About COLBAR

Founded in 1995, the Colombian American Bar Association (COLBAR) is a voluntary bar association consisting primarily of judges, national and international lawyers and firms, and law students. It is dedicated to furthering the civic and professional interests of Colombian American attorneys and their colleagues, and to address the legal interests of the Colombian American community in South Florida and at large.

COLBAR meets 10-12 times a year for network lunches, professional presentations and CLE’s, happy hour socials, a yearly picnic, and at other times for special events, such to welcome visiting Colombian dignitaries or to celebrate occasions important to the Colombian community. COLBAR also participates actively in charitable events—its annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive is an established tradition—and its members often coordinate to provide the public with reliable no-cost legal information.

Executive Officer Profiles

Tiffany Escobar, Esq.
President

Tiffany Escobar is an Associate Attorney at Your Immigration Attorney, PLLC, in Miami, Florida. Fluent in English and Spanish, she specializes in U.S. immigration law, including defensive asylum, removal proceedings, employment-based, family-based, and humanitarian matters.

Ms. Escobar earned her Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law, where she co-founded the Colombian American Student Bar Association and received the CALI Book Award in Admiralty Law. During law school, she served in the Human Trafficking Unit of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office as a Certified Legal Intern. She holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Florida International University.

She currently serves as the President of the Colombian American Bar Association (COLBAR 2026) and was appointed to the Florida Bar Journal/News Editorial Board for a three-year term through 2027. In 2024, Ms. Escobar was named an “Up-and-Comer Honoree” at the Hispanic Women of Distinction Awards, receiving a Special Congressional Recognition from Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

She is also an active member of the Miami-Dade Bar Association Young Lawyers Section, the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the International Entrepreneur Chamber of Commerce (U.S. Florida Chapter).

Laura Arboleda, Esq.
Vice President

Laura Arboleda, Esq. was born to Colombian immigrant parents in the United States and raised between Medellin, Colombia and Miami, Florida. For over seven years she acquired experience in various immigration matters as a Paralegal in notable immigration law firms. Now she runs her own solo practice.

Raphael Sanchez, Esq.
Secretary

Raphael Alejandro Sanchez (Ralph) is the founder of The Law Office of Raphael A. Sanchez, P.A. His practice is dedicated to all forms of personal injury and homeowner’s insurance claims. He is a member of the Colombian Bar Association (COLBAR), Dade County Bar Association, and Westchester Chamber of Commerce.

Ralph is a first-generation American of Colombian descent and speaks fluent Spanish. He was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University (FIU) in 2010 and his Juris Doctor from the St. Thomas University School of Law (STU Law) in 2014.

While a student at STU Law, Ralph was a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Abby Cynamon and a legal intern at the City of Miami Office of the City Attorney. He was also an Articles Editor of the St. Thomas Law Review, and an active member of the Cuban American Student Bar Association (CASBA) and Hispanic American Law Student Association (HALSA).

Shortly after graduating from STU Law, Ralph began his legal career by handling criminal defense cases with prominent criminal defense attorney Dennis Gonzalez, Jr. There he obtained extensive courtroom experience representing clients in court for traffic infractions, traffic misdemeanors, misdemeanor bond hearings, and felony bond hearings. He also negotiated the resolution of cases with Assistant State Attorney’s and prepared motions to dismiss based on the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Thereafter, Ralph joined the law firm of Pacin Levine, P.A. There he worked hand in hand with the managing partner of the firm, Marc Pacin, and obtained extensive knowledge of the intricacies of the world of personal injury. There he handled over 400 personal injury cases and has helped recover more than 2 million dollars from the insurance companies.

In June 2017, Ralph formed The Law Office Raphael A. Sanchez, P.A. to represent individuals with competent, aggressive, and personalized legal care.

Laura Marino, Esq.
Treasurer

Laura Marino is an Associate Criminal Defense Attorney at Ratzan & Faccidomo, LLC. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Laura is fluent in both Spanish and English and is committed to serving diverse communities through her legal practice.

