Los Angeles’s Oldest African American Bar Association Celebrates Landmark Scholarship and Awards Gala Honoring Shining Legal Stars For Their Service and Activism

— ABA President Paulette Brown Joins Social Activist & Media Personality Areva D. Martin in a Select Group of 2016 Langston Honorees Commemorating 40 years of Scholarship Awards —

Los Angeles, CA — The John M. Langston Bar Association will host their 40th Annual Scholarship and Awards Gala on Saturday January 30, 2016 from 6:00 – 9:30pm at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel. The theme of this year’s Anniversary Gala is Continue the Legacy and Advance the Vision. The evening provides a special opportunity for an underrepresented segment of the legal profession to honor and support one another in a meaningful way.

“In 2016, we endeavor to advance our founding vision of inclusion and empowerment by implementing greater service initiatives and strategically partnering with other community-based organizations to provide support in areas in which our members are distinctly experienced to serve,” said Langston’s 2016 President, Kimberly Willis. “Now, more than ever, we understand the critical importance of ensuring excellence and diversity in the bar and on the bench.”

The Langston Gala serves as the primary fundraiser for the organization and also provides an opportunity to recognize lawyers, judges, and leaders from corporate, community, and academic sectors who have exhibited service to the legal community and the community-at-large in ways that are consistent with the Langston mission of service, inclusion, education and leadership. Recent honorees include Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey, basketball legend and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and actor Blair Underwood.

This year’s honorees are AREVA D. MARTIN, President of Special Needs Network & Managing Partner of Martin & Martin, LLP; PAULETTE BROWN, President of the American Bar Association & Partner at Locke Lord LLP; DENNIS S. ELLIS, Partner at Paul Hastings; JOHN E. PAGE, Senior Corporate Vice President, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer & Chief Legal Officer of Golden State Foods; and BRIAN K. WILLIAMS, President & CEO of Junior Achievement of Southern California. The evening will feature KTLA 5 Morning News Co-Anchor CHRIS SCHAUBLE as the Master of Ceremonies and special entertainment by one of Langston’s community partners, A PLACE CALLED HOME.

Langston is the oldest and largest African-American Bar association in California and is a federally recognized 501(c)3 public-interest, nonprofit organization. The Langston legacy has been built through education, outreach and empowering its members to be leaders in the legal profession and the community. Each year Langston hosts numerous community outreach programs and activities, including law school scholarships, bar examination tutorials, election poll monitoring, junior and senior high school education programs, mentoring for law students and young attorneys, continuing legal education, job fairs, judicial officer candidate evaluation, and pro bono legal clinics.

For tickets, tables and sponsorship information email: gala@langstonbar.org or call 323-744-1140. All proceeds from the Gala will benefit the John M. Langston Bar Association. For more info, please visit www.langstonbar.org

 

PRESS CONTACT:
Shauna Bain Smith
(310) 435-0442
gala@langstonbar.org