Mission
The mission of the Caribbean Bar Association (The “CBA”) is to serve and support the legal profession and to promote good relations among lawyers, the judiciary, and the Caribbean-American community by:
- Promoting the professional interests of the local bench and bar;
- Encouraging collegiality, public service and professionalism on the part of all lawyers of Caribbean-American heritage;
- To foster and encourage excellence among Caribbean-American lawyers;
- Improving access to justice for all persons living and working in the Caribbean Diaspora;
- Supporting all local courts in the administration of justice for all people;
- Promoting greater awareness of and commitment to the civil and political rights of all members of the Caribbean-American Diaspora;
- Establishing, promoting and maintaining social and professional programs, activities and services for all members of the Caribbean-American community;
- Making appropriate policy and legislative recommendations concerning the law and the Caribbean-American community;
- Increasing the successful enrollment of Caribbean-American law students.
cba's message
Dear CBA Members & Supporters,
The Caribbean Bar Association is a voluntary bar association whose mission is to inform, educate, and empower all members of the Caribbean-American community in South and Central Florida, and provide support of legal initiatives affecting Caribbean countries. The CBA is heavily involved in civic engagement and regularly collaborates with local civic groups and organizations on educational events and activities.
The Caribbean Bar Association continues to support Food for the Poor in its noble initiative to provide relief and aid to the Caribbean islands affected by natural disasters. You, your firm, or your organization are encouraged to make financial donations to the hurricane relief effort directly to Food for the Poor through their website.
Refer to the Upcoming Events section to keep in touch with the Caribbean Bar Association’s events, CLE courses, and social soirees.
organizational
Founded in 1994 and based in Miami, Florida, the Caribbean Bar Association (“CBA”) is a voluntary bar organization that has grown from just over 25 lawyers at its inception, to well over 200 attorneys from the Caribbean-American community in South and Central Florida. CBA attorneys work in both the public and private sectors and practice criminal law, civil and commercial litigation, administrative law, family, immigration, business and corporate, insurance defense, medical malpractice, real estate, trust and estates, probate, maritime, international law, arbitration, personal injury, land use and zoning law, among other areas of practice.
In 2000, the CBA adopted the motto “Informing, Educating, Empowering” — capturing the essence of its mission to inform, educate and empower all members of the Caribbean-American community in South and Central Florida. To live out its motto and in furtherance of its stated mission, the CBA has embarked on the following initiatives:
- Developing a partnership with the local print, online, radio and TV Caribbean media;
- Fostering a communicative partnership with the local Caribbean Consular Corps;
- Collaborating with the local U.S. Attorney’s Office to develop outreach programs for the Caribbean-American community;
- Establishing a scholarship program through the fundraising efforts of its Annual Scholarship & Awards Gala to award a stipend and paid judicial or legal services internships to law students with a demonstrated interest in issues affecting Caribbean-American people;
- Developing programming to acknowledge and honor outstanding Caribbean-American citizens for their charitable and/or community work;
- Launching the “Aspire to Inspire” program with Miami Dade College North Campus to introduce students to a variety of career options and professionals of Caribbean-American descent;
- Partnering with Broward and Miami-Dade County facilities like the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center and the Jack & Jill Children’s Center for an annual Caribbean Reading Day program to provide books to children and expose them to Caribbean stories and culture;
- Developing programming to encourage greater diversity in the judiciary and legal profession, including an annual judicial reception, panel discussions on the Judicial Nominating Commission process, and community forums to introduce the general public to local judges and lawyers;
- Joining with a collective of minority bar associations to launch the Judicial Diversity Initiative, bringing awareness to the lack of diversity on the bench and advocating for greater diversity in appointed and elected judicial seats;
- Creating programming to introduce law students and new attorneys to the legal profession, including hosting an annual professionalism roundtable with local law schools, participating in the new attorney breakfasts hosted by the tri-county bar associations, and providing free memberships to first year attorneys;
- Fostering civic involvement in the community by co-sponsoring citizenship and immigration drives, voter registrations, political and judicial candidate forums for the purpose of engaging, educating and empowering voters;
- Hosting events geared toward encouraging professional growth and providing networking opportunities for Caribbean-American lawyers and paralegals in the South Florida area, including Continuing Legal Education (CLE) presentations, and Voluntary Bar Association socials.
With its local base and international focus, the CBA continues to be uniquely positioned to advocate on behalf of the entire Caribbean-American community in South and Central Florida and to act as a bridge between law, politics and community awareness.