UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, has appointed Fernando Laguarda as Vice President of Legal and Compliance Services and General Counsel. This newly established role places Laguarda on the organization’s leadership team, where he will oversee legal and compliance functions.
With over three decades of experience spanning government, nonprofit leadership, and legal strategy, Laguarda brings a wealth of expertise to UnidosUS. Most recently, he served as Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), advising on federal procurement, regulatory compliance, and agency-wide risk management. Prior to his tenure at GSA, Laguarda was General Counsel at AmeriCorps, where he led all legal functions and provided counsel on governance, compliance, and oversight matters.
In the private sector, Laguarda held the position of Vice President and Policy Counselor at Time Warner Cable, focusing on policy and external engagement related to consumer protection, digital inclusion, and civil rights. Additionally, he served as a full-time faculty member and Faculty Director of the Program on Law & Government at American University Washington College of Law, teaching public law and governance courses and advising the Latino Law Students Association.
A native of Uruguay, Laguarda earned his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center and his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and multiple federal courts.
Sonia M. Pérez, Chief Operating Officer at UnidosUS, emphasized the significance of Laguarda’s appointment, stating, “Fernando brings a unique combination of legal expertise, public service leadership, and deep commitment to mission-driven work. At a time when civil rights organizations are navigating heightened legal, regulatory, and political complexity, his experience will help ensure that UnidosUS continues to operate with integrity, resilience, and impact.” ([unidosus.org](https://unidosus.org/press-releases/unidosus-welcomes-fernando-laguarda-as-general-counsel/?utm_source=openai))
This strategic addition to the leadership team underscores UnidosUS’s commitment to strengthening its organizational capacity to address the evolving challenges facing the Latino community.