Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia

Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Equal Justice Awards Ceremony

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Thursday, November 8, 2012

Patron

• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

• Alston + Bird LLP • American University

Washington College of Law • Arent Fox LLP • AT&T • Bank of Georgetown • Banner & Witcoff LTD • Barnes & Thornburg LLP • Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft

LLP • Covington & Burling LLP • DLA Piper

• Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

• Hunton & Williams LLP • Kirkland & Ellis LLP • Mayer Brown LLP • McGuire Woods LLP • McKenna, Long &

Aldridge LLP • Ropes & Gray LLP • Vinson & Elkins LLP • Weil Gotshal & Manges

LLP • Wiley Rein LLP • Williams Mullen

Friend

Bakker DeLaCruz u Crowell & Moring LLP u Hogan Lovells u

Nelson Mullins u PNC Bank u Veris Consulting

Individual Patrons

Jaime Areizaga-Soto Bob Boos, Adams and Reese LLP Jackie Bensen William DiMonte, Planet Depos Andrew Fois Holli Feichko, W. R. Grace & Co. Maria Holleran Rivera Juan Sempertegui, Carr Maloney P.C.

Benjamin Wilson, Beveridge & Diamond

Special thanks to Elaine Coronado of Argus Events & Marketing and our law student volunteers for making this event possible

. www.RSVP-Latino.com

HBA-DC proudly acknowledges our generous supporters

Benefactor

Sponsor

HISPANIC BAR ASSOCIATION

OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA November 8, 2012 Dear Friends, Thirty-five years ago, the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia (HBA-DC) was founded as the Hispanic Lawyers Association and has since grown from a dream to a vibrant network of hundreds of lawyers practicing in the Washington, D.C., metro area. Tonight, it is our honor and privilege to recognize some of the most devoted and inspiring members of the D.C. community, whose historical accomplishments and future promise embody the principles underlying the mission of the HBA-DC. This year, we will present the Judge Ricardo M. Urbina Lifetime Achievement Award to the Honorable John Trasviña, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Hugh A. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Awards to James Ferg-Cadima, Regional Counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and to New Futures, a non-profit organization that offers financial and mentoing support to low income D.C.-area youth seeking economic self-sufficiency through post-secondary education; and the Rising Star Award to Benjamin Hernandez-Stern, Program Specialist at the Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These prestigious awards recognize individuals and an organization that have made outstanding contributions to the Hispanic community in the areas of equality, fairness, and social justice and who have an unwavering commitment to and achievement in public service We hope that this year’s Equal Justice Awards will inspire you to continue and expand your support for the HBA-DC, its mission, and equal justice for all. ¡Bienvenidos! Sincerely,

Lyzka P. DeLaCruz Jaime Areizaga-Soto President President-Elect

Our Mission

The Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia (HBA-DC), a

non-profit organization, was founded in 1977 as the Hispanic Lawyers

Association. Its membership includes hundreds of lawyers practicing in

Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, Latino students attending local

law schools, and other non-lawyers who join as associate members. The

HBA-DC is an affiliate of the Hispanic National Bar Association, a

national network of Hispanic lawyers and bar associations, which honored

the HBA-DC with its “Affiliate Organization of the Year” award in 2006

and 2012.

The HBA-DC is dedicated to the following principles:

Advancing and developing Latinos in the legal profession;

Promoting equal justice and opportunity for all Hispanics;

Educating the Hispanic community about relevant legal issues;

Promoting the professional development of Hispanic lawyers and

law students;

Encouraging Latinos to enter the legal profession; and

Promoting the appointment of Hispanics to leadership positions in

federal, state, and local governments, in the judiciary, and in other

areas.

For additional information about the HBA-DC, please visit our website at www.hbadc.org.

July 17, 2012 Annual Reception for Summer Associates, Law Clerks and Legal

Interns July 28, 2012 La Familia BBQ Aug. 1, 2012 How to Apply for a Job with the Department of Labor Aug. 9, 2012 HBA-DC Judicial Council Judicial Internship Program Reception Aug. 16, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsors APABA-DC’s Fundraiser Benefiting the

Victims of the Oak Creek, WI Sikh Community Shooting Aug. 23, 2012 Becoming a U.S. Department of Justice Attorney, Part One – A Guide

for Students Applying to the DOJ Sept. 10, 2012 Becoming a U.S. Department of Justice Attorney, Part Two – A Guide

for Attorneys to Join the DOJ Sept. 15, 2012 Immigration Legal Advice & Referral Clinic Sept. 18, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsors “How to Apply for a Position with the CFPB

and Other Government Agencies” Sept. 19, 2012 An Evening with SEC Commissioner Luis A. Aguilar Sept. 27, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsors ACS Happy Hour Featuring Past President

