VABANC 28th Annual Gala Dinner

VABANC’s 28th Annual Gala Dinner lands Friday, October 23, 2026 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the San José City Hall Rotunda, 200 East Santa Clara Street. The evening celebrates relationships among Vietnamese American judges, lawyers, law students, and Northern California communities, with Trailblazer, Community Impact, and Lifetime Achievement awards plus scholarships for Bay Area Vietnamese American law students committed to public interest work. An Nguyen Ruda, CEO and Co-Managing Partner of Bartko Pavia LLP, is the 2026 Trailblazer Award recipient. Anh Phoong, founder and CEO of Phoong Law, is listed as keynote. Confirm ticket tiers and sponsorship packets on vabanc.org before you assume Rotunda inventory.

The Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California is the durable host for Vietnamese American legal professionals across the Bay. Nearly three decades of gala dinners, plus scholarship and Law Foundation fellowship track records, are why City Hall clears Circuit: named bar host, clear audience, and a fundraising graph that funds the next cohort rather than a thin networking night. Host notes also point to mentorship, pro bono clinics, and the National Conference of Vietnamese American Attorneys as the wider franchise around this dinner. Downtown San Jose evening parking and Rotunda security screening both need a buffer. Firm tables usually buy denser hallway access than a last-minute single seat.

This is right for Vietnamese American lawyers, judges, law students, and legal-adjacent professionals who want South Bay bar density with a scholarship mission attached. Skip it if you need a Downtown SF startup mixer or an investor pitch day. Students should ask about scholarship and mentorship paths so the Rotunda becomes more than a photo line. Bring cards that list practice areas clearly, and know whether you are buying a seat or a named sponsorship package.

If you are choosing between this San Jose bar gala and a thinner Peninsula mixer the same week, stay here for the densest Vietnamese American legal room on the Circuit calendar. Start on vabanc.org/gala-dinner, download the sponsor packet if your firm wants visible support, and keep confirmation for City Hall check-in. Re-check timing and attire notes closer to October 23.