News & Press https://www.hbadc.org/news/default.asp Fri, 5 Jun 2026 22:37:00 GMT Sun, 30 Jul 2023 16:00:00 GMT Copyright © 2023 Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia HBA-DC Co-sponsored Pop-Up Community Legal Clinic https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=648689 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=648689 On Saturday, July 29, 2023, HBA-DC co-sponsored a pop up legal clinic for DC residents in need of immigration, family law, and domestic violence issues with the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project and the DC Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs. HBA-DC volunteers helped clinic attendees, particularly Spanish-speakers, understand their rights and work on potential referrals for representation. The DC Volunteer Lawyers Project described HBA-DC's volunteers (seen in the photo below) as "amazing" in helping to fill our area's access to justice gap for the Hispanic community.

 

HBA-DC Pop-Up Community Legal Clinic Volunteers]]> Sun, 30 Jul 2023 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Hosts "Latina Equal Pay Day: How Do We Close the Pay Gap?" Panel https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=627247 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=627247 On Thursday, December 1, 2022, HBA-DC, K&L Gates DC Diversity Committee, and The Bar Association of the District of Columbia Civil & Human Rights Committee hosted a panel discussion highlighting Latina Equal Pay Day.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic further widened the pay gap between Latinas and their peers. In 2022, Latina Equal Pay Day took place on December 8, marking the 21 extra months Latina women must work to make a white man's yearly earnings. Latina women earn 57 cents for every dollar paid to a white, non-Hispanic man.

 

This was a powerful discussion on how we can begin to close the Latina pay gap. Panelists included Diana Ramirez, Senior Manager of Policy and Coalitions at the National Women's Law Center, and Dariely Rodriguez, Deputy Chief Counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The discussion was moderated by Craig Leen, Partner at K&L Gates, and Former OFCCP Director at the U.S. Department of Labor. HBA-DC is grateful to all of the speakers and to K&L Gates and the BADC.

 

You can learn more and view the Latina Equal Pay Day CLE program here.

 

]]> Fri, 2 Dec 2022 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Hosts Happy Hour Fundraiser for Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=618205 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=618205 On Friday, September 30, 2022, HBA-DC hosted a happy hour fundraiser at Bar Deco, in support of Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. Carlos Rosario serves the DC immigrant community, delivering high-quality education, career training, and supportive services that enable adult immigrants to realize their dreams while strengthening our community and economy. It was great to hear from Carlos Rosario students at the event. Thank you to Bar Deco.

 

If you were unable to attend the event in-person, please consider donating online at www.carlosrosario.org/get-involved/donatenow/.

]]> Sat, 1 Oct 2022 17:00:00 GMT The HBA-DC Foundation Announces the Return of PASOS! https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=605383 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=605383 The HBA-DC Foundation cordially invites all local Latinx law students graduating this year and their families, and also Latinx law school graduates from the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021, to PASOS 2022, which will take place on Thursday, May 19, 2022, at the Washington College of Law, American University, Washington, DC! For over twenty years, the Foundation has organized the PASOS graduation ceremony to celebrate the achievements of Latinx law students graduating from Washington, D.C. metropolitan law schools.

 

The evening will begin with an outdoor reception at 6pm, which will be promptly followed by the PASOS program at 7:15pm in the Ceremonial Classroom on the Terrace Level. Masks are required indoors for this event. While the event is free of charge for the graduates and their families, an RSVP is required. Deadline to RSVP has been extended to COB Friday, May 13, 2022! To RSVP, please email nmurphy@rabengroup.com with a copy to Linda Estrada at lindaestrada@comcast.net. For additional information about PASOS 2022, check the Foundation homepage.

]]> Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Holds Annual Holiday Party & Toy Drive https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=591175 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=591175 On Wednesday, December 15, 2021, HBA-DC held its annual Holiday Party & Toy Drive in support of Mary’s Center families. We collected toys, raised several hundred dollars in donations, and had a great time at the rooftop venue of Hawthorne on U Street. Thank you to the HBA-DC members who attended and generously donated this holiday season!

 

A big thanks to the Social & Special Events Committee for their hard work in pulling this event together.

]]> Thu, 16 Dec 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Holds "Evening With" Event Featuring Brigadier General Jaime Areizaga-Soto https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=591174 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=591174 On Wednesday, December 1, 2021, the latest iteration of the HBA-DC's “Evening With” featured Brigadier General Jaime Areizaga-Soto, the first-ever Hispanic JAG General Officer in the Armed Forces and a past HBA-DC President (2013). Thank you again to Brigadier General Areizaga-Soto for joining us for this inspiring event.

