WHEREAS,
The Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services, while serving its 29,000 members; and
WHEREAS, Sharon Lopez, the fourth woman and second person of color to be President of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, was born in Mexico City and spent the early years of her life living in Mexico and Uruguay; and
WHEREAS, After moving to the United States, Sharon attended Lancaster Mennonite High School, and went on to graduate from Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Va. Upon her graduation she attended the University of Costa Rica, where she completed multiple degrees in Spanish, Sociology, and Peace and Justice Theology, and worked for the Costa Rica Department of Agriculture; and
WHEREAS, In the 1980s Sharon returned to Lancaster and after working for several community based activist organizations, enrolled in the Widener University School of Law to develop and gain more social justice tools; and
WHEREAS, After graduating law school, Sharon went on to start the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) to combat the domestic violence throughout the Commonwealth, and became their first Pennsylvania Senior Attorney; and
WHEREAS, In 2006, she left the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence to co-found the Triquetra Law Firm where she focused on Civil Rights, Employment Law, and Appellate Advocacy. During this time she has also served as Chair of the Lancaster Bar Association Diversity Committee, a member of the Minority Bar Committee, the Gay and Lesbian Rights Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Conference of County Bar Leaders; and
WHEREAS, Sharon Lopez’s new priorities as the President of the PBA are centered on finding and retaining diverse members, and plans to build on efforts undertook by the PBA during the previous administration; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Recognizes, honors, and celebrates Sharon R. Lopez on being named the first Latina President of The Pennsylvania Bar Association.
RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Sharon R. Lopez as evidence of the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body.
End