Edgar Chen is Special Policy Advisor to the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). He brings over two decades of legal and advocacy experience in the private law firm, government, and non-profit sectors. He is responsible for developing and advancing policies that support NAPABA’s strategic goals and working with affiliates, organizational allies, and executive branch, and congressional offices to promote NAPABA’s work. In this role he has spearheaded NAPABA’s efforts, in concert with affiliates, to combat the resurgence of anti-Asian “alien land laws” across various states, on immigration matters, and other issues of importance to AANHPI communities.
Prior to joining NAPABA, Chen served in three different federal agencies during administrations of both parties, including as Chief of Staff at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the Department of the Treasury; as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ); and as attorney advisor for oversight matters in the U.S. Department of Commerce. He also served in the DOJ’s Office of Legislative Affairs, where he spearheaded the Department’s interactions with Congress on a variety of issues including transnational organized crime, money laundering, human trafficking, forensic science reform, tribal law and order, fraud, the DOJ response to the financial crisis and other high-profile matters.
Prior to entering government service, Chen worked as counsel to the Coalition for International Justice, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting justice efforts at UN-sponsored war crimes tribunals. He began his legal career at the law firm of Foley Hoag LLP where he worked on public international law disputes and securities litigation.
Chen holds an A.B. in History and a certificate in East Asian Studies from Princeton University and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Princeton In Asia and as a volunteer attorney with Catholic Charities Maine, Refugee and Immigration Services.
Edgar is a Speaker for the Moving Forward After Trump v. Barbara: Constitutional Principles, Immigration Policy, and the American Promise program.