Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation Earns State Bar Honor for Its Work With Aspiring Lawyers

The rising cost of law school tuition can often put the dream of being a lawyer out of reach for Latinos, many of whom come from low-income families and struggle to even go to college.It's one reason the Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation has brought peace of mind to many young Latinos aspiring, perhaps, to be the country's chief law enforcement officer or chief justice someday. Or maybe simply have their own law firm and help other Latinos maneuver their way through our legal system.During its 11 years, the Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation has awarded about $335,000 in scholarships, grants and stipends to nearly 150 needy Latino law students.This year, 17 students received $48,500 to help them stay in law school, prepare for the bar, or be judicial interns."I have been particularly impressed by the caliber of the applicants for our program, many of whom have overcome challenging personal and financial circumstances to get to law school," said Adrienne Domínguez, foundation president."We know finances can be a stumbling block, and the fact that the percentage of Hispanic lawyers is so low is also a barrier. Hispanic kids don't see lawyers among the adults in their life and may not think they can become an attorney."She said having a legal population that more closely mirrors the general population is important because it fosters access and also brings varied skills, including language, and perspectives to the legal workplace.But the foundation has its work cut out for it in getting more numbers of attorneys that reflect the Latino population in Dallas County.She pointed out that, according to the State Bar of Texas' Department of Research and Analysis, the percentage of Hispanic attorneys in Dallas County has risen by just a single percentage point -- from 4 percent to 5 percent -- over the last 10 years.Meanwhile, the Latino population in Dallas County has now climbed to 40 percent, as of 2015."For whatever reason, Hispanics are not entering the profession in large numbers," Domínguez said.But it has not deterred the foundation's members.And their work has not gone unnoticed.This year, the foundation will receive the Hispanic/Mexican-American Bar Organization of the Year Award from the Hispanic Issues Section of the State Bar of Texas.The Hispanic Issues Section has a history of selecting organizations that address issues that affect the Hispanic community, said Arturo Aviles, chairman of the Hispanic Issues Section."When we empower young people to get into these professional positions, there's also the long-term goal that they will give back to their community," Aviles said.And in today's political climate, where a sanctuary city ban has placed many Latino communities on edge in Texas, the need for more Latino attorneys has become more basic and urgent."We've seen an outpouring of lots of attorneys, including Latinos, step up to fight SB 4," Aviles said. "We have felt, as a community, that we've been under siege for the last 18 months."Besides SB 4, Aviles also mentioned President Donald Trump's disparaging comments about a Latino judge in one of his lawsuits, the issue over building a wall between Mexico and the U.S., and the workplace raids that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted since Trump became president.Chris Luna, past president of the foundation, said it's "imperative" to keep the pipeline open to increase the number of Latino lawyers."This increased diversity in the legal profession enhances the pool of attorneys who will be representing litigants in court, sitting as judges deciding these disputes, and as elected officials developing public policy."Twitter: @molivera79  Continue reading...

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