My name is Jena Decker-Xu, and I am deeply honored to present myself as a candidate for re-election to the State Bar of Arizona’s Board of Governors (BOG). With a profound commitment to serving both our legal community and the broader Arizona community, I believe my experience and dedication uniquely qualify me to continue the important work of the Board.

I completed both my undergraduate and law school education at the University of Arizona, joining Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP upon graduation, where I practice Business Immigration Law. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with individuals and businesses navigating complex immigration matters, and my practice continues to reaffirm my commitment to justice, equality, and the protection of rights. I am an active member of the Arizona Asian American Bar Association and remain committed to pro bono service. Over the years, I have provided legal assistance to many local immigration organizations and was previously recognized as a top pro bono attorney in Arizona.

In addition to my work as an immigration attorney, I have been deeply involved in the Arizona State Bar. I currently serve as a member of the BOG, completing my first term. Previously, I served as the Past President of both the Immigration Section and the Young Lawyer’s Division (YLD). I am passionate about the engagement and support of young lawyers. The future of the legal profession lies with our young attorneys, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they have the tools, resources, and mentorship they need to succeed. The BOG should continue to work closely with the YLD, law schools, and senior attorneys to create mentorship programs that connect young lawyers with experienced professionals who can guide them in their careers. By developing more initiatives that focus on early engagement and professional growth, we can foster a legal community that is not only skilled but also deeply connected and supported.

The work of the BOG is essential in ensuring that Arizona’s attorneys are equipped with the skills, resources, and support they need to succeed in an increasingly complex legal environment. In addition, the Board plays a pivotal role balancing the interests and needs of our legal community with the broader goal of serving and protecting the public. My past experiences with the BOG, YLD, and various outside organizations have given me the perspective, knowledge, and passion to tackle key issues facing our members today and in the future. We need to continue our commitment to diversity and equity for our members and community. The legal profession, while making strides, still has much work to do in embracing the diversity of Arizona’s population. We must ensure that every attorney, regardless of their background, feels welcomed, valued, and supported within our Bar. Our Bar already has outstanding programs, and I am dedicated to promoting and expanding these efforts. I believe that by partnering with the YLD and other organizations, we can create a more robust, inclusive, and engaged legal community.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Board of Governors, and I ask for your continued support as I work to build a stronger, and more supportive Bar for all members. Together, we can ensure that the State Bar of Arizona remains a leader in fostering an inclusive, ethical, and dynamic legal community that serves the public and empowers its members. Thank you for your consideration.

In my 16 years as a trial attorney, I have worked hard to be fair, honest, and accountable. I am the immediate Past President of the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association. My presidency was focused on the core goals of solidifying our relationships with other legal organizations, promoting our organization’s integrity and service to clients, and providing cutting-edge, top shelf CLE programs, with a focus on diversifying the perspectives of our speakers. I truly care about our profession and how we can all work together for the common benefit of helping our communities and the public at large. Unfortunately, it seems that basic civility among lawyers has continued to dissipate. One side is not to blame, and the issue is not confined to one area of practice. Being an attorney is stressful and difficult. When decency and integrity fall by the wayside, those stressors and difficulties are magnified exponentially. My goal is to work with the Board to promote integrity and to further strengthen relationships among Arizona attorneys. A few simple steps can help accomplish this goal. First, rule changes promulgated solely to benefit one side over the other cannot and should not be passed. Those changes simply cast doubt over the system and encourage attorneys to use underhanded practices to gain advantages. Second, when attorneys come together for events, better relationships can be built. If we offer interesting and informative seminars to State Bar members, we can lay the necessary foundation to foster those relationships. At the recent CLE in the Red Rocks conference, lawyers from across many practice areas representing both sides came together for a great event. The most interesting part was that at lunch and during breaks, we all shared stories, commiserated together, and talked about our unified interests. We often think that “the other side” disagrees with us simply because we are in opposition. That is simply not true. Coming together for conferences and social gatherings will help promote a sense of community that will benefit everyone. While many areas of law are adversarial the interactions between counsel do not need to be. I have spent my professional career working to help improve the lives of others, and I would be honored to turn that attention to our own legal community with the Board of Governors.

MY VISION:

• To keep Bar dues as low as possible
• Help ensure that programs are best targeted to what members need without any additional dues or fees
• Help promote the wealth of programs/initiatives offered by the State Bar, that brings value to members, and thereby enhance appreciation of member benefits