If there was any doubt that Miami Lakes needed a professional group for women who practice law, 17 attorneys showed up to a Galentine’s Day lunch on two days’ notice.
“Things have changed so much with Zoom hearings,” said attorney Gloria M. Garcia. “A lot of our attorneys are lacking mentors. A lot of organizations cater to women in the law, but there’s nothing locally.”
So Garcia, 51, formed Legally Lakes. Her niece, attorney Melissa Alvarez, 27, works at Garcia’s practice that specializes in workers compensation. The name of their new sisterhood was inspired by the movie “Legally Blonde.”
From that lunch at BB’s Bakehouse, the Legally Lakes Instagram group has grown to 111 followers.
“We’re targeting a different audience than the Miami Lakes Bar Association,” Garcia said. “There are a lot of issues that are dealt with only by female attorneys: the proverbial work/life balance, raising children, being passed over for promotions or being mistaken for a court reporter.”
Garcia was a young lawyer when she was in a stressful situation that could have gone differently.
“I remember being in the ER with my son and doing a depo on the phone and not having that confidence, when I can tell opposing counsel that I had an emergency and had to reschedule,” Garcia said.
She said Legally Lakes is a place where lawyers can talk about those career issues while collaborating, and empowering each other, too.
“We have judges who have expressed interest in future events, so we’re excited for that,” Garcia said.
There are no dues or membership fees. Monthly meetings most likely will happen at lunch, when they’ll discuss important legal topics, too, Garcia said.
“A lot of women can’t go to a 7 a.m. meeting of other organizations like this because they are doing drop offs at school or they can’t do night meetings,” Garcia said. “We’d love to have their babies there, too.”
For more information follow @LegallyLakes on Instagram.
In the large photo: Gathered at BBs Bakehouse on Feb. 14 for the first meeting of the Legally Lakes mentorship group, from front left, Marisol Basulto; Lourdes Corvo; Perla Calas; Megan Lopez; Massiel Andino; Hannah Rarick; Caridad Cangas; Veronica Garcia; Gloria M. Garcia; Mirelis Castilla; Suhaill Morales; Lauren Gonzalez; Gloria Velasquez; Jessica Riveiro; Alejandra Gancedo; Melissa Alvarez and Haydee Sera.