HNBA welcomes incoming national president

On September 28, Miami litigator Irene Oria was sworn in as national president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) during the HNBA's 2019 Annual Convention in New York. In her inaugural remarks, Oria pointed to the divisive rhetoric of recent years that has pitted Latinos against one another:

"All of us - Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Guatemalans, Dominicans, Hondurans, and on and on - we've all been victims of disparagement and stereotypes lodged by non-Latinos and Latinos alike based on our particular country conditions and life circumstances. All of that needs to stop."

Oria laid out her vision for the coming year, and how she will work to unite the Latino legal community together to address common challenges:

"In 2020, the HNBA is fighting hate with love and strength in numbers. As the National Voice of the Hispanic Legal community and the Hispanic community at large, we will work to change the narrative to a positive, inspiring one that lifts all Latinos up. We have so many positive things about our Latino upbringing such as strong work ethic, emphasis on education, and the focus on family and religious and moral values, all of which we share. Bottom line: that which unites us as Hispanics, as Americans, and as lawyers is far greater than that which divides us. And uniting is the only way we can successfully fight our common enemy."

Oria also explained that her focus areas will include robust non-partisan 2020 election initiatives as well as programming and other initiatives geared to providing targeted training to Latino solo/small-firm attorneys and government and other non-profit/public interest attorneys - which together represent over 75% of the Latino attorneys in the U.S. - with a view towards increasing the engagement of these members in the HNBA and advancing their careers.

A partner at FisherBroyles LLP, Oria has over 19 years of experience in complex commercial business litigation in federal and state courts and arbitration tribunals with a focus in recent years on Financial Services, Insurance and Securities Litigation, including nationwide class and multi-district litigation. She has tried jury and non-jury cases. Before joining FisherBroyles, Oria served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida (Miami) and as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Cecilia M. Altonaga, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.

The HNBA also swore in New Orleans litigator Elia Diaz-Yaeger as incoming President-Elect. Diaz-Yaeger will serve her term as National President beginning in September 2020.

Published: Fri, Oct 04, 2019