History of the Hispanic Law Conference

Celebrating its 21st anniversary in 2018, the annual Hispanic Law Conference (HLC) has been hosted by American University, Washington College of Law (AUWCL) and in partnership with the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia; Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA); Latino/a Law Students’ Association (LaLSA); and Latino/a Alumni Association of the Washington College of Law (LAAW) since 1997.

The Hispanic Law Conference is a distinctive opportunity for national and regional Latino/a leaders, including members of four Hispanic bar associations, to discuss pertinent legal challenges facing the community and highlight exemplary role models in the profession. The Washington College of Law is uniquely situated to host this conference given its longstanding commitment to diversity, which includes:

  • 41 percent of students identified as people of color in AUWCL’s 2017 entering class, helping make us one of the most diverse law schools in the nation;

  • The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education named AUWCL third best among the 25 top law schools for Hispanics, with special recognition for the amount of degrees awarded to Latino/a students; and

  • AUWCL was ranked as one of the top five law schools for Latino/a by Hispanic Business magazine for six consecutive years based on factors including enrollment, faculty, reputation, retention rate, and the use of progressive programs to recruit, support, and mentor Latino/a students.