The Puerto Rican Bar Association
50th Anniversary Gala Banquet
At Marriott Hotel NY NY
May 22nd 2007

The Puerto Rican Bar Association, Inc. (PRBA) was founded in 1957 by a group of Puerto Rican and Latino attorneys who began gathering socially to offer one another both personal and professional support in an era when it was difficult for attorneys of color to be accepted as members in established bar associations. The PRBA at that time focused its efforts on addressing the concerns of a rapidly growing Latino community and the legal services it required. Today, the PRBA has grown from a handful of attorney to over 500 members representing the interests of attorneys, judges, law professors and students of Latino descent who share a common interest in fostering professional development in the legal community and addressing issues that are important to other Latino communities as a whole.

The idea of a bar association that would the needs of Latino attorneys existed many years prior to 1957. As early as 1934, a few practitioners servicing the Puerto Rican community began to organize and subsequently formed what was to be the earliest predecessor of today's PRBA called the Pam-American Lawyers' Association. Subsequently, in the mid 1940's, a new organization called the Spanish-American Bar Association was organized which, in 1957, became the present day PRBA. The original incorporators of the PBRA were Rafael Descartes, Francisco Rodriguez Jr., Roberto Ortiz, Sixto Laureano, Demonstenses Santiago Rogue and Oscar Gonzalez Suarez. Among the members of the committee of the original by laws were Felipe N. Torres, chairmen, who was the first Puerto Rican Family Court Judge and who previously had served as the first Puerto Rican Assemblyman from the Bronx; Oscar Garcia Rivera, the first Puerto Rican Assemblymen from New York City and the first President of the Puerto Rican Bar Association; Emilio Nunez, who later served as Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department; and Jose Quinones, Roberto Lebron, Luis Garcia and Manuel Nelson Zapata, all practicing attorneys.

In 1978, the Puerto Rican Bar Association Scholarship Fund, Inc. (the "PRBA Scholarship Fund") was founded as a separate corporate entity registered under the New York State Not-For-Profit Corporation Law by the then-President of the PRBA, the late Donald Grajales, distinguished New York State Court of Claims Judge. The PRBA Scholarship Fund was created for the purpose of raising funds to award financial scholarships to deserving law students. Thanks to the generosity of corporate and member contributions at the Annual PRBA Scholarship Fund Gala Banquet, the PRBA Scholarship Fund has been able to award over $200,000 in scholarship awards. The PRBA is currently seeking to establish a foundation that will permanently fund these scholarships.

Since its early beginning, the PRBA has grown to be one of the nation's largest, oldest and most important Latino bar associations. In defining its role in the new century, the PRBA believes that it is now prepared to take a more proactive approach toward its involvement in community affairs and in particular ,its involvement in not only reacting to law and policy that impacts the Latino community, but in helping to shape it. In furtherance of this goal, the PRBA has initiated a number of initiatives through the Formation of various committees and is proud of their accomplishments.

On May 22nd at 50th Anniversary Gala, the following were honored: Honorable Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, Associate Judge of New York State Court of Appeals, received The Honorable Emilio Nunez Award for Judicial Excellence, presented by Honorable Judith S. Kaye, Chief Judge of the State of New York, Honorable Ariel F.Belen, Administrative Judge, New York State Supreme Court, Kings County, received The PRBA Distinguished Achievement Award, presented by Dolly Caraballo, Esq. Honorable Edwin Torres, Judiciary in the Arts, Author and Screenwriter, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Telesforo Del Valle Esq, Madelyn Lugo, Chair of The National Puerto Rican Day Parade Inc, received The Oscar Garcia Rivera Award for Outstanding Community Service, presented by David J.Hernandez Esq., President of The Puerto Rican Bar Association, Fried Frank,Harris ,Shriver and Jacobson LLP, received the Honorable Felipe N. Torres Award for Outstanding Public Service ,accepted by Debra Torres, Esq, Partner.., Presented by Javier E. Vargas ,Esq, Mistress of Ceremonies was Jeanine Ramirez NY1 Reporter, National Anthem by, Jonathan Cawley, Closing remarks were by Edward A.Flores, President elect, Puerto Rican Bar Association Inc, and live music by Johnny Ray- Salsa Con Clase .

We at Liberty News Online Like to thank David J.Hernandez Esq., President of The Puerto Rican Bar Association, for his kind invite,to learn more about this wonderful organization feel free to log onto their website at http://www.prba.net














Gloria smith is a School teacher for the past 25 years based here in Queens NY,with a masters degree in Education, she loves to travel allover the world, & writes about different topics,on International Business, Cultural events, & All Kind of Women Issues. & Events pertaining to women of all nationalitys.If you are interested in having Gloria cover one of your events,please send an email 1 week inadvance, @ LNGloria@lnom.org or tel: 718 507 7616 between 8am to 8pm EST.