In its 30th year, this event is held annually to honor one of UC Davis School of Law’s distinguished Latino graduates, the Lorenzo Patiño Awards Banquet is always one of the most anticipated events of the year at the Law School.
The event honors the late Lorenzo Patiño ’73, whose career exemplified the commitment to diversity and public service that defines King Hall. Patiño was a highly respected leader in Sacramento’s Latino community who dedicated countless hours of service to helping the less fortunate. Patiño was one of the first Mexican-Americans appointed to the Municipal Court of Sacramento, and a co-founder of the University of Northern California School of Law, an institution dedicated to providing a low-cost legal education for working people. Though his time as an attorney, jurist, and community activist was cut tragically short, he had an enormous impact—enough to prompt La Raza member Miguel Martin ’84 to found the Patiño Banquet in his honor.
In addition to paying tribute to the legacy of Lorenzo Patiño, the banquet also honors La Raza’s graduating students. The Patiño Award will be presented to one or two students who exemplify extraordinary service and dedication, not only to the Latino community, but the legal community at large.
The proceeds from this event will help La Raza continue its social justice efforts and helps fund scholarships for students to pursue public interest summer internships.
2012 Keynote Speaker
Ramona E. Romero, US Department of Agriculture General Counsel
As the General Counsel of the United States Department of Agriculture, Ramona Emilia Romero is the principal legal advisor to Secretary Tom Vilsack and other Department officials. President Obama nominated her on June 28, 2010 and she was confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate on December 22, 2010. Ms. Romero serves as the Chief Legal Officer of the USDA and oversees the work of about 300 legal professionals who provide legal advice and support to all components of the Department. Ms. Romero reports directly to the Secretary.
Before joining the Administration, Ms. Romero was a Corporate Counsel at E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont), where she provided legal oversight for the acquisition of transportation, distribution, supply-chain management, travel and energy resources, and managed related strategic litigation. While at DuPont, Ms. Romero led various initiatives aimed at promoting diversity in the legal profession and was a frequent public speaker on that subject. During the first ten years of her legal career, Ms. Romero was a litigator at Crowell and Moring in Washington, DC where she handled a broad range of commercial, government contract and white collar matters.
Ms. Romero has served on multiple boards and been affiliated with several professional organizations, including the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, both the House of Delegates and the Presidential Commission on Diversity of the American Bar Association, the Advisory Committee of The O’Connor Judicial Selection Initiative at the University of Denver, The Justice at Stake Campaign, the American Red Cross in the Delmarva Peninsula, and Delaware Futures. She also served as National President of the Hispanic National Bar Association (2008-2009), and was a founding member and officer of the Dominican American National Roundtable. Ms. Romero is the recipient of many honors, including the Lucero (“guiding star”) Award from Latino Justice PRLDEF (formerly known as the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund) and Hispanic Business Magazine’s recognition in 2010 and 2007 as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the United States.
Ms. Romero, who immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic at age 10, holds a B.A. from Barnard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She and her husband and two daughters live in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Past Keynote Speakers
The Honorable Cruz Reynoso, former California Supreme Court Justice
Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder, United Farm Workers of America (UFW)
Consuelo Maria Callahan, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Arturo J. Gonzalez, Morrison & Foerster, Co-Chair of Litigation Department
2012 Awards Banquet Details
Saturday, March 31, 2012
5:00pm-9:30pm
Sacramento Masonic Temple
1123 J St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ticket Prices:
$20 for students and children 12 and under (children 2 and under are free)
$40 for non-students
Please contact Christian Acevedo '13 if you have additional questions, cracevedo@ucdavis.edu. To download a flyer, click here.
You may purchase your tickets in advance, online by clicking on the link below, or mailing a check/money order to:
UC Davis School of Law
Attention: La Raza Law Students Association
400 Mrak Hall Drive
Davis, California 95616
2012 Lorenzo Patiño Banquet Sponsorship Information
$3,001 - 5,000 - Platinum (1 table)
$1001 - 3000 - Gold (1 table)
$500 -1,000 - Silver (1 table)
$101 - 499- Bronze (1/2 table)
$100 - Honorable Mention (2 tickets)
Sponsors will be recognized at the banquet and on this website.
A fulltable provides 8 seats while a half table provides 4.
Tickets may also be donated for student use at the donor's request.
Please make checks out to UC Regents, with a notation on the check
that the funds are to be allocated to La Raza Law Students Association.
Checks should be mailed to the following address:
UC Davis School of Law
Attention: Development Office
400 Mrak Hall Drive
Davis, California 95616
Once your check is processed by UC Davis School of Law, your organization will receive a thank you letter and a tax receipt with the UC Davis tax identification number.
Please contact Alexander Rich, LRLSA Fundraising Chair, at acrich@ucdavis.edu with any questions or concerns.
- Dean's Office 
