Minnesota partner selected as a ‘Diversity and Inclusion Award’ honoree by Minnesota Lawyer

Minneapolis partner Jerry Alcazar has been recognized by Minnesota Lawyer with a Diversity and Inclusion Award.

The award recognizes Alcazar and others for their contributions to enabling diversity and inclusion within the legal community.

Alcazar leads diversity and inclusion initiatives in the legal and education communities, including in his past role as the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association president, where he championed efforts to diversify the Minnesota State Court bench. He worked to formalize the MHBA judicial endorsement process and advocated for the appointment of the first Hispanic judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He currently serves on the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Judicial Endorsement Committee, where he helps prepare prospective Hispanic judicial candidates for interviews with the Judicial Selection Commission and the Governor's Office.

Alcazar is a national litigation and trial counsel for major corporations. His practice includes product liability and high-stakes disputes. His trial and arbitration experience includes representing medical device and chemical product manufacturers, financial institutions, food producers, transportation companies and developers.

Alcazar also serves as chair of the Hiawatha Academies Board of Directors, a network of schools in South Minneapolis with a student body that is 99% students of color. Hiawatha's vision is to honor the humanity of all people and actively disrupt systemic inequity in pursuit of an equitable world, primarily by ensuring a great school for every child. For the last eight years, Alcazar has been committed to ensuring that Hiawatha's 1,500 scholars receive an education that matches or exceeds the very best schools in Minnesota.

Additionally, he trained under celebrated trial advocate and soon-to-be Judge Jerry Blackwell, who was recently announced as a federal judicial nominee by President Joe Biden for the US District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Alcazar and other honorees will be recognized at a reception and awards event on October 5 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.