Our History

While attending the 1996 Summer Law Institute in Guanajuato, Guanajuato Mexico , Latina and Latino student leaders held a series of meetings where they shared their respective struggles in law school.  The culmination of these meetings came the resolution to hold a National Latina/Latino Law Student Conference.  The Mexican-American Law Student Association (MALSA) at the University of New Mexico took on the responsibility of hosting this inaugural event in October 1997.  The goals of this first conference were: 1) to build long-lasting relationships between future Latina and Latino attorneys; 2) to increase awareness of pressing issues affecting the Latino community both within and without the context of the Law; and 3) to strengthen our respective Latina and Latino Law Student organizations.

The conference was organized in part to confront alarming drops in enrollment of students of color in law school due to Proposition 209 (Amending the California Constitution to declare affirmative action unconstitutional) in California and the Hopwood decision from the Fifth Circuit (The use of race in the admissions process is unconstitutional).  The visionary actions of these bold law students are what led to the founding of the National Latina/Latino Law Student Association during the seventh annual National Latina/Latino Law Student Conference hosted by the La Raza Law Student Association de UCLA School of Law and the Chicano-Latino Law Review on October 12, 2003 .

Our Mission

The National Latina/Latino Law Student Association will serve as a conduit for a collective Latina/Latino law student voice.  We are a non-partisan organization driven by a progressive agenda that protects and advances the civil rights of Latinas and Latinos in law school and in our respective communities.  As a consequence, NLLSA is dedicated to promoting and sustaining the academic success of Latina and Latino law students.  However, we recognize that we cannot merely seek achievement for ourselves and forget about the progress and prosperity of our community; we are one and the same.    Let there be no question that NLLSA is a progressive union whose Member Chapters will work nationally, regionally and locally to bring about positive change within the law school community and society at large by addressing legal issues dealing with immigration, education (both K-12 and higher education), healthcare, gender equality, employment issues, and sexual orientation.  NLLSA also acknowledges the diversity within the Latina/o community, and recognizes that our civil rights are furthered when we build coalitions with other communities. NLLSA is committed to combating all forms of prejudice, including discrimination based on color, race, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, and veteran status.  Realizing that internalized oppressions only further divide us, we strive to actively engage and organize around these issues so we are accountable to and representative of all of our communities.