Community Events

Pro Bono Defense – Black Lives Matter

“The function of freedom is to free someone else.” So said the unparalleled Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate, Pulitzer Prize winner, National Book Award winner, Princeton Professor Emeritus, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In honor of her towering legacy and in solidarity with current protests demanding justice and accountability in policing, our law firm humbly offers its own contribution: we are representing, pro bono publico, Black Lives Matter protestors in Central Florida who are arrested while exercising their right to peaceful, nonviolent protest. If you have been arrested under these circumstances please call our offices. We will defend you to the fullest extent of the law, at no cost to you.

We recognize there is much work to be done to pave the way for the universal realization of Morrison’s call: “There is no such thing as race. None. There is just a human race.” Until the promise of our democracy is fulfilled for all people of every color, sex, religion and from all walks of life, we will support the right to peaceful, nonviolent protest.

April 2018

Our firm invites community members interested in being on our dragon boat racing team for the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Race. Dragon Boat Racing is great fun for everyone, young and old, male and female. Each boat is 45 feet long from stem to stern. Twenty paddlers sit side by side in ten rows. In the stern, a steerperson stands on a platform and guides the boat through the water, and in the bow a drummer sits facing the crew, beating the drum to the stroke rate of the paddlers. Every team races three times throughout the day, with a chance to vie for champion of one of the seven divisions. The race course is 450 meters on Tampa Bay’s Garrison Channel near the Marriott Waterside. In past years the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Race has raised over $125,000 for charity. The event is coordinated with Tampa Bay’s Asia Fest, which features a Miss Asia Fest Competition, folkloric dancing, and an opportunity to sample exotic cuisine. You do not need any money to volunteer, only your desire to be on our dragon boat team. No previous experience is required.

June 2, 2017

Congratulations to Attorney Mauricio Hued on being re-elected to the board of directors of the Central Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (CFACDL). CFACDL is the largest professional association of criminal defense lawyers in Central Florida; its mission is to elevate the level of criminal defense practice in the area and provide a forum for issues of special interest to practitioners in this field.

March 14, 2015

The dedicated women of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. put on an outstanding “Bingo for Handbags” event at the Hilton Altamonte Springs. We were proud to sponsor the event and we extend our thanks to all who joined to make the event a tremendous success. Participants enjoyed fast-paced bingo games for fabulous designer handbags and other spectacular prizes, and an amazing Viennese Bar. All proceeds benefited the scholarship fund of the Zetas Excelling Through Action Foundation.

April 13, 2014

We are proud to support the 5th Annual Ron Jon Surf Shop Cocoa Beach Triathlon. This event is offered in partnership with the Surfing Evolution and Preservation Foundation and provides an opportunity for experienced and novice athletes to compete in the sunshine and enjoy Central Florida nature.

March 2, 2013

Through hard work, perseverance and volunteerism the talented people of the Hope CommUnity Center put together a wonderful evening celebrating hope and diversity. This meaningful and entertaining program centered on the ways in which hope builds community and enriches lives through education, advocacy and spiritual growth. Proceeds from the event benefit the Sister Cathy Gorman Scholarship and College Access Fund. Many thanks to all who contributed to this very special evening.

November 8, 2012

Special thanks to Jill S. Schwartz & Associates, P.A. for sponsoring the Orange County Bar Association’s select showing of David Mamet’s gripping courtroom drama, Race. Attorneys Mauricio Hued and Joan-Verónika Valedón were delighted to be in attendance at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater as the cast put on a performance that fearlessly challenged the audience’s perceptions of race, guilt, justice and truth.

June 2, 2012

Attorneys Mauricio Hued and Joan-Verónika Valedón were grateful to be invited to speak at this year’s “Know Your Rights” Event sponsored by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Caribbean American Advisory Committee. Special thanks to all who made this well-attended event possible.

January 21, 2012

We would like to extend our gratitude to all the volunteers who participated in our Civil Rights Restoration Program. With your assistance we were able to help members of our community restore their civil rights, all free of charge. Thank you for your time and effort.

April 11-12, 2011

Mauricio Hued was invited to lecture at the Annual District Conference for the Federal Defender Organization of the Federal Middle District of Florida.

April 9, 2011

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. presented the 6th Annual Eminence Scholarship Gala at The Peabody Orlando. We were privileged to be present and show our support for this magnificent event, which featured exemplary local youth who worked extremely hard to qualify for scholarships. Hats off to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. for maintaining a tradition of excellence.

November 6, 2010

We are proud to support the Bok Tower Gardens, a National Historic Landmark. Come out and enjoy their 9th annual “Sunset and Symphony” concert with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday, November 6th. For more information call Bok Tower Gardens at 863-676-1408.

April 17, 2010

The Central Florida Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association in partnership with the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association presented Citizenship Day. The event helped Lawful Permanent Residents interested in applying for U.S. citizenship. We were happy to participate at the event, which was hosted at the Hope Community Center in Apopka, as well as Barry University in Orlando and First United Methodist Church in St. Cloud.

April 9, 2010

Angels Against Abuse hosted an event to benefit children in the foster care system and other at risk youth of Pinellas County. Our firm was happy to participate and take part in the auction to benefit the youth of Saint Petersburg, Florida.

March 18, 2010

Attorney Mauricio Hued was invited to speak at a Z-HOPE (“Zetas Helping Other People Excel”) function hosted at the Washington Shores Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. The event is part of a community outreach initiative of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. Our firm is very proud to have been invited by a prestigious international organization with such a storied history.

March 6, 2010

Attorney Mauricio Hued attended the inaugural dinner of “Kombit Pou Haiti…Working Together for Haiti.” All proceeds from this fundraiser went the American Red Cross for Haiti earthquake relief. The event was a success by any measure: “Kombit Pou Haiti” raised over $10,000; the keynote speaker for the evening was a local journalist who was in Haiti during the earthquake; a dance troupe of four incredible women brought the evening to a close with a performance that earned them a standing ovation. Actors and singers provided entertainment throughout the evening. Congratulations to everyone who was involved in putting on the event. If you would like to know more about participating in the next dinner, contact the event’s organizers Louis Lubin and Robin Williams.

At the dinner our firm announced that as a community service project we will represent any Haitian immigrants seeking to take advantage of Temporary Protective Status, and we will do so free of charge. The last day to register for Haitian Temporary Protective Status is July 20, 2010, but the application process is lengthy. Prospective applicants should start the process as early as possible.

February 18-19, 2010

Attorney Mauricio Hued participated in the 2010 American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) conference in Miami. The two-day conference was sponsored by the South Florida Chapter of AILA. AILA is the national bar association of over 10,000 attorneys who practice immigration law. AILA Member attorneys represent tens of thousands of U.S. families who have applied for permanent residence for their spouses, children, and other close relatives to lawfully enter and reside in the United States. AILA Members also represent thousands of U.S. businesses and industries who sponsor highly skilled foreign workers seeking to enter the United States in a temporary or permanent basis. AILA Members also represent foreign students, entertainers, athletes, and asylum seekers, often on a pro bono basis.

Hued & Valedón, P.A.

Federal Criminal Defense