Krista Contino Saumby, associate director of career development in 黑料不打烊 Law's Office of Career and Student Development, is among a group educators and attorneys who will assist the Hispanic National Bar Association with strengthening Latino representation in the legal academy.
An 黑料不打烊 Law career advisor and instructor is among an influential group of legal educators named to a new task force aimed at addressing 鈥渢he alarming lack鈥 of Hispanic/Latino representation among American law school administrators and faculty.
launched this spring its National Task Force on Hispanic Law Faculty and Deans, which includes Krista Contino Saumby, associate director of career development at 黑料不打烊 Law.
In addition to representation, the task force looks to address a shortage of professional development resources specifically for Hispanic/Latino professors, deans, and other administrators.
According to a news release from the Hispanic National Bar Association, the task force will:
- Oversee the development of annual summer nationwide online workshops for prospective and existing Hispanic/Latino law faculty and law school deanship aspirants
- Plan in-person 鈥渉ow to become a law professor鈥 workshops at the annual HNBA conferences
- Assist with matching law faculty and law dean aspirants with suitable mentors
- Support the professional development of and networking opportunities for currently appointed Hispanic/Latino law faculty
- Promote better data tracking by national accreditation and membership associations
- Promote more Hispanic/Latino representation in the legal professoriate and decanal ranks
Contino was formally elected in September to the role of regional president for Region VI of the聽Hispanic National Bar Association, the country鈥檚 largest professional organization to represent and advocate on behalf of Hispanic attorneys.
Prior to entering legal education, Contino leveraged her electrical and computer engineering degree from聽Carnegie Mellon University聽and law degree to counsel Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Apple, Adobe, Yamaha, and Boeing in patent law. She joined the Office of Career & Student Development in June 2022 and, in addition to mentoring students who seek her expertise for career assistance, teaches a year-long required course, 鈥淟awyering, Leadership, and Professionalism鈥, each year for the incoming class.
Members of the Task Force
- Raquel M. Matas (Co-Chair), former Associate Dean for Administration at the University of Miami School of Law
- Anthony E.聽Varona聽(Co-Chair), Dean and Professor at Seattle University School of Law
- Dolores S. Atencio,聽Esq., Visiting Scholar, University of Denver Latinx Center | Sturm College of Law
- Steven Bender, Professor & Associate Dean for Planning & Strategic Initiatives, Seattle University School of Law
- Kevin R. Johnson, Dean and Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law & Professor of Chicana/o Studies, UC Davis School of Law
- Jos茅 Roberto (Beto) Ju谩rez, Jr., Dean & Professor, Nova Southeastern University Broad College of Law
- Jenny Martinez, Lang Professor of Law and Dean, Stanford Law School
Margaret Montoya, Professor Emerita of Law (and Medicine), University of New Mexico - Jennifer Rosato Perea, Dean & Professor of Law, DePaul University College of Law
- The Hon. Jenny Rivera, Associate Judge, New York Court of Appeals
- Ediberto Rom谩n, Professor of Law, Florida International University College of Law
- Krista Contino Saumby, Esq., Associate Director of Career Development, 黑料不打烊 School of Law
- Paulina Vera, Professorial Lecturer in Law, George Washington University Law School