulate the Honorable Raymond S. Uno (ret) on the Lifetime Achievement Award he received from the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, March 15, 2008. Judge Uno was honored for his service to the Asian community. We are also honored to have been beneficiaries of Judge Uno's service, commitment and vision. Congratulations Judge Uno!

Raymond S. Uno Award for the Advancement of Minorities in the Legal Profession - Su Chon, Awardee. The Utah State Bar has announced that UMBA Member, Su Chon, is this year's recipient of the Raymond S. Uno Award for the Advancement of Minorities in the Legal Profession. She will receive her award at the MidYear Utah State Bar Convention in St George, Utah. We encourage any members to join us at the MidYear Bar Convention and support this award. Congratulations Su! We are so very proud of you and all the leadership and work you have done throughout the years.

Judge Raymond Uno. Retired Judge Raymond S. Uno is being awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce at their Third Anniversary Gala. See information regarding the gala in the Community Events portion of the UMBA 411. Congratulations Judge Uno!

As you know, Sean Reyes is receiving the ABA's Award for Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year. Some of you have asked about details when the award presentation is going to be held in Los Angeles, CA at the ABA's Mid-Year Conference. Sean will receive the Young Lawyer Award on Saturday, February 9th between 10:20 and 10:45 in the YLD General Assembly located in the Beverly Hilton Ballroom Lobby Level (start time depends on when ABA President Neucom arrives). There will be rows of seats behind the body of the assembly where you can sit.

We received this message from David Hall, past president of the Young Lawyers Division regarding Sean Reyes. Congratulations Sean from UMBA!

Sean Reyes has been chosen by the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association to receive the 2006-2007 National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. The award will be presented to Sean at the February 2008 Midyear Meeting of the American Bar Association in Los Angeles, California.