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. Mendoza conducts outreach efforts to educate the community on the services provided as well as recruitment and fundraising. From 2004 to 2007, Mendoza worked at White & Case in New York as part of the firm’s commercial litigation practice group. Prior to that, she worked at Thornton, Davis & Fein in Miami. She earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law in 2002 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1998. Lesley is the 2014 recipient of the “Most Effective Lawyer” Award in the area of pro bono by the Daily Business Review.

Email: lesley@cabaprobono.com

Beatriz Schachter joined CABA Pro Bono in 2018.  At CABA, she has assisted low-income veterans and victims of domestic violence with divorce, paternity, domestic violence injunction, temporary custody and child support cases, regularly appearing in court to advocate for clients.  Schachter is currently serving as Attorney ad Litem for dependent youth in G.R.A.C.E. Court, a specialized court devoted to the needs of children who have been identified as victims of commercial sexual exploitation and labor trafficking.  She earned a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2000 and a B.A. from the University of Florida in 1997, where she served as President of the Cuban American Student Association.

Admitted to practice law in both Florida and New York, Schachter has worked at Clifford Chance LLP in New York, Bilzin Sumberg in Miami, and most recently as legal counsel for Gelber Schachter & Greenberg P.A. in Miami. She is fluent in Spanish and previously taught civics for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Email: betty@cabaprobono.com

Patricia Salman is a staff attorney who assists with the legal program for persons with disabilities. She routinely serves as Guardian Ad Litem in family court cases. Prior to this role she handled all cases under the Human Trafficking Victim Representation Project at CABA Pro Bono Legal Services. Before joining CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, Salman worked in the public service sector for more than a decade for various Florida state agencies.

Additionally, Salman worked as Assistant Regional Legal Counsel in the Department of Children and Families in the Office of General Counsel in Miami. She was also an Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Economic Division/Consumer Protection Division in Miami. She is a member of the Florida Bar and the Florida Muslim Lawyers Association.

She received her Bachelor of Science in finance, with a concentration in economics and criminology, from the University of Florida in 2003. Salman then went on to earn her Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida Levin School of Law in 2006.

 Email: patricia@cabaprobono.com 

Viviana Busutil joined the CABA Pro Bono team in 2014 and supports its Immigrant Children’s Program. She previously supported CABA Pro Bono with low-income clients with foreclosure defense, loan modifications and landlord and tenant issues. In 2016, she opened her own firm, Busutil Law, which focuses on real estate law. Busutil attended Florida International University and earned her undergraduate degree in accounting. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of St. Thomas.

Email: viviana@cabaprobono.com

Daniela Fletes began working with CABA Pro Bono in 2021, where she assists low-income clients with immigration and family law cases. She is a member of the Florida Bar and the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar. In 2018, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in international relations with a specialization in political science from Florida International University. Fletes obtained her Juris Doctorate from the St. Thomas University School of Law in 2021.

Email: daniela@cabaprobono.com

Tensie Suengas graduated magna cum laude from Florida International University with a B.A. in psychology. Suengas went on to attend American University’s Washington College of Law in D.C. During law school, she helped survivors of domestic violence obtain U-Visas, VAWAS, restraining orders, and resolve custody and child support disputes. Suengas worked for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida as a case manager for the Unified Family Court Division and Complex Litigation Division. As a case manager, she assisted judges in cases such as divorce, domestic violence, paternity, dependency, and juvenile delinquency. Suengas was a staff attorney with Dade Legal Aid where she represented victims of domestic violence in divorces, paternity, and custody proceedings. At CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, she has represented victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and immigrant youths.

Email: tensie@cabaprobono.com 

Aida Diaz-Silveira joined CABA Pro Bono in 2023. Her legal career spans over two decades. She was admitted to the Supreme Court of the State of Florida and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. She has provided pro bono representation for low-income clients with Church World Service, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and Catholic Legal Services. As an undergraduate at Florida State University, Aida interned with the Public Defender for Leon County and served as a legislative intern with Florida State Representative John Cosgrove and at the time Florida Senator Mario Diaz-Balart. She then went on to earn her Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami, School of Law.

Email: aida@cabaprobono.com

Vivian Escribano joined CABA Pro Bono Legal Services as staff attorney in 2023.

Email: vivianescribano@gmail.com

Raquel Vega joined CABA Pro Bono Legal Services in September 2023 as a staff attorney and will support the organization’s Landlord Tenant Eviction Program, representing low-income tenants facing eviction. Vega has experience in family law and has represented underprivileged victims of domestic violence in court and mediation. Previously she coordinated marketing campaigns at a Miami-based financial advisory firm.

Vega earned a Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University College of Law where she was a Book Award recipient in criminal, property and Florida constitutional law. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and broadcast journalism from the University of Miami. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

Email: Raquel@cabaprobono.org

Rosalba Penaherrera has been with CABA Pro Bono Legal Services since March 2008 and currently works as office manager. Penaherrera handles the company’s charitable giving, customer relations and grant applications.

Before joining CABA Pro Bono, she was a title processor at Manuel L. Crespo, P.A. and a personal banking specialist at AmTrust Bank.

Email: rosalba@cabaprobono.com

Maria Jacqueline Rodriguez has more than 15 years of legal experience, having served as a family law attorney in her native Cuba and eight years as a paralegal in Miami. She graduated from the University of Matanzas Law School in Cuba in 1990 and served as a family law and tax law professor until 2004. Rodriguez joined CABA Pro Bono in September 2006 and assists with preparing U.S. citizenship and immigration services applications for foreign-born individuals and their families, including applications to adjust status, employment authorization and naturalization. In addition, she conducts initial intake interviews, helps prepare legal documents for simple divorces, and assists in training classes to help applicants overcome barriers to becoming a citizen.

Email: jackie@cabaprobono.com

Martha Diaz began working with CABA Pro Bono Legal Services in 2022. She now supports the team by coordinating pro bono efforts and community outreach. Before joining the team, Diaz worked as a file clerk and legal assistant at Pozo-Diaz & Pozo P.A., providing support to the insurance defense law firm. She earned her undergraduate degree from Florida International University in criminal justice and received her Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University. Diaz is fluent in Spanish and holds a Florida Notary Public license.

Email: martha@cabaprobono.com

Diana Pacheco joined CABA Pro Bono in 2023 as a paralegal. She graduated from the Paralegal Studies program at Florida International University in 2017 and began her career at Hochman & Goldin P.A, specializing in traffic law for seven years. Following her tenure there, Pacheco transitioned to real estate law and joined the Busutil Law Firm, where she dedicated three years. As paralegal at CABA Pro Bono, she previously worked with the Landlord Tenant Eviction Program and currently supports the team’s Immigrant Children’s Program.

Email: diana@cabaprobono.com

Daniela Gonzalez joined CABA Pro Bono in 2023 and currently serves as a paralegal for the Landlord Tenant Eviction Program, utilizing her legal expertise to support and assist clients in matters concerning landlord-tenant disputes. 

Email: danielag@cabaprobono.com

Yoldy-Dancy Brignolles joined the CABA Pro Bono Legal Services team in 2023 as a legal assistant. She specializes in assisting with cases involving victims of domestic violence and children that have been abused and/or neglected by their parents. Brignolles is fluent in Creole and Spanish. 

Email: yoldy-dancy@cabaprobono.com

Christina Nader joined the CABA Pro Bono Legal Services team in 2023 as administrative assistant. She supports the team through accounting, grant reporting, client communications, overseeing fundraising efforts and event scheduling. Nader earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in communication studies at the University of Miami. She is fluent in English and Spanish. 

Email: Christina@cabaprobono.com