“The place” for lawyers and law students to find valuable local, state, & national resources supporting minorities in the legal profession.

                        Hispanic Bar of Houston      

Since 1988, HisBA has been working for the advancement of Hispanics in the legal profession, serving the public interest, promoting high standards of integrity, honor, & professional courtesy among lawyers, and working with the other bar associations & community, legal & governmental organizations in furtherance of its missions & goals.  As a leading voice in the Houston legal community, HisBA represents & promotes the growing impact of Hispanics in the practice of law & community at large.

Houston Bar Association-Minority Opportunities in Legal Profession comm.  

Encourages & promotes equal opportunities for, as well as active involvement & participation by, minority lawyers & HBA by developing and sponsoring educational programs, as well as service and support projects. 

Mexican American Bar Association of Houston   

MABAH is a founding chapter of The Mexican American Bar Association of Texas.  MABAH celebrates in 2012 its 40th year of service to the Hispanic Attorney and, most importantly, to the Hispanic community, as one of the largest Hispanic law organizations in the State of Texas with a diversity of talent, expertise and leadership.  Since 1986, MABAH has co-sponsored with the Houston Bar Association, a monthly call-a-lawyer project called "Consejos Legales," providing free legal advice in Spanish. MABAH is proud of the diverse nationalities of its members: Puerto Rican, Argentinean, Mexican, Cuban, Mexican-American and non-Hispanic.

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Resource Links - State (Texas):

Purpose:  Examine the historical and current status of minorities in the legal profession, and to make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding how the bar can take action to enhance employment and economic opportunities for minorities in the profession and to increase involvement by minorities in the bar.  Projects: Texas Minority Counsel Program - Annual Conference; Texas Spectrum Newsletter (bi-annual newsletter of State Bar Office of Minority Affairs); Annual Report on the Status of Racial/Ethnic Minorities in the State Bar of Texas (16-pg PDF), produced by State Bar of Texas Research and Analysis Department

            Texas Young Lawyers Association - Minority Scholarship Program & Minority Involvement Committee

The TYLA Minority Involvement Committee was created in 1985.  Purpose:  facilitate and encourage minorities to enter the legal profession; and promote increased participation by minority lawyers in the activities, programs, and projects of TYLA and the State Bar of Texas.  TYLA's Minority Scholarship Program accomplishes both of these objectives. Aimed at helping ease the financial burden for law students, this scholarship program will award a $1,000.00 scholarship for one student from each of the 9 ABA accredited law schools in Texas. Applicants must be a member of a recognized minority group which includes gender, race, national origin, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation and gender identity and persons with disabilities. To access the application, law students can go to the TYLA website or contact their respective law school's financial assistance office.

             Dallas - Diversity Report:  Dallas Bar Association's Taskforce

Dallas Hispanic Bar Association

J.L. Turner Legal Association (African-American Bar Association of Dallas)

Tarrant County Black Bar Association

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·         The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)

·         National Bar Association of African American Attorneys

·         National Native American Bar Association

·         Hispanic National Bar Association 

• AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION:        
  

Periodicals/Reports:  Legal Expert Author Pool (LEAP): LEAP is a new complimentary service provided to ABA publishing entities by the ABA Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity. The LEAP project establishes and maintains a pool of diverse lawyers and professionals who have the expertise and willingness to write for ABA periodicals; Diversity Speakers Bureau: This questionnaire/profile is designed specifically for diverse (defined as minority, women, disabled and LGBT) attorneys and other accomplished professionals who would like to be considered as faculty members in continuing legal education programs and seminars produced by the American Bar Association and other CLE providers;  The ABA Diversity Showcase (ABA's premier publication that highlights diversity-related projects and initiatives throughout the ABA, 48-pg PDF); ABA Diversity Plan (approves first Association-wide Diversity Plan, 8-pg PDF); ABA Diversity Roadmap (snapshot of what ABA entities are doing for diversity); Diversity in the Legal Profession: The Next Steps (recommendations on how to advance diversity in the profession,  68-pg PDF).

2) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Participation (Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity - Annual Report, 41-pg PDF)

3) Racial and Ethnic Diversity (Commission and Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession - Annual Report, 93-pg PDF)

4) Women in Leadership Positions (Commission on Women in the Profession - Annual Report, 38-pg PDF)

Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights & Responsibilities

Addresses key issues facing Hispanics, such as voting rights, immigration, civil rights, and access to justice, and informs ABA and U.S. policy.  The ABA Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights & Responsibilities was created by ABA President Stephen Zack as one of his four presidential initiatives. Commission members include honorary co-chairs Emilio Estefan, Hon. Mel Martinez and Hon. Bill Richardson former Governor for the State of New Mexico.  The Commission will hold public hearings throughout the year in order to generate testimony from a broad coalition of lawyers, judges, legal and social science scholars; and elected officials in the Latino community. The testimony will focus on the most pressing legal issues facing the Latino community and how these issues can be addressed. Issues will include, but are not be limited to, voting rights, immigration, civil rights, and access to the courts. The hearings will not only inform the Commission but also engage the broader community. These regional hearings will also serve to inform the development of ABA policy resolutions as well as the creation of a comprehensive report, which will provide recommendations for Congressional and Administration policy makers.

