© 2015 The Texas Lawbook.
By Brooks Igo
(May 28) – The Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation’s annual luncheon Thursday raised more than $106,000 for DHLF efforts to advance Hispanics in the legal community.
More than 200 lawyers, judges, law school deans and law students were in attendance at the Belo Mansion to celebrate the future generation of Hispanic lawyers and veteran Hispanic lawyers at law firms and corporate legal departments.
The DHLF awarded 15 scholarships to law students, two study grants to recent graduates to take a Bar Review Study Course and six stipends to law students for judicial internships. Last year, the DHLF provided 12 scholarships, four study grants and five judicial internship stipends.
“The problem with law school is the cost of tuition,” said Chris Luna, president of the DHLF and chief counsel of MetroPCS. “Kids are graduating with humongous debt or they are working one or two jobs while attending law school, which affects their grades and ultimately their opportunity to get a job. The scholarships address the barrier of these rising costs.”
John Torres, who is executive vice president, chief legal officer and secretary of Lennox International, recognized the recipients of the $2,500 scholarships.
They include incoming 1Ls Nancy Cartagena of the University of Houston Law Center and Mark Melchor of the South Texas College of Law; 2Ls Hector Chevana, Jr. (STCL), Miriam Garza and Michael Scott Navarro of the Texas A&M University School of Law, Roina Rivera of the UNT Dallas College of Law and Jennifer Trejo of the SMU Dedman School of Law; and 3Ls Vienna Flores and Gabriela Gutierrez (SMU), Jasmine Grant and James Haecker of the University of Texas School of Law, Jorge Jasso (UH) and Andres Martinez (Texas A&M).
Garza, who will begin her second year at the Texas A&M University School of Law in the fall, is interested in family law and using her law degree to help Hispanic and other minority communities. She says the DHLF scholarship provides additional support while she works her way through law school.
“It takes a load off my back,” she said. “The community is looking out for us as law students.”
Andrea Meza and Annabel Pedraza, who recently graduated from UT and SMU Dedman respectively, were the recipients of the two $2,500 bar study grants.
Hilda Galvan, managing partner of Jones Day’s Dallas office, announced the third class of the judicial internship program.
Marcus Bahena (SMU), Solia Bustos (UNT Dallas), Alyssia Castillo (UNT Dallas), Michelle Maese (Texas A&M), Roina Rivera (SMU) and Jennifer Trejo (SMU) were awarded $2,000 stipends for their internships. They will be working with Judge Ingrid Michelle Warren, Judge Phyllis Lister Brown, Judge Ernest White, Judge Roberto Cañas, Judge Martin Hoffman and Judge Jim Jordan, respectively.
Additionally, the DHLF recognized seven Fellows for their accomplishments in their law practice and efforts in the community.
The newly-minted DHLF Fellows were introduced by Carlos Hernandez, the general counsel of Irving-based Fluor Corporation. They are Ophelia Camiña, a partner at Susman Godfrey; Yvette Ostolaza, managing partner of the Dallas office of Sidley Austin; Michael Brito, a partner at Akin Gump; Mary Elizabeth Cedillo-Pereira of immigration firm Cedillo-Pereira & Associates; Laura Benitez Geisler of the Geisler Law Firm; Rosario Heppe, senior director, corporate compliance of Fluor Corporation; and Rudy Rodriguez, general counsel of CEC Entertainment.
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