]]> Thu, 2 Dec 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Hosts 2021 Equal Justice Awards Reception https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=591173 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=591173 On Friday, November 5, 2021, HBA-DC held its 2021 Equal Justice Awards reception at the Park Hyatt Washington. After nearly two years, it was a pleasure to connect with old and new colleagues. This year’s event recognized individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the Hispanic community and legal profession. Over 100 members, sponsors, and friends gathered and had a great time with drinks, food, music, and celebrated the accomplishments of the awardees: Fernando J. Rivero posthumous recipient of the Judge Ricardo M. Urbina Lifetime Achievement Award, United for Social Justice recipient of the Hugh A. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Award to an organization, Sandra Chavez Bellew recipient of the Hugh A. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Award to an individual, Jan Singelmann recipient of the Hispanic Attorney of the Year Award, and Alejandra Ávila recipient of the Rising Star Awards.

 

To further its commitment to supporting law students, HBA-DC also awarded five scholarships of $5,000 each administered by the HBA-DC Foundation, to Daniel Fishelman (The George Washington University Law School), Dana Gibson (The George Washington University Law School), Tania Suárez-Márquez (The George Washington University Law School), Scarlett L. Montenegro (American University Washington College of Law), and Jessica Rivero (Georgetown University School of Law).

 

The awards program included remarks from David Lopez, Former General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

 

The EJA program is available here and the awards presentation is available on HBA-DC’s YouTube page here.

 

Special thanks goes to the EJA Committee for making this year's Equal Justice Awards such a memorable event. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!

]]> Sat, 6 Nov 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors "Courageous Conversations" Panel Discussion https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=586052 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=586052 On Wednesday, October 27, 2021, HBA-DC was proud to co-sponsor Wiley Rein LLP’s Latinx Lawyers Affinity Group's panel discussion on the themes raised in “Bad Hombres”, an episode from the Latino Justice documentary series “Decolonize Justice”, which explores the criminalization of Latinx communities and the need for criminal justice reform. Moderated by Stephen Conley, Associate in Wiley’s Telcom, Media & Technology practice group, the panel discussed the use of narrative language related to the criminal system that impacts the Latinx community and how the legal system has historically targeted people of color for incarceration, leading to the criminalization of Latinos. The distinguished panel included guests from Latino Justice PRLDEF and Represent Justice, a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of media to engage audiences in re-imagining the justice system and creating a real demand for change.

]]> Thu, 28 Oct 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Kicked Off 2021-2022 Mentor-Mentee Program https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=586054 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=586054 On October 21, 2021, HBA-DC held the annual Mentorship Program Kick-Off Reception. The mentorship program, which runs from October 2021 to May 2022, matches law students and new attorneys with practicing attorneys to provide guidance and support to succeed in law school and during the first years of practice. At this virtual reception, mentors and mentees had an opportunity to meet, network, and learn tips for developing an effective mentor-mentee relationship.

]]> Fri, 22 Oct 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Presents "Succeeding as an Incoming Associate" Panel https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=586053 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=586053 On Thursday, October 7, 2021, HBA-DC hosted a panel on tips for succeeding as an incoming and junior associate. Three associates discussed the transition into firm life and the challenges that come with being brand new at a firm. This was a great panel for law students interested in going to a firm and recent graduates and clerks who will be starting or have recently started at a firm this fall. Panelists included Shirley Diaz, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Thalia Garcia, Latham & Watkins, and Pablo Gardea, Hogan Lovells.

]]> Fri, 8 Oct 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Hosts Discussion on Reimagining Systems of Enforcement https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=581345 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=581345

On Tuesday, September 21, 2021, the HBA-DC Black Lives Matter Taskforce and the Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers Division, National Bar Association (GWAC) teamed up to host a powerful, thought-provoking discussion titled "A Conversation on Reimagining Systems of Enforcement." This discussion examined calls to reimagine the U.S. criminal legal system and immigration system, and the role lawyers of color can play in leading change. Thank you to our dynamic panelists Patrice Sulton, Bianca Tylek, and Yvette Borja for sharing their wisdom, and thank you to the stellar planning committee Renee Mims (GWAC), Erinn Martin (GWAC), and Ana Jara (HBA-DC).

 

View a recording of the panel:

]]> Wed, 22 Sep 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors SABA-DC's Book Club on Racial Justice https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=581499 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=581499 On Monday, August 23, 2021, HBA-DC, along with APABA-DC, co-sponsored the SABA-DC Book Club. SABA-DC's Racial Justice Committee and Women's Committee was excited to welcome Martha Jones, the author of Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All, for a vibrant and timely virtual discussion.

