Contact:	Margaret Montoya, 277-3010 Laurie Mellas-Ramirez, 277-5915
March 29, 2002 MONTOYA TO BE HONORED BY NOTRE DAME HISPANIC ASSOCIATION The Notre Dame Hispanic Law Students Association will honor University of New Mexico Professor of Law Margaret Montoya with the its 2002 Graciela Olivarez Award Friday, April 5 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Notre Dame Law School Courtroom. The award is presented in memory of the Notre Dame Law School's first Hispanic female graduate. Each year, the association honors an outstanding Latino lawyer or judge who has made a significant contribution to the legal community. Montoya was the first Latina accepted to Harvard Law School. Her research focuses on race, ethnicity, gender, language and cross-cultural discourse. Active in the community, she recently introduced a new class at UNM "Lawyering for Social Change" where students develop multicultural materials for K-12 teachers. "I am delighted to be recognized by the Notre Dame students and particularly because this award honors a woman who was so remarkable," Montoya said. "Graciela Olivares was an entrepreneur, a visionary, an extraordinary lawyer and a fine law professor. She is a role model for all of us in the legal profession." ###

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