Hispanic National Bar Association to Host its Third Annual Midyear Corporate Counsel Conference & 17th Annual Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition

JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bienvenidos, welcome to "New Jersey: Gateway to America."  As it celebrates its 40th Anniversary, the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) proudly announces its 3rd Annual Midyear Corporate Counsel Conference, which will be held this week from March 28-31, 2012 in Jersey City, New Jersey.  The four-day super conference will take place at the Westin Newport Jersey City located at 479 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City, New Jersey.

"The HNBA's 2012 Midyear Conference promises to be a hugely successful event, not only because of the impressive programming, but also because this year marks the 40th Anniversary of the HNBA," said Benny Agosto, Jr., HNBA National President. "In celebration, the Midyear leadership has put together a landmark conference that will offer all of our members and guests an extraordinary lineup of educational programs, networking opportunities, and destination receptions. This Conference is not to be missed."

The Midyear Conference will provide a unique setting to connect Corporate America and the HNBA, offering opportunities for outside counsel to meet counsel from numerous Fortune 500 Companies. Participants will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to take advantage of invaluable educational and networking programs provided throughout the Conference. 

The HNBA Board of Governors, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Midyear Conference Co-Chairs Miguel Alexander Pozo, Esq. and Nuris E. Portuondo, Esq. and HNBA Regional President Anna Maria Tejada, Esq., Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBA-N) President Daniel Mateo, Esq., and are thrilled to welcome you to the Garden State!

During the day, the HNBA is proud to offer a robust agenda featuring continuing legal education (CLE) panels on the most relevant legal topics and some of New Jersey's and the nation's top leaders and policy makers. Guests can also take advantage of the HNBA Corporate Speed Networking and Corporate Connection Pilot Program, which is designed to apply speed networking concepts to facilitate business opportunities; the General Counsel Discussion, "Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession," where guests will hear from the General Counsel of five major American companies; a panel discussion on federal law enforcement priorities with three current U.S. Attorneys; the HNBA Latina Commission Executive Leadership Program; and the HNBA & HBA-NJ Women's Leadership Conference, co-sponsored by the Latina Commission. 

In addition to the many educational aspects of the Midyear Conference, the many exciting highlights will include a reception at the historic Ellis Island Immigration Museum featuring keynote speaker United States Senator Robert Menendez, and a spectacular, sold-out Gala which will feature keynote remarks by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. 

This year's Conference also boasts an impressive roster of keynote speakers and panelists:  Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy; Susan Blount, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Prudential Financial; Carlos Ortiz, General Counsel of Goya Foods, Inc.; Sam Reeves, Senior Vice President and Division General Counsel of Wal-Mart; SEC Commissioner Troy Paredes; U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Wifredo Ferrer; U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Paul Fishman; U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Carmen Ortiz; and many others. Please visit www.hnba.com to take a look at the complete agenda and list of panels and speakers.

"We wish to thank all of our sponsors, but in particular our Platinum Sponsors, JPMorgan Chase, Prudential Financial, Lowenstein Sandler PC, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and Wells Fargo for their leadership and tremendous support," said Miguel Alexander Pozo, Esq., HNBA National Finance Director and 2012 HNBA Midyear Conference Co-Chair. 

In conjunction with the Midyear Conference, the HNBA will conduct its 17th Annual Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition, bringing together law students from the nation's top law schools, co-sponsored by The HNBA Legal Education Fund. Now in its seventeenth year, the Competition offers the opportunity for students from law schools across the country to brief and argue a case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court before panels of distinguished federal and state court judges, as well as experienced attorneys and law professors. The Competition also provides students with invaluable networking opportunities with the attendees at the Midyear Conference, including judges, professors, in house and outside counsel, and other professionals.

"This milestone event would simply not have been possible without the continued support of our many sponsors who have joined us in our promise to deliver a record-breaking, dynamic conference," said Nuris E. Portuondo, HNBA Deputy Regional President and 2012 HNBA Midyear Conference Co-Chair. "We hope that you will join us in celebrating the HNBA's 40 years of serving as the national voice for the Hispanic legal community and community-at-large," said Anna Maria Tejada, Esq., HNBA Region III President and 2012 New Jersey Leadership Team Co-Chair.

Finally, today the HNBA will lead a volunteer community service project in the Jersey City Public Schools to promote careers in the law.  A group of lawyer volunteers from the Young Lawyers Division of the HNBA and the Young Lawyers Committee of the HBA-NJ will spend the afternoon with students, but equally important, the HNBA will also award a $10,000 check to the Jersey City Public Schools to assist with their pipeline initiatives and to assist the school and provide additional resources to promising students who are interested in careers in the law.

Guests may continue to register on-site at the Westin Hotel in Jersey City. For questions about the Conference or to register, please contact Erika Lopez-Tello, HNBA Events Director, at [email protected].  

About the Hispanic National Bar Association
The Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) is an incorporated, not-for-profit, national membership organization that represents the interests of the more than 100,000 Hispanic attorneys, judges, law professors, legal assistants, and law students in the United States and its territories. From the days of its founding four decades ago, the HNBA has acted as a force for positive change within the legal profession. It does so by encouraging Latino students to choose a career in the law and by prompting their advancement within the profession once they graduate and start practicing. Through a combination of issue advocacy, programmatic activities, networking events and educational conferences, the HNBA has helped generations of lawyers succeed.

SOURCE Hispanic National Bar Association