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March 2009LBAW — Representing the Concerns and Goals of Washington’s Latino CommunityThe Latina/o Bar Association’s outgoing president, Ciarelle Jiménez “C.J.” Valdez, speaks about her experiences leading the LBAW. What is the Latina /o Bar Association and what are your goals? The Latina/o Bar Association of Washington (LBAW) was formed in 1991. Originally known as the Washington State Hispanic Bar Association (WSHBA), the goal of the LBAW is to represent the concerns and goals of Latina/o attorneys and Latina/o people of the state of Washington. To do so, we encourage and promote the active participation of all Latino attorneys throughout Washington and we seek the involvement of Latina/o political, governmental, educational, and business leaders. Efforts are made to encourage and assist Latino students and to recognize the needs and voice the concerns of Latino people and their communities. Of importance is the need to promote Latino judicial appointments; encourage respect for the integrity of the judicial system; and the pursuit of fairness, justice, and equality. Our further goal is to become a unified and active participant within the Washington legal community and assist in providing solutions to the problems that confront our legal system and communities. As a practical matter, our mission is to address the needs and concerns of the Latino community in Washington state. That means that as a collective of professionals, leaders, and activists, we must be aware of and respond to injustices and prejudices against not only our community, but supporters of our community. We strive to promote diversity in all levels of academia and the judicial system while at the same time encouraging the active recruitment and retention of Latina/o attorneys in firms, companies, and the government. How did you get involved with LBAW, and what projects inspired you? I joined the LBAW Board of Directors in 2005 and instantly became involved as an executive team member, helping manage all activities ranging from the CLEs to the Annual Banquet to Friend/Fundraisers under the leadership of 2006 LBAW President Brenda Williams, who has since joined the WSBA Board of Governors. Following my first term on the LBAW Board, I was elected the 2007 president-elect, and began working alongside 2007 LBAW President M. Lorena González, to help take the organization to another level. In 2008, I assumed the LBAW president position, and was inspired by and blessed with a magnificent board, filled with enthusiasm, excitement, and promise. In 2008, we continued our record-breaking Judicial Evaluations Committee interviews; we kicked off a monthly free legal clinic; we sponsored numerous events, including the Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration, the Fourth Annual Statewide Diversity Conference, and the Ernest I.J. Aguilar Endowed MBA Scholarship Fundraising Dinner and Auction; we spoke at Know-Your-Rights workshops; we partnered with community groups like Campaña Quetzal; and we co-hosted valuable CLEs. What do you see as the major contributions of the LBAW? The LBAW has grown in the last five years, resulting in many positive changes in the legal community. In particular, the LBAW has been influential in judicial evaluations, mentorship, and community-service projects. In the judicial evaluations system, we developed a process by which we encourage all candidates, appointment or election, to interview with our organization, giving candidates the opportunity to share views, philosophies, and general sentiments relating to the LBAW mission. With our mentoring projects, we continue to foster relationships among seasoned attorneys and law students by hosting annual events, thereby connecting the incoming class of attorneys with our established membership. We encourage candid conversations and draw on realistic expectations so that mentees are empowered for leadership in a legal career. Finally, it goes without saying that we have been, and will remain, active in the extended community. Our Annual Legal Clinic at the Hispanic Seafair is in its third year and each year the participants, volunteers, and assistance given grows exponentially. Our new Monthly Legal Clinic series kicked off this year and has been a huge success. Can you describe the LBAW Monthly Legal Clinic, and do you still need volunteers? In March 2008, we founded the LBAW Monthly Legal Clinic. We partnered with the Law Offices of Schroeter, Goldmark & Bender and with El Centro de La Raza, an outreach community-service center in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, to produce monthly legal clinics. To reach everyone needing assistance, the clinics are free and anonymous. Our volunteers include both LBAW and non-LBAW members who are willing to give a couple of hours per month supporting the clinic and helping the LBAW accomplish its mission. Last year, we served 203 people, and we welcomed 52 volunteers, including 32 attorneys, 12 legal staff, and eight law students. We met with people from 19 countries, with Mexico as the most represented country. As you can imagine, the areas of service were broad, and included family law, landlord-tenant, bankruptcy, criminal law, consumer protection and finance, employment law, immigration law, medical malpractice, personal injury, property law, small claims court, Social Security disability, wage claims, and workers’ compensation. This work is so rewarding, and yes, we need more volunteer attorneys! Anyone interested in supporting the LBAW clinic or wanting more information, please contact us at clinics@lbaw.org. In what direction will the LBAW move in the next few years? I believe that LBAW will continue to grow and will mature into an organization willing to push the limits and challenge certain status quos. The new leadership team is a combination of seasoned attorneys with diverse backgrounds and points of view, who will undoubtedly impact the legal arena in Washington and nationally. The incoming LBAW president, Nicole McGrath, has a vision of, and is passionate about, giving back to our youth. This vision will help bring LBAW into a new arena, going beyond the law schools and into colleges, high schools, and elementary schools, delivering the message that anything is possible if you have the will, determination, and desire to succeed. Assuming the LBAW presidency after Nicole McGrath will be Patricia Lally, whose extraordinary background and influential personality gives the LBAW an advantage as an organization in having such a diverse leader and future president. Equally important, our Hispanic National Bar Association liaison will continue to work nonstop to strengthen the relationship between the LBAW and the Hispanic National Bar Association. That relationship has grown in the last five years, and I see our friendship deepening into a unique partnership. With that partnership, LBAW will be positioned to address the needs and concerns of the Latina/o community here in Washington, while at the same time becoming an active participant in the national discussion affecting our community. Of what are you most proud as you leave LBAW leadership? I am very proud of LBAW as a whole, the work we are doing, and the difference we are making. We are evolving into a committed, knowledgeable, and reliable resource for our membership and our people. We support our local community, yet we remember where we came from, and where we are going. Much work remains to be done. Here in Washington, we continue to see a need to support the community across all socio-economic levels, from the migrant farm worker, still tolerating unbearable work conditions, to the hardworking entrepreneur, seeking the lifelong American dream of small-business ownership, to the zealous young student, ready and willing to make a difference in the world. We at LBAW are always working to become better, wiser, and smarter, so that we continue to serve the community and grow professionally. Ciarelle Jiménez “C.J.” Valdez was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Washington and earned her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law. She is general counsel for the Zella Company and is married to fellow attorney Jesse Valdez. They are proud parents of a newborn son, Caleb J. Valdez. Attorney Wilberforce Agyekum and Assistant Attorney General Maureen Mannix edit this column. Asian Bar Association of Washington — www.abaw.org |
