Angie Pagán, President

Angela Pagán, Esq. is a criminal defense attorney attorney of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent. Ms. Pagán graduated from the University of Florida where she obtained two undergraduate degrees with Honors, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology. As an undergraduate student, Ms. Pagán became a Founding Sister of the Chi Chapter of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc., the first Latina/Hispanic sorority in the country, in Florida and at the University of Florida. Ms. Pagán obtained her law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she graduated Cum Laude at the top of her class. While a law student Ms. Pagán was elected President of the Criminal Law Association and Vice President of the Law Student Council. Additionally, she was selected to study abroad twice, furthering her legal studies at Montpellier University in France and Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Ms. Pagán started her legal career at the Office of the Public Defender in Palm Beach County, where she worked as an Investigator and Assistant Public Defender for over nine years. She left in 2012 to go into private practice and in 2014 she founded her firm, the Angie Pagán Law, PLLC, located in downtown West Palm Beach. Ms. Pagán is a Past President of the Palm Beach County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She was the Co-Chair of the MacArthur’s Foundation Palm Beach County Racial and Ethnic Disparity Team and is a year’s long member of the 15th Judicial Circuit’s Pro Bono Committee. Additionally, Ms. Pagán has also served as a volunteer Guardian Advocate for Baker Act cases in the 15th Judicial Circuit since 2012. Ms. Pagan has served on the PBCHBA Board for 5 years and was the recipient of the 2024 Member of the Year Award. 

Gina M. Fraga, Immediate Past President

Mrs. Fraga has devoted her entire legal career to defending the rights of our immigrants by focusing her practice in the complex and ever-changing field of Immigration and Nationality Law. She is a Partner at Acosta & Fraga Law, P.L.L.C., where she handles a heavy case load in areas such as deportation defense, family immigration, business immigration, equestrian-related immigration visas, self-petitions on behalf of victims and children, among others. She is a proud “double Gator” who received both her bachelor’s degree with honors and law degree from the University of Florida.

In addition to serving as a Board member of the Palm Beach Hispanic Bar Association since 2019, she has also been an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association where she chairs the AILA South Florida Chapter DMV Committee, serves as a member-at-large of the USCIS West Palm Beach Committee and previously served in the Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee. She is passionate about providing pro bono legal representation to children and women who are the victims of abuse or neglect and serves her community by providing outreach, education and assistance to charitable organizations such as Americans for Immigrant Justice, the Legal Aid Society of PBC and the Guatemalan-Maya Center in Lake Worth, Florida. Due to her outstanding work in the community she was awarded the 2019 Public Citizen Award from the National Association of Social Workers Palm Beach Chapter. She enjoys going back “home” to recharge at the beach in her little island of Puerto Rico where she was born and raised.

Alberto R. Leal, President-elect
Alberto R. Leal, Esq. is a solo practitioner based in the Lake Worth area and assists clients in the areas of Criminal Defense and Business Litigation. A native of South Florida, Mr. Leal is uniquely positioned to serve the legal needs of clients given his fluency in both English and Spanish. Mr. Leal is a past recipient of the National Trial Lawyer’s Top 40 under 40 award and has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

Olga Patterson, ACP, FCP, FRP, Co-Treasurer

Olga Patterson has been a paralegal since 1989 and earned her ACP in Discovery, Estate Planning and Trial Practice as well as the FCP and FRP designations. She is a NALA Advanced Certified Paralegal with more than 30 years of legal experience in the fields of Mass Torts, Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Litigation. She currently works at Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather Florida Injury Attorneys in Palm Beach Gardens. She is active on several committees for the PBC Chapter of the Paralegal Association of Florida and is a past president. She currently serves on the board of the FL Bar Registered Paralegal Committee, Certifying Chair of the FCP Examining for the Paralegal Association of Florida, Chair of the Paralegal Committee of the Palm Beach County Bar Association and Past Chair of the FJA Paralegal/Legal Assistance Section. Olga is also a member of the paralegal section of the American Bar Association. She devotes her free time in helping fellow paralegals grow and become part of the legal community. She is a frequent speaker at the paralegal sections of local colleges.

Francisco holds a law degree from the University of Miami, with a concentration in transnational transactions, providing him with a strong foundation in cross-border legal and commercial matters. A passionate community advocate, Francisco has dedicated a significant portion of his professional and personal life to supporting the Latino community and defending the rights of individuals and families, particularly those navigating the legal system following serious injury or loss. 

