Message from the President

I am excited to welcome you to another year of the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association. Last year we saw our membership increase by over 30%, and we established the Justice Jorge Labarga Legal Excellence Award, which we will continue in the future. This year, we will strive to make all of you feel as if this is your professional familia. We will continue with programming that aims to fulfill our mission of developing and promoting Latinos in the legal profession.

Many of us have benefited from the opportunities presented by HBA and together we have a responsibility to address the crises affecting our community. First, we must address the needs of the many un- and under-employed young attorneys.  We will explore the barriers our young attorneys are facing and help equip them with the tools they need to navigate the radical transformation that our profession has undergone in the last few years.

Second, as leaders and lawyers, it is our responsibility to address the increasing number of attacks on the Latino community and stand up for its most vulnerable members. We will renew our focus on public service and work in partnership with leading organizations to help protect the rights of the most needy members of our community. Whether in the area of civil liberties, due process, domestic violence, or immigration, we are the last line of defense and I call on each of you to help fulfill our duty to our community.

Of course, the primary responsibility and priority of your Board of Directors of this association is to serve you, the members. Last year’s membership committee established an Immigration Project Task Force and Small Claims Clinic for Spanish Speakers. We have created a new website and Facebook page to make it easier for members to keep abreast of important events.  Always remember that your participation makes the HBA more valuable to you, other members and our community.

I look forward to serving and working with you this year. 

Saludos,

Daniel A. Zuniga