About the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia

The Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia (HBA-DC) is a pivotal non-profit established in 1977 as the Hispanic Lawyers Association (it adopted its current name in 1984), serving close to 500 Hispanic lawyers and law students in the D.C. region. Committed to fostering professional growth, the HBA-DC runs multifaceted initiatives. The association's Judicial Pipeline Project guides attorneys with judicial aspirations, and its LLM subcommittee aids foreign-trained attorneys in navigating the U.S. legal landscape. Every year, HBA-DC proudly hosts the Latina Leadership Academy, empowering Latina professionals through skill development and networking opportunities. Law students receive specialized attention, benefiting from programs like the resume review workshop and a mentor pairing system to ensure their readiness for the legal world. Furthermore, through scholarships, advocacy, pro bono activities, and community outreach, HBA-DC continuously champions the interests and representation of the Hispanic community in D.C.'s legal domain.

The HBA-DC is an affiliate of the Hispanic National Bar Association, a national network of Hispanic lawyers and bar associations.

The HBA-DC is dedicated to the following principles:

• Advancing and developing Latinos in the legal profession;
• Promoting equal justice and opportunity for all Hispanics;
• Educating the Hispanic community about relevant legal issues;
• Promoting the professional development of Hispanic lawyers and law students;
• Encouraging Latinos to enter the legal profession; and
• Promoting the appointment of Hispanics to leadership positions in Federal, state, and local governments, in the judiciary, and in other leadership positions.

To put these principles into action, the HBA-DC engages in varied activities and programs.  For example, the Association

• hosts networking events, often in cooperation with other professional groups;
• sponsors seminars on current legal developments;
• comments on issues affecting Latinos;
• evaluates the qualifications of candidates for executive and judicial positions, the D.C. Bar’s Board of Governors and other bar offices, and  may endorses such candidates;
• gathers and disseminates information on employment opportunities to members;
• publishes a newsletter to report on HBA-DC activities;
• assists the Hispanic community in obtaining pro bono legal services;
• notifies members of opportunities for participation in local government, bar, and civic boards and committees;
• monitors legislation concerning immigration, bilingual education, welfare reform, budget measures, and other matters that impact the Latino community;
• sponsors a mentor-mentee program for law students and new attorneys;
• conducts a diversity survey of area law firms and in-house legal departments; and
• organizes the Equal Justice Awards to recognize outstanding lawyers and community actors by awarding the Hugh Johnson Awards (individual and organization), the Judge Ricardo Urbina Lifetime Award, the Hispanic Attorney of the Year Award (new for 2019), and the Rising Star Award.