New Latinx Alumni Council Supports Law Students and Connects Alumni

More than 40 alumni, students, and supporters gathered to celebrate the launch of the new Latinx Alumni Council at a kickoff event on Sept. 7.

María D. Domínguez ’13 and Catalina Lozano ’81 remember feeling like outsiders when they started law school, but both found a student organization at UC Law SF that gave them a sense of community, belonging, and support.

That organization was the La Raza Law Students Association, now known as the Latinx Law Students Association (LLSA). Since its founding in 1969, the group has connected law students who share an affinity for the diverse cultures of Latin America. It enabled Lozano and Domínguez to meet students who understood where they were coming from and offered advice for navigating law school.

“I don’t think I would have made it without the support of the La Raza Law Students,” Lozano said.

Catalina Lozano is co-chair of the new Latinx Alumni Council at UC Law SF.

Lozano, a longtime adjunct professor at UC Law SF, and Domínguez, who manages privacy and compliance for the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, recently teamed up to launch the new Latinx Alumni Council. Goals for the new group include giving back to LLSA students and helping alumni connect with each other, current law students, and their alma mater.

“We want to develop an intergenerational community of current LLSA members and alumni so we can support each other and increase our representation in the law profession,” said Domínguez, who co-chairs the council with Lozano.

More than 40 LLSA members, alumni, and supporters gathered to celebrate the launch of the new alumni group on the Sky Deck of the Cotchett Law Center on Sept. 7. The event was sponsored by Hanson Bridgett. Among the attendees was LLSA Co-Chair Maria Clara Ribeiro Siqueira ‘25, who said she was inspired to meet LLSA alumni who found success in their careers.

Latinx Alumni Council Co-Chair María D. Domínguez (center) posed with LLSA Co-Chairs Janice Espíndola (left) and Maria Clara Ribeiro Siqueira (right).

“Having access to alums who paved the way and understand what we’re going through is a big help,” Ribeiro said. “We are so thankful to have these mentors who can motivate, guide, and show us what we can make possible.”

Lozano and Domínguez said they have seen how much time LLSA members spend doing fundraisers to support LLSA events, including the annual LLSA graduation celebration. One goal for the council is to raise more alumni dollars to support those events.

“We have to open our wallets so these students can put their minds on studying,” Domínguez said.

LLSA Co-Chair Janice Espíndola ’25 said she looks forward to working with the Latinx Alumni Council to promote and organize future events. “It means so much to LLSA to have the support of alumni,” she said.

The new council is the 21st chapter of the UC Law SF Alumni Association and the third affinity-based alumni group, joining the law school’s Black Alumni Council and LGBTQ+ Alumni group. The UC Law SF Alumni Association houses the new chapter and helped organize the recent launch event.

“Our office is proud to support the 21^st alumni chapter, our Latinx Alumni Council,” said Charles Wollin, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement at UC Law SF. “We are truly grateful to have volunteer alumni like María and Catalina, who are creating incredible opportunities for Latinx alumni to engage with the school.”

Emeritus Chancellor & Dean and Provost & Academic Dean Leo Martinez ’78 spoke at the Latinx Alumni Council launch event.

The council will hold another event this spring for alumni in Southern California, with plans to host future gatherings in other geographic regions as well.

At the recent launch event, one of LLSA’s most beloved alumni, Emeritus Chancellor & Dean and Provost & Academic Dean Leo Martinez ’78, used a famous Bruce Springsteen line to explain how the new council will benefit UC Law SF’s Latinx-affinity community.

“You can’t start a fire without a spark,” he said. “This law school has provided that spark, and I am proud that this newly formed council stands for the proposition that our alumni, with their time and treasure, will nurture that spark for current students, students yet to come, and graduates.”

Domínguez emphasized that members of the Latinx Alumni Council are themselves sparks, or “chispas.” She concluded the evening with the fiery call-and-response chant coined by American labor leader Dolores Huerta during the 1972 United Farm Workers strike. “¿Se puede? ¡Sí se puede!” she chanted in Spanish.

For more information on the Latinx Alumni Council or to join, email LatinxAlumni@uclawsf.edu. The Latinx Alumni Council is part of the UC Law SF Alumni Directory and can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.