More than 30 members of the UC Berkeley Law School’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) and the Asian American Law Journal gathered at Minami Tamaki LLP on October 27 for a fun and inspirational evening.

The law students had the opportunity to meet and mingle with Partners Don Tamaki, Dale Minami, Jack Lee, and Associates Eunice Yang and Sean Tamura-Sato. Over food and wine, the Minami Tamaki attorneys provided words of advice and encouragement, drawing upon their varied experiences and career paths.

Tamaki, Minami and Lee spoke about their early days in practice, including starting the Asian Law Caucus, the legal and civil rights organization serving low-income Asian Pacific American communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Yang and Tamura-Sato discussed the importance of having mentors during law school and as young attorneys. Tamaki also engaged the students in a discussion of Popov v. Hayashi, the historic case involving the dispute over Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 73rd home run ball. The case is now taught to first year law students in property law classes around the country, including UC Berkeley’s School of Law.

The UC Berkeley APALSA will be holding the 4th Annual Dale Minami Boalt Alumni Fellowship Dinner in January 2011. The event will be held at the Far East Café in Chinatown.

In addition to honoring the alumni and leaders who have contributed to the Asian Pacific American legal community, the Fellowship Dinner supports outstanding Asian Pacific American students who commit to community service, social justice, and working in the public interest sector upon graduation.

For more information on this rewarding endeavor or for sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.dmfellowship.org.