]]> Tue, 24 Aug 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors "Diversifying the Fight for Justice: Women of Color Appellate Litigators Panel" https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=575555 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=575555 On Tuesday, July 27, 2021, HBA-DC partnered with several local bar associations to present “Diversifying the Fight for Justice: Women of Color Appellate Litigators Panel.” Hosted with APABA-DC, CAMBA (Capital Area Muslim Bar Association), GWAC (Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers Division, National Bar Association), and SABA-DC (South Asian Bar Association of Washington, DC), this virtual panel featured women of color who have not only distinguished themselves as appellate litigators, but who have dedicated their careers to expanding access to justice and civil rights for all of us. Discussed was the panel’s impactful work and how we can build a robust pipeline that better represents all of our communities. The panelists, moderated by Juvaria Khan, Founder and Executive Director of The Appellate Project, included Zainab A. Chaudhry, Principal Court Attorney at New York State Court of Appeals; Carmen Iguina Gonzalez, Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project; Shilpa S. Satoskar, Appellate Division Supervising Attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia; and Tiffany Wright, Orrick Scholar at Howard University School of Law.

]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Hosts Latina Leadership Academy https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=575556 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=575556 On Sunday, July 25, 2021, HBA-DC held another successful Latina Leadership Academy consisting of a two-part virtual program focused on “Harnessing the Power of Visibility.” The first part of the LLA involved an interactive presentation addressing self-promotion and visibility and the second part featured a panel of Latina attorneys discussing “Lessons Learned in the Trenches.” Thank you to Ellen Ostrow, Sofia Castillo, Virginia Chavez-Romano, and Maribel Hernández Rivera for the valuable insights, and thank you to this year’s LLA planning committee Catherine Cone, Lillian Cardona, Carmen Iguina Gonzalez, and Bibi Metsch.

]]> Mon, 26 Jul 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Holds Successful First-Annual Mock Interviews https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=575554 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=575554 On Thursday, July 15, 2021, HBA-DC held its first Mock Interview program. The purpose of this event was to prepare 1L and 2L students for OCI. Students were matched with attorneys based on their preferred practice areas for a mock "screener interview." Each interview lasted around 20 minutes.

 

This event specifically catered to Law students looking to sharpen their interview skills by participating in a mock virtual On-Campus Interview (OCI) with an experienced attorney on the Remo platform. Law students also had an opportunity to network with a range of attorneys before or after their mock interview sessions. Special thanks to the HBA-DC Student Affairs Committee and its Co-Chairs, Sandra Bellew and Chris Pascual, for organizing this program.

]]> Fri, 16 Jul 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC's Annual Summer Law Student Reception And Resume Review A Success! https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=570485 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=570485 On Thursday, June 17, 2021, HBA-DC held its Annual Summer Law Student Reception and Resume Review on the virtual Remo conferencing platform. The turnout was fantastic with HBA-DC able to pair dozens of law students and experienced attorneys, which included at least three rounds of resume review at one-on-one virtual tables. A big thanks to the Student Affairs Committee and co-chairs Sandra Bellew and Chris Pascual for organizing the event.

]]> Fri, 18 Jun 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors APABA-DC's "Progressive DAs and Criminal Justice Reform" https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=570159 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=570159 On Thursday, June 10, 2021, HBA-DC co-sponsored an APABA-DC series program on progressive prosecutors and criminal justice reform. For this part of their series, APABA-DC hosted a conversation with Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, and Larry Krasner, District Attorney of Philadelphia. As the head prosecutors for their respective jurisdictions, they shared their perspectives on what it means to be a progressive prosecutor and what that looks like. Our members heard the panelists' thoughts on police reform, sentencing reform, combatting the rise in AAPI hate crimes, and more. HBA-DC is grateful to APABA-DC for putting on this important and necessary discussion.

]]> Fri, 11 Jun 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors "Pathways to the Senior Executive Service" Panel https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=570158 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=570158 On Thursday, May 20, 2021, HBA-DC co-sponsored with SABA-DC's Government Section, in conjunction with APABA-DC and GWAC, a panel discussion on "Pathways to the Senior Executive Service." Our members heard a dynamic conversation about the promotion process in federal agencies, how to best position themselves for promotion, and the importance of diversity in the SES ranks. HBA-DC is grateful to SABA-DC for assembling a stellar panel of attorneys from diverse backgrounds who successfully navigated careers in federal agencies and achieved promotion to the Senior Executive Services (SES).