Laura graduated cum laude from St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. During law school, she co-founded and served as President of the Colombian American Student Bar Association, reflecting her dedication to mentorship and representation within the legal profession.

Laura was also an active member of the St. Thomas Law Trial Team, competing in both state and national advocacy competitions. In October 2022, she received an Honorable Mention at the Georgetown White Collar Crime Invitational, competing against sixteen of the top advocacy programs in the nation. She also competed in the prestigious Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition, helping place St. Thomas Law among the top 25 mock trial programs in the country.

While in law school, Laura worked as a law clerk at Ratzan & Faccidomo and interned at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office, where she served as a Certified Legal Intern in the Jail Division, gaining hands-on courtroom experience representing incarcerated clients.

Following graduation, Laura was honored with the “Up and Comer Award” at the Annual Hispanic Women of Distinction Ceremony, recognizing Latina professionals who are paving the way for future generations.

Laura later returned to the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office as an Assistant Public Defender, where she gained significant trial experience handling jury and bench trials across a wide range of criminal matters.

Laura prides herself on her ability to build meaningful relationships with her clients while providing zealous, strategic, and compassionate advocacy.

Board of Directors

Natalia Yidi, Esq.
Board Member

Ms. Yidi received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law. While in law school she was a member of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Society and a member of the Hispanic Law Student Association. During law school, Ms. Yidi interned at the State Attorney’s Office of the 11th Judicial Circuit, specifically in the Circuit Criminal Division. Ms. Yidi graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, majoring in Journalism and Advertising. Ms. Yidi gained litigation experience working at white-collar criminal defense and civil litigation firms.

Adriana P. Santiesteban, Esq.
Board Member

Adriana P. Santiesteban, Esq., is an experienced civil litigation trial attorney with over twenty years of experience in the legal field. She was born in Urrao, Colombia, S.A., and with the help and sacrifices of her maternal grandmother, her family immigrated to the United States when she was two years old. Ms. Santiesteban was raised in Brooklyn, NY and lived in East Stroudsburg, PA, for a few years before permanently moving to sunny Miami, FL in 1989.

Paula C. Arias, Esq.
Board Member

I am an international attorney whose professional experience includes work in the private legal and academic sectors on issues related to international commercial arbitration, international human rights, public policy, rule of law, and advocacy. I have excellent interpersonal and outreach skills that have led to a large, established network of professional relationships with individuals and institutions domestically and internationally.

Alexander Lian, Esq.
Board Member

Alexander Lian, originally from Barranquilla, Colombia, is well known for his legal acumen and ability to handle intricate and complex matters. Noteworthy achievements include his 2011 selection as a finalist for the Daily Business Review’s Most Effective Lawyer in South Florida, Real Estate Litigation. Mr. Lian’s clients include the largest Fortune 100 company headquartered in South Florida, national religious organizations, as well members of South Florida’s business community. A Vanderbilt University Graduate and Law School alumnus, he authored a renowned study on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., which Cambridge University Press published internationally in 2020. Mr. Lian is also a Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator and past president of COLBAR (2021).

Valentina Rios, Esq.
Board Member

Valentina was born and raised in Colombia and moved to the United States after completing high school. She graduated from FIU College of Law in spring 2025 and is currently an associate attorney at Bryson Harris Suciu Demay PLLC, where she previously completed her summer associate program. Her practice focuses on class action litigation, with an emphasis on data privacy and consumer protection matters, as well as mass arbitration and complex commercial litigation.

She enjoys practicing law in Miami because her upbringing in Colombia enables her to connect naturally with and understand Hispanic clients, businesses, and communities. Sharing cultural references, language, and social norms fosters trust and communication that are essential in legal practice, particularly in a city where much of the legal work operates at the intersection of U.S. law and Latin American culture.

Valentina remains deeply connected to Colombia. One of her professional goals is to reflect, through her work, the skill and professionalism of Colombian-American attorneys and to contribute to a stronger Colombian legal presence in Miami by fostering meaningful professional relationships and cross-border collaboration.