A discussion about the Pennsylvania Bar Association with its President, Sharon R. López.  Ms Lopez, a partner at Triquetra Law in Lancaster, is the 123rd president of the PBA and the association’s first Latina president.

She discussed how her unusual childhood and education path led to her work for social justice.  She was born in Mexico City to a Mexican father and a Pennsylvania Dutch mother, her family moved from Mexico, to Uruguay, to Lancaster and Harrisburg, where she graduated from a Mennonite high school and college.  She continued her studies in Costa Rica. From her family and her time in Central America she developed her belief that organizing people to achieve common goals is necessary to achieve social change. As a single mother she learned the bias and discrimination women face in employment.  After completing her law degree at Widener University School of Law she started working in domestic abuse, family law and GLBT issues.  Running for, and winning, the PBA Presidency from a committee position, she has dedicated her tenure to creating a Blue Ribbon Panel on Millennials, Mothers and Minorities in the Profession, identifying new approaches to increase association membership through outreach, marketing and mentorship.  Ms Lopez also discussed the PBAs continuing efforts to support its members through referral services, continuing educational programming and its diversity resource center, and offer opportunities for them to work with the community through pro bono work and law related public education.