Roland Sanchez-Medina, Jr., takes the oath of office at the Bar’s General Assembly June 21 in Orlando as his wife, Johanna Armengol, and children Mariana, Christian, and Alessandra look on. “Americans of Cuban descent realize, as recent U.S. history has shown, that our republic and our democracy are more fragile than we know,” Sanchez-Medina said. “It’s not something that under any circumstances can be taken for granted. The greatest generation of Cubans is right here in the state of Florida, protecting that democracy and the rule of law.”

Stressing the Cuban roots he shares with Supreme Court justices, and pledging to help lawyers navigate the “pressure cooker” of modern practice, Roland Sanchez-Medina, Jr., was sworn in Friday as the 76th president of The Florida Bar.

A gregarious Miami transactional lawyer who is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, Sanchez-Medina alternated between tears and one-liners as he addressed friends, family members, and colleagues who packed an Orlando ballroom for the General Assembly of 2024 Annual Florida Bar Convention.