Our History
The Missouri Asian American Bar Association (MAABA) was officially formed in October 2001, but the idea of forming an Asian bar association in Missouri had been kicked around by some of the original members of the organization for some years prior. The association’s first president, Diane Yu (now residing in New York City), was also a founding member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). She was instrumental in gathering many of us to the first organizational meeting. As a newcomer to St. Louis and a seasoned bar leader, Diane was instrumental in garnering support and membership for MAABA from other bar organizations, locally and statewide.
Our Founding Members include: Ari Bai, Keith Cheung, Judy Draper, Tony Gao, Linda Ji, Hee Jun “Jay” Kim, Priscilla Lim, Edgar Lim, Maylin Mahoney, Justin Meehan, James Robinson, Ignatius “Iggy” Yuan, and Diane Yu.
Enriching the Legal Community
MAABA is extremely serious about mentoring and providing role models and discusses the development of relevant activities at its regular meetings. MAABA has a monthly newsletter, and holds monthly dinners and other activities that allow interested participants to meet each other. MAABA also seeks opportunities to network with other minority bar associations.
MAABA is an affiliate of NAPABA, which is in its seventeenth year of existence and represents over 45,000 attorneys in 47 local Asian Pacific bar associations.
MAABA PRESIDENTS
2000-2001 - Diane Yu
2001-2003 – Hon. Judy Draper
2003-2004 - Maylin Wong Mahoney
2004-2006 - Ari Bai
2006-2008 - Angela Yee
2008-2009 - Daniel Sakaguchi
2009-2010 - Julie Madsen
2010-2011 - Alexander Lee
2011-2012 – Johnny Wang
MAABA TORCH BEARER AWARD WINNERS
In November 2003 the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) recognized MAABA’s Founding Member and First President, Diane Yu, with its Trail Blazer Award. NAPABA awarded MAABA member Yabo Lin with its Trail Blazer Award in 2006. The NAPABA Trail Blazer Award “recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of NAPABA lawyers who have paved the way for advancement of other APA [Asian Pacific America] attorneys.” Award recipients have “demonstrated vision, courage, and tenacity in their careers, and has made substantial and lasting contributions to both the legal community and the broader APA community.”
In 2007 MAABA President, Angela Yee, formed a committee and charged it with the task of creating an award to recognize a Missouri attorney as a Trail Blazer. The result was the MAABA Torch Bearer Award to recognize attorneys for dedicated leadership and service as a guiding light to the Missouri Asian American Bar Association and the Asian Community. The committee chose the Wisdom Dragon, a venerated symbol in the Asian community, as the seal for the Torch Bearer Award. Leadership is the most important criteria for this award. The guiding light leads the way, is innovative, creative, and inspires us with dedication and service.
2007: Maylin Wong Mahoney
2008: Ignatius Yuan
2009: Edgar Lim
2010: James Robinson
2011: Ari Bai
2012: Hon. Judy Draper
