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Joaquin Avila (voting rights advocate)
JohnPomeranz: Created
'''Joaquin Avila''' (born 1948, died March 2018) was an attorney and champion of voting rights. He crafted the [[California Voting Rights Act]] and brought lawsuits that set important voting rights precedents. He served as president and general counsel of the [[Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund]] (MALDEF) and directed the National Voting Rights Advocacy Initiative at Seattle University School of Law. Among the many honors he received recognizing his work, he was awarded a [[MacArthur Fellows Program|MacArthur Foundation Fellowship]] (also known as the "MacArthur Genius Grant") in 1996.
==Career==
After graduating from Harvard University Law School in 1973, Avila worked briefly on voting rights litigation in California before relocating to Texas.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> There, Avila worked as a staff attorney for MALDEF and quickly rose in the organization, eventually becoming its president and general counsel.<ref name="EJS"></ref>
After leaving MALDEF, Avila successfully argued important voting right cases, including Gomez v. the City of Watsonville, in which the city's at-large elections for city council diluted the voting power of the city's Latino residents in violation of the federal [[Voting Rights Act of 1965|Voting Rights Act]].<ref></ref> He successfully argued two voting rights cases before the Supreme Court.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
Avila was recognized as the father of the 2001 California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). The 2001 law made it easier for plaintiffs to challenge at-large election systems by eliminating one of the criteria required to challenge such systems under the federal Voting Rights Act.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The law also required the government to pay the legal fees of plaintiffs who successfully challenge an election system under the law.
==Awards==
Avila's work has been recognized by awards that include:
* MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (1996)<ref></ref>
* [[Vanguard Public Foundation]] Social Justice Sabbatical
* [[League of United Latin American Citizens]] President's Award (2012)<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
* Mexican government [[Ohtli Award]] (2011)
* Harvard Law School Association Award (2012)<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
* [[Seattle University School of Law]] Latino Amicus Award (2012)<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
==Education==
B.A. (1970), [[Yale University]]
J.D. (1973), Harvard University Law School
==Notes==
<references/>
==Career==
After graduating from Harvard University Law School in 1973, Avila worked briefly on voting rights litigation in California before relocating to Texas.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> There, Avila worked as a staff attorney for MALDEF and quickly rose in the organization, eventually becoming its president and general counsel.<ref name="EJS"></ref>
After leaving MALDEF, Avila successfully argued important voting right cases, including Gomez v. the City of Watsonville, in which the city's at-large elections for city council diluted the voting power of the city's Latino residents in violation of the federal [[Voting Rights Act of 1965|Voting Rights Act]].<ref></ref> He successfully argued two voting rights cases before the Supreme Court.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
Avila was recognized as the father of the 2001 California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). The 2001 law made it easier for plaintiffs to challenge at-large election systems by eliminating one of the criteria required to challenge such systems under the federal Voting Rights Act.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The law also required the government to pay the legal fees of plaintiffs who successfully challenge an election system under the law.
==Awards==
Avila's work has been recognized by awards that include:
* MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (1996)<ref></ref>
* [[Vanguard Public Foundation]] Social Justice Sabbatical
* [[League of United Latin American Citizens]] President's Award (2012)<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
* Mexican government [[Ohtli Award]] (2011)
* Harvard Law School Association Award (2012)<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
* [[Seattle University School of Law]] Latino Amicus Award (2012)<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
==Education==
B.A. (1970), [[Yale University]]
J.D. (1973), Harvard University Law School
==Notes==
<references/>
March 11, 2018 at 01:56AM
