Texas Women Lawyers' 2014 Pathfinder Award Honors Judge Maria Salas-Mendoza for Her Dedication to Youth and Justice

    HOUSTON, TX, January 29, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Texas Women Lawyers ("TWL") announced today that it is honored to present the 2014 Texas Women Lawyers' Pathfinder Award to the Honorable Maria Salas-Mendoza, District Court Judge for the 120th Judicial District Court in El Paso, Texas. The TWL Pathfinder Award honors an individual each year who has been a champion promoting the advancement of women in the law and who exemplify professionalism, leadership and commitment to the public interest. "Judge Salas-Mendoza is an outstanding example of someone who has promoted the law and justice through her commitments to mentoring and her community," said Deirdre Carey Brown, the TWL Pathfinder Committee Chair.

For over twenty years, Judge Maria Salas-Mendoza has been dedicated to increasing educational access and opportunities for students, in particular students of disadvantaged and non-traditional backgrounds. Judge Salas-Mendoza is also an advocate for "Project Future," a project of the El Paso Women's Bar Association in collaboration with El Paso County, which gives young adults who have aged out of foster care a chance to obtain professional work experience through placement in jobs with El Paso County departments. Judge Salas-Mendoza has committed hundreds of hours to speaking to students about the importance of education at numerous career day events and student visits to the Court. Judge Salas-Mendoza was elected judge of the 120th Judicial District Court in 2006. She is the proud mother of four children. Judge Salas-Mendoza's commitment to the public interest provides a wonderful example for other lawyers to follow.

The presentation of the 2014 Texas Women Lawyers Pathfinder Award will be at TWL's Annual CLE in Dallas on February 28, 2014. All Texas lawyers are invited to register for the CLE. More information about the CLE and online registration can be found on TWL's website www.texaswomenlawyers.org

Texas Women Lawyers is an organization committed to the empowerment of women lawyers to achieve full rights, privileges and responsibilities in the legal profession.

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