Now in its 35th year, the Hispanic Issues Section of the State Bar of Texas has been active addressing statewide matters, such as helping to create a bar association coalition to address the unaccompanied minors situation. The coalition is at work providing training and CLE seminars to attorneys and other legal professionals who are interested in volunteering their time.

Members of the coalition currently include:

  • Dallas Hispanic Bar Association
  • Hidalgo County Bar Association
  • Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
  • Hispanic Bar Association of Houston
  • Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
  • Mexican American Bar Association of San Antonio
  • Laredo-Webb County Bar Association
  • Mexican American Bar Association of Texas
  • Mexican American Bar of Texas Foundation
  • Hispanic National Bar Association

The Dallas Hispanic Bar Association—at the request of the Dallas Bar Association—was the first coalition member to organize a CLE on unaccompanied minors and relevant immigration law. This was followed by Houston-area bar associations, which sponsored a CLE on July 31, 2014, that attracted 500 attendees—including State Bar of Texas President Trey Apffel—and spurred a thank you letter from the Harris County Attorney’s Office. Soon after, the Mexican American Bar Association of San Antonio and the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston followed suit and held CLEs for attorneys in their areas. The Hidalgo County Bar Association has scheduled a CLE for September 9, 2014. For a more comprehensive listing of all coalition events, go to texashispanicissuessection.com/dnn/UMCrisis.aspx.

"All coalition members are working in tandem with different legal organizations, law schools, and nonprofit groups,” said Angelica Hernandez, a director of the Hispanic Issues Section Council, in the group’s recent report. “We still have more work in front of us, but what pride to see the leadership of the legal profession. We support and salute one another. We congratulate all those who are volunteering their time and efforts to address both the humanitarian and legal needs of our community.”

In other section news, Chair Benny Agosto Jr. recently was appointed to the State Bar of Texas Diversity Consortium and also was presented with the 2014 Trailblazer Outside Counsel of the Year Award by the State Bar of Texas Office of Minority Affairs and the Texas Minority Counsel Program. For more information or to join the Hispanic Issues Section, go to texashispanicissuessection.com.