Alum Receives ABA Award for Commitment to Diversity in the Law

Román D. Hernández ’00 received the American Bar Association (ABA) “Spirit of Excellence” award from the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.

Hernández was one of three founders of the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association (OHBA) in 2002, just two years after graduating from law school. He was the first, and remains the only, attorney from Oregon to serve as the president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA).

“I really value the legal education that I obtained at Lewis & Clark, which has opened a myriad of doors and opportunities for me since my graduation in 2000,” Hernández said. “I still have great relationships with my former professors, and still make time to meet with the school’s diverse student body members, particularly the members of the Latino Legal Society (LLS), an organization that I helped form in my third year of law school. I have hosted events for the LLS at my law firm which have included lunches and receptions so that the students meet other practitioners who look and sound like them.”

Adjunct Professor Barbara Creel (Pueblo of Jemez), who teaches in the law school’s summer Indian Law program, also received the award. She has devoted her career to public defense, specializing in Native American rights and individual civil rights.

I really value the legal education that I obtained at Lewis & Clark, which has opened a myriad of doors and opportunities for me since my graduation in 2000.”