Minority law students hobnob with pros

by Kelli Tumey

University of Houston minority law students had a rare opportunity to mingle with prominent local attorneys and judiciary members at an annual reception held by a Houston law firm.

The reception, held March 5 by Solar & Fernandes L.L.P., in the penthouse atop the Transco Tower, brought the UH Law Center's Hispanic, African-American and Asian-American students' associations together for an evening of cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and, of course, mentoring.

"The practice of law is about relationships between people," said J. Michael Solar, a UH alumnus and a partner with the firm. "The reception gives students an opportunity to meet with local lawyers and judges that they might not ordinarily get to meet with."

Stephen Zamora, dean of the UH Law Center, said in some cases students are able to find summer internships or jobs after graduation through the contacts they make at the reception.

Zamora also said Solar is a strong supporter of the minority bar, as well as the Law Center.

James Rodriguez, a third-year law student, said, "The evening is particularly special to the students because it provides us a rare opportunity to socialize with faculty, practicing attorneys and sitting judges, not to mention the fact that it's uplifting to see successful minority lawyers hosting the affair."

Solar, who is Hispanic, and partner Ed Fernandes, who is African-American, have a practice that is domestic and international in scope and is regarded to be one of the premier multicultural litigation groups in the state.

"One of the most difficult challenges that all students face is discipline," said Zamora. "Students must have role models, whether it is a family member or someone else in the community."

Fernandes said, "Community outreach will continue to be a major firm priority. It isn't enough to be leaders at the courthouse. We need to be leaders in the schoolhouse."

Other guests at the reception included the presidents of the featured bar associations; U.S. Federal District Judge Ken Hoyt; State District Judges Eric Andell and Lupe Salinas; and UH Law Center faculty members Michael Olivas and Richard Alderman.