Robert Raben Sept. 29, 2012 Zumba Party Benefitting the HBA-DC Foundation Oct. 1, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsors CHLI Trade and International Affairs

Symposium Oct. 4, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsors “The Ongoing Reform at the Inter-American

Commission on Human Rights” Oct. 9, 2012 HBA-DC Sponsors Naturalization Ceremony in Honor of Hispanic

Heritage Month Oct. 11, 2012 Reception Honoring the Recent Judicial Appointments of the Hon.

Rudolph Contreras and the Hon. Kenia Seoane Lopez Oct. 13, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsors the Robert E. Wone Annual Judicial Clerkship

& Internship Conference Oct. 17, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsors Panel Discussion on Voting Right

Legislation’s Impact on the 2012 Election Oct. 18, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsors UDC David A. Clarke School of Law

“Resume, Job Fair, and Interview Workshop” Oct. 25, 2012 Networking Series Happy Hour Benefitting Liberty’s Promise Nov. 8, 2012 35th Annual Equal Justice Awards Nov. 13, 2012 HBA-DC to Co-Sponsor Washington Foreign Law Society Diplomatic

Reception Honoring Mexico Nov. 2012 HBA-DC Task Force on Advancing Latino Attorneys Summit; Panel

Discussion and Small Group Sessions on Career Development Lessons for Today’s Legal Climate

Dec. 5, 2012 Annual Holiday Party Benefitting Mary’s Center Dec. 6, 2012 HBA-DC to Co-Sponsor Esperanza Education Fund’s Fourth Annual

Benefit Concert

2012 Year in Review Jan. 11, 2012 U.S. Supreme Court Swearing-In Ceremony for HBA-DC Members Jan. 19, 2012 Annual Meeting & Elections Feb. 7, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsored “U.S. Free Trade Agreements with Columbia

& Panama: The Views of the Governments” Feb. 21, 2012 HBA-DC Leadership Attended MALDEF State of the Union Feb. 23, 2012 Board and Committee Meet & Greet Mar. 3, 2012 Immigration Legal Advice & Referral Clinic Mar. 6, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsored the 15th Annual Hispanic Law Conference Mar. 14, 2012 D.C. Bar’s Small Business Advice Clinic Mar. 15, 2012 Brown Bag Lunch at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of

Columbia Hosted by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr. Mar. 22, 2012 Networking Series Happy Hour Featuring the Esperanza Education

Fund Mar. 24, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsored LAAW’s Workshop on How to Prepare for

the Bar Exam Apr. 14, 2012 Annual Golf Clinic Apr. 19, 2012 Networking Series Happy Hour Benefitting the HBA-DC Foundation Apr. 25, 2012 An Evening with Assistant Attorney General Ignacia Moreno Apr. 25, 2012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsored the D.C. Bar Candidates Forum May 1, 2012 Latinos and the Internet: Jobs, Education, and Empowerment in a

Digital Economy May 4, 012 HBA-DC Co-Sponsored LatinVIP.com’s 11th Annual CINCO DE

MAYO Networking Happy Hour May 8, 2012 2012 HBA-DC/HNBA Law Day and Advocacy Summit & Legislative

Day May 9, 2012 HBA-DC Sends Letter to Councilmember Mendelson, Chairperson,

Committee on the Judiciary, D.C. Council regarding “Immigration Detainer Compliance Amendment Act of 2011.”

May 11, 2012 HBA-DC Endorses Candidates for the D.C. Bar May 18, 2012 PASOS 2012 June 2, 2012 Immigration Legal Advice & Referral Clinic June 6, 2012 An Evening with SEC Commissioner Troy Paredes June 9, 2012 HBA-DC’s Team “Abogados Con Alma” Participates in the 2012

Lawyers Have Heart June 13, 2012 HNBA Region V Event with HNBA President-Elect Candidates June 13, 2012 HBA-DC Sent Letters to Key Senators Urging the Confirmation of

Mari Carmen Aponte as U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador June 14, 2012 HBA-DC Applauds Appointment of Kenia Seoane Lopez as a

