Chavez
ST. LOUIS - The first St. Louis Hispanic bar association has been formed and is now accepting membership applications from all lawyers and non-lawyers in the metropolitan area. Individuals do not have to be Hispanic to join.
Officers and founders of the Hispanic Bar Association of St. Louis ("HBAstl") are: President, Patrick Chavez of Williams Venker & Sanders; President-Elect, Joseph Lambson of Hais, Hais, Goldberger & Coyne; Vice-President, Jessica Mendez of Brown & James; Secretary, Nicholas Garzia of Armstrong Teasdale; Treasurer, Angela Alvarez-Simmons of State Farm Insurance; and Community Service Committee Chair, Sandra Zambrana of the St. Louis City Counselor's Office.
The organization's founding Members-At-Large are Constantino "Tino" Ochoa of Bryan Cave (who also serves as the group's Assistant Treasurer); Salim Awad of McQueen Awad, LLC; and Deborah C.M. Henry of Stewart, Mittleman, Heggie, Henry & Albin, LLC.
The goals of HBAstl are to: promote Hispanics and Hispanic involvement in the legal profession, both in the public and private sector; serve the Hispanic and greater community of St. Louis; promote Hispanic leadership in public and private life; and to promote full, fair and equal opportunities and participation for minorities in the legal community of the St. Louis metropolitan area.
The HBAstl hopes to work with the other major bar associations in St. Louis and Southern Illinois to promote diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and also intends to coordinate with the St. Louis Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to work directly with its members, and the Hispanic community generally, to coordinate providing legal services to this large, diverse, and fast-growing minority population.
In addition to holding regular meetings, the HBAstl will be participating in the 12th Annual Unity Dinner on April 26 along with the Missouri Asian American Bar Association, the Women Lawyers' Association of Greater St. Louis, the Mound City Bar Association and Lawyers for Equality.
Anyone interested in joining the HBAstl or wanting more information about the organization should contact Chavez at pchavez@wvslaw.com or (314) 345-5072.