The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Latinx Law Students Association (LLSA) on Sept. 26 held its annual Dean José Bahamonde-Gonzáles IMPACTO Award ceremony celebrating Latinidad pride and the accomplishments of the Latinx legal community and students.
This year’s IMPACTO Award recipient is the Honorable Ana Hernandez, associate judge for the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City. The recipient of the Young Luminary Award is 2024 Maryland Carey Law graduate Mercedes Subhani.
After introductory remarks from Dean Renée Hutchins Laurent, LLSA co-president Isaiah Hinton ’26 invited Subhani to the stage to receive the Young Luminary Award, which honors a recent graduate for consistently showing their pride for the Latinidad, participating in LLSA, promoting their cultural heritage, and creating relationships that have furthered LLSA’s community.
“Although she is now an alumna of this school, the work she did at LLSA, the pride engendered, and the community she helped build remains,” said Hinton.
During law school, Subhani served as LLSA’s president and spearheaded the group’s first service trip to Puerto Rico and first appearance in the National Latina/o Law Student Association Moot Court Competition.
A first-generation law graduate, Subhani earned a certificate in Cybersecurity and Crisis Management and completed the Intellectual Property Track. At graduation, she received the William P. Cunningham Award, given to students who display exceptional achievement and service to Maryland Carey Law. Subhani now works at Baker McKenzie in Chicago.
In her remarks, Subhani talked about the support LLSA gave her as a student and offered students two pieces of advice: “Be authentic—never be ashamed of where you came from” and “Hold the door open for those behind you.”
LLSA co-president Vivien Martin ’26 then presented Judge Hernandez with the Dean José Bahamonde-Gonzáles IMPACTO Award. In her introduction, Martin called the judge, “an example for law students everywhere.”
Born in Venezuela, Judge Hernandez talked about challenges she faced in her quest to become a lawyer, including low LSATs, rejected law school applications, and failure to pass the bar on her first try. What inspired her to keep going was a support system of “others who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.” “The antidote to failure,” she added, “was mentorship.”
Judge Hernandez earned a BA from the University of Florida and JD from the University of Miami School of Law. Before her appointment to the bench in 2022, she was an assistant public defender in the Baltimore City felony trial unit and a middle school special education teacher.
The IMPACTO Award is named for José Bahamonde-González, LLSA's longtime faculty advisor until his passing in 2022. In his more than 20 years at Maryland Carey Law, Bahamonde-González mentored hundreds of students in various roles, including 16 years as associate dean for administrative affairs and student services, and seven as associate dean for professional education.
Former students, colleagues, and friends also honored Bahamonde-González in 2022 by establishing a scholarship at Maryland Carey Law in his memory. The first recipient Alexsandra Tamayo '25 is set to graduate in May.
View photos of the IMPACTO Awards in the event photo album.