Hinshaw Attorneys Named to the LCLD 2026 Fellowship Class and 2026 Pathfinder Program

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is pleased to announce that Consumer Financial Services partner Fernando Rivera-Maissonet has been selected for the 2026 Class of Fellows of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD).

Additionally, associates Mariam Chubinidze and Melinda Oliver have been selected to participate in the 2026 LCLD Pathfinders Program.

As a Fellow, Fernando will participate in virtual and in-person class meetings, engage with prominent legal and business leaders from large US corporations, and attend leadership lunches organized by LCLD Member organizations. As Pathfinders, Mariam and Melinda will gain access to practical tools for building and utilizing internal professional networks, foundational leadership skills, and insights into career development strategies.

About the LCLD

LCLD was established to improve the legal profession’s diversity and inclusion performance. LCLD members include managing partners of prominent law firms, as well as general counsel of major corporations. LCLD Fellows and Pathfinders are described as “two of the most comprehensive legal talent development programs in the country.”

Founded in 2011, the LCLD’s Fellows Program provides mid-career attorneys with a year-long experience focused on leadership development and relationship building.

Designed for early-career attorneys, the LCLD’s Pathfinder Program offers a year-long journey that builds leadership skills, fosters meaningful connections, and enhances career development.

In both programs, participants gain insights from top legal leaders, learning and development experts, and executive coaches.

About Fernando

Fernando has over a decade of experience advising financial institutions on a wide range of consumer finance disputes and regulatory matters, including consumer financial services, mortgage servicing, lender litigation, and foreclosure, title, and statutory claims.

Fernando is a dedicated leader in the legal community, serving as co-chair of the firm's Hispanic Latino Affinity Network and holding multiple leadership roles within the Hispanic National Bar Association, including Deputy Regional Governor for Region II and head of the Business Law Section. Additionally, Fernando serves on the New York City Bar Association’s Consumer Affairs Committee and has been recognized as one of the HNBA’s “Top Lawyers Under 40.”

About Mariam

Mariam defends clients in matters involving creditors’ rights and bankruptcy, including liquidations, reorganizations, and related commercial litigation. She represents national and regional financial institutions and loan servicers in state and federal courts. Drawing on a global perspective shaped by extensive international travel, she delivers nuanced, tailored counsel across the spectrum of US consumer financial issues.

Beyond her client work, Mariam is actively involved in the legal community through the American Bankruptcy Institute and the New York City Bar Association, where she serves on the New Lawyers Institute and City Bar Chorus Committees.

About Melinda

Melinda focuses her practice on civil litigation, as well as regulatory and compliance matters, for healthcare service providers and governmental entities. She handles complex cases at every stage of litigation and advises hospitals, physician groups, skilled nursing facilities, and other healthcare providers on licensure issues, security risk assessments, HIPAA and state privacy compliance, and Medicare and Medicaid enrollment and revalidation.

In addition to her law practice, she drafts medical staff and corporate bylaws and provides guidance in developing medical-legal policies that shape organizational governance. Melinda is also actively involved in regulatory and compliance initiatives that affect providers’ licensure and privacy obligations, and she has served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois.