Hispanic Bar Association of DC

President:
Edgar Class
2016 Board of
Directors:
President-Elect:
Ben Hernández-Stern
VP for External Affairs:
Richard V. Rodríguez
VP for Internal Affairs:
Leila Jade Levi
VP for Membership:
Adam M. Acosta
Treasurer:
Erik J. Burgos
Secretary:
Ruben F. Reyna
Immediate Past President:
Juan M. Sempertegui
Directors:
José E. Arvelo
Holli Feichko
Giselle Fuentes
Carlos A. Gutiérrez
Christopher Kyle
Pilar F. Velásquez
Yisel Valdés
Hispanic Bar Association of DC
Quarterly Newsletter – Spring 2016
From the President
Welcome to the Spring 2016
edition of the HBA-DC Quarterly
Newsletter! This edition takes a
look at our events and programs
during the months of April, May
and June. As you will see, we
were quite busy!
We are planning many events and programs for
the remainder of the year, and I hope that you will
become involved, as your participation is critical to
the success of the organization. As always,
please contact me at President@hbadc.org with
any suggestions or ideas. In the meantime, I hope
that you will plan to attend the Equal Justice
Awards Reception on Friday, November 4, 2016,
at the Mandarin Hotel. You will not want to miss it!
Upcoming Events
See details and RSVP at www.hbadc.org.
Saturday, August 27, HBA-DC La
Familia BBQ, Hains Point Picnic Area
Wed-Sat, September 7-10, HNBA
Annual Convention, Chicago, IL
Saturday, September 10, DC Bar
Immigration Referral Clinic, Carlos
Rosario School, 1100 Harvard St., NW
Thursday, September 22, HBA-DC
Networking Happy Hour Featuring
Esperanza Fund, location TBA
In this Issue
President’s Message
Upcoming Events
Event Reports
Article: Dollars & Cents:
The Business Value of
Diversity & Inclusion
Article: Reflection on
Semester with CAC
Support the Foundation
Committee Focus:
Legislative & Policy Issues
New & Renewing Members
Member Spotlights
HBA-DC Committees
Thursday, October 13, Mentorship
Program Kick-Off Reception, Arnold &
Porter, 601 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Thursday, October 20, Becoming a
Judge on DC Superior Court and DC
Court of Appeals, Beveridge &
Diamond, 1350 I Street, NW
Friday, November 4, Equal Justice
Awards Reception, Mandarin Oriental
Hotel, 1330 Maryland Avenue, SW

HBA-DC Co-Sponsors NLLSA Spring Retreat
April 2, 2016
On April 2, 2016, HBA-DC co-sponsored the National Latina/o Law Student Association’s (NLLSA) Spring
Retreat at the George Washington University Law School. NLLSA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation
focused on advancing Latina/o academic success and commitment to community service. The event
included opening remarks by NLLSA Chair Eduardo Reyes Chavez, HBA-DC President Edgar Class, and a
presentation by NLLSA Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Melissa Rodriguez. The event featured a panel
discussion on “How Can Latino Law Students Shape the Future of Law and Policy” and a keynote address
by HBA-DC Judicial Council member Kenia Seoane Lopez. Over 30 law students from the Mid-Atlantic
region were in attendance.
HBA-DC Co-Sponsors 19 th Annual Hispanic Law Conference
April 7, 2016
On April 7, 2016, HBA-DC co-sponsored the 19th
HBA-DC Holds Successful Career Fair
April 7, 2016
On April 7, 2016, HBA-DC held its second annual
Career Fair during the 19th Annual Hispanic Law
Conference at American University Washington College
of Law. With the participation of 35 employers and a
combined attendance of over 100 participants in a twohour
period, the event was very successful.
Candidates had the opportunity to submit their resumes
for inclusion in a Resume Book that was provided to
employers. Special thanks to alltheemployers,Board
member Carlos A. Gutierrez, and Professional
Development Committee Co-Chair Wandaly Fernandez
for their leadership in planning the Career Fair.
Annual Hispanic Law Conference at American
University Washington College of Law. The event
included HBA-DC’s Career Fair, a panel on “The Role
of Latino Lawyers in the Electoral Process,” a panel
on “The Importance of the Supreme Court for the
Latino/as Community,” and an awards dinner with a
keynote address by WCL Dean Claudio Grossman.
At the dinner, HBA-DC President Edgar Class
presentedDeanGrossmanwithaplaquerecognizing
him for his many years of service and dedication to
the members of the HBA-DC, and the DC, MD and
VA Latino/a Legal Community.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Nationals Baseball Day at the Park
April 23, 2016
On April 23, 2016, HBA-DC and the South Asian
Bar Association of DC held a Nationals Baseball
Day at the Park, where they witnessed the
Washington Nationals beat the Minnesota Twins 2-
0 (Go Nats!). The outing provided a networking
opportunity for members of the two organizations
along with their families and friends. Attendees
included HBA-DC President Edgar Class, Holli
Feichko, Christian Fernandez, Lillian Forero,
Carlos Garcia, Carlos Gutierrez, HBA-DC
President-Elect Ben Hernandez-Stern, Shelly
Mulkey, Ivan Prosperi, Vincent Rivas-Flores, HBA-
DC Past President Bill Rivera, Richard Rodriguez,
Diana Saavedra, HBA-DC Immediate Past
President Juan Sempertegui, and Fabian Victora.
An Evening with Danny Marti, IP Czar, The White House
April 26, 2016
On April 26, 2016, Danny Marti, who serves as U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator within
the Executive Office of the President, kicked off HBA-DC’s “Evening with” series. During the event,
which coincided with World Intellectual Property Day, Mr. Marti discussed his professional trajectory from
college to the White House. He is a first-generation American, born in Washington, D.C., of Spanish and
Chilean parents who came to this country speaking little English. It was an honor to hear Mr. Marti
discuss his inspiring career path and offer words of advice to our members. Guests included HBA-DC
Judicial Council member and U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Rudy Contreras.
HBA-DC is grateful to Wiley Rein LLP for hosting the event.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

HBA-DC Co-Sponsors DC Bar Candidates’ Reception
May 10, 2016
On May 10, 2016, HBA-DC co-sponsored a reception for
the DC Bar candidates held at K&L Gates LLP. This was an
excellent opportunity to meet the candidates and learn
about their plans and goals for the DC Bar. Pictured right
are Katie O’Connor, Co-President of the LGBT Bar
Association of the District of Columbia, Holli Feichko, HBA-
DC Board member, and Leila Levi, HBA-DC Vice President
for Internal Affairs. On May 4, 2016, HBA-DC issued a press
release announcing its endorsement of several DC Bar
candidates.
HBA-DC Co-Sponsors Immigration Training
May 10, 2016
HBA-DC Team Crushes Warrior Dash
May 14, 2016
On Saturday, May 14, 2016, HBA-DC members Giselle Fuentes,
Mara Giorgio, Julian Gonzalez, Claudia Hartleben, Leila Jade
Levi, Juan Sempertegui, Pilar Velasquez, President Edgar Class
and friends and family participated in the 2016 Maryland Warrior
Dash. The HBA-DC Team stuck together throughout the 5K
race while tackling twelve outdoor obstacles, crawling through
mud trenches, jumping over fire, and running up and down hilly
terrain. This is the second year HBA-DC participates in Warrior
Dash, which raises funds to benefit St. Jude’s Research
Hospital. After the event, a very tired, wet and hungry HBA-DC
Team went to dinner. Despite the sore muscles, everyone had a
great time and the Team is already looking forward to next year!
On May 12, 2016, HBA-DC co-sponsored a training session on U
Visas and VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) Petitions for immigrant
victims of domestic violence and crime. The training was provided by
Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services and hosted by Wiley
Rein LLP. The U Visa was created by the Victims of Trafficking and
Violence Protection Act to protect certain non-citizen crime victims who
assist or are willing to assist in the investigation or prosecution of a
criminal offense. Under the Violence Against Women Act, immigrant
victims of domestic violence, child abuse, or elder abuse may “selfpetition”
for lawful permanent resident status without the cooperation
of an abusive spouse, parent, or adult child.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

HBA-DC Members Participate in HNBA’s Advocacy Day
May 18-19, 2016
On May 18-19, 2016, HBA-DC members joined
Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA)
members from across the country and leaders from
affiliated state and local Hispanic bar associations
to further the HNBA legislative agenda before
Congress and the White House through direct
grassroots advocacy. This year, HBA-DC and
HNBA members advocated for some of the most
pressing policy issues of our day, including the
urgent need for a qualified and diverse judiciary, the
necessity of preserving voting rights, the need for
criminal justice reform, the Puerto Rico debt crisis,
and the need for comprehensive immigration
reform.
HBA-DC Foundation Holds 19 th Annual PASOS Event
May 20, 2016
On May 20, 2016, the HBA-DC Foundation held the 19th Annual PASOS at American University Washington
College of Law. PASOS is a celebration through which the Foundation acknowledges the many Hispanic law
students graduating that year from law schools in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Twenty law
students and their families, friends and members of the HBA-DC participated in the event. Felicia Escobar,
Special Assistant to the President for Immigration Policy, was the keynote speaker. At the event, the
Foundation also announced the names of five law students who received fellowships, including two
fellowships of $5,000 each funded by HBA-DC, to assist them as they work for public interest legal
organizations this summer in unpaid positions.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

An Evening with Jeffrey Prieto, General Counsel, USDA
May 24, 2016
On May 24, 2016, HBA-DC held An Evening with
Jeffrey M. Prieto, who serves as General Counsel
at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Mr. Prieto
spoke to HBA-DC members and friends about
growingupontheWestCostandhistrajectory
through college, law school and the beginning of
his professional career. Throughout his remarks,
Mr. Prieto spoke about the critical role that
mentors played in his career as well as the
importance of one’s commitment to family and the
Latino community when making career decisions.
After the remarks, HBA-DC members had a
unique opportunity to chat with Mr. Prieto during a
reception. HBA-DC is grateful to Mr. Prieto and to
Alston & Bird LLP for hosting the event.
HBA-DC Participates in Judge Urbina’s Portrait Ceremony
June 2, 2016
On June 2, 2016, HBA-DC participated in the presentation of the portrait of the Honorable Ricardo M.
Urbina (Ret.) in a ceremony attended by former Attorney General Eric Holder and Supreme Court
Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The ceremony took place in the Ceremonial Courtroom at the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia. Judge Urbina has been a longtime member and supporter of
HBA-DC. Judge Urbina retired in 2012 following 31 years of distinguished service on the bench. HBA-DC
attendees included President Edgar Class, Judge Rudolph Contreras, Alfred Baltazar Baca, Holli Feichko,
Carlos Gutierrez, Ruben F. Reyna, Maria Holleran Rivera, Fernando Rivero, Judge Vanessa Ruiz, Susie
Santana, Magistrate Judge Kenia Seoane Lopez and Immediate Past President Juan Sempertegui.
Left picture (L to R): Immediate Past President Juan Sempertegui, President Edgar Class, Ruben F. Reyna and Carlos A.
Gutierrez. Right picture (L to R): President Edgar Class and the Hon. Ricardo M. Urbina.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Team HBA-DC Runs in Lawyers Have Heart Race
June 11, 2016
On Saturday, June 11, 2016, HBA-DC Team
participated in the 26th Annual Lawyers Have
Heart 10K Race, 5K Run & Walk at the
Washington Harbour in Georgetown. The
team included, Team Captain and HBA-DC
Secretary Ruben Reyna and his family,
Jonathan Armour, HBA-DC President Edgar
Class, Alexander Maldonado, Nelly
Montenegro, Jesse Oropesa, Christopher
Pascual, Sonia Torrico and Fabian Victora.
All team members finished their races and
supported a worthy cause.
How to Become a Judge Advocate in the Armed Services
June 16, 2016
On June 16, 2016, HBA-DC held a panel on How to become a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Armed
Services. The panelists were HBA-DC members who are judge advocates in the active duty and reserve
components. The panel was moderated by HBA-DC President-Elect (Maj.) Ben Hernandez-Stern (U.S.
Air Force Reserve) and included: (COL) Jaime Areizaga-Soto (Army National Guard), (1LT) Lorena M.
Marez (U.S. Army Reserve), LTC Charles Lozano (U.S. Army), LT Daniel Mangual (U.S. Navy) and Capt.
Patricia Encarnacion Miranda (U.S. Air Force). Following the panel, there were informal breakout
sessions where the various military services had an opportunitytotalkabouttheirspecificprograms.
The event was co-sponsored by WBA-DC, APABA-DC, and the GW Latino Law Students Association.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

HBA-DC Holds Successful Summer Law Students’
Reception and Resume Workshop
June 23, 2016
On June 23, 2016, HBA-DC held its Summer Law Students’ Reception and Resume Workshop to
introduce summer associates, law clerks, and legal interns in the Washington, D.C. area to HBA-DC. The
keynote speaker was the Honorable Ignacia S. Moreno, CEO & Principal of The iMoreno Group, PLC,
and former Assistant Attorney General at the United States Department of Justice. Prior to the reception,
the event included a Resume Workshop, which included the participation of 22 law students and 10
experienced HBA-DC resume reviewers. HBA-DC is grateful to Ignacia Moreno for providing keynote
remarks and Covington & Burling LLP for hosting the event.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Dollars & Cents: The Business Value of Diversity & Inclusion
By Juan M. Sempertegui
Diversity and inclusion
discussions have traditionally
focused on creating equal
opportunities for everyone,
especially those in the
minority based on gender,
race, sexual orientation,
and/or disability. In recent
years though, it has become
quite clear that diversity also
matters in business. The historic changing
demographics of the United States should be
forcing corporations and their law firms to
consider diversity and inclusion of individuals
from different backgrounds as imperative to
growth and relevance.
During the American Bar Association, Business
Law Section’s 2016 Spring Meeting in Montreal,
Canada, the Diversity & Inclusion Committee
presented a Continuing Legal Education (CLE)
program titled: Diversity & Inclusion: Your Clients
Care And This Is Why You Should Too! 1 The
panel, moderated by Anne Gwal from Pepco
Holdings, Inc., included: Joan Durocher from the
National Council on Disability; Kenneth Fredeen
from Deloitte LLP (Canada), Business Law
Section Advisor Michele Coleman Mayes from
the New York Public Library; Samuel M. Reeves
from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; and Joseph “Joe” K.
West from Duane Morris LLP. The program
materials for the CLE included written responses
to diversity-related inquiries from more than 15
general counsel and legal officers at some of the
largest companies in the world. The panelists,
and those legal officers that provided written
responses, discussed extensively the business
value of diversity and its impact on the legal
marketplace.
This article incorporates some of the CLE
information presented during the Spring Meeting
and provides additional support that diversity
and inclusion have become business imperatives
for corporations and law firms. First, we analyze
the changing demographics and then we consider
the tangible benefits that arise from a diverse
workforce.
Diverse Consumer
As of July 1, 2014, the U.S. Census determined
that the U.S. population is comprised of 13.2%
African-Americans, 5.4% Asians, 17.4% Latinos
and 62.1% Whites, not including Latinos. 2 As a
result, more than 35% of the population is
considered multicultural and it is projected to
substantially increase in the coming years.
Specifically, by around 2020, "‘more than half of
the nation's children are expected to be part of a
minority race or ethnic group’ … [and] ‘by 2044,
the Census Bureau predicts no one racial or ethnic
group will dominate the U.S. in terms of size.’“ 3 So
why do these numbers matter for law firms and inhouse
counsel? The answer is quite simple -
buying power.
From 2000 to 2013, the buying power for African-
American households increased by 78%, for Asian
American households it increased by 160%, and
for Latino households the increase was 142%. 4 Of
note, Asian households, which have a higher
median household income, spent 21% more than
the average U.S. household. 5
Companies such as BB&T Bank have recognized
these demographic changes and acted by creating
a multicultural markets division. 6 The bank
recognized that the “major source of population
growth is now represented by persons of African,
Asian and Latino heritage” and focused on hiring
“native-speaking associates to address
communication and cultural differences” to serve
them better. 7 The company’s efforts resulted in
increasing BB&T’s “multicultural financial centers
by 35%, to 350.” 8
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Dollars & Cents … cont’d.
In terms of individuals with disabilities, the
American Community Survey estimates that the
“overall rate of disability in the U.S. population
in 2014 was 12.6%.” 9 But this underestimates
the size of the market. In the 2016 Annual
Report: The Global Economics of Disability, itis
noted that the estimated population of 1.3
billion people with disabilities are an emerging
market the size of China, and when you add
family and friends, the number of potential
customers grows by another 2.4 billion. 10 This
could represent 53% of the consumer market,
and that number will grow as boomers, with
their significant spending power, age. In terms
of attorney employment, a 2012 study from the
Washington State Bar Association found that
21% of its members have a disability, but yet
employers nationwide frequently report less
than 1% of their employees as having a
disability. 11 It is also worth noting that people
with disabilities are represented in all other
diverse groups.
“Efforts to quantify the LGBT [lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender] population, both by
the government and outside polling sources,
are relatively new, with much still unknown
about this subsection of America.” 12 As a
result, it is currently difficult to provide
reasonable US estimates of the LGBT makeup
in the population. Nonetheless, there is little
doubt that the LGBT population is a prevalent
part of the U.S. population and the
marketplace.
It is undisputed that the substantial
demographic change to a more diverse
consumer base will impact the approaches that
corporations take to market their products and
services. To effectively serve their clients, law
firms must be sensitive to these approaches
and the changing marketplace. As noted
below, many legal officers are mindful of these
shifts and are already acting accordingly:
We live our values every day and everywhere,
collaborating for the benefit of our customers, investors,
employees, communities and partners. As the
demographics of each of these key stakeholder groups
grow more diverse, as the world in which we live and
operate becomes increasingly global, and as the
competition for customers and top talent becomes
increasingly fierce, Alcoa will continue to succeed only if
we foster an environment where people can bring
unparalleled creativity, energy and new ways of thinking
to the table. Audrey Strauss, Executive Vice
President, Chief Legal Officer, Alcoa Inc.
Collaborating with a diverse group of coworkers, who
reflect the customers and communities we serve, has
led to better problem solving, thereby positively
impacting our customer satisfaction ratings and service
reliability efforts. Kevin Fitzgerald, Executive Vice
President and General Counsel, Pepco Holdings,
Inc.
Hundreds of millions of diverse customers and
members shop in our stores and clubs each week. The
more we reflect our customers and their perspectives,
the better positioned we will be to meet their needs.
Samuel M. Reeves, Senior Vice President, General
Counsel, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Diversity [s]trengthens our culture and increases our
agility and ability to compete in a complex, fast-paced,
global environment, [e]nables us to deepen our
understanding of customers in each of our markets and
businesses, [u]nleashes creativity, innovation and
business value by welcoming different perspectives,
experiences and beliefs, [r]educes and eliminates
barriers to full participation in the workplace to help all
employees reach their greatest potential. Melissa
Kennedy, Executive Vice-President and Chief Legal
Officer, Sun Life Financial
We believe that an inclusive and diverse workforce,
where we learn from our differences, leads to higher
employee engagement, which is integral to creating
great customer experiences and enhanced loyalty.
Bindu Cudjoe, Deputy General Counsel & Chief
Administrative Officer Bank of Montreal
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Dollars & Cents … cont’d.
Tangible Benefits
The value of diversity extends beyond
appealing to consumers. Employees from
diverse backgrounds also provide tangible
benefits to corporations and law firms in many
distinct ways.
Acritas Research Ltd. published a Diversity
Report on May 12, 2016, addressing the impact
of a diverse legal team. 13 The report is based
on 1,771 interviews with senior-in-house
counsel around the world, with respondents
defining diversity primarily in terms of gender,
but also according to race and ethnicity,
nationality, LGBT identification, age and years
of experience. The survey determined that
“compared to ‘not at all diverse’ external legal
support teams, ‘very diverse’ teams provide a
superior performance to their clients across all
key performance areas.” 14
The evidence gathered in the study established
that diverse teams deliver enhanced
performance across various attributes
“including responsiveness, business
understanding, client focus, commerciality and
efficiency.” 15 Specifically, law firms were “more
than one and a half times as likely to achieve a
perfect ten performance score from their clients
when the team was considered diverse.” In
addition, law firms with diverse teams received
over 3 times higher Net Promoter Score. 16 As a
result, the clients were much “more likely to
promote the law firm they are working with to
others,” the “ultimate signal of a strong client
relationship.” 17 The proof manifests itself in
share of wallet, 18 with very diverse teams
earning 25% more in revenue than not at all
diverse teams.
The study found similar substantial benefits to
in-house teams. 19 Legal departments with
diverse teams were found to have improved
overall performance, better value, better
relationships, and improved efficiency compared to
non-diverse teams.
The survey results clearly establish that a diverse
team has a positive impact on both sides of the
legal relationship. As stated below, in-house
counsel from various corporations also recognize
the value of diversity:
At 3M, we view diversity as the appreciation of
differences, and we use inclusion of those differences
as a competitive advantage to power our curiosity and
creativity. By enabling broader perspectives, insights,
and ideas, diversity and inclusion gives us a greater
edge in all we do. And diversity and inclusion allows
everyone in the workplace to bring his or her “full self” to
work and be respected and valued. Ivan Fong, SVP,
Legal Affairs & General Counsel, 3M Company
We believe diverse teams create greater innovation with
different approaches, questions and ideas. Horacio
Gutierrez, General Counsel and VP of Legal Affairs,
Microsoft Corporation
The differing perspectives brought to the workplace by
employees who reflect the culture in which we operate
helps ensure that the organization’s products and
services meet the needs of the different communities in
our society, and helps ensure that our organization
stays away from “groupthink” and other cultural biases.
John Mountain, SVP, Legal, CCO & Corporate
Secretary, NEI Investments
We may believe that we are considering all aspects of
an issue, but if everyone involved in the debate
approaches the issue from the same perspective, we
run the risk of thinking we have considered all options
when in reality we are just operating in an echo
chamber. It therefore is vital that our legal department,
and our outside counsel, include individuals with diverse
backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives.
Without that diversity, we can’t produce the best and
most complete legal guidance to our clients. Craig
Silliman, Executive VP – Public Policy and General
Counsel, Verizon Communications.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Dollars & Cents … cont’d.
Conclusion
Inclusion of diverse lawyers will play a major
role in helping law firms and corporations deal
with the demographic shifts that are taking
place. The changes are real and they are
having a substantial impact on the marketing of
products and services. The associated
challenges will require addressing many issues
with new approaches. Hence, as Business
Law Section Advisor Michelle Mayes stated in
Montreal, quoting Carla Harris, a Managing
Director at Morgan Stanley:
“To have the innovation everyone seeks,
you need new ideas;
To generate new ideas,
you need different perspectives;
To have different perspectives,
you need different experiences,
And to achieve this, you need diversity.”
Referenced Sources:
1. ABA-BLS Diversity & Inclusion Committee is led by
Chair by Sylvia Chin from White & Case LLP and
Vice-Chair Chris Young from Young Law Firm,
PLLC. The CLE Program Chairs were Juan
Sempertegui and Wilson Chu from McDermott Will &
Emery LLP and the Program Materials Coordinator
was Grace E. Robson from Markowitz, Ringel, Trusty
& Hartog, P.A.
2. Quick Facts, U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2015)
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/RHI125214/
00.
3. Bill Chappell, For U.S. Children, Minorities Will Be
The Majority By 2020, Census Says, National Public
Radio (Mar. 4, 2015)
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwoway/2015/03/04/390672196/for-u-s-childrenminorities-will-be-the-majority-by-2020-census-says.
4. Catalyst, Buying Power: People of Color in the
U.S.. (May 20, 2015)
http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/buying-powerpeople-color-us.
5. Id.
6. Walt Abro, Marketing to Multicultural Customers ABA
Bank Marketing (Mar. 2, 2015)
http://ababankmarketing.com/insights/marketing-tomulticultural-customers/.
7. Id.
8. BB&T Bank, Multicultural Outreach,
https://www.bbt.com/about/cra/multiculturaloutreach.page
(last visited June 12, 2016).
9. 2015 Disability Statistics Annual Report, Institute on
Disability/UCED (Jan. 2016)
http://www.disabilitycompendium.org/docs/defaultsource/2015-compendium/annualreport_2015_final.pdf.
10. Rich Donovan, 2016 Annual Report: The Global
Economics of Disability, Return on Disability (May 2016)
http://www.rodgroup.com/sites/default/files/2016%20Annual%20Report
%20-
11. Terry Carter, The biggest hurdle for lawyers with
disabilities: preconceptions, ABA Journal, (June 1, 2015)
http://www.abajournal.com/mobile/mag_article/the_bigges
t_hurdle_for_lawyers_with_disabilities_preconceptions.
12. Lindsey Cook, Where Does Gay America Live?, U.S.
News & World Report (Mar. 20, 2015)
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/datamine/2015/03/20/new-data-offer-picture-of-gay-america.
13. Acritas Sharper Insight, Acritas Global Legal Diversity
Survey Finds Diversity Delivers 25% Higher Share of
Wallet, (May 12, 2016)
http://www.acritas.com/news/diversity-delivers-25-highershare-wallet.
14. Id.
15. Id.
16. “Net Promoter Score” is a customer loyalty metric
developed by (and a registered trademark of) Fred
Reichheld, Bain & Company, and Satmetrix. See
Frederick F. Reichheld, The One Number You Need to
Grow, Harvard Business Review (Dec. 2003)
https://hbr.org/2003/12/the-one-number-you-need-togrow/ar/1.
17. Acritas Sharper Insight, supra n.13.
18. “Share of wallet” is a marketing term referring to the
amount of the customer's total spending that a business
captures in the products and services that it offers.
Increasing the share of a customer's wallet that a
company receives is often a cheaper way of boosting
revenue than increasing market share.
19. Acritas Sharper Insight, supra n.13.
Juan M. Sempertegui is the Immediate Past President of the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of
Columbia. He works for a state financial regulatory agency and serves as the Vice-Chair for the Lawyers
of Color Subcommittee in the American Bar Association, Business Law Section’s Diversity & Inclusion
Committee. The opinions expressed in this article are his own. Juan would like to thank Kenneth Fredeen,
Jason Goitia, Michelle Mayes, Dalila Sempertegui and Chris Young for their assistance with the article.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

The Hispanic Bar Association of DC
VÉÜw|tÄÄç \Çä|àxá lÉâ àÉ à{x
2016 Equal Justice Awards
Celebrating extraordinary contributions to equal justice in our communities.
Judge Ricardo M. Urbina Lifetime Achievement Award:
María E. Holleran Rivera, formerly U.S. Department of Energy
Hugh A. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Awards:
Tahirih Justice Center
James J. Sandman, President, Legal Services Corporation
Rising Star Award:
Roman Martinez, Assistant to the Solicitor General,
Office of the Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice
Friday, November 4, 2016
Reception 6:30 p.m., Awards 8:00 p.m.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 1330 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Black Tie Optional
Tickets on sale now at https://hbadc.site-ym.com/store
For sponsorship opportunities, contact HBA-DC President-Elect
Ben Hernandez-Stern at President-Elect@hbadc.org
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Reflection on Semester with Civil Advocacy Clinic
By Gidget G. Benitez
My time in the Civil Advocacy
Clinic began in August 2015.
I’d done two judicial
internships, but I had never
interacted with a client
before, much less handled a
case on my own. I remember
receiving a piece of paper with the name and
phone number of a person, a client, and
wondering where on earth I was supposed to
start. I panicked, internally. “Where’s the
roadmap?!” I asked.
I didn’t always know what I was doing. I
stumbled. I forgot to make copies of a filing. I
thought service of process would happen just
because I asked a process server to find
someone. I believed someone had died when
they hadn’t. Often, I was frustrated, angry,
impatient, and exhausted.
Theexperienceforcedmetoconfrontelements
of my past I thought I had long ago escaped and
outgrown. As a formerly homeless teen raised by
a single mom, I have often thought in law school,
“I don’t belong here.” Eventually, my optimism
and resiliency started to wear thin. It sometimes
felt like progress was non-existent and the
emotional toll of feeling responsible for helping
my clients, who were both on the verge of
homelessness, began to feel like too much. I
started to think that maybe I was better suited to
work with paperwork and not people.
One night, after a particularly rough day, selfdoubt
crept in. I asked a mentor, “Can I do this?
Maybe I’m not meant to be a lawyer or work in a
firm. I feel like I know nothing, like I can’t get
anything right. What am I doing wrong?”
But as the weeks rolled on, habits formed. With
every client meeting, it became second nature to
“debrief” via a memo or a case note; it helped
me get my thoughts together and think about
where to go next. Eventually, it clicked for me to
write out a to-do list in a chart so that I could
systematically see what needed to be done. I
learned to look for answers and use tools around
me. I became more self-reliant throughout the
semester.
Thingsstartedtoclickwhenitcametoclients,too.
After several meetings with a non-native English
speaker that seemed to be going nowhere, my
partner and I decided to use an interpreter. The
difference was instantaneous. I realized that the
takeaway was simple: if you meet a client whose
first language is not English, ask them if they want
an interpreter! After all, don’t you feel more
comfortable speaking your native language?
Meeting with this same client by myself for the first
time helped me discover my own communication
style and showed me that I could handle myself.
When I discovered a seemingly closed door, I
began to push and re-question. Was there another
way to achieve the client’s goal? Did a statement
add another potential piece to the puzzle?
Perhaps the most wonderful moment of the
semester happened over Thanksgiving break,
when I met the same client at her apartment. I
entered the home of a woman who was relying on
me to help her stay in this country, who fed me
with what little she had, as if I were her daughter.
Shebroughtmecoffeeand,beforeIcouldeven
get to reviewing forms, begged me to eat. “You
understand,” she said. “You understand.”
It reminded me of why I went to law school. It
reminded me that even though I may have
bumbled and fumbled, that even though I felt
uncertain about what I was doing, I was still
making a difference. We may not have gotten as
far as we had hoped with our clients, but we were
showing them the right way to be treated by
someone in the legal profession: with kindness,
courtesy, and communication. With heart.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Reflection on Semester with CAC … cont’d.
The process of moving from law student to
lawyer takes much longer than three months. In
Clinic, I had responsibility for someone else’s
life. I had to navigate real courts, real people and
create a strong work product out of messy facts.
You also learn that legal solutions are not the
only solutions; sometimes, the law can’t give
your client everything they need, and you have
to consider non-legal tools. Clinic takes you
outside of the classroom/textbook experience.
As difficult as it was, I am grateful. Next year,
when I’m handed a piece of paper with a
client’s contact information, regardless of the
type of case, I will know how to begin to build the
file. I will know that creating that initial contact and
relationship is important, and I will be able to piece
together fact, law and process. Of course, I’ll still
need help. But imagine if I didn’t know where to
begin?
