We are honored to welcome California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu as our keynote speaker. He will begin sharply at 6:30PM, please do not miss him. Justice Liu is a distinguished jurist, educator and advocate for diversity and equity in the legal profession. His presence will make this gala an inspiring and memorable evening. You can find his bio here.

We are proud to announce our Awardees for our 2025 Installation Gala and see our feature on each of them below.

Judge of the Year - Judge Nathan Vu

Judge Nathan Nhan Vu was appointed to the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Orange, in June of 2018 by Governor Jerry Brown. He is currently assigned to the Civil panel, where he presides over Unlimited Civil cases. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Vu was a Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice, a partner at a top minority-owned litigation boutique, and a law professor at Chapman University School of Law. Judge Vu also has worked at several large law firms and as general counsel of a large corporation. Judge Vu is a graduate of Harvard University and Yale Law School, and clerked for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Vu is currently the President-Elect of the California Asian-Pacific American Judges Association (CAPAJA) and an Advisory Board Member of the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Southern California (VABASC). Judge Vu is a former high school baseball player who realized that his ambition to become a professional athlete was a little unrealistic when he played with several teammates who would go on to play in Major League Baseball.   

VABASC: Judge Vu, Thank you for your continued support of the VABASC. As a long standing member of VABASC, could you tell me some personal stories of how VABASC has affected your career and personal life in a positive way? Did you have some advice for new attorneys or law students in how they can get involved with their community and/or VABASC? 

Judge Vu: I have been a member of VABASC for a while now and have so many wonderful memories of my time as a member. I have have met some amazing people and can honestly say that, if not for VABASC, I would never have learned about 1980s Vietnamese American New Wave, found the person who is going to play me in the made-for-TV movie about my life, and gone to an Angels game with a Giants fan. Heck, without VABASC, I’d probably never go out on the weekends. I remember being so nervous when VABASC held its first event after I became president. I was sure that no one would show up. When I arrived at the venue, it was packed and we ended up having over 100 people. I didn’t even know that we had that many members!

I would tell law students and new attorneys to jump right in and start attending VABASC events whenever they can. I’m an introvert so I know how intimidating it can be to attend events where you don’t know a lot of people. I’ve made every excuse there is not to go. However, I’ve found that when I show up with a positive and fun attitude, I end up having a great time and not wanting to leave. It’s such a great way to make friends and build your professional network. However, law students and young attorneys should be patient. You won’t build connections overnight and it might take a few years for your hard work to bear fruit. In the meantime, you should have have fun, always do your best, and enjoy the moment.

VABASC: Judge Vu, you were appointed in 2018, and to give a little context of the Asian-American judicial representation in 2017,

• A 2017 study co-authored by Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court highlighted significant underrepresentation for Asian Americans in the judiciary, despite their growing numbers in the legal profession.

• The study found that in 2017, only 2% of all state judges nationwide were Asian American.

• Data from the American Bar Foundation shows that the proportion of Asian American federal judges grew from 3.4% in 2016 to 6.0% by 2022, indicating slow but increasing representation over that period.

Looking at those numbers, could you share some of the challenges you had when you joined the bench in 2018, and what challenges do you see, currently, (and in the future), for Asian-American attorneys joining the bench?

Judge Vu: Thanks to the steadfast efforts of those who came before me, the obstacles that I faced in 2018 and that I face today are not as numerous and daunting as they were in the past. The situation is definitely improving. That is not to say that there are no issues. One of the problems that I often see and have to deal with is imposter syndrome – the feeling that we do not belong in the positions in which we have been placed or that we are not as qualified as others who are similarly-situated. One of the great contributions of organizations like VABASC is that they create a forum for us to meet others in similar positions who may also feel, like we do, that they shouldn’t be there. VABASC provides a community where we can confirm that we belong and we can support each other in our personal and professional lives. The growing diversity of the legal profession and the judiciary, as exemplified by the increasing number and prominence of organizations like VABASC, can only help to overcome imposter syndrome. 

VABASC: Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you at our Gala.

