Milestones

40 Years of HNBA Achievement

Testified in support of the confirmation of the Hon. Sonia Sotomayor as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The HNBA was the only national Latino organization to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Meetings with the President of the United States and other White House, Congressional, and Justice Department leaders to address issues of concern to the HNBA and the Hispanic community in the U.S. Meeting with leaders from Mexico, Spain, Central America and South America to further common goals and issues.
Testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee regarding United States Supreme Court nominees and the confirmation of Assistant Attorneys General of the United States.
Testified before United States House and Senate Committees to provide insight on immigration, the Census Bureau, and Congress’ proposed funding of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity. Reviewing and submitting comments to the Immigration and Naturalization Service regarding regulations implementing the Immigration Reform and Control Act.
Published La Promesa en el Derecho™ (The Promise in the Law) is an HNBA community outreach and education initiative designed to instill confidence and trust in the U.S. legal system. The booklet is written in both English and Spanish that provides one page explanations of ten basic features of the American system of government: The Constitution of the United States; Separation of Powers; The President of the United States; The Congress of the United States; The Supreme Court of the United States; The Courts; The Jury Process; Basics Rights in a Criminal Proceeding; The Freedom to Engage in Civic Activities; and Voting.
Launched the HNBA Journal of Law and Policy in 2008. It is an annual publication that provides a forum for the examination, investigation, and review of legal issues and law-related policy pertaining to the Hispanic legal profession and that impacts the U.S. Hispanic Community.
The HNBA hosted its first national Corporate Counsel Conference in 2010 to promote the hiring of Hispanic attorneys by Fortune 500 corporations. HNBA develops unique Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and provides professional guidance and support to Hispanic attorneys and law students nationwide.
Introduced the Legislative Day program in 2007. It serves to further the HNBA policy agenda before Congress and executive branch officials through direct grassroots advocacy by our members, and also educates HNBA members from around the country about public policy issues and the federal legislative process.
Released an open letter to the Judiciary calling for state and federal court judges across the country to refrain from using of the words “illegal alien” and “illegal immigrant” when referring to persons who lack proper immigration status. The letter was written, in part, by Professor Lupe Salinas, Chair of the HNBA Civil Rights Law Section and former state court judge.
Conducted its 15th Annual Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition in 2010. The Moot Court Competition continues to draw 32 teams from the nation’s top law schools and enables students to hone their brief-writing and oral advocacy skills while exploring a complex legal issue, and to form relationships with the judges and practitioners at the Conference.
Published “Few and Far Between: The Reality of Latina lawyers,” a ground breaking study that provides both qualitative and quantitative data on the status and experiences of Latinas in the legal profession, on a national level and across all major legal sectors. Authored by Jill L. Cruz and Melinda S. Molina, the report addresses the problem of the underrepresentation of Latinas in the legal profession relative to their overall representation in the United States population.
Established a joint membership program with the American Bar Association (ABA), and other meaningful relatoinship with the American Corporate Council Association (ACCA), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC), the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO), and many state and local Hispanic bar associations.
Regularly develop Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and provide professional guidance and support to Hispanic attorneys and law students nationwide.
Conducted CLE presentation of ‘A Class Apart’; the first U.S. Supreme Court Landmark case on Raza/Latino/Hispanic Civil Rights, through efforts by the HNBA History Committee.
Promote a Hispanic legal agenda by appearing consistently in major national media, including The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Plain Dealer, the National Law Journal, ABA Journal, Hispanic Business magazine, Hispanic Link, Hispanic magazine, and many others. Published the only national directory of Hispanic attorneys.
Established and promoted Adopt-a-School and mentorship program aimed at increasing the number of Hispanic law students and attorneys by providing information, motivation and role models to Hispanic students though the involvement of Hispanic attorneys in their schools.
Assisted the Reynaldo Garza Law School in Texas in obtaining ABA accreditation.
Participates in local television and radio shows focusing on legal issues affecting Hispanics.
Recently hosted it’s 35^th Annual Convention. Through the convention the HNBA supports a Law Student Division and an annual job fair to provide employment opportunities for Hispanic law students. HNBA has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to students throughout its history.
Worked with Los Abogados in Arizona to help fund an Amicus Brief in the Phoenix English only case.
Filed an Amicus brief in the University of Michigan case.
United state and local Hispanic bar associations and the non-legal Hispanic community to secure the appointment of a Hispanic Justice on the United States Supreme Court.
Held a Hispanic Legal Leaders Summit to establish goals and areas of collaboration to avoid duplication of services to the community. Organized the first National Minority Bar Leadership Summit addressing issues of common concern and promoting unity among all minorities.
Successful development of the HNBA web site containing convention information, job opportunities and links to benefits available exclusively to HNBA members as well as information of benefit to the entire Hispanic legal community.