Magistrate Judge in the D.C. Superior Court June 28, 2012 Networking Series Happy Hour Featuring CARECEN July 9, 2012 HBA-DC Legislative Day at the Council of the District of Columbia

Program 6:30 – 8:00 PM Cocktail Reception 8:00 – 9:15 PM Awards Ceremony Welcome Remarks Lyzka P. DeLaCruz, President

Sponsor Recognition Awards Presentation Judge Ricardo M. Urbina Lifetime Achievement Award Hugh A. Johnson, Jr. Award (Organization) Hugh A. Johnson, Jr. Award (Individual) Rising Star Award

Raquel Tamez & Susan Santana, Development Committee Co-Chairs Magistrate Judge Kenia Seoane Lopez, Superior Court of the District of Columbia Judge Ricardo M. Urbina Hon. John Trasviña William Alvarado Rivera, Immediate Past President New Futures, Inc. Lyzka P. DeLaCruz James Ferg-Cadima, Esq. Jaime Areizaga-Soto, President-Elect Benjamin-Hernandez-Stern

Keynote

Recognition of HBADC 2012 Board of Directors

Hon. Mari Carmen Aponte U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Lyzka P. DeLaCruz

Closing Remarks Jaime Areizaga-Soto

9:15 – 10:30 PM Dessert Reception &

Dancing

Keynote Speaker The Honorable Mari Carmen Aponte U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador

Mari Carmen Aponte is the United States Ambassador to El Salvador.

Before assuming leadership of the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador in 2010, Ambassador Aponte worked as an attorney and consultant at a consulting firm in Washington D.C., and served on the Board of Directors of Oriental Financial Group. From 2001-2004, Ambassador

Aponte was the Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Federal Affairs Administration.

Before that, Ambassador Aponte practiced law in Washington D.C. for nearly twenty years. Ambassador Aponte has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council of La Raza, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the University of the District of Columbia. She was a member of the Board of Rosemont College, and served as president of the Hispanic National Bar Association; the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia; and as a member of the District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Commission. In 1979, as a White House Fellow, Ambassador Aponte was Special Assistant to United States Housing and Urban Development Secretary Moon Landrieu. Ambassador Aponte has a B.A. in Political Science from Rosemont College, an M.A. in Theatre from Villanova University, and a J.D. from Temple University.

2012-2013 Board of Directors

Officers Lyzka P. DeLaCruz President Jaime Areizaga-Soto President-Elect Holli Feichko Vice President-External Affairs Leonor Velazquez Davila Vice President-Internal Affairs

Juan Sempertegui Vice President-Membership Erik J. Burgos Treasurer Marie C. Scott Secretary William Alvarado Rivera Immediate Past President

Board Members Christina Brito Arturo Caraballo Jilma M. Lasso

Maria G. Mendoza Fernando Rivero Hon. Kenia Seoane Lopez Marina Torres

2012 Equal Justice Awards Committee Jaime Areizaga-Soto, Co-Chair Lyzka P. DeLaCruz, Co-Chair Alejandro Badillo Erik Burgos Edgar Class Caroline Danauy Holli Feichko Corina Garcia Patrick Kellerman Liz Lopez R. Anthony Lopez John Machado Linda Estrada, Co-Chair, Awards Hon. Kenia Seoane Lopez, Co-Chair, Awards

Susan Santana, Co-Chair, Development Raquel Tamez, Co-Chair, Development Rosa Mendoza Sergio F. Oehninger Gregory Ortiz Robert Raben Louis Ramos William Alvarado Rivera Juan Sempertegui Marina Torres Nicole Valdesuso Tyrone Valdivia Sonia Zeledon

Rising Star Award Benjamin Hernandez-Stern Special Assistant to the Deputy Director for Enforcement Office of Civil Rights U.S Department of Health & Human Services

Ben Hernandez-Stern is the Special Assistant to the Deputy Director for Enforcement and Regional Operations at the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In that capacity, Ben coordinates efficient high impact case resolution; assists with management initiatives; and leads the planning of the February 2013 Academy for Federal Civil Rights Investigators. Ben first

joined the OCR family in 2010, and as Civil Rights Analyst, he has worked on a number of special projects for OCR, including supporting the Section 1557 regulation writing effort, assisting with the nationwide Critical Access Hospital Review, and helping to lead HHS’ efforts to reduce unnecessary collateral consequences to incarceration. Ben received his law degree from Stanford University and bachelors degree from Brown University. Following law school, Ben clerked for the Honorable Harry Pregerson on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to working at HHS, he worked in the Washington office of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson in the general litigation department. Ben is also a Judge Advocate General in the California Air National Guard. As a Captain in the Air National Guard, Ben was awarded a Bronze Star in December 2012 for meritorious achievement based on his conducting more than 45 missions “into imminent threat areas” and obtaining warrants to detain more than 1,000 terrorist suspects.

