USC Gould School of Law Honors Newly Elected California Bar President

USA - English

• Latin America - español

Rodriguez is the first Latino to hold the office

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the newly elected president of the State Bar of California, Luis J. Rodriguez will be honored by USC Gould School of Law at a special reception on Wednesday.

Rodriguez, the first public defender and first Latino to hold the office, will be sworn in as the 89th president of the 243,000-member organization at the State Bar's Annual Meeting in San Jose.

The USC Gould reception, held at Town and Gown at 5 p.m., is sponsored by the Los Angeles law firms, Gibson Dunn; O'Melveny & Myers; Phillips Law Partners; Sidley Austin and Manatt Phelps.

The reception will feature remarks by Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey '82, USC Gould Dean Robert Rasmussen and Vice President USC Government Relations Martha Escutia. Rodriguez, a Los Angeles County public defender, will also speak at the event.

With USC Gould's history of diversity – including 31 Latino students in the current first-year class, Dean Rasmussen said it is an honor to commemorate Rodriguez's election to president of the Bar.

"We are thrilled to celebrate Luis Rodriguez's historical achievement," Rasmussen said. "He is deeply committed to promoting justice and work on behalf of lawyers practicing in California."

The son of Mexican immigrant parents, Rodriguez was born in Los Angeles and moved with his family to Ciudad Juarez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua when he was 3 years old. A decade later, his family moved back to Los Angeles, where Rodriguez attended public schools.

The first in his family to attend college, Rodriguez received his undergraduate and law degree from Santa Clara University.

"Because of the obstacles that I faced and the support that I received from many, I have committed myself to being the voice for those who have no voice," Rodriquez said.  

As president, Rodriguez he will work to ensure that California courts are adequately funded and eliminate immigration fraud by attorneys.

Rodriguez's previous leadership roles include president of the Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, president of California's La Raza Lawyers Association, president of Latino Public Defenders Association and chairman of the State Bar of California's Council on Access and Fairness.

For interviews with Rodriguez contact: Gilien Silsby at (213) 740-9690 or (213) 500-8673

SOURCE USC Gould School of Law