About Us
HNBA LATINA COMMISSION
OUR MISSION
The Latina Commission serves the community and the legal profession by addressing barriers to the professional development and advancement of Latina lawyers. The Commission develops programs and strategies for Latina lawyers and students to overcome barriers to entry and advancement into the profession.
OUR STORY
In 2008, the Latina Commission was proposed by HNBA President, Ramona Romero, and approved by the Board to study, and remedy the status of Latinas in the legal profession who then, as now, suffer the lowest representation of any racial or ethnic group as compared to their overall presence in the national population.
The creation of the Commission laid the ground work and made possible two critical national studies, Few and Far Between: The Reality of Latina Lawyers” (September 2009) and La Voz de la Abogada Latina: Challenges and Rewards in Serving the Public Interest (September 2010). Per a recent study by Dr. Jill Lynch Cruz, Still Too Few and Far Between: The Status of Latina Attorneys in the U.S. (published by UCLA Chicanx-Latinx Law Review (May, 2024), Latinas are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group at 9.4% of the total U.S. population. Additionally, Latinas represent 9.2% of all law students or the 3rd largest group enrolled in law school. However as of May 2024, Latina lawyers account for less than 3% of all lawyers in the United States. These reports identified both barriers and recommendations for Latinas to succeed in the legal profession. In response, the Commission has implemented regular programming across the country to not only support Latinas in the profession, but to increase the pipeline of Latinas entering the practice of law. In addition to programming, the Latina Commission partners with the HNBA and offers the Latina Leadership Academy, Latina Executive Leadership Program, Pearls of Wisdom, research, publications, and service on the HNBA’s Board of Governors to advance the interests of Latinas entering the pipeline to become successful Latina Lawyers.
Commissioners
Rebekah Bautista
Associate Attorney, Nichols Gelmann LLC
Washington, DC
María Amelia Calaf
Partner, Botkin Chiarello Calaf
Austin, TX
Nadia Chinchilla
Sr. Corporate Cousel, Liberty Mutual
Boston, MA
Ivelisse Clausell
Managing Attorney, Dun & Bradstreet
Bridgewater, NJ
Carla Clements
Senior Counsel, Wells Fargo
Charlotte, NC
Juliee Conde-Medina
Manager Counsel Compliance, The Hershey Company
Washington, DC
Deborah Cordova
Member, WMCN
Edinburg, TX
Leonor Davila
Assistant General Counsel, KLA Corp
San Diego, CA
Cindy Duque Bonilla
Partner, Holland & Knight
Orlando, FL
Linda Garza
General Counsel, Sore Family Foods
Austin, TX
Vanessa Gomez
Senior Associate, Goodwin Procter LLP
Los Angeles, CA
Ellie Jurado Nieves
Head of Strategic Public Policy and Assistant General Counsel, The Guardian Life Insurance Counsel
Winter Garden, FL
Leila Levi
Senior Counsel, National Women's Health Law Center
Washington, DC
Kimberly Lopez
Partner, Akerman
Orlando, FL
Natalia Medina Ahn
Deputy Legal Counsel, Executive Office of Governor Wes Moore
Chevy Chase, MD
Judge Lumarie Maldonado-Cruz
Justice, NYS Judiciary
Bronx, NY
Eva Morales
Assistant Polk County Attorney, Polk County Attorney's Office
Des Moines, IA
Eve Perez Torres
Senior Counsel, FedEx Corporation
Miami, FL
Cynthia Rigney
Assistant General Counsel, Texas Health Resources
Dallas, TX
Noeli Serna
Founding Attorney, Serna Legal Services
Chicago, IL
Fatima Wolff
General Counsel, Latin America & Canada, Boston Scientific Corporation
Weston, FL
Lisa Martinez Wolmart
Chief Legal Officer, Global Retirement and Insurance Businesses
Prudential Financial, Inc.
Newark, NJ
Judge Marilyn Zayas
Judge, Ohio's Court of Appeals
Cincinnati, OH
GET INVOLVED
Currently, Latinas comprise 2.5% of all lawyers even though they represent nearly one in five women in the United States. If you are interested in working with the Commission or helping to promote the advancement of Latina Lawyers here is what you can do:
- Collaborate with the Latina Commission to host a Regional Latina Leadership Academy in your city or region. The Commission has developed a virtual or in-person program that can be modified and presented with your local HNBA affiliate, workplace affinity group or your community of Latina legal leaders.
- Write an article for HNBA’s e-Noticias. Showcase your legal expertise or discuss issues critical to the advancement of Latina lawyers. Submit your article to: noticias@hnba.com
- Host a Pearls of Wisdom program. Work with Commissioners to present to your local high school or grammar school Latina students a virtual or in-person panel of Latina lawyers who will discuss their experiences, overcoming challenges and entry into the law.