Lifetime Achievement Award The Honorable John D. Trasviña Assistant Secretary U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development

John Trasviña was nominated by President Obama to be Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity on April 20, 2009, and confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on May 1, 2009. The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) administers and enforces federal laws and establishes policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to the housing of their choice. Before joining the Obama Administration,

Assistant Secretary Trasviña served as President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). There he led the law firm for the Latino community by advancing litigation and public policy in the areas of civil rights, immigration, education and related issues. Assistant Secretary Trasviña began his career at MALDEF in Washington, DC, as a legislative attorney in 1985. He later worked for U.S. Senator Paul Simon as General Counsel and Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution. In 1997, President Clinton appointed Mr. Trasviña as Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices. As Special Counsel until 2001, he led the only federal government office devoted solely to immigrant workplace rights and was the highest ranking Latino attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice. After returning to California, Assistant Secretary Trasviña taught immigration law at Stanford Law School and was Director of the Discrimination Research Center in Berkeley. Previously, he was a member of the San Francisco Elections Commission, president of the Harvard Club of San Francisco, and a board member of the La Raza Lawyers Association, Latino Issues Forum, Campaign for College Opportunity, Lowell High School Alumni Association, and Pacific Coast Immigration Museum. Assistant Secretary Trasviña, a native of San Francisco, California, is a graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School.

Hugh A. Johnson, Jr. Award (Organization) New Futures, Inc.

Founded in 1999, from a bequest from the estate of Allen Gould, New Futures provides scholarships to at-risk youth and young adults seeking financial self-sufficiency through post-secondary education.

Most of these youths would not be able to fulfill their dreams without this assistance. Their target group has experienced a range of poverty’s afflictions that may include drugs, immigration problems, dysfunctional families and teen pregnancy. The youth selected to participate in this program are a highly committed group, who have already overcome enormous obstacles to obtain their GED or high school degrees and are ready to take the next step by attending post-secondary education. In less than a decade, New Futures has dramatically improved the lives of its scholars and their families. To date, they have provided assistance to 250 young people, amounting to over $2 million in scholarships. About 70 percent of their scholarship recipients have successfully completed their programs or are progressing well with their studies, a remarkable figure given the challenges these youth have faced. Fifty of their scholars have graduated and are pursuing careers in their chosen fields, which include nursing, teaching, auto mechanics, cosmetology, social work, computer technology and more. For more information about New Futures, please visit www.newfuturesdc.org/.

Hugh A. Johnson, Jr. Award (Individual) James A. Ferg-Cadima Regional Counsel MALDEF

James A. Ferg-Cadima has built his public interest career on authoring and lobbying for civil rights and civil liberties legislation at the federal, state, and local level. He heads the Washington, D.C. office of MALDEF, shaping legislative and regulatory matters at the federal level and litigates cases in the Southeast in the areas of education, employment, immigration, and voting rights. He co-chairs the Education Task Force of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Right, a diverse coalition of more than 200

national organizations working on civil rights, and the Membership Committee of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda. Before rejoining MALDEF in 2010, Mr. Ferg-Cadima served as legislative counsel for the ACLU of Illinois in Chicago; legislative staff attorney and then interim regional counsel for MALDEF in Washington, D.C.; a two-term co-chair of the Hispanic Education Coalition; a judicial clerk for the Northern District of Illinois; and a racial justice fellow at the Advancement Project. Among the many highlights of his ACLU tenure, he authored and advanced successful Illinois state legislation, including overhauls of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and the Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act; consumer protection against private marketplace misuse of biometric information; an extension of then-State Senator Barack Obama’s racial and ethnic data collection law concerning police traffic stops; and two expansions of laws to ban bullying in schools and discrimination by medical offices. Between 2002 and 2005, he headed MALDEF’s efforts to successfully amend federal law concerning Latino students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disability Education Act, migrant students under the National School Lunch Act, and English language learners under the implementing regulations of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Harvard Law School awarded Mr. Ferg-Cadima a Wasserstein Fellowship in 2008 in recognition of his dedication to public interest law. He earned his law degree from the American University Washington College of Law.