Monica Segura seeks Circuit 11 Group 5 judge seat

Monica Segura is running for Circuit Court judge in Miami-Dade County's 11th Judicial Circuit, Group 5. She faces Arthur LeMar McNeil in the Nov. 3 general election runoff for the seat held by Judge Angélica D. Zayas, who is not seeking re-election, according to the Miami Herald.

Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay voters will see this nonpartisan race on their ballots.

In the Aug. 18 nonpartisan primary, Segura received 35.92% of the vote with 80,368 votes, finishing second behind McNeil at 42.48%, according to the Herald. A third candidate, Alex Annunziato, received 21.6%.

Candidate information

Full name: Monica C. Segura

Race: Circuit Court Judge, Circuit 11, Group 5 (nonpartisan)

Education: Segura earned a bachelor of science in communications and broadcast journalism from the University of Miami in 2002, according to BallotReady. On her campaign website, she said she graduated with magna cum laude distinction, completing her undergraduate degree in three years. She earned a juris doctor from the University of Miami in 2005, according to BallotReady.

Personal: Segura said on her campaign website that she was born and raised in Miami of Cuban parents and is the daughter of a former City of Miami police lieutenant. She is the wife of Coral Gables Commissioner Ariel Fernandez, according to the Miami Herald. Segura said on her LinkedIn profile that she speaks English and Spanish at native or bilingual proficiency.

Experience and public service

Segura has held positions in both private practice and public service, according to BallotReady and her campaign website:

Senior managing associate general counsel at Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company, 2023 to present, per BallotReady
Litigation attorney at Realogy in 2022, per BallotReady
Attorney at Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, 2009 to 2022, per BallotReady
Associate at Kubicki Draper, 2007 to 2009, per BallotReady
Magistrate for the Town of Miami Lakes, 2018 to 2022, per BallotReady

Segura said on her campaign website that she practices in construction law, real estate law and premises liability. She said she served as defense counsel in the Chinese Drywall Multidistrict Litigation in New Orleans and Florida counties from 2012 to 2019, according to Hy-Lo News Miami.

Segura said she serves as an adjunct professor at St. Thomas University College of Law. She said she has held volunteer leadership roles including committee chair and board member of the Cuban American Bar Association, executive board member and treasurer of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers Miami-Dade Chapter, and board of governors member of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division from 2009 to 2010. She said she is a member of the Federalist Society.

During law school, Segura said she was elected president of the Student Bar Association at the University of Miami School of Law.