About Roland Sanchez Medina, Jr., Esq.
Roland Sanchez-Medina was born in Havana, Cuba, but left the country at the age of two with his family to seek political asylum. They later moved to Philadelphia before permanently moving to Miami.
In 1991, he graduated from Boston Law School and soon worked as a senior associate at Holland & Knight. He then became a partner at the major legal firm McDermott, Will & Emery, where he was a member of the Corporate Department. He currently works at SMGQ Law, of which he is a founding partner. The lawyers at SMGQ Law have handled cases involving a number of Fortune 500 companies, publicly traded companies, privately held companies, and many others. Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr. concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate and securities law. After gaining recognition in the community, he served as Cuban American Bar Association president in 2009.
Mr. Sanchez-Medina has volunteered himself to multiple causes to help the community, including being Chairman of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and advocating for the professional advancement of Hispanics. Through the organization, he has helped so many Hispanics and minorities from all ages.
During his Chairmanship, the height of Covid-19 broke out and severely impacted the world. Roland Sanchez-Medina understood there were things he could do to help his community and the more than 1,700 members of the SFLHCC. He started the endeavor by providing the members with educational tools. Sessions on getting the most out of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and getting them forgiven were among them. There were also sessions on expanding access to other services and resources as they became accessible.
Recently, Sanchez-Medina Jr. was sworn in as president-elect of the Florida Bar during the 2023 Annual Florida Bar Convention on June 23, 2023.
According to Sanchez-Medina, his greatest privilege, however, was raising his three children, Mariana, Alessandra, and Christian. Mariana is 25 years old and graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Human Evolutionary Biology. She is currently a 3rd year medical student at Emory School of Medicine. Alessandra, aged 23, graduated from Vanderbilt University majoring in Human and Organizational development and Women’s and Gender Studies. She’s currently living in New York working in Public Relations. Christian, the youngest is 16 years old entering his junior year at Gulliver Academy. He plays the guitar and has interests in journalism and broadcasting.
Following such great achievements, we met with Roland Sanchez-Medina to hear about his journey.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your journey, and how did you overcome them?
Early on, the biggest stress was not being able to settle in one place. I was born in Cuba, raised in Africa, lived in a couple of other places and then, finally, in Miami. It’s hard for a child to fully develop with so much instability. Even when we arrived in Miami, my father moved us almost every year as his orthopedic practice was evolving. Unlike my children, I don’t have any friends from 12 years and younger since I was constantly moving. However, that instability did help me develop one trait – the ability to make friends quickly, to be open to others since I didn’t have the core, stable group of friends as I was growing up.
What has being named President Elect of the Florida Bar meant for you as a Cuban-American?
An incredible honor especially since I know the people that preceded me. From Judge Patricia Seitz (the first female president of the Florida Bar), the late Alan Bookman, the current president, Scott Westheimer, and all the other presidents. It’s an incredible group of talented attorneys who are passionate about their profession and love to serve. The imposter syndrome is alive and well and it’s difficult for me to come to grips with the fact I will be a part of this august group. I have to mention Jack Harkness, the prior executive director of The Florida Bar who I revere and was always so incredibly supportive.
Further, as a Cuban American attorney, it just proves what we sometimes take for granted – that this country will allow anyone the opportunity to succeed if you put in the time and effort, and are relentless in that pursuit. I am most appreciative of how much my family, my SMGQ Law family and most importantly my Cuban American Bar Association (CABA) family played a role in this achievement. Without that foundation, I would not be where I am today.
Who were your key supporters, mentors, or influencers who played a role in your success? How did they contribute to your achievements?
I am incredibly grateful for the support I always received from my parents and my family. Their unwavering support and guidance helped me get to the position I have today. Their impact on my success cannot be overstated, and I owe a significant portion of my achievements to their contributions. And I can point to my children, Mariana, Alessandra and Christian, as motivation since I always wanted them to be proud of their father. My family has been my greatest rock and a never-ending source of inspiration. My desire and self-assurance to pursue a law career were based on their faith in my talents and constant support during trying times.
I also had the good fortune to have outstanding mentors in the legal profession who took me under their wing or just demonstrated a special talent that I wanted to emulate. They kindly shared their expertise, wisdom, and insights with me, guiding me through the complexities of the legal industry. Attorneys like Michael Kosnitzky, Jorge Hernandez-Torano, Jerry Sokol, Steve Zack, Paul Singerman and countless others who helped shape the attorney I am today. I can point to so many past CABA presidents who also played a role, attorneys such as the late Osvaldo Soto, Frank Angones, Ray Abadin, Victor Diaz, Judge Cori Lopez-Castro and Kathy Fernandez-Rundle who served with grace and professionalism. Sometimes it’s just the way they walked through life that impacted me to the extent that I wanted to mirror them. I wanted to be as strong, as intelligent and as fearless as they were.