The Hispanic Issues Section gives out three named awards each year at the Annual Meeting of the State Bar of Texas, along with several other awards.
The Reynaldo G. Garza Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an attorney or judge who is a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas who has demonstrated a long commitment and made great achievement in addressing concerns and issues affecting the Hispanic community and to the Hispanic Bar in Texas and has worked toward advancing diversity and access to justice in the practice of law. The award is named after the Honorable Reynaldo G. Garza, who became the United States’ first Mexican-American federal judge when he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to the United States District Court for the Southern District Court of Texas in 1961. Judge Garza was later nominated by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in 1979, and served on that court until his death in 2004. Additional information about Judge Garza may be found here and here.
REYNALDO G. GARZA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS |
1983: Matt Garcia |
1985: Carlos Cadena |
1986: Raul A. Gonzalez |
1989: Filemon Vela |
1990: Adelfa B. Callejo |
1991: Frank Herrera |
1994: Frumencio Reyes |
1995: Jim Coronado |
1999: William F. “Bill” Callejo |
2003: Felix Salazar |
2004: Simon Y. Rodriguez |
2005: Frank P. Hernandez |
2006: Judge James DeAnda |
2007: Jose Rodriguez |
2008: Vidal G. Martinez |
2009: Adelfa B. Callejo |
2010: Trey Martinez Fischer |
2011: Maria Salas-Mendoza |
2012: Berta A. Mejia |
2013: Rosa G. Orenstein |
2014: Justice Raul A. Gonzalez, Jr. |
2015: Gloria Leal |
2016: George B. Hernández, Jr. |
2017: Judge Orlando Luis Garcia |
2018: Esther Chavez |
2019: Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa |
2020: Roy R. Barrera, Sr. |
The Pete Torres, Jr. Community Service Award is given to an individual or organization who has demonstrated a history of service and commitment to the Hispanic community. The award is named after Peter Torres, Jr., the first Chair of the Hispanic Issues Section (when it was still known as “Concerns of the Spanish Speaking Community”). Mr. Torres practiced law for over 40 years, and was a former city councilman of San Antonio. He received a variety of awards honoring his long service to San Antonio as well as to the overall Hispanic community in Texas, including the MABA-TX Lifetime Achievement Award, the Hispanic Issues Section Reynaldo G. Garza Lifetime Achievement Award, and the St. Mary’s Law Alumni Association Henry B. Gonzalez Award. Please click here to see a retrospective on the life and accomplishments of Mr. Torres.
PETE TORRES, JR. COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS |
2003: Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program |
2004: Center for Legal and Social Justice, St. Mary’s University School of Law |
2005: Irma Lerma Rangel, Young Women’s Leadership School of Dallas |
2006: Political Asylum Project of Austin (American Gateways) |
2009: William A. Brewer III, Dallas |
2010: Mary Helen Berlanga, Corpus ChristI |
2011: Betty Balli Torres, Austin |
2012: Jim Harrington, Texas Civil Rights Project |
2013: Benny Agosto Jr., Houston |
2014: Maria A. Berriozabal |
2015: Richard Loza, San Antonio |
2016: Frank Herrera, Jr., San Antonio |
2017: Marisa Bono, San Antonio |
2018: No Recipient |
2019: Juan F. Vasquez, David Medina and David Calvillo |
2020: Jose Angel Gutierrez and Chris Luna |
The James W. Wray, Jr. Founder’s Award is given to recognize exceptional achievements on behalf of the Hispanic legal community. The award was named after its first honoree, Mr. James W. Wray, Jr. of Corpus Christi. Mr. Wray’s incredible effect on the Hispanic legal community in Texas cannot be measured. He helped to create, along with the work of several others and facing what has been described as vitriolic opposition, the predecessor to the current Hispanic Issues Section.
JAMES W. WRAY, JR. FOUNDER’S AWARD RECIPIENTS |
2013 (Inaugural): James W. Wray, Jr. |
2014: Judge J. Manuel Bañales |
2015: Nina Perales, MALDEF |
2016: Judge Debra Ibarra Mayfield |
2018: Angelica Hernandez |
2019: Eduardo Rodriguez |
2020: Renato Santos, Jr. |
The Hispanic Issues Section also gives out several other awards at Annual Meeting.
YEAR | BAR ASSOCIATION OF THE YEAR |
JUDGE OF THE YEAR |
LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR | CHAIR’S AWARD | ACCESS TO JUSTICE AWARD |
2014 | MABA-San Antonio | Justice Gina Benavides | State Rep. Justin Rodriguez | Betty Balli Torres and Tracy Nuckols | Award first given in 2019 |
2015 | Dallas Hispanic Bar Association | Justice Patricia O. Alvarez | Congressman Filemon Vela | Angelica Hernandez | Award first given in 2019 |
2016 | Hispanic Bar Association of Houston | Justice Dori C. Garza | State Rep. Mary Gonzalez | Joe Escobedo, Jr. | Award first given in 2019 |
2017 | Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation | Judge Elsa Alcala Spjut | State Rep. Roberto Alonzo | Manuel Escobar | Award first given in 2019 |
2018 | Mexican American Bar Association of Houston | Justice Luz Elena Chapa | State Sen. Judith Zaffarini | Arturo Aviles | Award first given in 2019 |
2019 | Hispanic Bar Association of Austin | Judge Orlinda Naranjo | State Rep. Victoria Neave | Gloria Leal | Justice Nathan Hecht |
2020 | No Recipient | Justice Gisela D. Triana | Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia | Justice Gina M. Benavides | El Paso Bar Association |
Updated April 16, 2021