79S31913 JNC-D
By: Martinez Fischer H.R. No. 660
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Throughout her professional career, Nina Perales of
San Antonio has worked in support of civil rights, advocacy, and
education for Latinos; and
WHEREAS, A graduate of Brown University and Columbia
University School of Law, Ms. Perales is the Southwest Regional
Counsel for MALDEF; in that role, she directs the organization's
litigation in Texas and in eight additional southern and western
states; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed professional specializes in voting
rights law, including redistricting and vote dilution challenges;
she served as lead counsel for Latino plaintiffs in the Texas
redistricting cases of 2001, which challenged the Texas Senate and
House of Representatives and the U.S. congressional districts on
the basis of minority vote dilution, and she was successful as the
lead counsel for Latino interveners in Arizona in 2003; and
WHEREAS, Currently, Ms. Perales serves as lead counsel for
the GI Forum of Texas in a Latino vote dilution challenge to the
2003 Texas congressional redistricting; she was one of the lead
attorneys arguing that case before the U.S. Supreme Court in March
2006; and
WHEREAS, In addition to her own cases, Ms. Perales supervises
the work of five staff attorneys who conduct impact litigation and
advocacy throughout the Southwest on behalf of Latinos in the areas
of education, immigrant rights, employment discrimination, and
political access; and
WHEREAS, Nina Perales is an outstanding lawyer, and she
indeed merits commendation for her contributions to the legal
systems of this state and nation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commend Nina Perales on her
many notable achievements in the field of law and extend to her best
wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Perales as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.