Stetson Hispanic Bar Association honored for work with national mentoring program

Contact Brandi Palmer
Communications Specialist
727-562-7381

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law’s Hispanic Bar Association was recently honored for its work with the Hispanic National Bar Association’s minority youth outreach and mentoring programs.

The HNBA received the American Bar Association’s 2007 Partnership Award for its National Mentoring Program and its Youth Convention Law Day Program on Aug. 10 at the joint annual meeting of the National Conference of Bar Presidents, National Association of Bar Executives and the National Conference of Bar Foundations in San Francisco, Calif.

Stetson’s HBA partners with the Tampa Bay Hispanic Bar Association, pairing law students with practicing attorney-mentors to encourage professional development. The Tampa Bay mentor program was launched in Tampa, Fla., this February.

“Stetson’s HBA is honored to be part of the HNBA’s mentoring program and will continue its efforts in uniting more law students with practitioners,” said Stetson HBA president Clara Rodriguez Rokusek. “Attorney-mentors have provided students with vital information regarding particular fields of law, career advancement and networking.”

The local mentor program is sponsored by national, state and local Hispanic bar associations, foundations and firms.

The Hispanic National Bar Association launched its national mentoring program in 2006. It has programs in Miami, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area and Tampa. The HNBA mentorship program was created to fulfill the need for mentors from aspiring Hispanic students and new lawyers. The Hispanic National Bar Association represents the interests of 38,000 U.S. Hispanic lawyers, law school professors, law students and paralegals.

Stetson Law also was honored with the American Bar Association Law Student Division Award of Excellence Aug. 10 in San Francisco. Stetson student Chris Sprowls was elected to national office as division delegate for the American Bar Association House of Delegates, and recent Stetson graduate Brian Redar completed his term as student representative for the ABA Board of Governors.