March 18, 2008
NEWS BRIEFS
WCL hosts annual Hispanic Law Conference
Washington College of Law hosted its 11th annual Hispanic Law Conference on Mar. 5. Cosponsored by WCL’s Latino/a Law Students’ Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the Hispanic Bar Associations of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, this year’s conference featured a look at Latino perspectives on the 2008 election.
One day following the Texas primary, Hispanic representatives of both parties squared off in a debate. Juan Carlos Benitez, former special counsel for immigration-related unfair employment practices in the Bush administration, took on Thomas Perez, secretary of the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. The debate was moderated by WCL dean Claudio Grossman.
The annual awards dinner capped off the day. Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) was the keynote speaker and shared his perspectives on the influence of African Americans and Hispanics in the election. Professor Anthony Varona was the master of ceremonies for the evening, which also featured a recognition of those who have made significant contributions to the Latino community in the past year.
