I am the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants who fled a violent civil war in search of a better life. I am a first-generation college and law school graduate. When I graduated law school, I had no connections in the legal field. As a young attorney of color, I wanted to find a space that was inclusive of minorities. I found that in the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association (MHBA), where I was able to meet other Hispanic attorneys and create bonds and relationships that I would not have been able to create on my own.

The MHBA strives to ensure minority inclusion across the state’s judicial system. In fact, MHBA’s founder, Mayda Colon Tsaknis, created the MHBA to create a bridge between our Hispanic community and the State’s judicial system. This organization’s first effort was to secure proper court interpretation for Maryland’s Spanish speaking population. This initial endeavor resonated with me. I practice family law and early in my career, I also practiced immigration law. Then and now, I have met Spanish-speaking clients who still have a lack of access to information and resources that help them understand the law and the legal implications of their actions. The information and the manner in which the information is disseminated to our community needs improvement. As President, my goal is to create programs and outreach that correctly inform our community of their rights and give easier access to information.

The MHBA has grown substantially since its inception and has benefited from renewed energy, ideas, and enthusiasm from its active members. In the last year, we created a mentorship program that benefits new attorneys entering into the legal profession as well as seasoned attorneys seeking to expand their legal skills through guidance from mentors. The program ensures mentees are paired with mentors in their areas of interest. To do this, we secured interested mentors across various areas of practice in the state who are excited to return the mentorship that too were given by others.

This year, the MHBA will continue to serve our membership by providing opportunities to network and serve our community. We are grateful to MHBA’s Board members and our other active members who continue to support the organization.

Rebeka N. Bautista, Esq.
MHBA President 2024