IABA Statement Updated June 2025

The Iranian American Bar Association’s mission is to educate our community about legal issues of interest and ensure that the public and our representatives are informed on such matters, to protect and advance the legal rights of our community, and to foster and promote the achievements of Iranian American legal professionals. IABA-OC is the Orange County chapter of the IABA, which is a nonprofit, non-religious, apolitical, and all-volunteer member-funded organization that serves Iranian American lawyers, judges, students, and the community as a whole. IABA has grown to be the largest national organization of Iranian American legal professionals, with multiple chapters nationwide, and continues to grow in other states.

Since its founding over a decade ago, the IABA has been at the forefront of legal issues impacting the Iranian American community. IABA and IABA-OC have combined efforts and issued timely “Know Your Rights” educational material, assisted community members, worked to safeguard the Iranian American community against hate crimes, and held community outreach and educational town hall events. Through IABA-OC’s legal clinics, often held in partnership with other affiliate bars, local nonprofit counterparts, attorneys give back to the community by offering guidance covering a wide array of topics, such as immigration and family law, and by introducing the community to additional resources available to them.

Throughout the year, IABA-OC hosts numerous live and virtual programs on hot topics, providing MCLE to participants, raising money for scholarships and charitable organizations, and offering opportunities for members and non-members to expand their networks locally and nationally. One such program is IABA-OC’s marquee event - an annual cultural fundraising event, the Nowruz Gala, every March. Nowruz, marking and celebrating the advent of spring and a new year in the Persian calendar, is not just a celebration; it’s an embodiment of transformation and new beginnings. The past few years, we have hosted around 250 Orange County community members to celebrate the new year. The celebration includes a beautiful “haft-seen” table, a cultural showcase, an awards ceremony for professionals in the community, a delicious Nowruz dinner, and live musical performances. This annual fundraising event is focused on raising funds for our law student scholarship initiatives which are announced every June. Additionally, IABA-OC hosts an annual toy drive in December of each year, which is both a celebration of the holiday season and a benefit to children through charitable efforts in partnership with nonprofit organizations.

Along the way, we wish to share the beautiful cultural heritage we foster as Iranian Americans to our friends and colleagues in the Orange County community. Equally important, we must support the next generation of our profession. That’s why IABA maintains and supports the National Iranian American Law Students Association (NIALSA). With NIALSA, IABA-OC has mentorship programs to guide law students and young practitioners as they begin their journey in law. Together with the IABA Foundation (our charitable arm), multiple scholarships are provided to law students across the country.

IABA-OC is open to all attorneys, judges, and law students, and one need not be of Iranian descent to join. IABA-OC invites readers to become a member and to connect with IABA-OC through the website www.iabaoc.com, and join the IABA-OC community on Instagram, and LinkedIn @iabaoc.