VOCERO HISPANO. President s Message. Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association April 2012

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1 Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association April 2012 VOCERO HISPANO President s Message I am excited to welcome you to another year of the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association. Last year we saw our membership increase by over 30%, and we established the Justice Jorge Labarga Legal Excellence Award, which we will continue in the future. This year, we will strive to make all of you feel as if this is your professional familia. We will continue with programming that aims to fulfill our mission of developing and promoting Latinos in the legal profession. Many of us have benefited from the opportunities presented by HBA and together we have a responsibility to address the crises affecting our community. First, we must address the needs of the many un- and under-employed young attorneys. We will explore the barriers our young attorneys are facing and help equip them with the tools they need to navigate the radical transformation that our profession has undergone in the last few years Board of Directors President: Daniel Zuniga President Elect: Luis Delgado Corresponding Secretary: Adriana Gonzalez Recording Secretary: Grace Murillo Treasurer: Adelina Ruiz Baez Paralegal Board Member: Kelsey Burke Officer at Large : Nicole Hessen, Isabel Castillo and Jose Rodriguez Second, as leaders and lawyers, it is our responsibility to address the increasing number of attacks on the Latino community and stand up for its most vulnerable members. We will renew our focus on public service and work in partnership with leading organizations to help protect the rights of the most needy members of our community. Whether in the area of civil liberties, due process, domestic violence, or immigration, we are the last line of defense and I call on each of you to help fulfill our duty to our community. Of course, the primary responsibility and priority of your Board of Directors of this association is to serve you, the members. Last year s membership committee established an Immigration Project Task Force and Small Claims Clinic for Spanish Speakers. We have created a new website and Facebook page to make it easier for members to keep abreast of important events. Always remember that your participation makes the HBA more valuable to you, other members and our community. I look forward to serving and working with you this year. Saludos, Daniel A. Zuniga

2 On December 5, 2011 the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association held a members only luncheon in the Judicial Dining Room of the Palm Beach County Courthouse. Lunch was provided for all who attended. During this luncheon the elections were held and the winners of the election were announced. Special Thanks to Tom Hedler for chairing the election committee. Pictured: Jose Rodriguez, Isabelle Castillo, Adriana Gonzalez, Grace Murillo, Nicole Hessen, Adelina Ruiz Baez and Kelsey Burke. As the calendar year comes to a close the HBA begins preparing for elections for the following years HBA Officers. The Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association holds elections on a yearly basis. We accept nominations for the election each October and November. Each year the following positions are available: President-Elect, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer (2 year term), Paralegal Board Member and Officer at Large (3 open seats). The elections are held during our end of the year General Membership Luncheon the first Monday of December, in the Judicial Dining Room of the Main Courthouse. Members must be present to vote for the open officer positions. There are also several committee chair positions available which are by appointment of the Board of Directors. We hope you will consider becoming an active member of your Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association and consider taking on one of these positions in the future. Maria Mercado, Charles Cartwright & Adriana Gonzalez Tom Hedler Election Committee Chair 2011 and Steve Sanchez 2011 Paralegal Board Member.