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Attorney of the Year - Minh Nguyen

Minh T. Nguyen is a prominent trial attorney specializing in personal injury law, based in Long Beach, California. As the founder and principal lawyer at Nguyen Lawyers, A Law Corporation, he represents clients in cases involving serious injuries arising from car crashes, premises liability, construction site accidents, dangerous condition of public property, and defective products. Established in 2012, his Long Beach firm has secured over $400 million in settlements and verdicts, including high-profile results like a $31.75 million settlement in an auto vs. loose wheel case and a $15 million settlement in an RV fire products liability matter. In December 2024, he obtained a $55 million wrongful death verdict, the largest non-economic wrongful death verdict in Fresno and one of the largest in California. 

Nguyen's career began in 2002 after graduating from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly Hastings), where he concentrated in litigation and served on the admissions and academic standards committees. Early in his career, as a certified law student, he successfully handled a challenging "orphaned" case for a five-year-old boy injured in a car accident that settled for $3.5 million, setting the tone for his commitment to underserved clients.

A dedicated advocate for justice regardless of age, race, gender, or sexual orientation, Nguyen is deeply involved in the legal community. He served as the 2023 President of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) and sits on its Executive Committee and Board of Governors. He is a past president of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities, a lifetime member of the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA), Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, Vietnamese American Bar Association of Southern California, and John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles and a former board member of the UC Hastings Alumni Association. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer from 2014 to 2025. He teaches trial advocacy at the renown Gerry Spence Method Trial College in Dubois, Wyoming.

He is a rabid Dodger fan; has completed three Ironman races, that is he swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles, and ran a marathon 26.2 miles; part of a 6-person relay team that swam from Catalina Island to San Pedro; plays baseball on the weekends; and father to Aidyn and Kailyn and married to Nicole.

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Community Leader of the Year: Toan B. Chung

Toan B. Chung is Chair of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association Pro Bono Legal Clinic. In that capacity, Toan spearheads free legal services serving low-income and vulnerable community members in the San Gabriel Valley. The Clinic serves over 5,000 community members – including victims of anti-Asian hate, families and community members affected by the 2023 Monterey Park mass shooting, and those displaced by the recent LA wildfires.  

Toan serves on various judicial selection panels and committees, where he assists in evaluating and recommending the best qualified applicants for appointments to the bench. Toan is a self-proclaimed Bún Bò Huế enthusiast and a proud VABASC lifetime member. 

VABASC: Toan, thank you for your continued support of VABASC. As a lifetime member of VABASC, could you tell what was your first VABASC event? Who you met? Do you have some advice for new attorneys or law students in how they can get involved with their community and/or VABASC?

Toan: My first VABASC event was a dim-sum brunch in 2017. I remember meeting Judge Hoa Hoang – before she was appointed to the bench – over sui mai and egg custards.  I found out she lives less than 5 minutes away from me, so we regularly carpool together to all VABASC events. The people are warm and welcoming and I encourage new attorneys and law students to get involved. It’s one of the best decisions you will make – VABASC offers a sense of community and has the best food. 

VABASC: Congratulations on your community service award. What motivates you in servicing the community? Please explain ways young attorneys and law school students can use the community services to further benefit their careers.

Toan: Service to others has always energized me and recharged my battery. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Community service - particularly volunteering at legal clinics - is a great way for young attorneys and law students to promote personal growth, build essential life and career skills like communication and leadership, all while assisting and advocating for the most vulnerable members of our community. 

VABASC: Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you at our Gala.

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Please join us as we come together to honor community achievements, support the next generation of Vietnamese American legal professionals, and celebrate our shared commitment to justice and service.

*No refunds.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Nguyen Lawyers for their generous support as our Title Sponsor; Law Offices of Elvis Tran for his ongoing commitments to VABASC as our Platinum Sponsor; Rutan, EPGR Lawyers, and Work Lawyers PC for their philanthropic contribution as our Gold Sponsors; Liang Ly, LLP, Stinson, Tressler LLP, and Shulman Bastian Friedman Bui and O'Dea LLP for their charitable support as Silver Sponsors; Orange County Asian American Bar Association, Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, UC Irvine, School of Law, Bloom De Petals, Shelton ADR, ADR Services, Inc., Dominium Law, APC, Toni Jaramilla, Cenergy, Public Law Center, Hon. Phu Nguyen, Hon. Hoa Hoang, Hon. Nathan Vu, and Nationwide Legal for their benevolent support as our Bronze Sponsors to our 2025 VABASC Installation Gala.