Lawyer’s Lantern
MIGUEL POZO
Miguel Pozo is a partner at Lowenstein Sandler and currently serves as the National President of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA). He is also the Northern Vice Chair for the Judicial and Prosecutorial Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Despite all his commitments, he had time to sit down with Diversity & the Bar.
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It seems like you’re a busy man these days. How do you balance all of your positions and responsibilities? One word: teamwork. No one can accomplish much without a good team. I am surrounded by a team of professionals that are committed to excellence and dedicated to the highest level of achievement. In particular, our HNBA staff at the HNBA national office is resourceful, focused, and enthusiastic. Additionally, having spent the last fifteen years at
Lowenstein Sandler, I am fortunate to be a home-grown partner at a firm that is truly committed to improving the legal profession. Lowenstein Sandler is a longstanding champion for diversity and inclusion. It is an exceptional firm with lawyers committed to making a difference in our communities. As a first-generation college and law school graduate,
I have an obligation to create opportunities for others by helping to open windows and doors. Lowenstein Sandler values and supports me in this goal. Without that sup- port, which includes the investment of human capital and financial resources, I would not be able to contribute to the community in such a meaningful way.
What are your goals for the coming year for the Hispanic National Bar Association? Founded in 1972, the HNBA turned 40 years old in 2012. I do not plan to reinvent the wheel, but rather to focus on our core mission and to advance the five goals in our 2012- 2015 Strategic Plan. My theme for this year is, “Building on Our Foundation:
DIVERSITY & THE BAR® SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
‘Brick by Brick.’” I am going to focus on four bricks: (1) our members, (2) our finances, (3) our programs, and (4) our board. In my opinion, these are the four most important bricks holding up our house. To do this, I will draw on my considerable experience
with the HNBA. Indeed, since 2004, I have served on the HNBA Board of Governors in various capacities. Most recently, I served as the HNBA National Finance Director. Based on my experiences, I have developed a four-point plan to guide our efforts in 2013-14. I call my four-point plan the four “E’s”: (i) ESTABLISH
strategic partnerships with corporate America on co- branded and other initiatives; (ii) EXPAND or evolve our current portfolio of programs such as “Su Casa,” “Su Negocio,” and “Su Futuro”; (iii) EMPOWER our board members through leadership training; and (iv) ENERGIZE our membership base through targeted initiatives and a member benefits program.
You are considered Afro-Latino and are of Dominican-American descent. You embrace your Hispanic heritage and African-American roots. How have the two cultures affected your outlook? I have learned not to paint either group with a broad brush. Latinos or Hispanics, like African Americans, are diverse and multi-faceted. Te most important thing I have done is to educate myself and become more sensitive to the dias- pora. Tat is especially important if you are going to lead a national organization.
MCCA.COM
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