3 2012 Board of Directors President, Attorney Daniel Zuniga practices personal injury law at the law firm of Zele Huber Trial Attorneys, P.A. The firm exclusively represents injured people and their families in the areas of general negligence, automobile accidents, premises liability, brain injuries, medical malpractice and defective products in Palm Beach County and throughout the State. Daniel is also the Chairman of the Palm Beach County Bar Association PI/ Wrongful Death CLE Committee and has been recognized as a Legal Elite Up & Comer by Florida Trend Magazine and Top 40 Under 40 Attorney by the National Trial Lawyers Association. [email protected] Telephone: President Elect, Louis Lou Delgado is employed at the law firm of Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, P.A. Luis is admitted to practice law in Florida, New York and is also admitted to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. Luis serves on the University of Florida Law Alumni Council, is a committee chair for the Young Lawyers Section of the Palm Beach County Bar. After graduation from the University of Florida Luis became an Assistant State Attorney in Palm Beach County for almost four years prior to joining his current firm. Telephone [email protected] Adriana Gonzalez is a shareholder in the Firm Gonzalez &Cartwright, PA, an AV rated* firm located in Lake Worth, Florida. Her practice includes personal injury, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases arising from automobile accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, product defects, and slip and falls. Ms. Gonzalez has been an officer in the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association since Ms. Gonzalez is a member of The Florida Bar Association, The Palm Beach County Justice Association, The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County, The Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association, The City of Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce. She is also admitted to practice before the United States District Courts of the Southern District of Florida. [email protected] Telephone: (561) Isabel Castillo is founding Partner of the Law Offices of Isabel Castillo, P.A. focusing exclusively in the area of immigration and naturalization. Her firm focuses on helping individuals acquire family-based temporary visas and permanent residence, naturalization and citizenship services, removal proceedings, waivers as well as helping corporations with employment-based visas. Isabel is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. She was selected as a 2011 Rising Star by Super Lawyers. You can contact Isabel via [email protected] or telephone (561) Board of Director At Large, Attorney Nicole Hessen is a Partner and Shareholder at the law firm of Wender, Hedler & Hessen, P.A. Her practice is focused primarily on representing injured workers in workers compensation claims. Nicole is also the FAWL Newsletter and Publicity Chair; Palm Beach County Bar Association s Workers Compensation Committee Chair; A member of the Florida Workers Advocates; A member of the Florida Bar Workers Compensation Section; and a member of the Binks Forest School Advisory Council. [email protected] Telephone: Paralegal Board Member Kelsey Burke is employed with the law firm of Searcy, Denny, Scarola, Barnhart and Shipley, P.A. in West Palm Beach, Florida. She is an active board member of the Palm Beach County Coalition for Immigrant Rights and volunteers in the legal department at El Sol, Jupiter s Neighborhood Resource Center. Kelsey is pursuing a career as an immigration attorney. [email protected] or telephone (561) Treasurer Adelina Ruiz Baez is employed with the law firm of Kelley & Fulton P.L. focusing primarily on Consumer Bankruptcy, Foreclosure and Commercial Litigation. Adelina Ruiz Baez holds a two year term with the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association. Telephone: with office in West Palm Beach Florida. You can contact Adelina directly by at [email protected]

4 Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association s Joint Networking Reception with the Palm Beach County Chapter of FAWL November 10, 2011 at McCormick & Schmick s in City Place Mariano Garcia, Sandra Powery and President of the Palm Beach County Bar Association John Howe Jose Rodriguez and Donna Wolfe Manuel Farach and Steve Fischer Hector Riviera, Leora Friere and Isabelle Castillo As your bar familia we realize the best marketing and networking is accomplished by being out in the community and meeting other attorney s in your area. Developing personal relationships is one of the best and most successful ways to build your practice. The Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association offers many events throughout the year to help its members do just that. We do our best to hold events in all areas of Palm Beach County and co-sponsor events with other voluntary bar associations whenever possible exposing our members to others in our community that may be valuable resources in developing your practice and professional career.

5 Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association s Luncheon held on November 7, 2011 featuring Senator Maria Sachs to discuss the issue of Court Funding Adriana Gonzalez, Senator Maria Sachs and Daniel Zuniga Chief Judge Peter Blanc and Daniel Zuniga Please join us for our monthly luncheons which are held the first Monday of each month at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in the Judicial Dining Room!. The luncheons are free for all members! The Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association sponsored and supported the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County by attending the 9th Annual Holiday Bookfest & Luncheon which was held on Friday, December 2, 2011 at Barnes & Noble in City Place. Nicole Hessen Board of Director pictured. Maria Moncada Board of Director, at the Minority Mentoring Picnic held on November 9, Special thanks to our sponsor for this event FPL!

6 SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS If you are interested in sponsorship please contact Daniel Zuniga at or Nicole Hessen at SAVE THE DATE! UPCOMING EVENTS *April 2, 2012 at 12:00 Luncheon at the Palm Beach County Courthouse Judicial Dining Room where our guest speakers are the candidates running for the Board of Directors for the Palm Beach County Bar Association. This lunch is free to all members and catered by Don Ramón's. *April 26, 2012 from 5:30 p.m. through 7:30 p.m. Rooftop Rumba a Networking Happy Hour held at Roxy s Rooftop / Sky309 at 309 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, Florida Cost is $5.00 for members and $10.00 for non-members. *May 4, 2012 Cinco De Mayo Pub Crawl. *May 7, 2012 at 12:00 Luncheon at the Palm Beach County Courthouse Judicial Dining Room where guest speakers will be presenting on the Merit Retention issue currently affecting our Florida Supreme Court.

7 Rooftop Rumba Date: Thursday, April 26, 2012 Time: 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Location: Sky 309 -Roxy s Rooftop, 309 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, Florida Cost: $5.00 for members and $10.00 for non-members; Free to the Judiciary Includes 2 drinks and Hors d'oeuvres RSVP to Daniel Zuniga at : [email protected] The Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association Thanks the following Special Event Sponsors: