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By Adriana Figueroa, senior staff attorney at Indiana University Health & chair of the Hispanic Lawyers Division
Sept. 15 is a meaningful date for the Hispanic Lawyers Division. First, it marks one year since the IndyBar Association board of directors voted to change Hispanic Lawyers Division from a committee to a division, giving Hispanic/Latinx lawyers more visibility and a platform to present programming that highlights various topics concerning the Hispanic/Latinx community. Second, and importantly, it marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a time we celebrate the contributions, extensive histories, and ethnic, racial and cultural diversity of the Hispanic/Latinx community. In observance of this celebration, we invite to you to join us for two upcoming CLEs hosted by the division.
The national recognition of the Hispanic/Latinx culture began 55 years ago. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the National Hispanic Heritage Week. Two decades later, President Ronald Reagan extended the celebration to an entire month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The month begins its celebration mid-September because it coincides with the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile and Belize.
Over the past several decades, the Hispanic/Latinx community has grown exponentially. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2022, there were 63.7 million Hispanics/Latinx people living in the United States. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau data revealed that almost half a million Hispanics/Latinx people live in Indiana. Despite these numbers, Hispanic/Latinx individuals remain largely underrepresented in the legal profession. According to a 2022 survey, the American Bar Association found that only 5.8% of all lawyers in the United States identify as Hispanic/Latinx.
Given this data, the creation of the IndyBar’s Hispanic Lawyers Division has been a vital platform to express our voice and great opportunity for the legal community at large to learn from and collaborate with Hispanic/Latinx lawyers, law students and paralegals. Therefore, in the spirit of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, the division is excited to invite you to two upcoming CLEs:
• On Oct. 3, the division will host a 1.5-hour CLE at IndyBar’s headquarters on “The Latinx Employee: Resolving Discrimination Claims & Building Best Practices.” The presenters for the CLE are Doneisha Posey, vice president and general counsel of Black Onyx Management Inc., Alessandra Rosa, administrative judge with the EEOC Indianapolis District Office, and yours truly. The CLE will provide an overview of how employers can build an inclusive environment for Latinx employees, cover common types of discrimination claims and current discrimination issues within the workplace, and share specific case examples of discrimination cases with a focus on Latinx employees.
• On Oct. 6, the division will host a three-hour CLE at IndyBar’s headquarters on “Strengthening the Bench: Equity, Inclusivity, and the Path to Judicial Selection.” During the first hour, Rob Love, chief diversity officer of the Indiana Supreme Court, will provide an overview of the Indiana Supreme Court’s diversity initiatives. The second hour will feature a panel who will discuss and share insight on the judicial selection process for the Court of Appeals of Indiana, Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana Tax Court. The panel consists of members of the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission, including Adrienne Meiring, counsel for the Office of Judicial Administration and executive director of the Disciplinary Commission, Lee C. Christie, partner at Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, and Danny Lopez, vice president for external affairs and corporate communications at Pacers Sports & Entertainment. In its final hour, the CLE will host a panel who will discuss the judicial selection process for Marion County judges and share insight on how to get involved with the Marion County Judicial Selection Committee. The panel will feature Kelly Scanlan, magistrate judge with the Marion Superior Court, Danielle Gaughan, judge with the Marion Superior Court, Michael Gaerte, partner at Dentons Bingham Greenebaum, James Young, partner at Young & Young, and Sebastian Smelko, partner at Ice Miller.
Please note that for IndyBar members, if you sign up to attend both CLEs, you will receive $15 off the total amount. We hope you are able to join us and look forward to seeing you there!•
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