Jason Wilson and Sherin Varghese attended the 2019 National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Convention in Austin, Texas with packed schedules, which included formally accepting the 2019 Asian Pacific American (APA)-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award.
Jason was interviewed for a promotional video prior to accepting the award on the firm’s behalf. In the video interview below, he reflected on what it has meant to have an APA-owned and overall very diverse firm.
“I was once told…that if you’re a person of color, you have to work twice as hard to get half as much. I think we’ve always had the vibe that that’s ok, because we can be 10 times better.”
— Jason Wilson
NAPABA presented the award to Willenken at the 31st Anniversary Gala on Nov. 9. Earlier in the conference on Nov. 8, Willenken co-hosted the annual Harvard Law School Association Asian Pacific American Alumni Network (HLSAAPAAN) Reception with Bird Marella, P.C. As vice president of the HLSAAPAAN, Jason has facilitated this event at the NAPABA Convention with his Harvard Law School (HLS) colleagues at Bird Marella, P.C. for the past several years. Now a Convention staple, this year’s reception had nearly 100 HLSAAPAAN attendees.
Willenken also sponsored the NAPABA Solo and Small Firm (SSF) Network Reception on Nov. 8 during the Convention. Jason and Paul Loh are members of the SSF Network, and, as chair of its webinar committee, Jason has been organizing monthly webinars in the latter half of 2019.
About NAPABA
NAPABA is the preeminent professional development organization and voice for 50,000 Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. For more information about NAPABA and its annual Convention, visit the NAPABA website here.
About HLSAAPAAN
The HLSAAPAAN is an affiliate group of the Harvard Law School Association with the mission to foster relationships among current and future alumni of HLS and advance the professional development of Asian, Asian American, and Asian Pacific American alumni of HLS. For more information about HLSAAPAAN, visit the HLSAAPAAN website here.