Frances Guasch De La Guardia

PRESIDENT 

JAVIER A. LEY-SOTO

VICE-PRESIDENT

Currently the Chief Regional Counsel for the Florida Department of Children and Families, Mr. Ley-Soto oversees the general counsel functions of the Department for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. He worked at a boutique law firm prior to joining the Department handling commercial litigation matters.

RALPH MACNAMARA

TREASURER

Ralph MacNamara serves as Director of Advisory Services for Kaufman, Rossin & Co., one of the largest independent accounting firms in Florida and one of the top 100 CPA firms in the country. He is a member of the firm’s Forensic Advisory and Valuation Services Practice Group and regularly works with attorneys to assist with their forensic accounting, economic damages, e-discovery and expert testimony needs.

KAREN CESPEDES

SECRETARY

Karen Cespedes is a complex litigation consultant at Esquire Deposition Solutions, LLC, a national provider of deposition management solutions. As a proven sales professional and legal strategist, Karen works with corporations, law firms, attorneys and their teams to effectively manage the deposition process. 

LESLEY MENDOZA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lesley Mendoza joined CABA Pro Bono Legal Services in February 2013 as Executive Director and is responsible for supervising attorneys and all legal services provided by the organization. In addition, she conducts outreach efforts to educate the community on the services provided as well as recruitment and fundraising.

MARIA D. GARCIA

CUBAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

Maria D. Garcia is Of Counsel at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, and focuses her practice on health care law and commercial litigation.  She has extensive experience in managed care litigation and advising health care providers on various legal issues. She received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Florida International University, where she majored in Political Science.  She earned her Juris Doctor from Florida International University College of Law.

JORGE PIEDRA

CUBAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Jorge L. Piedra is a trial lawyer.  Trained and mentored by some of Florida’s top trial lawyers, Mr. Piedra enjoys a reputation as one of the finest commercial litigators in South Florida. Mr. Piedra was admitted to practice law in the State of Florida in 1996.

DANIEL R. MARTINEZ

Danny Martinez has over 25 years of banking experience. Prior to joining Professional Bank, Mr. Martinez worked for financial institutions such as Citibank, Union Planters Bank-Private Banking Division and Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust Co. where he serviced and formulated relationships with high net worth individuals and families as well as professionals within the legal, accounting and medical communities.

JOSE FELIX-DIAZ

DIRECTOR

 Jose Felix Diaz is a government law attorney. His practice areas include the representation of individuals, non-profits, major corporations, and various other entities before county and municipal boards throughout the State of Florida and beyond in complex matters involving public contract procurement, public private partnership deals and solicitations, litigation, zoning, land use, code compliance and enforcement, energy project development and comprehensive planning.

SERGIO MENDEZ

DIRECTOR

Sergio Mendez was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1985 and has more than 30 years of experience. He practiced with his late father for 15 years. Though his practice is limited to Guardianship, Probate and Real Property Law, he has handled hundreds of cases across the spectrum of civil litigation.