Florida’s Asian Pacific American population grew 71% from 266,256 (in 2000) to 454,821 (in 2010). This explosive growth since 2000 makes Florida one of the fastest-growing Asian populations in the United States. There are now Asian populations recorded in all 67 Florida counties. The largest Asian populations by county are: Broward County (56,795), Orange (56,581), Hillsborough (42,076), Miami-Dade (37,669) and Duval (35,901).

Board of Directors 2011-2012  Magistrate Linh Ison (far right) swears in the new Board of Directors for 2011-2012 at Terrace 390 on June 30, 2011 (L to R): Don Nguyen, Donna Hung, Stephen Chong, Lisa Gong, Sunny Hillary, Kim Nguyen and Jessica Hew. (missing from picture: Wanda Reas and Agnes Chau)   Four officers and three at-large directors raised their right hands on June 30, 2011, and were sworn in for the 2011-2012 term. General Magistrate Linh Ison recited the oath of office to new President Jessica Hew, President-Elect Kim Nguyen, Secretary Sunny Hillary, Treasurer Lisa Gong and Directors-At-Large Stephen Chong, Donna Hung and Don Nguyen. Two other Directors-At-Large who were not present, Agnes Chau and Wanda Reas, will be sworn in on another date. President Jessica Hew presented an appreciation plaque to outgoing former president Glenn Leong. The short ceremony at Terrace 390 in the Bank of America building was followed by free appetizers, drinks and a lot of sozializing among GOAABA members and guests. GOAABA’s fiscal year and most directors’ terms run from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012....

Congratulations to GOAABA member, Stephen C.L. Chong, of Arnold, Matheny & Eagan, P.A., who has become President of the Central Florida Real Estate Council. Congratulations as well to GOAABA member, Angela M. Miller, of Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A., who is the new President-Elect of the Central Florida Association of Women Lawyers (CFAWL). We also extend our best wishes to Christy Nash, who has resigned as a GOAABA Director. Christy and her husband, both lawyers, are relocating to Tampa to assume new legal...

Approximately 200 people attended the multi-bar happy hour & fundraiser on April 21, 2011, at Mojo’s at Church Street Station. GOAABA and four other voluntary bars (Hispanic Bar, Paul C. Perkins Bar, Central Florida Association of Women Lawyers and the Central Florida Gay & Lesbian Bar Association) combined their efforts and raised over $2,500 from the silent auction and door donations. In addition, the Young Lawyers Section pledged a matching contribution of $2,500. Therefore, GOAABA and the other four bar associations will be donating a total of $5,000 to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Tsunami fund. GOAABA members and GOAABA law firms contributed approximately 2/3’s of all sponsorships. 100% of all funds raised at the April 21st fundraiser will go to the American Red Cross. For further information, contact Social Chair Lisa Gong at...

    GOAABA participated in the March 4, 2011, Investiture of new Circuit Judges Mike Murphy, Donald A. Myers, Jr., and Keith F. White at the Orlando Marriott Downtown Hotel. GOAABA and twelve other voluntary bar associations each presented a ceremonial or token “welcome gift” to the newly appointed judges. GOAABA President Glenn Leong and President-Elect Jessica Hew, on behalf of GOAABA, presented black-framed “Year of the Rabbit” wall art. Judge Murphy, formerly a County Judge of six years, was Governor Charlie Crist’s last appointment before Crist left office. Circuit Judges Myers and White worked in private practice before their appointments to the...

Local Bar Grievance Committee I am posting the following email from Attorney Daniel L. DeCubellis, who sits on the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar, and is seeking qualified applicants to serve on one of our local Bar Grievance Committees. I have served on one of the Grievance Committees for the last three (3) years, and strongly encourage all interested parties to apply. They would benefit from a more diverse committee: “Mr. Leong, I am writing to you in your capacity as President of the Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association. In my capacity as a member of the Board of Governors for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, I am the designated reviewer for 2 Florida Bar grievance committees. We have some openings coming up on these committees and I am reaching out to see if you would pass the word among your constituency. The committees meet once a month at the The Florida Bar’s offices in Orlando. I’m generally looking for lawyers who have some substantial experience in the practice as the members of the grievance committee play an important role in determining whether a lawyer is guilty (or not) of ethical violations and it generally takes some experience in the practice and in dealing with clients. Ask anyone who may be interested to give me a call. Thanks for your help, Dan Daniel L. DeCubellis Attorney At Law CNL Center at City Commons 450 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 500 Orlando, Florida 32801-3336 direct 407.244.8228 fax 407.648.9099 ddecubellis@carltonfields.com...