Luis Rodriguez ’89, J.D. ’92 is the first Latino and the first active public defender elected to be president of the State Bar of California, which regulates more than 237,000 attorneys in the state.

 

"I’m the first Latino and that’s something to celebrate, especially in the state of California but at the same time, it’s a stark reminder of how long it takes for certain groups to move up and become part of the leadership of the community," said Rodriguez.

 

The Los Angeles native, who was the first in his family to attend college, came to believe the best way to help his family and give the disadvantaged a voice was by getting a formal education and becoming an advocate of the legal system. 

 

Rodriguez was admitted to the State Bar in 1994. He is a former president of the California La Raza Lawyers Association, the Mexican American Bar Association, and the Latino Public Defenders Association.