My time in the Civil Advocacy Clinic ended in
December 2015, but my journey as a Student
Attorney hasn’t really ended. As lawyers, we are
lifetime learners; I will always continue to learn
new things. Most people don’t get the chance to
learn how to practice law before they graduate.
With the help of the Clinic, I got a great head start.
Gidget G. Benitez is a J.D. 2016 graduate from the American University Washington College of Law
and the Program Coordinator at WCL’s Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property. She
was the 2015-2016 Editor in Chief of the American University Intellectual Property Brief and a recent
ABA-IP Spring Meeting Law Student Reporter. Gidget is also an avid volunteer with Gifts for the
Homeless, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that serves the homeless in Washington, D.C.
Support the HBA-DC Foundation
The mission of the HBA-DC Foundation includes supporting the law student community by providing
fellowships for law students working during the summer for public interest legal organizations serving
the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Working under the supervision of experienced attorneys, the
students gain valuable work experience as they assist with providing legal or advocacy services to the
individuals or groups that the sponsoring organizations serve.
In addition to the Fellowship Program, the Foundation holds an annual graduation celebration called
PASOS, which takes place in the spring of each year. PASOS is a celebration attended by graduating
law students, their families and friends, members of the Hispanic Bar, and others from the community.
We acknowledge the many Hispanic students who are graduating that year from all law schools in the
DC area. To make a tax deductible donation, please visit: http://www.hbadc.org/donations/.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Committee Focus:
Legislative & Policy Issues Committee
HBA-DC’s Legislative & Policy Issues
Committee informs the HBA-DC Board and
membership about developments in policy, law,
and practices that may have an impact on the
greater D.C. Hispanic community. Committee
members recommend responses from HBA-DC
to such developments, including public
education and press campaigns.
In addition, the Committee looks forward to
supporting and participating in the Hispanic
National Bar Association’s Annual Advocacy
Day event in May. Several Committee members
participated this year including Sébastien
Monzón Rueda, who summarized his
experience as follows:
• Local Voting Rights for
Undocumented DC Residents
• Comprehensive Immigration
Reform
• DC Notario Fraud Legislation
• U.S. v. Texas Supreme Court
Decision
• UDC DREAM Amendment Act
• DC Youth Justice Reform
• Universal Paid Leave Act
• Anti-Immigrant Legislation
On my way to the White House Briefing, I felt optimistic on
receiving progress reports on where the Executive Branch stands
on Hispanic issues, particularly regarding the recent immigration
raids this year by the Department of Homeland Security. As the
son of immigrants and an immigrant myself, this is an issue that I
hold dear to my heart. Unfortunately, while the optimistic
atmosphere remained throughout the briefing, two hours was
simply insufficient time to deeply discuss the many issues
regarding Hispanics. However, I felt proud to see so many
Hispanic attorneys uniting to address these issues. The questions
and concerns brought forth by the audience, full of profound
interest, impressed me greatly. I am proud to have participated in
the HNBA’s Legislative Day.
This year’s Committee is led by co-chairs Julian Gonzalez and Jesus Saenz. Members include Mara
Giorgio, Alberto Rivera, Sébastien Monzón Rueda, Salvador Sarmiento, Janice Marquez, Scott
Astrada, Melissa Turcios, Edgar Gonzalez, Osvaldo Vázquez, and Edgar Class. Ruben F. Reyna
serves as liaison between the committee and the HBA-DC Board.
The Committee holds monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of each month. If you are interested in
joining, please contact Julian Gonzalez (julianjgonzalez88@gmail.com) or Jesus Saenz
(saenzjn@gmail.com).
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

New & Renewing Members
The success of HBA-DC in furthering its mission is made possible in significant part by member dues.
HBA-DC thanks those members listed below who joined or renewed their membership during the
second quarter of 2016.
Beatriz Aguirre
Maria Alonso-Vázquez
Robert Alvarez
Cesar A. Andreu
Lorena P. Arauz
Scott Astrada
Balkis Awan
Kate Azevedo
Joseph Bautista
Courtney L. Blandford
Elizabeth M. Briones
Gabriela Brito
Arturo Caraballo
Marjorie Castillo
Andrea Coronado
Walter Cosby
Mario Cuahutle
Daniela De La Piedra
Alfredo Diaz
Shirley Diaz
Miguel A. Dominguez
Nataliya Dominguez
Jaime I. Espinosa
Juan Estrada
Jose E. Galván
Juan Garay
Fatima García
Juan J. García
Jane Garrido
German A. Gomez
Alejandro R. Gonzalez
Alejandro Gutierrez
Carlos A. Gutierrez
Maggie Guzman
Shelley Han
A Harry-Bess
Sandra Huerta
Clara N. Jimenez
Carmen D. Jones
Ernesto Lanza
Pedro J. Lopez Pagan
Lin M. Maggi
Alexander Maldonado
Jessica Marroquin
Mireya Martinez
Jaclyn Martinez Resly
Ana M. Matias
Celeste Mattina
Carmen G. McLean
Maria Mendoza
Christopher Merino
Olimpia Michel
Leonor E. Miranda
Nicholas Miranda
Lissi Mojica
Yarissa Molina Olivera
Ruby Moreno
Hon. John Mott
Darrell Mottley
John Murino
Sergio Oehninger
Jesse M. Oropesa
Christopher S. Pascual
Joseline Peña-Melnyk
Laura Possessky
Hon. Hiram Puig-Lugo
Rachel Ramos
Christina A. Ravelo
Carrie Ricci
Angeli Rios
Michael Rivera
Nina C. Rivera
Anthony Rodriguez
David V. Rodriguez
Hector Rodriguez
Mary D Rodriguez
Catherine D. Rogers
Iris F. Rosario
Omar S. Roshnaye
Ruben D. Rudolph
David S. Rusk
Diana Saavedra
Jesus Saenz
Angela Salse
Marisa L. Santana
Michelle G. Schulman
Samuel Schumach
Stephanie Semler
Siobhan Siaca
Sarina Singh
Anna Stressenger
Johana S. Tamayo
Raquel Tamez
Leonel Vásquez
Roxanna Vasquez
Carlos M. Vazquez
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Spring 2016 HBA-DC Member Spotlights
Each month, HBA-DC spotlights one of its members for his or her accomplishments in the legal
profession and contributions to the organization’s mission. HBA-DC’s Membership Committee evaluates
nominations for Member Spotlight. More details are available by contacting the Membership Committee
at membership@hbadc.org or on our website at www.hbadc.org.
