Media Release

The Asian Australian Lawyers Association (AALA) is pleased to announce the appointment of a new President, Ms Tuanh Nguyen, and would like to thank Mr Reynah Tang for his leadership and tireless efforts over the last 3 years in founding and building AALA.

Mr Tang has recently announced his retirement as President of AALA to take up appointment as a sessional Member at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

Ms Nguyen, a Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal and the current Secretary of the AALA, will succeed Mr Tang as President. Succeeding Ms Nguyen as Secretary will be Mr Barton Wu, a Lawyer at the Law Institute of Victoria and a current member of the AALA’s Executive Committee.

The AALA also welcomes to the Executive Committee, Ms Adelyn Koh, Senior Legal Counsel (The General Counsel’s Office) at Ernst & Young, who has been appointed to fill a casual vacancy position on the Executive Committee.

The AALA congratulates Ms Nguyen, Mr Wu and Ms Koh on their appointments.

The AALA thanks Mr Tang for his leadership and significant contribution to the establishment and growth of AALA. As a founder and inaugural President, Mr Tang led the AALA from its humble beginnings to an organisation numbering 450 members across two States. Among his countless achievements and contributions, Mr Tang oversaw the launch of the AALA’s report on cultural diversity in the legal profession, the first of its kind in Australia; the establishment of the AALA’s NSW Branch; the introduction of the AALA’s annual mentoring program; and the appointment of the Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG as the AALA’s first patron.

Ms Nguyen thanked her fellow Executive Committee members for their support and stated that: “Reynah has been an immense guiding figure for the AALA and leaves behind a vast legacy. He has built a strong foundation for the continued growth of the AALA and the achievement of its objectives. I am truly honoured to become President of the AALA and excited to continue the significant work that Reynah has done in promoting cultural diversity in the law and advancing Asian Australian representation in the upper echelons of the legal profession.”

In addition to Mr Tang’s appointment as a sessional Member at VCAT, fellow AALA member, Mr David Kim, a barrister with Foley’s List, has also been appointed a sessional Member at VCAT. The AALA congratulates Mr Tang and Mr Kim on their appointments.

Ms Nguyen also applauded the Victorian Attorney-General, the Hon. Martin Pakula MP, on the appointments and for his commitment to ensuring that our courts and tribunals are more reflective of the diversity in the community they exist to serve.

Contact: Ms Tuanh Nguyen, President M: 0438 831 906

About AALA

The AALA was formed in 2013 to promote Asian cultural diversity in the Australian legal profession, provide advocacy and support to its members and develop links with Asian legal associations.  AALA has more than 450 members hail from more than fifteen countries in Asia and, between them, speak more than 20 different Asian languages and dialects.

Follow the AALA on Twitter at @OrgAALA or subscribe for updates on our website: aala.org.au.