Hispanic Law Conference Will Focus on Role of Latino Legal Community in Addressing Latino Issues
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC, February 25, 2011 – American University Washington College of Law will host the Fourteenth Annual Hispanic Law Conference, held each spring as part of the law school’s Founders’ Celebration.
“We are proud co-sponsors of this notable conference with The Hispanic National Bar Association, The Hispanic Bar Associations of DC, Maryland, and Virginia, LaLSA, and LAAW” said Claudio Grossman, Dean of American University Washington College of Law. “The conference is a key event that addresses issues of importance to the Latino community, both nationally and internationally.”
The conference is the most important event for the law school’s Latino community, bringing together a unique mix of personalities devoted to the progress of Latinos/as in the U.S. and in the hemisphere.
Prior to the conference, the law school is hosting a mentoring program for Latino/a high school students interested in a post-secondary education and a career forum for law students (see schedule below). The program will connect law students with representatives in the private, public, and non-profit sectors.
The program will be followed by a panel consisting of members of the legal community, who will share their roles in addressing Latino issues in education, violence, and jobs, and answer questions from the audience. The awards dinner, with remarks from Dean Claudio Grossman, will cap off the day’s events.
The Hispanic Law Conference is co-sponsored by The Hispanic National Bar Association, The Hispanic Bar Associations of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, WCL’s Latino/a Law Students’ Association (LaLSA), and The Latino/a Alumni Association of the Washington College of Law (LAAW).
When: March 1, 2011
12:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: American University Washington College of Law
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Sixth Floor
Washington, DC 20016
Full Schedule:
12:30-3:45 PM (International Student Lounge)
The College Experience: High School Lunch and AU Tour w/ Presentation
Local high school students will join law students for a lunch discussion about college, education, and life. Following the lunch, high school students will take a tour of AU and receive a presentation about getting into, paying for, and succeeding in college.
1:00-2:30 PM (JD Student Lounge)
From Pipeline to Practice: Latinas/os in the Legal Profession (lunch will be served)
This panel will discuss the challenges and successes of Latina/o students and legal professionals and will include presentations on a successful model pipeline program, the Hispanic National Bar Association’s recent reports on Latinas in the legal profession, and student experiences from American University Washington College of Law’s Latino/a Law Students’ Association.
Moderator: Ms. M. Lucero Ortiz, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary, OASAM, U.S. Department of Labor
Panelists: Ms. Jill Lynch Cruz, Founder and President, JLC Consulting, LLC
Professor Melinda S. Molina, Assistant Professor of Law, Capital University Law School
Ms. Indiana Porta, Co-President, Latino/a Law Students’ Association
Professor Jenny Rivera, Professor of Law and Director of Center on Latino and Latina Rights and
Equality (CLORE), CUNY School of Law
Professor Jodie Genine Roure, JD, PhD, Associate Professor, Director and Project Investigator of the Ronald H. Brown Law School Prep Program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
2:45-3:45 PM (JD Student Lounge)
From Pipeline to Practice: Roundtable Discussion
Participants will discuss potential responses to the issues raised by the panel presentations, as well as strategies for improving the experiences of Latina/o students and lawyers.
Moderator: Professor Jenny Rivera, Professor of Law and Director of Center on Latino and Latina Rights and
Equality (CLORE), CUNY School of Law
Featured Participants: Ms. Jill Lynch Cruz, Founder and President, JLC Consulting, LLC
Professor Melinda S. Molina, Assistant Professor of Law, Capital University Law School
Professor Jodie Genine Roure, JD, PhD, Associate Professor, Director and Project Investigator of the Ronald H. Brown Law School Prep Program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
4:00-5:45 PM (Room 603)
The Role of the Latino Legal Community in Addressing Latino Issues
Members of the legal community will discuss the role they play in addressing issues like community violence, job creation, economic development, and education within the Latino community.
Opening Remarks: Claudio Grossman, Dean, Washington College of Law
Moderator: Mr. James A. Ferg-Cadima, Regional Counsel, National Public Policy Office
Panelists: Ms. Esther Aguilera, President & CEO, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
The Honorable Marisa J. Demeo, Associate Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Professor Jenny Rivera, Professor of Law and Director of Center on Latino and Latina Rights Equality (CLORE), CUNY School of Law
Mr. Moises V. “Moe” Vela Jr., Partner, Holland & Knight
5:45-7:00 PM (Student Lounges)
Reception and Mentor Table Talk
The reception will be held in conjunction with the Mentor Table Talk, which provides an opportunity for JD and LL.M. students to network with representatives of organizations in the private, public, and non-profit sectors who will share their experiences and career paths.
6:00-7:00PM (Room 600)
LAAW Board Elections
7:00-9:00PM (Dining Room)
Annual Awards Dinner
Awards will be presented to those individuals who have significantly contributed to the progress of the Latino community.
Master of Ceremonies: Professor Jenny Rivera, Professor of Law and Director of Center on Latino and Latina Rights and Equality (CLORE), CUNY School of Law
Opening Remarks: Claudio Grossman, Dean, Washington College of Law
Keynote Speaker: Ms. Alma Morales Riojas, President and CEO, MANA, A National Latina Organization
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American University Washington College of Law
In 1896, American University Washington College of Law became the first law school in the country founded by women. More than 100 years since its founding, this law school community is grounded in the values of equality, diversity, and intellectual rigor. The law school’s nationally and internationally recognized programs (in clinical legal education, trial advocacy, international law, and intellectual property to name a few) and dedicated faculty provide its 1700 JD, LL.M., and SJD students with the critical skills and values to have an immediate impact as students and as graduates, in Washington, DC and around the world. For more information, visit wcl.american.edu.