The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley is proud to announce its 2026 Scholarship recipients.
APABA Silicon Valley Achievement Scholarship Recipients
Cassidy Chansirik
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
Cassidy is a 3L at UC Law SF (formerly UC Hastings) and serves as Co-Executive Symposium Editor for the UC Law Science and Tech Law Journal. Born and raised in Southern California, Cassidy made her way up to the Bay for undergrad at UC Berkeley, where she majored in Legal Studies and minored in Education. After graduation, Cassidy spent three years in Career Development at Wilson Sonsini, where she coached corporate junior associates. Her work experience was pivotal to her growth as a first-generation professional and solidified her dedication to the community. This past year, Cassidy served as President of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, Co-Chair of the Asian American Bar Association’s Law Students Committee, and a Legal Extern for Bay Area Legal Aid’s Domestic Violence Prevention Unit. Cassidy continues to pursue opportunities that bridge her interests in law, technology, and education. After spending this past summer at Sidley Austin as a Summer Associate, she will return next fall to begin her legal career. When Cassidy’s not in school, you can usually find her cafe-hopping around San Francisco, coaching kids on the golf course with First Tee San Francisco, or collecting stationery at different craft fairs.
Alice Cheng
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Alice Cheng grew up in the Bay Area and is a 3L at Berkeley Law. Throughout law school, she has worked at the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office and East Bay Community Law Center’s Tenants’ Rights Workshop and Housing Clinic, which focuses on eviction defense. She is passionate about supporting and centering marginalized communities through client-centered representation and advocacy. Prior to law school, she taught middle school and high school where she enjoyed developing relationships with students and their families and supporting young people with their growth and learning. After teaching for a few years, she also did some education advocacy work at a community-based organization and worked closely with students and families in Chinatown.
Kaity An Ho
Georgetown Law
Kaity Anh Ho is a second-year student at Georgetown Law. In her 1L summer, she served as a judicial extern for Chief Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Kaity spent her 1L year at the University of San Francisco School of Law on multiple scholarships. She served as a 1L representative on four student organizations and as a Staff Editor for the IP & Technology Law Journal.
Before law school, Kaity spent three years at a boutique law firm specializing in immigration law and federal court litigation. She also embarked on a six-month international trip to partner with local nonprofits in support of educational causes and taught at orphanages in Vietnam. Kaity graduated with departmental honors from San José State University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Legal Studies. During college, she interned for Congressman Ro Khanna and received a Special Congressional Recognition for her work.
Outside of law school, Kaity actively engages in pro bono work with nonprofit organizations and legal clinics. She also maintains active memberships and serves on the committees of several bar associations.
Ina Na
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
Ina is a 3L at UC Law SF. After graduating from UCLA with a major in History and minors in Education and Asian Studies, Ina taught world history at a middle school in Brooklyn. At UC Law SF, she joined the UC Law Business Journal and competed in the 2026 National Immigration Law Moot Court Competition. After taking the Mediation Clinic, she began volunteering as a mediator at Alameda Superior Court. For Fall 2026, Ina is externing for the Honorable Justice Danny Y. Chou at the First District Court of Appeal.
Ina is active in several bar associations in the Bay Area and student organizations at UC Law SF, including the Korean American Law Student Association and the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association. She also founded the UC Law SF Run Club.
Nathaniel Teng
University of California, Davis School of Law
Nathaniel Teng is a J.D. candidate at the University of California Davis, School of Law (Class of 2027). He is an aspiring public defender who is deeply passionate about legal system reform and representing underserved communities. In 2022, Nate graduated from the University of California Riverside with high honors and was the first in his family to receive a college degree. While at UCR, Nathaniel received the Honors Excellence in Research scholarship for his capstone project assessing the presumption of innocence and its impact on underserved communities. Immediately after receiving his B.A. in Philosophy/Law & Society and before attending Davis Law, Nate worked as the first and sole Marketing Coordinator for SEO Scholars San Francisco, a non-profit helping underserved kids get to and graduate from a four-year college, raising over $8 million at the annual Achievement Benefit and doubling student recruitment over two years.
