Rhode Island Hispanic Bar Association Picks Up Momentum

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Rhode Island Hispanic Bar Association Picks Up Momentum

The growing Latino population in Rhode Island continues to grow influence in business and law. The Rhode Island Hispanic Bar Association (RIHBA) hosted its first Meet and Greet on August 13th, at Bravo in Providence.

The event was attended by prominent RI Latino attorneys, members of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, political candidates, current and aspiring Latino law school students, and other Latino professionals. This is the first Hispanic Bar Association in Rhode Island.

 “Every single one of us plays an integral role in ensuring that our community feels confident in our legal system and that they trust that their best interests will be efficiently and skillfully advocated for,” said RIHBA President Alberto Cardona, Esq. The number of Latino attorneys who practice in RI continues to grow. This is due in large part to the diversifying efforts of Roger Williams University School of Law, where many of these same attorneys earned their J.D.

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The American Bar Association's census of attorneys found that only 3.7% of attorneys in America are Hispanic. (2010 data).

According to the organization, the Latino community in RI currently faces many unique challenges: being victims of 'notarios' (notary publics that pose as licensed attorneys); language serving as a significant barrier in expedient court proceedings; the lack of Latino representation in private and public legal capacities; and more generally, the lack of a strong Latino voice in matters of equity and justice.

At the event, RIHBA also collected contributions towards funding a scholarship for Latinos applying to law school. Encouraging the legal professions amongst the Latino youth, is one of RIHBA’s chief objectives.

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