Robert Miklos and Maria Mateo are running for President and First Vice President of the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County (LLAQC), respectively.

As running mates, their collective vision is to provide mentorship and resources to law students, empower young Latino attorneys, improve the communities they serve, and to help grow the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County.

Robert Miklos, of Puerto Rican descent, is a Partner at Silberstein, Awad, & Miklos PC, specializing in cases around medical malpractice and personal injury.

Graduating from St. John’s University Law School in 2009, Robert served on the New York International Law Review and won the National Mock Trial Championship with the Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute. Licensed in New York and admitted to practice in New York State Courts, the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, Robert embraces his Latino Puerto Rican heritage.

He is a board member of the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County. He actively engages in community work with Brigada de Esperanza helping Latino migrants and the Latino population in Queens County. Robert’s deep connection to his roots is further enriched by his marriage to his wife, who hails from Mexico City. Together, they are raising their three bilingual sons in a culturally diverse and vibrant household.

Miklos takes immense pride in helping the Latino community, and is a dedicated advocate for underrepresented communities, minorities, and the poor, often taking on powerful hospitals and large insurance companies.

In one notable case, he helped a young, overachieving Latina from Corona who had dreams of being a pilot. Her dreams were dashed when she was rear ended while stopped at a red-light. Her injuries disqualified her from military service, and instead of being able to pursue her dream of being a pilot, she was forced to deal with indefinite back pain, and concede to a technician job at JetBlue. Thanks to Miklos, she received the justice she deserved.

“I’ve spent basically my entire career representing the Latino community,” Miklos said.

“I have seen things, firsthand, in large Latino communities, where things are not taken care of the way they should be; whether it’s neighborhoods, sidewalks, property or premises. There should be a greater recognition that underserved communities, our predominantly Latino communities need more representation and advocacy,” said Miklos

According to Miklos, Latino communities face significant barriers to entering the law field that many other communities don’t face. Besides Law school expenses, many new Latino lawyers and students lack the connections needed to find work and establish their careers, Miklos stated. The result is that Latino communities are not receiving enough legal assistance.

“There’s a large number of Latinos living in New York City and New York State who don’t have access to the same opportunities that other communities have,” Miklos said. That’s really what motivated me to pursue mentorship, education, and training for young Latino students and lawyers.”

“Being a lawyer gives you access to so many different opportunities as a Latino, but the cost of law school is only going up, and law school continues to be a significant investment that many struggle to afford,” said Miklos

One of Miklos’ goals is to establish more financial assistance programs to address the underrepresentation of Latinos in law firms and the judicial sector. Additionally, Miklos advocates for creating more mentorship roles for LLAQC for young lawyers struggling to find their place after law school.

Robert Miklos met Maria Mateo by way of The Queens County Bar Association.

Mateo, the Founding Attorney of Maria Mateo PC, and the current 3rd Vice President for the LLAQC, is originally from the Dominican Republic.

She has been practicing law since 2010. She received a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from St. John’s University School of Law, where she graduated with distinction. Maria is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of New York and is admitted to Federal Courts in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States.

Maria also served the Mayor Eric Adams administration as a Commissioner of the Redistricting Commission in 2022. The Commission was tasked with redistricting the limits of the State of New York.

Maria has spent her legal career concentrating in complex litigation cases; she has significant experience in various areas of her law practice including immigration, family, matrimonial and personal injury. Maria is known for quality legal services. Her office adheres to big firm standards, while maintaining a small firm feel. Clients and organizations have recognized her for her advocacy skills, professionalism and reliability

Even after Mateo moved to New York, and graduated with distinction from St. John’s University School of Law, she struggled to find work, like many other non-native English speakers.

“Here I am, in a totally foreign territory without even knowing how to start,” Mateo said. “Where do I find a job? What do I do?,” she asked herself. Eventually, she connected with the LLQAC, which helped her find work opportunities and connections.

“The mentorship I found among LLAQC members was paramount to my ability to start my career as an attorney in New York City,” said Mateo.

Miklos and Mateo say their main goal is to create a new scholarship program to help young Latinos pay for a substantial amount of law school tuition, as well as expand on the Bar Association’s Mentorship Programs. They are already in the process of planning fundraising events toward the creation of the new scholarships, they said.

To vote in the upcoming LLAQC election, you must join the LLACQ by registering and paying membership dues. The General Membership Meeting and elections are scheduled for Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 6:00. The meeting will be held at McClancy High School, located at 71-06 31st Ave, East Elmhurst, NY 11370.