Miami attorney and Bar leader urges lawyers to look out for each other, before it’s too late

Florida, US, 21st July 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Attorney and civic leader Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr., a founding partner at SMGQ Law, is calling for a renewed focus on mental health and wellness across the legal profession. Drawing from personal experience and decades of legal work, Sanchez-Medina is raising awareness about the silent challenges many attorneys face, and what can be done to change the culture from within.

“The legal profession is emotionally and mentally demanding,” Sanchez-Medina said. “We need to support lawyers before things fall apart, not after.”

Recent national studies show:

• 28% of lawyers suffer from depression

• 19% report anxiety

• Over 11% have considered suicide at some point in their careers

Source: ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs

Despite these staggering numbers, stigma and fear of professional judgment keep many attorneys from seeking help.

“A Softer, Kinder, Gentler Profession”

Sanchez-Medina, who has practiced law for over 30 years, says the problem isn’t just personal, it’s cultural.

“Too many lawyers only hear from their professional circles when something goes wrong,” he said.
“We need to build a legal community where connection, not just correction, is the norm.”

He stresses that mental health should not be treated as a side issue. “This can affect careers, families, and lives,” he said. “If attorneys lose their ability to make a living, everything else can unravel.”

Mentorship and Human Connection

Sanchez-Medina believes part of the solution lies in peer support. He has mentored dozens of young lawyers and students over the years, including a former teenage Haitian immigrant and a young associate who became a partner at his firm.

“Mentorship changes lives,” he said. “Someone did it for me. Now I try to do it for others.”

In 2018, he arranged a Harvard tour for low-income Miami high school students during his daughter’s time as a student there. “Those little things matter,” he said. “Sometimes people just need a door opened, or someone to say, ‘I see you.’”

What You Can Do

Sanchez-Medina’s message isn’t about launching a foundation or starting a campaign. It’s simpler: each person can do something.

“Check in on a colleague. Offer time to a law student. Use the resources that are already out there,” he said.
“And don’t be afraid to talk about mental health like we talk about deadlines or cases.”

A Personal Mission

The son of Cuban immigrants, Sanchez-Medina understands the pressure to push through silently. But he says the time has come to rethink that mindset.

“We’re trained to solve other people’s problems. But we rarely stop to check on ourselves,” he said.
“That needs to change. And it starts with us.”

He isn’t representing any organization in this effort, just himself, a lawyer who has seen the highs and lows of the profession.

“This is personal,” he added. “We can build a healthier profession together. But only if we decide to.”

Lawyers, legal staff, and law students are encouraged to:

• Reach out to someone they haven’t spoken to in a while

• Ask how colleagues are really doing

• Recommend confidential support services when needed

• Speak openly about stress, burnout, and wellness in their circles

“If you see someone struggling, don’t wait. Say something. Be the reason someone feels less alone.”

About Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr.
Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr. is a corporate and tax attorney based in Miami, Florida. He is a founding partner at SMGQ Law and has held leadership roles in legal and civic organizations across the state. His work focuses on mentorship, inclusion, and building a more human-centered legal profession.

Media Contact

Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr.

https://www.rolandsanchezmedinajrlaw.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rolandsanchezmedinajr/

Why One Travel Company Is Making Phones Ring and Making Us Rethink How We Travel

Indiana, US, 21st July 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, In a digital world filled with chatbots, wait times, and endless online forms, Kavya Travel is sounding the alarm—and offering a simple alternative: talk to a human.

Founded in August 2022, Kavya Travel has quietly grown into a movement. Without raising outside funding, the company has already helped over 10,000 travelers by doing something that feels almost revolutionary in 2025: answering the phone.

“Most websites are built for people aged 10 to 30,” says a founding team member. “But once you get above 30, people start preferring a human touch. Above 50? It’s even more true.”

The numbers support this shift. A 2024 AARP survey found that 68% of people over age 45 prefer speaking to a live agent when booking travel. In the same survey, only 12% of respondents over age 60 trusted online-only travel platforms to solve issues quickly.

Fighting the Quiet Isolation of Digital Convenience

Kavya Travel isn’t just booking trips—they’re advocating for connection in customer service. “We found there is no alternative to the comfort a customer gets by having someone on the phone,” the team explains.

While tech companies continue automating away voice support, Kavya did the opposite. They built their own call center. They launched Google ads. Within months, they were receiving over 500 calls a day—mostly from travelers seeking help from someone who would just listen.

“Everything today—your gym trainer, your food delivery, even your doctor—is through a screen,” the company states. “We want to change that.”

This Is Bigger Than Travel

For Kavya, this is about more than vacations. It’s about bringing back a type of service that feels real—one where people aren’t just numbers in a queue.

They hear daily from seniors who feel shut out by self-service platforms. Parents overwhelmed by logistics. Students looking for deals. Solo travelers just wanting to talk things through.

And people are listening. Their cruise booking platform now features over 700 ships, 50+ cruise lines, and custom itineraries that span from $170 Caribbean getaways to luxury Alaskan cruises.

But the goal has never been to just sell more cruises.

“Success,” the founders say, “is when a customer completes the journey, returns home safe, and knows we were there the whole way.”

Why This Matters

The decline of voice-based support isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a barrier. Studies show that nearly 1 in 4 Americans over age 60 have abandoned an online purchase due to difficulty navigating automated systems (Pew Research, 2023).

For many, frustration leads to exclusion. People opt out of services they want or need because they can’t get past the software.

Kavya Travel is calling attention to that problem. And they’re not asking for money. They’re asking for awareness.

What You Can Do

Kavya isn’t telling people to throw out their phones or delete their apps. They’re just asking you to pause and reflect:

• Do you know someone who avoids booking online because they don’t trust it?
• Have you ever been stuck in an endless loop of “press 1 to continue”?
• Have you ever wished you could just talk to someone?

“You don’t need to wait for the world to change,” says the team. “Just pick up the phone. Talk to someone. Help others do the same.”

About Kavya Travel

Kavya Travel Company LLC, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a fully self-funded, CLIA-certified online travel agency with a mission to restore human-first customer service. They specialize in cruise bookings, flights, hotels, and car rentals—serving travelers across the U.S. and Canada. As of 2025, they are developing their new cruise-focused brand, TheTripTime.com.

Call a loved one to help them book a trip. Support services that listen. And remember—travel should feel human. Kavya Travel is proving that it still can.