Bianca Garcia, ’12, has started her term as president of the Law School Division of the Hispanic National Bar Association, a national organization of law students that “encourages the participation of Latino students in developing and remaining responsive to the social, political, and academic promotion of the Latino/a community and to encourage and promote the recruitment, academic achievement, and retention of Latino/a law students.” Garcia began her term when she was inaugurated at the HNBA’s annual convention in Dallas, which took place from August 31 to September 1, 2011. She was elected a year earlier at the previous convention and served as president elect for a year.
Bianca Garcia, '12, (second from right) takes the oath of office as president of the Law School Division of the Hispanic National Bar Association in Dallas on September 3, 2011.
Garcia said she hopes to use her presidency to promote initiatives to help Hispanic law students find mentors and prepare for fulfilling legal careers after graduation. “I’ve been working closely with the president of the HNBA Board, who is based in Houston, to put together webinars and workshops on networking and interview skills, and trying to get other Hispanic judges and lawyers to come to talk to students. We are also organizing scholarships, setting up mentor-mentee relationships, and in the summer sponsoring summer associate happy hours, where students and recent graduates can meet and talk about their experiences. It’s important to emphasize networking in this economy.”
Garcia said the HNBA will also cohost a national lobby day in Washington, D.C., with the National Latina/o Law Student Association, and sponsor and publicize service opportunities for HNBA members around the country.
An Austin native, Garcia attended the George Washington University for both undergraduate and a master’s program. She is currently interning at the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, and said she hopes to begin a career in prosecution after she graduates.