by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Miami attorney Francisco Angones has been elected without opposition to become the Florida Bar’s president-elect.
Angones will be sworn in as president-elect at the Bar’s 2006 Annual Meeting in June, when current president-elect Hank Coxe will be sworn in as president. Angones will become the Bar’s first Cuban-born president in June 2007.
Angones practices civil trial, personal injury, commercial torts and insurance litigation at the Miami firm he co-founded, Angones, McClure & Garcia P.A. He has served on the Florida Bar Board of Governors since 2000, currently serving on the executive committee.
Angones said he was inspired to pursue the Bar presidency by former president C. Clyde Atkins.
“He believed in leading by example,” said Angones. “He was kind, gentle, yet firm in principle.”
Angones hopes to follow that example in addressing what he sees as challenges before the Bar. His goals of making the Bar more diverse and increasing interaction with state lawmakers align with those of current President Alan Bookman and Coxe.
Coxe said he’s looking forward to working with Angones, whom Coxe called “a very good friend.” The pair have worked together extensively on the Bar’s Board of Governors and subsidiary committees.
Coxe called Angones “one of the most respected leaders,” of both Miami’s legal community and its Latin community. Angones is a past president of the Dade County Bar Association and the Cuban-American Bar Association. Angones is also a former member of the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates and has served on the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission for the Southern District, among other Bar activities.
Angones arrived in the United States from Cuba in 1961. He came to the U.S. without his parents via the humanitarian Operation Pedro Pan, which brought thousands of Cuban youths to the U.S.
Angones graduated from Miami’s LaSalle High School. He received his bachelor’s degree and his law degree from the University of Miami, graduating from the law school in 1976.
Angones’ wife, Georgina, is assistant dean of the University of Miami School of Law. They live in Coral Gables.
Joining Angones in the Bar’s leadership structure will be Jacksonville attorney Grier Wells, who was elected without opposition to keep his seat on the Board of Governors. Grier will start his next two-year term in June 2006. Wells was among 17 incumbents re-elected to seats on the Board. There are 15 attorneys statewide contesting the remaining five open seats.