In April 1994 a group of Puerto Rican attorneys met to discuss the possible formation of a bar association that would address issues affecting the Puerto Rican community. Some of those present at that first gathering included Yamil Colon, Judge David Delgado, (now Judge) Raymond Figueroa, Fernando Grillo, Arnold Rivera, Edwin Reyes, the late Diego Rangel, Yvette Lebron Rivera, Carlos Vazquez and Felix Vazquez.

The driving force behind the creation of the PRBA was the recognition that there were many issues unique to the Puerto Rican community that needed to be addressed. Puerto Ricans had the lowest income levels of all Latinos, were the most poorly educated, had the highest high school drop-out rates, had the highest unemployment rates, and had the highest HIV infection rate among all Latinos. The group felt that as attorneys familiar with the community and with the issues, they could be a powerful voice for their community; they could serve as role models, advisors, speakers and mentors.

With this in mind, the attorneys met again on May 25, 1994; this time they were joined by an additional 7 or 8 persons, and voted to call the organization the PUERTO RICAN BAR ASSOCIATION. This name was changed a few year later to the PUERTO RICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS. Part of the PRBA's By-Laws includes a section on our purpose and it states in part as follows:

"...to promote high standards of intergroup, honor, competence among Hispanic attorneys...to promote legal education...to foster understanding of and respect for the law...to aid the Hispanic community in becoming award of its rights, duties and privileges under the law; to provide a forum through which Hispanic attorneys...the legal profession and the community at large may become aware of the needs, goals cultures and achievements of Hispanics, and particularly, to bring awareness of the needs, goals, culture and achievements of the Puerto Rican community; ...to provide means for dealing with our common problems; to exchange information concerning matters of interest..."

The organizations first official act was the result of the a concern voiced by then Vice-President Arnold Rivera. For many years, the Circuit Court posted a yearly notice in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin about special court calls during the Puerto Rican Festival events in the Humboldt Park area in June of every year. The special court call conveyed the message that Puerto Ricans are rowdy and disorderly and accordingly, are arrested in greater numbers during their festivities than other ethnic groups during similar ethnic festivities; this in fact was not true.

As a result of our Vice-president's concerns, the PRBA sent a letter to the then Chief Judge Harry Commerford in June of 1994, calling his attention to the matter and asking for a meeting to rectify the situation. After receiving the letter and meeting with then President Frank Quinones, Chief Judge Commerford immediately recognized the validity of the our concerns and agreed to eliminate the procedure and the notice in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Neither the procedure nor the notice has been reinstated.

Over the years, the PRBA has consistently provided a number of services to the Puerto Rican and Latino communities, including:
Yearly High School Mock Trials
Yearly Law Day Middle School Motivational Talks
Yearly Christmas Adopt-A-Family, wherein the organization provides means and Christmas gifts to numerous needy families
Regular Community speaking engagements to answer residents' legal questions, and educate them on the law
Seminars for lawyers
Regular Judicial Evaluations in cooperation with the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois and the Alliance of Bar Associations
Overseeing the elections of the Puerto Rican Parade Committee President
Joint activities with other bar associations and information sharing with the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce

We have also held a yearly banquet to honor the organization's achievements, to bestow recognition awards, and to celebrate the induction of new officers. The organization's past Presidents have been ENRIQUE ABRAHAM, EDWIN REYES, FRANK QUINONES, RAMON OCASIO, NORMA REYES, GREGORY VAZQUEZ, ORLANDO VELAZQUEZ, ARNOLD RIVERA, MAURICIO ARAUJO and BEATRIZ SANTIAGO. This year's president is CHARLES ROMAKER.