- Submit a program proposal on-line for a CLE program that can be presented at HNBA’s Annual Convention or Corporate Counsel Conference.
- Nominate an outstanding Latina lawyer for the Commission’s Primera Abogadas Award and other HNBA Annual Awards.
To learn more about all of these programs contact the Commission at: latinacommission@hnba.com
HNBA LATINA LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
Each year, the Latina Commission offers professional development and leadership training programs to help advance the careers of Latina attorneys. According to a recent study conducted by Dr. Jill Lynch Cruz, Latinas are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group at 9.4% of the total U.S. population. Additionally, Latinas represent 9.2% of all law students or the 3rd largest group enrolled in law school. However as of May 2024, Latina lawyers account for less than 3% of all lawyers in the United States. In response, the Commission has implemented regular programming across the country to not only support Latinas in the profession, but to increase the pipeline of Latinas entering the practice of law.
The Latina Leadership Academy, a day-long program presented during the HNBA Annual Convention and at the Corporate Counsel Conference, caters to attorneys who have been practicing less than 10 years, and the Latina Executive Leadership Program, a nine-month program with monthly meetings designed for more senior attorneys, kicks off in early September. Each of these programs offers a curriculum specifically developed for Latina attorneys and draws from a significant body of research from both the Commission and other leading organizations. The curriculum of each program is designed to address areas identified as key to shattering glass ceilings and securing the advancement and long-term success of Latina lawyers—the most underrepresented group in the legal profession.
The Pearls of Wisdom program was designed to expose primarily Latina students to Latina attorneys and help increase the pipeline of Latinas in the profession by having a panel of Commissioners speak with mostly high school students about their paths to becoming lawyers and their legal careers. These panels are held in various regions throughout the year, both virtually and in-person, and at local high schools during the Annual Convention and Corporate Counsel Conferences. Volunteers who wish to share their stories and help increase the interest of young Latina students in the law, or anyone with contacts at schools willing to host a Pearls of Wisdom panel, are welcome to contact the latinacommission@hnba.com.
In addition to the national programs, the Commission partners with HNBA Regions across the country to host Regional Latina Leadership Academies and to provide specialized training, including salary and contract negotiation workshops as well as personal and financial wellness presentations, throughout the year.
We invite eligible women to apply for the Latina Leadership Academy and the Latina Executive Leadership Program and welcome nominations of eligible, trailblazing, Latina lawyers for the Primera Abogada Award.
Apply to serve on the HNBA Latina Commission
Are you passionate about advancing Latina lawyers? The HNBA Latina Commission is now accepting applications for Commissioners to serve during FY2026–2027.
Deadline: Tuesday, September 1st
SPONSORS
Champion
Trailblazer
Leader
Advocate
Specialty
For more information on sponsorship opportunities and to discuss how you can support the Latina Commission, please contact:
Latina Commission Programs
STATISTICS : STATUS OF LATINAS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
» Latinas are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group at 9.4% of the total U.S. population
» Latinas represent 9.2% of all law students or the 3rd largest group enrolled in law school
» However, as of May 2024, Latinas comprise:
- 3% of all U.S. attorneys are Latinas
- 5.5% of summer associates, 3.8% of associates, and 2.3% of all law firm attorneys
- 1% of law firm nonequity partners, 0.9% of equity partners
- 1.4% of Fortune 1000 General Counsel
- 4.5% of federal judges (active Article III), and less than 3% of state supreme court judges
- 3% of law school deans, and less than 2% of law school faculty
Statistics cited from Dr. Jill Lynch Cruz’ law review article, Still Too Few and Far Between: The Status of Latina Attorneys in the U.S. published by UCLA Chicanx-Latinx Law Review (May, 2024).
Latina Leadership Academy (LLA)
Full day of relevant professional development and leadership training aimed at lawyers who have been in the profession 10 years or less. The Academy’s curriculum builds off the successful programs on Grit and Growth Mindset and delves into concepts of executive presence, cultivating leadership skills, and what it means to be authentic in organizations where Latinas remain underrepresented at all levels.
Empowering Latina Lawyers to Advance (ELLA)
A six-month hybrid development experience designed for high-potential attorneys working in mid-to-large law firms and in-house legal departments with ten or more attorneys. Participants will attend a full-day, in-person retreat in conjunction with the HNBA’s Annual Conference followed by monthly virtual leadership workshops and small-group executive coaching.
Latina Executive Leadership Program (LELP)
A nine-month program with monthly meetings designed for more senior attorneys. Each of these programs offers a curriculum specifically developed for attorneys and draws from a significant body of research from both the Commission and other leading organizations. 2026 details coming soon.