]]> Fri, 21 May 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Holds Panel Discussion on "Thirty Years after the Mt. Pleasant Uprising" https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=569120 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=569120 On Thursday, May 13, 2021, HBA-DC was honored to present “Thirty Years after the Mt. Pleasant Uprising: Lessons on Policing, Race, and Belonging for the Hispanic Community in D.C.” This timely panel event explored the history and aftermath of the massive civil disturbances in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, D.C. in May 1991 after a Salvadoran-American man was shot and left paralyzed by the police. For some, the incident was “la gota que rebasó el vaso” – the last straw in a frayed relationship between the Hispanic Community and the D.C. government. The shooting led to mass protests, rioting, the imposition of nearly a weeklong curfew, hundreds of arrests, and eventually The Mt. Pleasant Report from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the first volume in a series chronicling the challenges faced by immigrant and other ethnic communities in America’s major cities in the 1990s. The panelists included Jackie Reyes-Yanes (Director of the Mayor’s Office of Latino Affairs), Ruben Castaneda (Washington Post reporter dispatched to cover the uprising in 1991), Emi Reyes (Chief of Operations, Risk and Investments, Latino Economic Development Corporation), and Abel Nunez (Executive Director, CARECEN). They discussed the history of the Mt. Pleasant events, the lessons learned from 1991, and the ever-present and ever-important challenges that remain between the police and the communities they police.

 

HBA-DC is grateful to all of the speakers and to the Black Lives Matter Taskforce. A special thanks goes to BLM Taskforce Co-Chair, Mikael Rojas, for moderating the discussion.

]]> Fri, 14 May 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Holds Cinco de Mayo Event https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=565350 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=565350 On Wednesday, May 5, 2021, HBA-DC was pleased to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a fun night of trivia and networking. We thank District Trivia for providing a one-hour private trivia game on Zoom. The event was free. A donation of at least $10 to HBA-DC’s Food from the Bar Campaign was encouraged.

]]> Thu, 6 May 2021 22:30:00 GMT HBA-DC Holds Membership Check-In With Shirley Diaz https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563407 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563407 On Thursday, April 29, 2021, HBA-DC successfully held a membership check-in with HBA-DC board member Shirley Diaz. HBA-DC began holding membership check-ins in 2020 after the pandemic and remote work began. These check-ins provide a casual opportunity to network and hear how fellow HBA-DC members are doing.

]]> Fri, 30 Apr 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors WCL Racial Justice Series Program - "Rising to the Top" https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563415 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563415 On Wednesday, April 14, 2021, HBA-DC co-sponsored a Racial Justice Series program with the Washington Council of Lawyers titled "Rising to the Top: Diverse Executive Leadership for Non-Profits." Our members enjoyed a unique opportunity to explore and discuss how to expand and increase diversity within the leadership of legal non-profits. Members heard from top minority executives as they shared details of their amazing journeys in rising to the top level of their respective organizations. These executives shared how they overcame the challenges and obstacles placed before them and provided tips on how to navigate the non-profit leadership space. HBA-DC is grateful to the Washington Council of Lawyers for putting on this important and necessary discussion.

]]> Thu, 15 Apr 2021 22:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors D.C. Bar Communities Panel on Diversity and Professional Development Topics https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563416 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563416 On Tuesday, April 13, 2021, HBA-DC co-sponsored a panel with the D.C. Bar Communities titled “Diversity and Professional Development Topics for Latino Lawyers in the Washington DC Legal Market.” Our members enjoyed a unique opportunity to learn about diversity and professional development challenges facing Latino/a lawyers practicing in the Washington DC area. The panel discussed their experiences working in private law firms, government agencies, and public companies and dealing with gender issues. HBA-DC is grateful to the D.C. Bar Communities for putting on such a worthwhile event.

]]> Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:00:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors ACS DC's Judicial Nomination Commission https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563417 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563417 On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, HBA-DC co-sponsored the ACS DC Lawyer Chapter's Judicial Nomination Commission. Hosted by the Washington, DC Lawyer Chapter. This forum presented an opportunity for lawyers who aspire to be a judge to hear from the Judicial Nomination Commission about the judicial application, nomination, and appointment process for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The panel discussed qualifications for judicial office and the application process.

]]> Thu, 1 Apr 2021 23:30:00 GMT HBA-DC Co-Sponsors APABA-DC's "The Government’s Role in Combating AAPI Hate" Panel https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563418 https://www.hbadc.org/news/news.asp?id=563418 On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, HBA-DC co-sponsored a panel event with APABA-DC titled “The Government’s Role in Combating AAPI Hate.” Our members experienced an important and timely discussion between two esteemed former government officials. We are deeply troubled by the steep rise in hate crimes and acts of discrimination targeting the AAPI community during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, especially the recent violent attacks against AAPI elders in Northern California and the murders in Atlanta. Given that we live and work in the Nation’s Capitol, we have a keen interest in the role the federal government can and should play in combating such discrimination, the intersection between federal and state laws, and what we in DC can do to help.

]]> Wed, 31 Mar 2021 23:00:00 GMT