FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2015
CONTACT: Alba Lucero Villa
Executive Director
avilla@hnbf.org
551-482-8761
WASHINGTON–The Hispanic National Bar Foundation hosted its Annual Awards Dinner and Celebration on July 16, 2015 at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC. Honorees focused on the importance of perseverance, mentorship and breaking barriers as they addressed a packed room of distinguished guests, influential leaders, sponsors and rising star students.
The Awards Dinner was held as part of HNBFs keystone Future Latino Leaders Law Camp Program, which each year brings up to 40 high school students from across the country to the nations capital for nine days of what they repeatedly describe as a life-changing experience. Students have the opportunity to learn about the legal profession and meet influential Latino lawyers and judges through classroom instruction, a mock trial competition and behind the scenes tours of historic U.S. landmarks and government agencies.
This year, HNBF presented its inaugural Diversity Leadership award to Dr. Walter Sutton, Associate General Counsel at Walmart, the Judicial Leadership Award to Hon. Migna Sanchez-Llorens, Circuit Judge in the Eleventh Judicial District of Florida, and the Academic Leadership Award to Professor Luz Herrera, Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, Experiential Learning, and Public Service at UCLA Law. Julissa Reynoso delivered the keynote address. Ms. Reynoso, currently a partner at Chadbourne & Parke, is a former U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay and has also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central American, Caribbean and Cuban Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. Honorees shared stories of overcoming adversity and paving the path for others by breaking barriers through their success and paying it forward.
It was an inspirational evening and we are proud to honor both the distinguished trailblazers of today and the rising stars of tomorrow, said HNBF President Paul Zavala. Our award recipients extraordinary careers serve as example of the opportunities that access to education creates, and we are thankful to our sponsors for making our pipeline programs possible.
About the Hispanic National Bar Foundation
Established in 1985, the mission of the Hispanic National Bar Foundation (“HNBF”) is to help Hispanics achieve their potential through access to higher education and increase diversity in the legal profession. As a national organization, the HNBF provides programs, scholarships, fellowships, and other resources and tools to support and inspire educational achievement within Latino communities. We are guided in our efforts by our strong values of education, diversity, equality, empowerment and access. Our programs provide Latino students from high school through law school with the tools and resources necessary to ensure full and equal opportunity. For more information, please visit www.hnbf.org.
