Art Torres - Class of 1971: Former State Senator (24th District, 1982-1994) and State Assemblymember (1974-1982). Mr. Torres served as the chairman of the California Democratic Party, the first Latino ever to hold this position.
Lorenzo Patiño - Class of 1973: First Chicano municipal judge in Sacramento (1980) and Founder of the Lorenzo Patiño School of Law in Sacramento. He lost his battle with leukemia in 1983.
Amagda Perez - Class of 1991: Executive Director of the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation and Professor at UC Davis School of Law.
Santos V. Gomez - Class of 1993: Former Directing Attorney of the Oxnard California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. Field Office, Migrant Unit.
Saul Garcia - Class of 1994: Directing Attorney of the Modesto California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (1999-2004), Stanislaus County Public Defender's Office (2004 - Present)
Luis Angel Alejo - Class of 2001: Watsonville City Councilmember (2008-2010), State Assemblymember, 28th District (2010-2016), Monterey County Supervisor (2016 - Present)
Lorenzo Patiño Community Service Award
Every year, one or two third year law students are selected by their fellow peers for the prestigious Lorenzo Patiño Community Service Award. It recognizes the recipients' active community involvement and effort to increase the number of Latinos in the law profession. The award is presented each year at the Patiño Awards Banquet in April. This event was created in honor of the legendary Chicano advocate, Judge Lorenzo Patiño '73, who lost his battle with leukemia in 1983.
Past Winners
2017 - Stephanie Medina
2016 - Bianca Dueñas
2015 - Laura Flores
2014 - Raymundo Jacquez
2013 - Monica Crooms
2012 - Jenni Gomez
2011 - Aidin Castillo & Aida Macedo
2010 - Amparo Cid
2009 - Sara Granda
2008 - Odir Hernandez
2007 - Salvador Sarmiento
2006 - Javier Barraza
2005 - Juan Cervantes & Gustavo Garcia
2004 - Fernando Aceves
2003 - Adrian Lopez
2002 - Rogelio Villagrana & Rina Gonzales
2001 - Luis Angel Alejo & Michelle Betancourt
2000 - Stephanie Aguilar
1999 - Julie Turner-Lloveras & Rafael Serrano
1998 - Ruben Villalobos
1997 - Marien Sorenson & Frank Orozco
1996 - Andreas Garza
1995 - Olga Sanchez
1994 - Saul Garcia
1993 - Santos Gomez
1992 - Dario Frommer & Lynn Martinez
1991 - Amagda Perez
1990 - Lily Corzo & Alison Green
1989 - Peter Castillo & Nolan Delcampo
1988 - Melinda Guzman
1987 - Virginia Juett & Laura Santos
1986 - Robert Coronado
1985 - Ana M. Bravo
1984 - Miguel Martin
1983 - Debbie Loya
Martin Luther King Jr Service Award
Every year this award is given to a UC Davis law student who donated time to community service in the tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr. before and during his/her law school years. Several members of La Raza Law Students Association have been recipients of this very prestigious award.
2008 - Erin Hernandez
2005 - Gustavo Garcia
2003 - Adrian Lopez
2001 - Luis Angel Alejo
1997 - Marien Sorenson
1991 - Amagda Perez