He is the founder of Incorporate Legal, LLC, a consulting firm serving diverse industries, with a primary focus on legal development, landscaping, and construction. Through this venture, Francisco advises entrepreneurs and businesses on growth, compliance, and strategic development. Francisco is also licensed to practice law in the Dominican Republic and serves as an intermediary fostering U.S.–Dominican Republic commerce, representing clients in cross-border legal and business matters. Additionally, he remains deeply committed to collaborating with political candidates and policy initiatives that prioritize the best interests of the community.

Albany Rojas Carrero, Communications and Social Media Coordinator 

While pursuing her law degree at Nova Southeastern University, Albany served as a domestic violence paralegal, assisting victims in obtaining injunctions for protection. With eight years of legal practice in Venezuela, she undertook the challenge of restarting her legal career in the U.S., balancing work, motherhood, and marriage. Albany's deep connection to the immigrant community stems from her personal experience, making her a passionate advocate. After being a staff attorney at Legal Aid,  Albany recently started her own solo immigration practice to continue to help the Hispanic community. In addition, she mentors foreign attorneys to help them to get accepted into law school and eventually pass the bar exam. In her free time, she enjoys just being at home with her husband, daughter and her dog.

A native Colombian, Mrs. Mesa-Estrada moved to Florida as a teenager with her parents, allowing her to earn her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Florida International University.  In 2008, she earned her law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law, where she also earned a Master of Laws in Intercultural Human Rights, cum laude.  She is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts, as well as in the United States District Courts for the Southern, Middle and Northern Florida, and the Federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.  She is a member of The Florida Bar and a Palm Beach County Bar Association Board Director.

Sonia Muñoz Gallagher, Esq.
Sonia Muñoz Gallagher is the founder and managing attorney of Family Wealth Law, LLC, a Florida-based law firm focused on estate planning, probate, guardianship, and business succession planning, serving families and business owners throughout Florida. She works closely with families, professionals, and business owners to develop thoughtful legal strategies designed to preserve long-term family security, minimize court involvement, and support intentional legacy planning.

Ms. Muñoz Gallagher earned her undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Miami and her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, attending both institutions on full scholarship. While at the University of Miami, she served as President of the Puerto Rican Students Association for all four years and was a co-founder of the university’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, reflecting a longstanding commitment to Hispanic leadership, cultural advocacy, and community engagement.

A member of The Florida Bar for over twenty years, Ms. Muñoz Gallagher is bilingual in English and Spanish. As a Latina attorney, business owner, and mother, she brings a deeply personal, family-centered perspective to her work. She regularly presents to special needs organizations and their members and has delivered nationwide legal education webinars attended by over 500 attorneys, where she is recognized for her expertise in special needs trust planning and through which she led presentations on the legal and cultural complexities of estate planning for Hispanic families and business owners, helping practitioners elevate their approach and more effectively serve diverse communities. She is also a frequent legal educator and speaker for attorneys, professionals, and community organizations.

Throughout her career, Ms. Muñoz Gallagher has remained committed to mentorship, professional education, and expanding access to legal knowledge within the Hispanic community. Her work is driven by a commitment to building strong families, resilient businesses, and enduring legacies within the Hispanic community. As a new member of the Board of Directors of the Palm Beach Hispanic Bar Association, she looks forward to contributing her leadership, experience, and passion for service in support of the organization’s mission.

Karen Velez is the founder of The Velez Law Firm, P.A., located in Boca Raton, which focuses on Divorce and Family Law. The Velez Law Firm is committed to compassionately guiding clients as they navigate the challenges of divorce and family law issues. The firm handles divorces and paternity matters, as well as drafts prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and all family law related matters.   

Prior to starting the firm, attorney Velez began her 20-year legal career in public service as an Assistant Public Defender. Karen has extensive courtroom experience and has litigated jury trials and bench trials. She has lived in Palm Beach County for over 25 years and served on numerous local boards. Attorney Velez served on the Board of Directors of The Craig S. Barnard Inn of Court. Karen also served on the Board of The Women’s Foundation of Florida, where co-chaired the Women On The Run program with former West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio. Attorney Velez was a finalist for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County, “Esperanza” Award. Esperanza means hope in Spanish. The Esperanza Awards recognize and honor Hispanic business women with exceptional achievement in business and in the public or private sectors in Palm Beach County.