Judge Mary H. Murguia of the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals will present the inaugural U.S. Sen. Dennis Chavez Endowed Lecture on Law & Civil Rights at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 20 at the University of New Mexico School of Law.

This new lecture and symposium series has been established through the generosity of the Dennis Chavez Foundation and the late senator's family to celebrate and keep alive the extraordinary legacy of Dennis Chavez, a populist from Albuquerque's South Valley who rose to become a nationally renowned U.S. senator during the mid-20th century.

The title of Murguia's lecture is, "Paying Tribute to a Trailblazer: Why Senator Chavez's Vision of Civil Rights Matters Today." She joined the 9th Circuit court in January 2011, after serving for 10 years on the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. When appointed in 2000, she became the first Latina to serve on the federal bench in Arizona.

The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception with the speaker and Chavez family will follow. Parking is available in lots surrounding the law school and along neighboring streets. This lecture has been approved for one hour of general CLE credits

For more information, click here to go to the lecture webpage.

Media Contact: Nancy Harbert, (505) 277-0091.