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Thi Tran is the President of the Vietnamese Bar Association of Northern California.
When the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California (VABANC) started thirty years ago, the primary focus was serving as a community space for attorneys from similarly lived experiences and professional journeys. From grassroots organizing and coalition building, this collective blossomed into the establishment of an overarching chapter — the National Conference of Vietnamese American Attorneys — dedicated towards supporting local Vietnamese American bar associations across the United States.
For the Northern California chapter, our mission has remained quite robust: (1.) being a vehicle for positions on current community concerns; (2.) promoting professional and personal growth amongst our collective; and (3.) fostering information exchange amongst one another. There is much to be proud of in being a hub for camaraderie, mentorship, and service. At the same time, there is much work to be done. Which is why our 2026 organizational theme centers around “Shaping Tomorrow.”
“Where is the next opportunity to make meaningful change? “How can we continue adding value for our current members?” “What are the priorities for this next generation of aspiring legal professionals?” Through our engagement with the current student cohort, two themes have consistently emerged as significant barriers: financial hurdles and a need for strong support systems.
We have tackled these challenges organizationally through three main avenues. From a financials standpoint, VABANC has increased both the quantity of annual scholarships awarded and the associated monetary value. This is in major part to our larger community, who stepped up in record sponsorship dollars to ensure critical operational resources exist. We are also working to bolster options for recent graduates through our VABANC Law Foundation, which funds legal fellowships in public interest law.
When it comes to strong support systems, we have met our student cohort where they are in available time and bandwidth. This recent group of Vietnamese American students is enrolling in campuses closer to the San Francisco Peninsula, whereas previous ones were primarily in Santa Clara County. Our mixers and in-person events — which we aim at hosting bi-monthly — are now more spread out across the Bay Area as a result, enabling for a larger variety of Vietnamese American legal professionals to attend, share insights with the next generation, and grow their involvement with us. While on the topic of involvement, many of these students are active participants in the internal workings of our organization, even going as far as serving in a Co-Chair capacity alongside current legal professionals and leading the efforts to plan programming. It enables them to establish rapport early on, sharpen their leadership skills, and be invested in building the foundation for future generations after them.
Every bit helps, and we are confident that this approach will ensure VABANC remains a place where community, mentorship, and service come together.
Towards the end of July and into early August, VABANC will conduct a “callout” for both industry professionals and current students to partake in our mentorship program. Ideally, students will be paired with two mentors who are in an area of specialty that they intend on pursuing post-law school. It is completely understandable if the student ends up contemplating a career which does not revolve around practicing law, but is still within the industry. We have categories dedicated to legal operations, recruiting, just to name several.
From there, VABANC hosts several gatherings and invite the pairings to connect in-person. They can range from mixers in the downtown area, to company headquarter tours, to a morning hike in Half Moon Bay. We want to make it as seamless as possible for both parties to convene and grow alongside one another. For the mentor, it is the opportunity to have a stake in ensuring future generations advance farther and quicker up career ladders. For the mentee, it is the assurance that there does exist a path forward to be who they aspire.
Occasionally, our neighboring bar associations extend invitations to attend their events. When those opportunities arise, we reserve a portion of available tickets to the students. It gets their foot in the door and enables them to gain greater exposure to the legal community.
Depending on timing and logistical coordination, VABANC will partner with community organizations in the Bay Area to host events around career advancement, well-being, and timely legal industry topics. Previous partnerships have included the “Pathways to Law” Conference with the Asian American Bar Association (AABA) and recent sponsorship of the Conference of Asian American Professionals’ (CAAPS) annual Gala.
Only one? That is tough… For those currently in the admissions stage, it would be to trust the gut feeling when deciding where to pursue a legal education. Certain institutions will showcase the accolades. Others will possess access. But if you cannot picture yourself pacing the halls, reviewing case rulings in the library into those early morning hours, building meaningful bonds with your cohort…is this really the program whose objectives connect with you?
For those well beyond that stage and entering the conclusion of their legal education, my advice would be this: “Stay true to your core values. Be open to the opportunities created through your work and best efforts. Trust that your path will make sense in due time.” For every detour which appears along the way, there will also be a destination point to readjust and refine your career.
Adaptability...it is one of the incredible blessings from earning a law degree and being a lawyer.
We're proud to feature insights from leaders like Thi Tran to help inspire future lawyers on their journey to law school.
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