UH Law Center to celebrate achievements of three immigrant Houstonians with 2017 'Arrival Awards'

HOUSTON, Dec. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of Houston Law Center will honor three Houstonians in January as 2017 Arrival Award winners for their outstanding achievements in their professions and communities after immigrating to the United States.

The Jan. 25 event at the River Oaks Country Club will benefit the law school's Immigration Clinic, which has provided pro bono legal services to those in need since 1999.

The honorees are:

• Roberto Contreras, president and CEO of St. Christopher Holding Ltd., who emigrated from Mexico City.
• Pershant Mehta, president and CEO of Je Matadi Inc., a native of New Delhi.
• Manolo Sánchez, chairman and CEO of BBVA Compass Bank, who emigrated from Murcia, Spain.

"The Arrival Awards event is an excellent way to showcase immigrants' achievement, as well as the clinic's value to our community," said Geoffrey A. Hoffman, clinic director. "I am honored to be a part of this celebration and enjoy the videos about the honorees' personal stories. This event also provides the legal community with a way to give back to our clinic, and I sincerely appreciate everyone's great support!"

Law Center students, faculty and supervising attorneys in the Immigration Clinic have represented thousands of individuals facing deportation before immigration courts, in appeals, and in asylum interviews before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The clinic also assists crime victims, including victims of domestic violence, as well as U.S. citizens petitioning for their family members to obtain lawful status from around the world.

Co-chairs for the event are Charles C. Foster of Foster LLP and Gordon J. Quan of the Quan Law Group PLLC.

For more information about the honorees and Arrival Awards or to purchase a table or ticket for the event, please visit law.uh.edu/arrival awards or contact Kate Gigliotti, director of events, at 713-743-7304 or [email protected].

Visit law.uh.edu/clinic/immi.asp for more information about the University of Houston Law Center Immigration Clinic. 

Media contacts: Carrie Anna Criado, UH Law Center Executive Director of Communications and Marketing, 713-743-2184, [email protected]; John T. Kling, UH Law Center Communications Manager, 713-743-8298, [email protected]; Elena Hawthorne, Multimedia Specialist, 713-743-1125, [email protected]; and John Brannen, Senior Writer, 713-743-3055, [email protected] 

About the University of Houston

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 42,700 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.

About the University of Houston Law Center

The University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) is a dynamic, top tier law school located in the nation's 4^th largest city. UHLC's Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Part-time programs rank in the U.S. News Top 10. It awards Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees, through its academic branch, the College of Law. The Law Center is more than just a law school. It is a powerful hub of intellectual activity with more than 11 centers and institutes which fuel its educational mission and national reputation. UHLC is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

SOURCE University of Houston Law Center

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