October 1, 2021
This month, Kobre & Kim will highlight the unique and inspiring impact made by the Hispanic/Latinx community in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Today, we celebrate the life and accomplishments of Judge Juan Torruella.
Judge Torruella was born in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, on June 7, 1933, and would eventually move to the mainland U.S. to continue his studies. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania and went on to earn his law degree at Boston University School of Law in 1957.
After his studies, Mr. Torruella spent time at the U.S. National Labor Relations Board and then a little over a decade in private practice. He continued to distinguish himself as a highly capable lawyer, which eventually led to him being nominated to the U.S. District Court for Puerto Rico in 1974 by President Gerald Ford.
In 1984, he would be nominated by President Ronald Reagan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, where he would serve until his death on October 26, 2020. He was the first Puerto Rican to serve on a U.S. Court of Appeals for any district. For all his life, he was a tireless advocate for the people of Puerto Rico and remains the only Hispanic person to serve as judge on the First Circuit.