PRBAF Upcoming Elections!
DEADLINE EXTENDED - ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON 10/31/2019
You can now renew your membership dues online! Get current and vote in our 2019 elections.
Membership benefits include: free CLE's, statewide networking, and community service opportunities.
Go to the APPLICATION tab at the top right of this page to download the application and pay now.
~SCROLL DOWN FOR INFORMATION ON THE CANDIDATES FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS~
PRBAF Elections are on 10/31/2019!
If your dues are current, then you will receive an email with a link to vote electronically!
Here is some information about the candidates running for positions
on the Board of Directors.
Candidates for President (Contested):
Joel Montilla- Born in The Bronx, New York, Attorney Montilla has made Central Florida his home for over 30 years. Mr. Montilla graduated from the University of Central Florida (UCF) with a Bachelors in Business Administration before embarking on his law school journey in Michigan. He practices primarily in the areas of Business, Corporate, & Contract law, as well as Civil Litigation and Real Estate. Having spent time in community activism listening and helping others solve problems throughout the last 20 years, Attorney Montilla understands the legal needs and challenges of the community.
Attorney Montilla currently serves as Regional Vice President of the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida’s 5th District, and as General Counsel for Latino Leadership, Inc. After four years of being a member of the PRBA of Florida, Mr. Montilla decided to run for President of the PRBA of Florida to continue facilitating statewide initiatives that bring value and business opportunities to the members of the organization. He has worked closely with the current President, Immediate Past President, and Founding President aiding in numerous initiatives across the state gaining first-hand perspective as to the challenges and opportunities facing the organization. Attorney Montilla is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Edwin Prado Galarza– Mr.Prado is the President, founder and managing partner of Prado Núñez & Associates, P.S.C. (d/b/a Prado Law Offices). The firm is recognized as a premier law firm in Puerto Rico, New York, and Florida, as it prides itself of handling high profile criminal and civil cases. The firm has enjoyed a stellar reputation for sustained excellence for more than 25 years and is a full-service law firm.
Mr. Prado has emerged as a leading legal authority in the fields of entertainment law and criminal law, and he has successfully represented clients in high profile criminal and civil cases. He is admitted to federal district courts in New York, Puerto Rico and Florida. His firm handles Federal cases throughout the United States, and provides representation in agency and administrative proceedings, as well as requests for reconsideration of inclusion in the Sanctions List promulgated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. He is also part of the faculty of the University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras.
As part of his commitment to the Puerto Rican community, Mr. Prado dedicates significant time to non-profit services, including the fight for voting rights and historical efforts in the area of voter registration in Puerto Rico. His goals as part of the Board of Directors of the PRBAF include: implementing creative initiatives for voter registration; increasing voting rights awareness within the Hispanic community of Central Florida; and becoming a permanent liaison between the legal communities of Puerto Rico and Florida.
Candidate for Secretary (Unopposed)
Delmarie Alicea -Ms. Alicea has 10 years of experience in the housing and financial industries, which she acquired working for Fortune 500 companies. Lured by issues of justice, she made a career change and began working as a litigation paralegal for a large national firm. She later obtained a BA in Legal Studies from UCF with a certificate in litigation and advocacy. In 2018 she earned a JD from Barry University Law. While at Barry she helped create the Barry Law ACLU Chapter, for which she served as the secretary, and also represented immigrants at the Barry Law Immigration Legal Clinic.
Delmarie has previously worked as a fair housing advocate for Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida. For the past year she has worked at Florida Legal Services as an Equal Justice Works disaster relief fellow assisting hurricane survivors and working on risk management policy. She is originally from Puerto Rico and speaks Spanish fluently.
Delmarie wishes to join the PR Bar to continue promoting the great abilities of Puerto Rican attorneys and assist upcoming law students in order to continue diversifying our profession. As Florida’s Puerto Rican population continues to increase and flourish, it is more imperative than ever that our community has adequate representation in both the court and through legislation. It is Delmarie’s goal to be an advocate and supporter of this cause and her involvement with the PR Bar is a key tool in that effort.
Candidate for Treasurer (Unopposed)
Marie E. Masson – Ms. Masson is the current President of the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida, Inc. (2018-2020). Over the last 11 years, she has served the organization’s Board of Directors in various roles, such as Secretary, Vice-President for the Fifth District, Judiciary Committee Member, and HNBA Liaison. In 2017, she was involved in the development and implementation of the Student Transfer and Relocation Program (S.T.A.R.) of the PRBAF, following hurricane Maria. She was also instrumental in the development of the Legal Services Clinic of the Puerto Rican Community, which was the brainchild of former PRBAF President Anthony L. Suarez. Ms. Masson is an avid advocate for civil rights on issues affecting the Hispanic community. She wishes to continue her commitment to the PRBAF in the role of Treasurer.
Aside from her litigation practice, which involves workers’ compensation and labor & employment litigation, Ms. Masson is an adjunct professor at Florida Agricultural and Mechanics University College of Law in Orlando, FL, a law school that serves historically underrepresented communities. Ms. Masson was born and raised in Puerto Rico and attended Florida State University College of Law. She is fully bilingual in English and Spanish.
Candidate for Regional Vice-President Third District (Unopposed)
Mark Berrios-Ayala– Mr. Berrios-Ayala is currently In-House Counsel to Jefferson Capital Systems, LLC. Previously, Mark worked at two firms dealing with personal injury and bankruptcy while a student at the University of Central Florida. Mark also worked as the legal intern for the Honorable Migna Sanchez-Llorens of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in Miami. He also served as a Certified Legal Intern at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. Being a first-generation college graduate, Mark graduated from Florida International University College of Law in the spring of 2017. During law school, Mark was awarded the pro bono medallion for 200 pro bono hours completed while in law school. Mark obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida in 2014, graduating honors in the major. Mark obtained his Associate of Arts degree from Valencia College in 2011. In his free time, Mark authors articles on trending topics in the Puerto Rican community and is the Vice President of Communications of PROFESA, community organization, and enjoys traveling around the world.
With regard to his enthusiasm and commitment to join the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rican Bar Association of FL, Mr. Berrios-Ayala wishes to combine his involvement in the Puerto Rican community and the legal community, and he feels there is no better place than the PRBAF to do that.
Candidate for Regional Vice-President Fourth District (Unopposed)
Rudwin “Rudy” Ayala - Rudy Ayala received his Bachelors from Quinnipiac University Magna Cum Laude in 2007 and his Juris Doctor as a Goodwin Scholar from Nova Southeastern University in 2010. He was admitted to the Florida Bar the same year and is licensed to practice in all state courts in Florida, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Rudy is a long-time member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida, having previously served on the Board of Directors as a Vice-President. His commitment to the issues affecting the Puerto Rican community and the Hispanic community as a whole manifests itself through his extensive history of service to the legal community. Rudy is also a member of various other voluntary bar organizations, including the Broward County Bar Association; Palm Beach County Bar Association (Professionalism Committee; Committee for Diversity and Inclusion); Broward County Hispanic Bar Association; and the Hispanic National Bar Association, where he currently serves as the Region VIII Representative for the Young Lawyers Division, which encompasses all of Florida. Rudy has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star (2015 – 2018), and 2019 Best Lawyers in America© for Personal Injury – Plaintiff. He is AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell®. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
Candidate for Regional Vice-President Fifth District (Unopposed)
Edwin Prado Galarza - Mr.Prado is the President, founder and managing partner of Prado Núñez & Associates, P.S.C. (d/b/a Prado Law Offices). The firm is recognized as a premier law firm in Puerto Rico, New York, and Florida, as it prides itself of handling high profile criminal and civil cases. The firm has enjoyed a stellar reputation for sustained excellence for more than 25 years and is a full-service law firm.
Mr. Prado has emerged as a leading legal authority in the fields of entertainment law and criminal law, and he has successfully represented clients in high profile criminal and civil cases. He is admitted to federal district courts in New York, Puerto Rico and Florida. His firm handles Federal cases throughout the United States, and provides representation in agency and administrative proceedings, as well as requests for reconsideration of inclusion in the Sanctions List promulgated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. He is also part of the faculty of the University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras.
As part of his commitment to the Puerto Rican community, Mr. Prado dedicates significant time to non-profit services, including the fight for voting rights and historical efforts in the area of voter registration in Puerto Rico. His goals as part of the Board of Directors of the PRBAF include: implementing creative initiatives for voter registration; increasing voting rights awareness within the Hispanic community of Central Florida; and becoming a permanent liaison between the legal communities of Puerto Rico and Florida. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
Join us in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Puerto Rico Day in Tallahassee. This is our most important Legislative Day, when we convene with state politicians and present them with the Puerto Rican community's agenda of broad interests for their action and consideration.
Cultural presentations of arts and music will showcase our heritage at the State Capitol.
Buses from multiple counties will depart on March 25, 2019, and our legislative work day is on March 26, 2019.
Sponsorship opportunities available. Send RSVP and questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
