The Canadian Hispanic Bar Association (CHBA) hosted an event in recognition of five Latin American law student organizations across Eastern Canadian law schools becoming official CHBA chapters. The momentous event was held at the University of Toronto Law building on 15 September 2023 and brought together law students, lawyers, and legal professionals from across Ontario and Quebec with ties to the Latin American community.
The launch was themed around building community and mentorship within the Canadian Latin-American legal community. The President of the CHBA, Wanesssa Oliviera, opened the event by speaking to the importance of community and the realities of a practicing Latin American lawyer striving to become accredited to practice in Canada. Oliveira concluded by inviting the chapter representatives to make active efforts to include these perspectives in their members and initiatives.
A panel of lawyers moderated by former CHBA president Mario Torres highlighted the importance of these communities and of finding your own communities within the profession. The speakers consisted of Yadira Florez (Legal Counsel at a Global Public Company), Natalia Rodriguez (Partner at Conway Baxter Wilson LLP), and Ed Torres (Assistant Professor at Lincoln Alexander School of Law). Their careers were shaped by their mentors, by their identities as Latin American individuals, but above all by their desire to be themselves and find fulfillment through the legal profession. As professionals, they are now paying it forward by being active members of the CHBA and mentoring students and recent graduates, embodying the idea of dropping the ladder down behind them.
Latin American and Hispanic law student organizations from the University of Toronto, Lincoln Alexander (TMU), Osgoode Hall, University of Windsor, and McGill joined the University of Ottawa in becoming official Canadian Hispanic Bar Association Student Chapters. Student representatives from the six student chapters held a panel to discuss their hopes for collaboration between chapters and initiatives they hope will be made possible with institutional support from the CHBA.
Although these student organizations face various challenges in forming a membership base, their commitment to paving the way for aspiring Latin American law students and future lawyers into the legal profession shine through. They extended the invitation to all Latin American law students and lawyers to find their respective chapters or look to the CHBA website for future initiatives and events. This community will only keep growing. I am hopeful that in the future more than three percent of Osgoode’s incoming class will be Latin American. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more or being part of the CHBA Osgoode chapter please email chbaosgoode@gmail.com.