Elsa Leyva

We are thrilled to shine a spotlight on one of our founders, Elsa Leyva! A dedicated attorney with 41 years of experience, and an expertise in Criminal Law, Elsa has been a pillar in the legal community.

A true pioneer, Elsa was one of the nine founders of the Latina Lawyers Bar Association and served as its first President.

She was instrumental in establishing the LLBA’s law school scholarships, which have helped ease the financial burden for countless students studying for the bar exam. Her commitment to helping others extends beyond her leadership roles; she actively mentors new lawyers, encouraging them to develop crucial networking skills and providing support to navigate the competitive legal world.

Elsa’s message to other Latina lawyers is a powerful reminder of our capabilities: “Although the law license allows you to practice in almost all areas of the law, we tend to specialize in specific areas of the law. This allows you to keep up on the latest developments and changes in the law. It allows you to become an expert and thus a real asset to your clients.”

We are incredibly grateful for her vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the next generation of Latina lawyers.

Cinthia Flores

We are thrilled to shine a Luminarias spotlight on LLBA’s Past President and Lifetime Member, Cinthia Flores.

Cinthia has been a tireless advocate for the Latina community throughout her educational and professional career.  In addition to her work with LLBA, she is the President and Founding Board Member of Latinas Lead CA and the President-Elect for the UCLA Alumni Association.

Cinthia was appointed to the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Governor Newsom in 2020.  She formerly served as a staff attorney with the Coalition for Humane Immigration (CHIRLA), where she practiced immigration law with a focus on removal defense. Cinthia also has a background in labor law, having represented private and public sector unions.

Cinthia was recognized as a “Top 40 under 40” by the Hispanic National Bar Association and has been awarded the Distinguished Alumna Scholar Award by the Mexican American Bar Foundation.

Cinthia earned her Juris Doctorate at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. During law school, Cinthia served on the University of California Board of Regents. In recognition of her academic record and commitment to public service, Cinthia was awarded numerous scholarships, including the California Bar Foundation Diversity Scholarship, the MABF Law School Scholarship, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Earl Warren Scholarship and the prestigious Peggy Browning Fellowship. Cinthia was born and raised in Los Angeles and earned her B.A. in Political Science at UCLA, where she served as the first Latina undergraduate student body president.

We are incredibly grateful for her inspiration and commitment to our community.