Arizona Minority Bar Association

When Matthew Scraber arrived in Arizona as a young attorney—the first lawyer in his family—he found community, comfort, and mentorship through the Arizona Minority Bar Association, commonly known as AMBA. As AMBA's 2026 president, Scraber describes the organization as one that reflects the communities Arizona attorneys serve, including African American, Latino, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American legal professionals. The sense of belonging he discovered is precisely what retired Superior Court Judge Paul Tang and his colleagues envisioned when they formed AMBA in the late 1980s.

That vision traces back to AMBA's origins, which were born from a simple but urgent need: helping minority law students survive and succeed. In the late 1980s, a law student named George Barnett, then vice president of the Student Bar Association at the University of Arizona, reached out to attorneys and judges of color in the community for help. Fellow minority law students were struggling with grades and retention, and Barnett hoped the minority legal community could provide a foundation of support. That call to action brought together a small, passionate group of lawyers who began meeting in the courtrooms of Judge Collins and Judge Velasco, working to build an organization from scratch—without a name, without funding, and without a roadmap. After considerable debate, the group settled on the name Arizona Minority Bar Association, signaling that the organization sought to support all minority law students, attorneys, and legal professionals.

Nearly four decades later, the mission that emerged from those early courtroom meetings remains remarkably intact. The organization exists to further the education and advancement of racial and ethnic minorities in law-related fields and to expand awareness of legal services in minority communities. Its goals include increasing the recruitment and retention of minority law students, providing scholarships and mentorship, sponsoring professional development, conducting community outreach, offering pro bono legal services, and advocating on issues affecting communities of color. AMBA holds an annual banquet that serves as the cornerstone of its fundraising efforts, channeling proceeds into scholarships and grants for minority law students.

Just as its founders envisioned an organization that would serve the full spectrum of Arizona's minority legal community, AMBA's membership today is broad and inclusive, welcoming attorneys and law students who identify as Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American, as well as allies of all backgrounds. Its members are united by a shared commitment to ensuring that Arizona's legal profession reflects the communities it serves.

This enduring sense of purpose is perhaps best captured by retired Superior Court Judge Paul Tang who has reflected that AMBA was "formed at a time of need by a law student" and has since grown into an enduring institution—one that not only provides scholarships and professional connections but also serves as a voice for justice and inclusion within Arizona's legal community. Nearly four decades later, AMBA continues to honor its founders' vision: that no aspiring lawyer should have to navigate the journey alone.

For more information on the Arizona Minority Bar Association please visit www.theazminoritybar.org.