State Bar and Puerto Rico Bar associations stand against insular cases
The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) and the Bar Association of Puerto Rico both signed a memorandum of understanding at the 2022 SOMOS Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Wednesday to share information regarding unequal treatment for Puerto Ricans and other people living in U.S. territories.
Manuel Quilichini, president of the Bar Association of Puerto Rico, and Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the NYSBA, signed the memorandum of understanding, which will provide a framework for the two bar associations to work together to share information and collaborate on programs and educational opportunities.
After the signing of the memorandum, attorneys from both bar associations watched a panel discussion entitled, “The Impacts of Unequal Treatment for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Territories: The Insular Cases, Territories Clause and Recent Supreme Court Cases.”
“Despite our disappointment that Fitisemanu won’t be argued in front of the Supreme Court, we still plan to advocate against and educate about the Insular Cases,” said President Levin Wallach. “In addition to our joint advocacy, our partnership with the Bar Association of Puerto Rico is a tribute to the many hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans who have come to New York over the years, bringing their skills and their talents and enriching the fabric of all our lives.”