The Hispanic National Bar Association Annual
Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition

The HNBA Legal Education Fund provides financial awards to law students who are winners of the Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition (“Competition”).  The Competition, held annually, is open to all law students who are enrolled in an American Bar Association-accredited law school, a requirement that is independently determined each year by the American Bar Association.  The individuals who receive the financial awards are individuals who successfully compete in a national law school moot court competition, an educational exercise that allows law students to engage in real world courtroom experiences that test their oral argument skills and legal writing competency. 

The Competition simulates oral argument before a mock U.S. Supreme Court in an appellate argument, and is judged by preeminent jurists, law professors and attorneys, and promotes mastery of oral and written advocacy skills. The competition’s top finishers are independently selected by a committee which will include practicing attorneys, law processors, and members of the judiciary.  The students who receive the highest score in the Competition will also be awarded financial awards by The HNBA Legal Education Fund. 

Special Counsel Hispanic Scholarship Fund

The HNBA Legal Education works with Special Counsel to administer the Special Counsel Hispanic Scholarship Fund.  Special Counsel, a search and staffing firm, believes that in order to find the most qualified candidates, it must continue to utilize diversity as a required part of its search for each client.  By searching as broadly as possible, and fairly considering each and every candidate, regardless of background, race, ethnicity or other difference, Special Counsel finds the very best candidate for every position. By working with minority bar associations, sponsoring events with specific non-mainstream audiences, and hands-on work with different groups and individuals, Special Counsel matches its efforts at outreach with the goal of sourcing the most qualified candidates for its clients.

As part of our collaboration with Special Counsel, the HNBA Legal Education Fund awards three annual scholarships to qualified minority law students. Working closely with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the scholarships are designed to encourage these students to attend and complete law school.

National Hispanic Scholarship Program

The HNBA Legal Education Fund will annually select students who are enrolled in an American Bar Association-accredited law school to receive financial scholarships to assist them with their educational needs.  The scholarship program will be supervised by the Board of Directors, and will be administered by staff The HNBA Legal Education Fund.

Scholarship recipients will be selected based on a number of objective criteria, including cumulative undergraduate grade point average for those students who are enrolled in law school, but who have not yet completed a semester (or term) of law school, and for current law students, their law school grade point average, class rank, and demonstrated financial need will be additional criteria in selecting scholarship recipients.