The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) on March 6 held its 16th annual spring reception celebrating the accomplishments of the Asian/Pacific-American legal community and students. Students, alumni, faculty, and staff attended the festive event, many clothed in traditional dress from various cultures.
Maryland Carey Law Dean Renée Hutchins Laurent offered welcome remarks in which she expressed her deep appreciation for the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association at Maryland Carey Law. “You are a vital thread in the fabric of our community,” she said, “This group fosters a sense of belonging among students and greatly enriches our law school by infusing a range of perspectives that are essential to our conversations.”
Members of the APALSA Executive Board took turns emceeing the event, which was themed, Cultivating Legal Excellence. Greeting the crowd, President Susie Fan ’26 said, “My heart is full. This night is about celebrating everything we have built this year.”
Fan went on to describe some of the highlights, including the group’s Lunar New Year potluck, a session with Professor Will Moon on “How to Take a Law School Exam,” and an event featuring a minority judicial panel organized with other affinity groups at Maryland Carey Law.
During a special part of the evening, APALSA executive board members briefly introduced themselves and shared their favorite dishes passed down from family members. Board members (pictured above with 1L representatives) for 2024-2025 are:
President: Susie Fan '26
Vice President: Sakshi Das '26
Secretary: Ann Albert '26
Treasurer: Nikhil Mathur '26
Professional Development Chair: Maria Yeo '26
Co-Spring Reception Chairs: Rianna Mukherjee '26 and Maryam Tori '26
Mukherjee introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, the Honorable Ajmel A. Quereshi, and presented him with the 2025 APALSA Award of Excellence.
A proud son of two Pakistani-American immigrants, Magistrate Judge Quereshi serves on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Previously, he was senior counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, staff counsel at the ACLU’s National Prison Project, and visiting assistant professor and director of the Civil Rights Clinic at Howard University School of Law.
In Judge Quereshi’s address, he treated students to what he wishes he could have told himself when he was a 1L. “Failure is just a part of being human,” he said, reminding students to take moments out to focus on gratitude. He also advised leaning on friends and family during hard times. “Family remind me of who I am,” he said, “when I forget who I am.”
Following the keynote, the APALSA board announced this year’s 1L Scholarship winners. The recipients, Amanda Liang ’27 and Hannah Lowe ’27, were selected through a competitive process in which applicants submitted essays on the evening’s theme of cultivating legal excellence.
“This award is for each and every one of us,” said Lowe, “and for the change-makers we will be.”
APALSA is grateful to the following event sponsors:
GOLD LEVEL
Gallagher Evelius & Jones LLP
SILVER LEVEL
Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
Saul Ewing LLP
BRONZE LEVEL
Gordon Feinblatt LLC
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Semmes Bowen & Semmes
Venable LLP
Womble Bond Dickinson LLP
SUPPORTER LEVEL
Ballard Spahr LLP
Offit Kurman