My name is Frances Guasch De La Guardia. I am running for Florida Board of Governors (FBOG), 11th Circuit, Seat 6.
I have practiced law for over 30 years and have had a diverse legal career including: serving as a staff lawyer for five 17th Judicial Circuit Court judges, law clerk for the Honorable Melvia Green at the Third DCA, a trial lawyer at a small firm, in-house appellate counsel for a national insurance firm, and my current position of partner at the multi-national law firm of Holland & Knight (H&K) going on 14 years. My career has provided me the unique insight of practicing in many areas of the law all while balancing work and motherhood.
While at H&K, I was nationally recognized for my pro bono (over 100 hours annually) and community service work (assisting victims of hurricane IRMA and Maria, in the Florida Keys and Puerto Rico).
The past six years, I have served on the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA) Board of Directors where in 2020, I had the honor of serving and leading the organization as president during the global pandemic. Despite the challenges, we were able to reinvent the organizations’ programming and pivot to an online service-based platform to benefit the community (members and non-members) via valuable CLE content and mental health webinars. As part of my term on the CABA Board I was able to gain insight into the FBOG serving as an ex officio member from 2018-2019.
As your representative on the FBOG, I pledge to focus on:
• Strategizing and collaborating with others to meet members’ needs both in the traditional manner and in the mental health capacity, during the ongoing COVID crisis.
• Ensuring we continue to embrace diversity and inclusion and advocate for equality and elimination of gender bias in the practice of law.
Throughout my career I have committed myself and have a proven record of service to the legal community. Serving is my calling and I wish to continue to serve. I hope that my record of community service and effective leadership has earned your trust enough to serve as your representative on the FBOG as your Circuit 11, Seat 6 representative.
Other Experience and Leadership:
The Florida Chief Justice’s Advisory Committee for the Pro Bono Service Awards, 2021
St. Thomas University School of Law: Advisory Board, 2016-Present
St. Thomas University School of Law: Alumni Association, President, 2016-Present
Cuban American Bar Association: Foundation, President, 2021-Present.
Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator, Civil and Appellate, 2014-Present
Cuban American Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2015-Present.
Cuban American Bar Association, President 2020.
Florida Bar Board of Governors, Ex Officio Member 2018-2019.
Florida Bar Civil Rules of Procedure Committee, 2017-2019.
Cuban American Bar Association: Pro Bono Project, President 2019.
Florida Bar Appellate Rules of Procedure Committee 2007-2014. I humbly ask for your support and respectfully ask for your vote beginning March 1, 2021.
Frances De La Guardia For Florida BOG: Circuit 11, Seat 6. 