Angela Chavez, a 1999 graduate of Socorro High School and UNM School of Law class 2010, is president of the Region XV Hispanic National Bar Association’s law student division. In that capacity, she will work to increase the number of Latino/a law students involved with the Hispanic National Bar Association, encourage Latino student participation in being responsive to the social, political and academic promotion of the Latino/a community and encourage and promote recruitment, academic achievement and retention of Latino/a law students.
Photo: Angela Chavez
“The UNM School of Law is conducive to creating leaders for our state. The law community as a whole is welcoming to students who are interested in the legal profession. Besides UNM’s competitive tuition, I chose the UNM School of Law because each student leaves with practical experience through work at the law clinic,” she said.
She said that it is hard to get experience otherwise. “Students at UNM gain the necessary practical knowledge to join the legal profession. In New Mexico, this experience translates into more Hispanic lawyers."
After earning an undergraduate degree in journalism from UNM, Chavez did press work for the John Kerry campaign and for Gov. Bill Richardson. In that arena, attorneys encouraged her to pursue a law degree. She is considering public interest law, but hasn’t definitively decided her specialty.
Chavez is the daughter of Phillip Chavez, of Socorro; and Bonnie and James Torres, of Albuquerque. Her aunt and uncle, Justo and Catherine Chavez, who are also her godparents, live in Clovis, where Angela was born.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; email: cgonzal@unm.edu
Posted by scarr at September 5, 2008 11:10 AM