Promotes the ABA's commitment to justice and full, equal participation in the legal profession for people with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities.

Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity

Provides the framework to effectively utilize and coordinate ABA diversity resources. Supports Goal III(one of ABA's four key policies), helping the ABA maintain racial and ethnic diversity as a priority.  Projects:Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession - Provides services for racially and ethnically diverse lawyers, judges, and others who are in the legal profession; Coalition on Racial and Ethnic Justice (COREJ) - Addresses and provides services on social justice matters related to racial and ethnic bias in the justice system; Council for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Pipeline (Pipeline Council) - Provides services to increase diversity among students from pre-kindergarten to the profession.

Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI)

Seeks to secure equal treatment in the ABA, the legal profession, and the justice system without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Commission on Women in the Profession

     The national voice for women lawyers ensures equal opportunity for professional growth and advancement.  This site includes Goal III Report; Statistics on Women Lawyers; Articles, Reports, Research, & Organizations/Initiatives; Directory of Associations for Women Lawyers (Directory contains listings of national, state, local, international, and multicultural organizations for women attorneys. The directory also includes information on gender bias task forces and committees, where available.); and ABA Policy on Issues Concerning Women.  Publications & Reports:  “From Invisibility to Visibly Successful: Success Strategies for Law Firms and Women of Color in Law Firms” {Download the report at no cost (PDF); Executive Summary also available at no cost to download.}; Perspectives  (Quarterly Magazine for and about Women Lawyers) {As an ABA member, you will receive the Perspectives quarterly magazine free in an electronic format.}; and Just Released - 2012 Goal III Report (2012 Goal III Report is now available and offers a statistical overview of women's participation in leadership positions throughout the various entities of the ABA.).

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Additional ABA Sections, Divisions and Forums with committees focusing on diversity in a variety of legal areas:

Lawyers of Color

Bar Services (clearinghouse and resource for minority and general purpose bar associations) 

The Forum on Construction Law offers a Women & Minority Lawyer Fellowship

Dispute Resolution Section has a Committee page listing a Diversity Committee

Diversity Mentoring (Labor and Employment Law)

Diversity Outreach (Labor and Employment Law)

The Section of Environment, Energy and Resources has a Minority Fellowship Program

The Section of Family Law has developed a diversity policy.

General Practice, Solo and Small Practice Section has a Diversity section of their website which has lots of information of interest including their Diversity Fellows Program .

Labor and Employment Law Section has an Outreach to Law Students, The Equal Opportunity in the Legal Profession Committee, and a Diversity Plan

The Law Student Division has a diversity initiative page

Young Lawyer & Diversity (Taxation)

Noteworthy - NATIONAL (use Google search for current webpage link if interested):

·         Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association

·         diversecounsel.org (directory of minorities in legal profession) 

·         Federal Bar Association (Section of Indian Law)

·         Indigenous Bar Association (Canadian bar for Indian, Inuit and Métis)

·         Asian American Justice Center (former National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium)

·         National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum

·         The National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms

·         National Black Prosecutors Association

·         National Conference of Black Lawyers

·         North American South Asian Bar Association

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                     VALUABLE INFO FOR MINORITY LAW STUDENTS!

NOTE:  There are many, many more scholarship pages than can be listed here. We recommend checking with national and local minority bar associations, as well as state bar associations! 

·         ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund (provides 20 incoming diverse students with $15,000 in aid over the course of their three years in law school)

·         Black Excel is a website geared towards African American students, but has a good list of links for all types of scholarships

·         FastWeb : Free scholarship and college searches, and financial aid tools.

·         FindAid! has a page for specifically for minority students

·         Gates Millenium Scholars Program

·         Hispanic College Fund

·         The Hispanic Lawyers of Illinois offer a scholarship for first year law students.

·         National Black Law Students Association has scholarships listed on their site.

·         National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Law Foundation has scholarships

·         Practicing attorneys for Law Students Program, Inc. (PALS matches minority law students with volunteer lawyers who serve as mentors to provide career guidance for minorities in the legal profession)

·         Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund

·         United Negro College Fund

·         University of Texas Law's William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law and the Baylor University School of Law have established the Equal Justice Scholarships .

