Siendo Visto: Being Seen

CLA’s Groundbreaking Partnership with La Raza Lawyers Associations

March 2025

The statistics are sobering. In its most recent annual Diversity Report Card, the State Bar of California shares the numbers that while nearly 37 percent of people living in California identify as Hispanic or Latino/Latina, only six percent of attorneys identify in this same demographic.

Leaders throughout the state’s legal profession view this time in history as a pivotal moment to increase efforts to ensure California’s lawyers more closely reflect the Golden State’s diversity.

To begin a partnership for change, California Lawyers Association (CLA) hosted an informational and networking event with the East Bay La Raza Lawyers Association (EBLRLA) and the San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association (SFLRLA), in Oakland on January 28th. For the first time ever, these groups met to engage with each other and learn why CLA needs leadership from La Raza Lawyers Associations.

“When I heard Brian Amaya, the Vice President for the East Bay La Raza Lawyers Association, speak at their annual Excellence and Scholarship Gala last October, I realized just how infrequently voices like his are heard at many of the events I attend, and how necessary they are for the people in our state,” explains CLA President, Betty Williams. “I wanted to take steps to discuss how Hispanic and Latino/Latina lawyers and legal professionals could be heard on a state-wide level.”

Together with CLA CEO, Chris Nguyen, Williams and Amaya developed a program to connect La Raza Lawyers Associations with CLA.

“CLA is the largest volunteer Bar Association in the state. Certainly we have leadership opportunities for our counterparts in Affinity Bar associations whose voices need to reach our audiences,” says Williams. “It’s important to talk, but we also need to take meaningful action.”

Amaya, who has served in several leadership roles with EBLRLA, notes that this was the first time that someone reached out to his organization and followed up. “Betty is the first person who has ever picked up the phone and asked what we need. The biggest way to make change is not only to talk about it, but to also do something about it,” he states. “People are dumfounded by the numbers, but really it’s how we address it all.”

The evening was attended by nearly three dozen people and featured several speakers who shared their stories and goals, including Amaya, as well as Maria Dominguez, EBLRLA President. Terrance J. Evans, CLA Chair, and Adrieannette Ciccone, CLA Litigation Chair and Racial Justice Committee Chair, also made remarks and collectively asked La Raza members to join in the endeavor to move forward.

“To get that call from CLA’s President, that she notices our absence, is transformational,” says Dominguez. “CLA reached out to us. For the first time, I feel really seen by CLA. Inclusion equals action, and we want our members to understand who CLA is and how we can be part of new opportunities. I became a lawyer to help my community, and now on a personal level, I’m going to re-join CLA.”

Ray Manzo, SFLRLA President agrees. “We need to be there for each other and continue to grow in very challenging times,” Manzo remarks. He points out that both the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) and his organization were established in San Francisco in 1971, as a result of the civil rights movement. However, progress has been slow. “There is a perception in our culture that we pick up on, and that there are too many obstacles to becoming a lawyer. Taking the LSAT, getting into law school, passing the Bar Exam, and paying for it all is a total investment.”

A reception followed the formal presentations, with representatives from six of CLA’s 18 Sections present, giving people the chance to socialize, ask Section-specific questions, and learn more about becoming involved on a state-wide platform through CLA. Leaders from six of CLA’s Sections attended to further the dialogue in specific practice areas, including Jill Manning (Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law), Catherine Haggerty (Business Law), Josh Surowitz and Neeraj Bhatia (International and Immigration Law), Ciaron O’Sullivan, Judith Tang and Ryan Szczepanik (Trusts and Estates), and Amy Spivey (Taxation) were all in attendance to share experiences and encourage people to join CLA, not only as members, but to consider leadership roles.

“Our policy is aspirational,” says Evans, nationally recognized as a leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion. “CLA is striving to mirror the general population. It is becoming more challenging, and it takes all of us coming together, not hiding and giving up on initiatives. I have fought hard for rights, and it is wonderful to have diverse people in positions of leadership.”

“We need to change our lens,” Manzo says. “People are seeing the value in the Latino attorney within our own communities, but also in the greater legal arena.”

The three La Raza leaders all make it clear that they want the number of Hispanic/Latinx attorneys to be closer to California’s population when they leave practice, many years down the road. They want real representation. They are also encouraged to see the diversity in the law school student population starting to grow across the state. They agree that mentoring and scholarship programs play an important role, and they believe it is critical to have a safe space for attorneys going forward. Each has their own unique story of how they became attorneys, but they have a single focus for the future.

“We have to figure this out,” says Amaya. “Our prospectives, our voices, and our experiences are valuable. Dominguez adds, “It’s really important to me to pass the torch and mentor others. She also believes in nurturing future leaders. “We need a constant presence,” says Manzo. “We are beginning to build relationships, and that’s something that was missing before.” All of these shared thoughts will help increase the presence of Hispanic/Latinx lawyers, they agree.

“It’s going to take all of us to not be deterred,” says CLA’s Evans. “We need to be unapologetic in shaking things up. Everyone needs a seat at the table.”

As a result of the inaugural program, several La Raza Lawyers Association members have joined CLA. Williams is firmly committed to advancing new opportunities.

“The next steps are already underway to hold additional events around the state,” says CLA’s president, who has also reached out to every person in attendance, as well as those who registered but could not attend, at the Oakland, California event. “I want us to further connections, build relationships, and deliver on goals which are being set.” She is very grateful to the many CLA and La Raza leaders who participated in the new program, and she is going to do more.

In fact, Williams wants any La Raza Lawyers Associations, or their members, wishing to hold similar programs or begin a dialogue with CLA to contact her at info@calawyers.org.

For more information on CLA, please visit:  https://calawyers.org/.