Baker-Barnes was a new member of the Palm Beach County Bar Association Board of Directors in 2013 when Eugene Pettis became the first Black president of The Florida Bar (article available here). Now, a decade later, Baker-Barnes has followed in his footsteps, breaking another barrier.
In December, Ms. Baker-Barnes was elected as the first Black woman president of the Bar. She will begin her term as President in 2025. She has also served as the first Black woman president of the Palm Beach County Bar.
The Florida Bar is responsible for regulating professional and ethical standards among the more than 112,000 licensed attorneys in the state.
Baker-Barnes, the daughter of retired Circuit Judge Moses Baker, earned her undergraduate and law degrees at Florida State University. Admitted into practice in 2000, she is a civil trial lawyer at a law firm in West Palm Beach, where she grew up.