·         Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles has scholarships

·         Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Internships, Fellowships, Scholarships         

Employment, Internships, Fellowships and Grants

·         The White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders: Internship Program

·         The Asian Pacific Institute for Congressional Studies has internship & fellowship opportunities

·         The Black Collegian Online provides cutting-edge information on career resources for Black collegians

·         The Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship is a summer program for first-year law students who advance the value of diversity.

·         judicialclerkships.com has tips, links and information on the book Behind the Bench: The Guide to Judicial Clerkships.

·         Jurist's Judicial Clerkships page

·         The Judicial Division has a Directory of Minority Judges (3rd edition)

·         US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has clerkship listings.

Law Schools in Houston

• Thurgood Marshall School of Law (Houston, Texas)

Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA)
APALSA is a progressive student-oriented organization designed to: (1) provide a means for Asian American and Pacific American law students to address concerns unique to them; (2) promote an environment conducive to the study of law; and (3) to encourage adherence to the highest ethical standards of the legal profession. APALSA works with other law student organizations and the local legal community in sponsoring functions. Membership is open to all students.

Black Law Students Association (BLSA)
BLSA strives to articulate and promote the professional needs and goals of Black law students; to foster and encourage professional competence; and to focus upon the relationship of the Black attorney to the American legal system.

Hispanic Law Students Association (HLSA)
HLSA is comprised of current students of Thurgood Marshall who are of Hispanic background or those who possess an interest in the furtherance of the Hispanic community. The purpose is to articulate and promote the needs and goals of the Hispanic law student. HLSA seeks to bring legal training to bear upon the problems, legal and nonlegal, in the Hispanic community. It also provides an organization through which the Thurgood Marshall School of Law can effectively communicate the needs and desires of its student members.

• University of Houston Law School  (Houston, Texas)
  

Asian Law Students Association (ALSA)
Office:713-743-2220
ALSA is an organization of students who share an interest in Asian affairs. The organization shares as a forum for exchanging views concerning the Asian community - both abroad and domestic. Topics of discussion include affirmative action, immigration reform, and available employment opportunities.

The Association of Women in Law (AWIL)
Office:713-743-2196
AWIL is an organization at the UH Law Center that provides female UHLC students with guidance, support and encouragement during their years in law school. AWIL also gives its members an opportunity to better serve their community and strives to provide a forum for law students to become familiar with women's issues in the legal profession.

Black Law Students Association (BLSA)
Office:713-743-2221
BLSA is the local chapter of the National Black Law Students Association. BLSA fosters and encourages the success of Black law students in law school and the legal community. Seeking to utilize the talents and resources of its members, BLSA promotes and encourages professional competence, community service and meaningful change in the local community.

Hispanic Law Students Association (HLSA)
Office:713-743-2219
HLSA is an organization dedicated to promoting a more successful representation of Hispanics in the legal profession and community as a whole. The organization strives to meet these goals through facilitating Hispanic students transition into Law School, providing guidance and fostering social awareness in the community.

Native American Law Students Association  (NALSA)
NALSA promotes the study of Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law and traditional forms of governance, and supports Native Americans in law school. We strive to reach out to Native communities and encourage Native People to pursue legal education. We also strive to educate the legal community about Native issues.

General Links:

·         Internet Legal Resource Guide lists the top 20 law schools based on the diversity index .

·         Princeton Review has a website with a great section on law schools, including a way to search based on minority enrollment.

·         In Legal Color, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to increase law school diversity by providing inspiration, information, and support to prospective law students of color.

·         ABA's Law Student Division's web site has a wealth of information for minority and majority law students.

·         ABA's Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has lots of information of interest to law students.

·         Internet Legal Resource Guide has a Law Students Services section

·         JURIST is a highly recommended law schools portal. Has a lot of information useful to students including information about law schools, admissions, Judicial Clerkships, and employment as well as more general legal research.

·         LawInfo's Law Student section

·         Law School Admission Council (LSAC)

·         A Guide to the Law School Application Process for People of Color

·         Texas Journal of Women and the Law [edited by students at the University of Texas School of Law]

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                         DIVERSITY REPORTS - OTHER STATES:

·         Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association Diversity Initiative

Nebraska

·         Nebraska Legal Diversity

North Carolina

·         Commission on Race Relations in the Legal Profession (Final Report & Recommendations)

Utah

·         Utah Bar Association's Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness

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U.S. Census (Data on Race & Data on Employment and Income)

Bureau of Labor Statistics

ABA Section of Legal Education Statistics page

Association of American Law Schools statistics page

U.S. New and World Report's Diversity Index for Law Schools

Equal Justice Society Research

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