Since 2017, Nathaniel has held internships with the Public Defender’s offices for both Contra Costa County and Alameda County. As a 2L, Nate was the Co-Chair of the Filipinx Law Students Association (FLSA), helped establish Davis Law’s first ever Public Defender organization (King Hall Defenders), and organized a student coalition that prevented the suspension of the Civil Rights Clinic. This year, Nate will compete in national competitions as a member of the Trial Practice Honors Board, and will continue the work of expanding King Hall Defenders as its Chair.
APABA Silicon Valley Diversity Bar Study Scholarship Recipients – Sponsored by the CLA Litigation Section
Austin Hoang
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Austin Hoang graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in May 2026 and sat for the July 2026 California Bar Exam. At Berkeley Law, he served as an Associate Editor of the California Law Review, Co-Director of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Team, Co-Leader of the Disability Rights Pro Bono Project, and the founding President of Vietnamese American Law Students. During law school, Austin interned at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, the East Bay Community Law Center, and the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. Before law school, he graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in Economics and Political Economy. Austin hopes to use his experiences as a first-generation professional to support the AAPI community throughout his career.
Stephanie Lu
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Stephanie Lu was born and raised in San Jose. She graduated from Berkeley Law in 2026 and earned her bachelor’s degree from UC Davis. As a two-time Senior Symposium Editor for the Asian American Law Journal, Stephanie organized interdisciplinary discussions about critical race theory, imperialism, and colonialism. She will be starting her litigation career as a Larsen Justice Fellow at the Santa Cruz Public Defender’s Office, where she will support the office’s Early Representation Team.
APABA Silicon Valley / Balif Joint Scholarship Recipient
Andy Le
Santa Clara University School of Law
Andy Le is a first-generation J.D. candidate in the Tech Edge program at Santa Clara University School of Law. Driven by the community investment that shaped his own journey, he is dedicated to helping vulnerable populations navigate complex environments. Prior to law school, he spent a decade in public child welfare and healthcare—an experience that profoundly deepened his empathy, critical thinking, and systemic advocacy skills. Andy is deeply honored to receive the APABA Silicon Valley/BALIF Joint Scholarship, a meaningful recognition of his intersectional identity. His leadership within BALIF and APABA has been a profound source of purpose, empowering him to connect law students with the broader legal community. Looking ahead, Andy aims to bring his dynamic energy and resilient advocacy to the legal profession, with growing interests in business litigation, technology transactions, and regulatory compliance. While Andy’s specific practice area continues to evolve, he remains steadfast in his commitment to public service, community building, and paying forward the support that shaped his path.
APABA Silicon Valley / Asian Law Alliance Scholarship Recipient
Julie Anne Simbulan
University of San Francisco, School of Law
Julie Anne Simbulan is a J.D. Candidate at University of San Francisco, School of Law (Class of 2027). She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from University of California, Berkeley. She holds a strong commitment to her community and amplifying the power of what immigrants can do.
Before law school she was working at Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach. She would work with underrepresented clients who were victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, asian hate crimes, wrongful housing practices, and elder abuse. In law school, she was voted Class President by her 1L class where she sought to bring together her classmates and made sure to uplift them during the difficult learning curve of 1L. During 2L, she joined the Racial Justice Clinic, where she became a certified law student to fight against wrongfully convicted people from marginalized backgrounds. She is now entering her 3L year, she will be taking Immigration Law with Professor Bill Hing where she will be working under his supervision to further community work in immigration while understanding policy.
This past summer she was at Asian Law Alliance and directly worked with immigrants who are worried about their status and safety during this notably difficult era for immigrants. She filed asylum claims, worked with people held in ICE Detention, and understands the importance of one-on-one interaction with clients to humanize their difficult experiences. Going forward, she will continue work within the immigrant community.