By Chris Luna of T-Mobile
On Wednesday, the Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation will host its sixth annual Amanecer Luncheon at the Belo Mansion in downtown Dallas.
The Luncheon is supported by dozens of law firms, companies, and individuals in North Texas, and the proceeds from the luncheon support the Foundation’s scholarships, internships, and grants.
Since its creation in 2006, the Foundation will have awarded almost $400,000 in scholarships and internships to Hispanic law students and provided numerous grants to Hispanic high school and college students with interests in the law.
“Through these awards, the Foundation continues to be a leader in providing Hispanic students access to law school and to opportunities for successful careers in the legal profession,” said Adrienne Dominguez, President of the Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation and partner at Thompson & Knight.
“Providing the financial means to complete law school and the real world experience necessary to secure a great job in the legal industry underscores our commitment to the advancement of Hispanics in the legal profession in North Texas.”
The Foundation serves an important role, given the staggeringly low number of Hispanic attorneys in North Texas.
For example, in 2015, Caucasian/Anglos made up 31 percent of the Dallas County population, but 84 percent of the lawyers at larger firms. Hispanics, on the other hand, made up nearly 40 percent of the population but only 5 percent of the lawyers.
“The fact that only 5 percent of lawyers in Dallas are Hispanic, while almost 40 percent of the population at-large is Hispanic, highlights that Hispanics are not entering the profession in large numbers,” said Manuel Berrelez, a Foundation board member and the Scholarship Selection Committee Chair.
“As the hiring partner for Vinson & Elkins’ Dallas office, I’ve seen this disparity first-hand when recruiting law students,” Berrelez said. “The Foundation seeks to help remedy this significant imbalance through its scholarship, internship, and grant programs.
In doing so, the Foundation is a key participant in our legal community’s ongoing discussions and efforts to change perceptions, improve opportunities, and increase the pipeline for diverse attorneys in North Texas.”
Since 2006, the Foundation has awarded scholarships to more than 100 talented and hard-working students throughout Texas. With legal education costs continuing to rise, these scholarships can be the difference between whether a student can focus on school and complete her education, rather than taking time away from studying in order to work.
In addition, several years ago the Foundation began a judicial internship program with our local judiciary for Hispanic law students. The Foundation pays a stipend to each intern, which Berrelez explains has a two-fold impact.
“First, this program introduces Hispanic law students to the judiciary, where they are given opportunities to observe and learn from our judges. This not only improves their skills but also gives them the confidence needed to pursue other career opportunities.”
Second, the program allows these students “to build their resume while also receiving a stipend to support themselves, which gives them additional career opportunities.”
Finally, the Foundation has awarded more than two dozen bar study grants since 2013. These grants have a significant impact on the likelihood of a student passing the bar and being in a position to begin his career successfully.
At this year’s Amanacer Luncheon, the Foundation will honor and award 15 deserving Hispanic students with scholarships and grants, and 6 students will receive judicial internships.
In addition, Stephanie Zapata Moore, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Vistra Energy, and Rudy Rodriguez, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Human Resources Officer of CEC Entertainment, Inc., will serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the Luncheon.
The Luncheon will also feature a conversation with State Representative Victoria Neave and State Representative Jason Villalba, moderated by Priscilla Camacho of the Dallas Regional Chamber.
For more information about the Foundation and its scholarship, grant, and internship programs, visit www.dallashispaniclawfoundation.com.