Former judge’s daughter first black woman to lead local Bar Association

A daughter of Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Moses Bakerhas become the first black woman elected president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association.

Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes, a shareholder at the West Palm Beach personal injury law firm, Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, took over the organization of 3,000 lawyers in June. The theme of her year-long term is: “You’ve Been Served — Local Attorneys Answer the Summons to Community Service.” The program is to highlight the positive impact lawyers have in the community.

Her father, who retired from the bench in January, was a partner at the same law firm before being appointed judge in 1994 by Gov. Lawton Chiles, a Democrat. Baker was lauded for the work he did with at-risk teens during the 15 years he served as a juvenile court judge.

Baker-Barnes received her law degree from the Florida State University. At Searcy Denney, she focuses on personal injury, medical negligence and product liability cases. She is included in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Lawyers In America” and is recognized as one of the top lawyers in the state by Florida Super Lawyers magazine.

West Palm Beach attorney John Howe in 2011 broke a color barrier by becoming the first black president of …