MHBA History

Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association

The Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association (MHBA) was founded in 1991. In 1991, the MHBA had 8 directors and approximately 20 members. The MHBA was founded to organize Hispanic attorneys, judges, law students and other concerned members of the Hispanic community into a force for professional and community benefit. The first president of the MHBA was attorney Manuel P. Guerrero, who was the Director of the Chicano-Latino Learning Center at the University of Minnesota and had his own part-time law practice at the time.

The MHBA mission is to unify and organize lawyers, judges, law students and other members of the community, to promote legal professionals, and to serve as an advocate for the Hispanic community in Minnesota. The MHBA is proactive about addressing issues that Latinos and other minorities are facing in the legal profession in a constructive and positive manner. The MHBA broadens the opportunities and resources available to its members and addresses the issues that affect the Minnesota Hispanic community through education, legal services assistance and other projects. The MHBA welcomes all members of the legal profession to join.

In 1993, the MHBA started a scholarship fund with contributions from members and a matching amount from Cliff Whitehall, former president of the General Mills Foundation. In 1998, the MHBA established an endowment fund in partnership with El Fondo de Nuestra Comunidad and under the administration of The St. Paul Foundation. The MHBA Endowment Fund serves as a source of funding for law student interns working at non-profit organizations serving the Latino community.

The MHBA has also organized committees to work on events, activities and issues that will further the mission of the organization. For example, the MHBA launched the 2004-2005 Law Student Mentorship Program with a reception at Hamline University School of Law on September 23, 2004. The mentorship program matches attorneys with law students to provide guidance and an introduction into the legal community in Minnesota. In addition, the MHBA is hosting a Salsa Social fundraiser on October 21, 2004, at Conga Latin Bistro to raise funds for the MHBA Law Student Endowment Fund. (The Law Student Endowment Award for Summer 2004 was awarded to the Immigration Law Center of Minnesota (“ILCM”). The ILCM provides free legal assistance in immigration matters to low-income individuals of all nationalities. ILCM provides legal services in the Twin Cities and 33 counties in southern Minnesota.) The MHBA also organizes events with the local chapters of the National Hispanic Association of MBAs and Society of Hispanic Engineers, which provide all members the opportunity to network with professionals, who do not work within the legal community.

The MHBA also recognizes the work of other members of the community that addresses the needs of the Latino community in Minnesota through two annual awards: (1) the Courage in Leadership Award and (2) the Access to Justice Award. In April 2004, the Courage in Leadership Award was awarded to Father Larry Hubbard, Comunidad Sagrado Corazon de Jesus. “Padre Lorenzo,” as he is affectionately called, received this award for exceptional achievement in community service. Fr. Hubbard has worked tirelessly to serve and assist Latinos in many ways since becoming a priest at Sacred Heart in 1995. Fr. Hubbard’s congregation is made up of approximately 2,500 to 3,000 mostly Latino members. The Access to Justice Award was awarded to Ruben Rosario, Columnist, St. Paul Pioneer Press. The MHBA recognized Mr. Rosario’s contributions to justice for the Latino community through his journalism. MHBA recognized Mr. Rosario for providing a voice to those in need, and especially, to those in need in the Latino community. Senator Mark Dayton gave the keynote address at the April 2004 MHBA Annual Meeting where the awards were presented. Following Sen. Dayton’s appearance, Hispanic National Bar Association (“HNBA”) President Carlos Singh addressed the membership. Mr. Singh described how HNBA is highly involved in important legal and political issues at a national level, including immigration reform efforts. The MHBA is an affiliate member of the HNBA.