Zinelle October is Vice President of Network Advancement at the
American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (ACS). In this
capacity, she oversees and strengthens the work of the lawyer and
student chapters across the country. Before joining ACS, Zinelle served
as a National Urban Fellow at the National Association of Latino Elected
and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, where she focused
on voting and election reform issues. Before the fellowship, Zinelle
practiced law for six years at firms in Florida and New York. Zinelle
received her J.D. from Florida State University School of Law, M.P.A.
from Baruch College, and B.A. from Columbia University. She co-chairs
HBA-DC’s Communications Committee.
Pedro J. Rivera is Director, Leadership Gifts, at Project HOPE, where
he oversees and manages the Major Gifts Department. Project HOPE
delivers medicines, supplies, health expertise and medical training
around the globe to prevent disease and save lives. Previously, he
worked at USA for UNHCR as its Major Gifts & Planned Giving
Manager. Pedro is a Past-President of the Hispanic Bar Association of
Pennsylvania and Region IV Past President of the Hispanic National Bar
Association. He co-chairs HBA-DC’s Endorsements Committee. Pedro
received a J.D. from Western New England College School of Law and
a B.S. in business administration from the University of South Florida.
David Garcia relocatedtotheWashington,D.C.areainearly2015. In
May of 2015, he joined Major, Lindsey, and Africa as a Legal Consultant.
For the past year, he has provided consulting services to InSite Wireless
Group in Alexandria, Virginia, where he is part of a transactional
services support team specializing in the telecommunications industry.
Before coming to Washington, David worked at SSM Health in St. Louis,
Missouri, where he oversaw the administration of non-physician clinical
contracts for a multibillion dollar health care provider. David received his
J.D. from Saint Louis University and B.A. from the University of
Alabama. He co-chairs HBA-DC’s Public Service Committee.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

Make a Difference: Join an HBA-DC Committee!
HBA-DC is dedicated to advancing Latinos in the legal profession, promoting equal justice for all
Hispanics, and promoting the professional development of Latino lawyers and students, among other
principles. HBA-DC encourages its members to makeadifferencebybecomingactiveinoneormore
committees. If you would like to join a committee, please contact Leila Jade Levi, Vice President for
Internal Affairs, at committees@hbadc.org. Thank you for supporting HBA-DC!
Annual Awards Event: Plans the HBA-DC’s
Equal Justice Awards reception.
Communications: Coordinates the publication
of the HBA-DC newsletter. Develops and
maintains HBA-DC brochures and flyers.
Elections: Publishes Elections Meeting date,
call for nominations, and distributes candidates’
statements to membership. Prepares,
distributes, and counts ballots at the Annual
Election Meeting; informs the membership of the
election results.
Endorsements: Evaluates the qualifications of
candidates for appointments who request HBA-
DC’s endorsement. Conducts due diligence on
candidates, holds personal interviews, and votes
on recommendations to the Board.
Legislative and Policy Issues: Develops and
implements initiatives relating to local and
national legislative and judicial processes.
Membership: Develops and implements
membership services and initiatives, including
membership surveys and drives.
Professional Development: Identifies and
organizes employment and career opportunities
available to the membership. Organizes, and
participates in professional development events.
Public Service: Develops, coordinates and
implements HBA-DC’s outreach efforts to the D.C.
Hispanic community. Educates the community
about its legal rights and responsibilities.
Social and Special Events: Develops and
coordinates social and other special events to
provide members with the opportunity to socialize
and/or network with each other and with members
of other professional organizations.
Student Affairs: Develops and coordinates HBA-
DC services for law student members. Coordinates
the Mentor/Mentee Program.
HBA-DC QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
Spring 2016 Contributors
Ruben F. Reyna - Editor-in-Chief
Edgar Class, Juan M. Sempertegui,
Gidget G. Benitez, Sébastien Monzón Rueda
Become a member of the HBA-DC at www.hbadc.org
Advertisements: If interested in advertisement in the HBA-DC
Quarterly Newsletter, contact the Editor-in-Chief Ruben F. Reyna at
Ruben.Reyna@Sedgwicklaw.com.
HBA-DC Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2016

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