The Asian Bar Association of Washington would like to congratulate all of our scholarship and fellowship recipients for 2025.  Please join us in congratulating:

Yamashita Scholarship: Isabell Murray

Isabell Murray is a proud Korean American and first-generation law student at Seattle University School of Law. Raised in a military family, she learned early the value of discipline, service, and adaptability—qualities that continue to shape her today. Before law school, Isabell worked as a Juvenile Detention Officer, where she created advocacy programs for LGBTQIA+ youth and helped reform disciplinary policies. This experience deepened her commitment to pursuing justice through compassion and accountability. Over the summer, she interned with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as a Rule 9, where she worked on DUI cases and witnessed the profound impact of fair and ethical prosecution. Now serving as President of the Student Bar Association, and as a member of both Law Review and Moot Court, Isabell is dedicated to creating spaces of representation and trust between the legal system and the communities it serves.

Sharon A. Sakamoto President’s Scholarship: Sañata Dawa 

Sañata Dawa is a 2L at Seattle University. She was born in Baguio City, Philippines and descends from the Ifugao tribe. Sañata hopes to continue her elders’ legacies of service by pursuing a career in civil litigation. Sañata is honored to receive the Sharon Sakamoto Scholarship and aims to embody Past President Sakamoto’s courage and commitment to equity.

In the community, Sañata enjoys providing language services and wellness programming in her role at Seattle Parks and Recreation. She is also passionate about creating free resources for immigrants as a Watson Immigration Law media assistant. On campus, Sañata serves as the Filipino American Law Student Association Vice President, Seattle Journal for Social Justice Staff Editor, Dispute Resolution Board Member, and Student Bar Association Council Member. She also supports students as a Civil Procedure Teaching Assistant.

Sañata dedicates this scholarship to her parents and fellow First-generation Americans in law school.

Kim Tran Scholarship: Isabel Dorn 

Isabel Dorn is a first-year law student at Seattle University School of Law. Originally from Wisconsin, she completed her undergraduate degree at Lawrence University before moving to Seattle to pursue her legal career. In her first semester of law school, she has already joined research projects on reproductive justice, conditions at the Northwest Detention Center, and immigration policy under the Trump administration. She currently serves as a 1L representative for the Asian Law Students Association and the International Refugee Assistance Project, and she is a First Year Fellow in Seattle U’s public interest cohort. As the daughter of a Vietnam War refugee, Isabel is passionate about immigration advocacy, racial justice, and other human rights issues.

ABAWSSF General Scholarship: Chloe Chu

Chloe Chu is a third-year law student at Seattle University School of Law and is the first in her family to attend law school. As the daughter of first-generation Taiwanese immigrants, Chloe grew up in Washington, where she developed a strong commitment to community and mentorship. During high school, she volunteered at the Eastside Tennis Center and Central Park Tennis Club, mentoring and coaching youth and players of all abilities. In college, she organized fundraisers supporting COVID-19 relief and AAPI organizations. Today, she continues her service through the Chinese Information and Service Center Legal Clinic, the King County Bar Association’s Neighborhood Legal Clinics, and Northwest Kidney Centers.

At Seattle University, Chloe mentors fellow students through the Asian Law Students Association and the First-Generation Lawyers Coalition. She is exploring a future career in corporate, tax, or real estate law, all while remaining dedicated to uplifting and advocating for the AANHPI community.

ABAWSSF General Scholarship: Stella Moon

ABAWSSF General Scholarship: Tasbeeh Chowdhury

Tasbeeh Chowdhury is a second-year law student at Gonzaga University. She was born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and is a first-generation college and law student. During college, Tasbeeh discovered a deep passion for community service, which has continued to grow in law school through her volunteer work with the CISC Pro Bono Clinic, where she helps provide legal support to underserved communities. She is also committed to advocating for the AANHPI community within her campus. Tasbeeh serves as Secretary of the Asian Pacific Islander Law Caucus and as a representative for the Multicultural Law Caucus, a student organization she helped establish on campus. She also serves as the student liaison for the Asian Bar Association of Washington. Tasbeeh is dedicated to helping immigrant and first-generation students access the kinds of resources and support that would have made a difference in her own journey.

Spring Blossom Fellowship: Jason Lu

Jason is a third-year law student at University of Washington School of Law. This past summer as a Spring Blossom Fellow, Jason had the privilege of working with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) in the Naturalization unit, which focuses on advising clients on the significant decision of applying for citizenship. This unit’s work supported clients from all around the world as they navigated the increasingly intimidating U.S. immigration system. Most of Jason’s cases this summer involved what are often called “crimmigration” matters, or cases at the intersection of criminal and immigration law. He assisted with legal research, prepared case summaries, and helped clients understand how their criminal records might affect their immigration options.

In his summary of his summer internship, Jason wrote “[w]orking on crimmigration matters showed me how deeply intertwined the immigration and criminal justice systems are, and strengthened my resolve to build a career at their intersection.”

Spring Blossom Fellowship: Patrick Halm

Patrick is a second-year law student at University of Washington School of Law. This past summer as a Spring Blossom Fellow, Patrick had the privilege of working at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Unit, which provides free legal services to immigrant survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, and other serious crimes. Patrick worked with clients seeking immigration relief by drafting motions to pause or close ongoing removal proceedings, responding to Requests for Evidence from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and completing petitions on behalf of clients for U and T Visas based on their status as survivors of serious crimes.

In his summary of his summer internship, Patrick wrote “I was grateful for the chance to make meaningful contributions…. This experience not only deepened my understanding of immigration law but also affirmed the importance of supporting organizations like NWIRP that make due process a reality for those who would otherwise face the system alone.”

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