Maria Cubillos Reed, originally from Colombia, immigrated to the United States with her parents and two sisters when she was 8 years old. At the time, she spoke very limited English. However, she came from a home where hard work and education were paramount, so she quickly immersed herself in the language and soon became fluent.

Maria is Monroe County's first Hispanic Family Court judge. She is also the only Spanish-speaking candidate. Maria has found that her bilingual ability and culture has been crucial in assisting clients during Family Court proceedings from not only explaining the legal process but also understanding their unique circumstances, including language and cultural barriers that she too has experienced.

To Maria, family is everything. That has been her family’s motto. As a young child, she had a great life in Colombia with a very strong supportive family. Unfortunately, in the 80s the country became unstable, so her parents made the very brave decision to bring her and her sisters to the United States to ensure that they could have the best possible lives. And that they have. Education has always been paramount in her family, so Maria’s parents set very high expectations for her and her sisters.

Maria proudly followed in her father‘s footsteps and became a lawyer. Her older sister, Juanita, is an aerospace engineer, a literal rocket scientist. And her youngest sister, Jimena, is the only female pediatric urologist in Monroe County and only one of few nationwide. They truly are the American dream. She has seen firsthand what having a high level of support can accomplish, and she’s always wanted to extend that to others. And it starts with family.

Her parents sacrificed everything for her sisters and her, leaving the country that they loved and their family behind. They moved to a country where they didn’t speak the language and didn’t know anybody. Acclimating was hard. Because Maria and her younger sister did not speak English, they were placed in special education classes, then moved to bilingual education, and eventually immersed in the public education system. Her family struggled financially after moving to the United States, but Maria’s parents instilled in them a strong work ethic, so all of them pitched in and worked hard to make sure that ALL were successful. Maria worked at a gas station, and her sister worked as a sandwich artist at Subway while going to school.

Maria attended the University of Rochester on academic scholarships. That is where she met her husband, Bryan. She moved to Boston after college and worked for a charter school management company, opening schools in underprivileged areas. She was excited to utilize her language skills and cultural background as many of the families she met did not speak English. Meeting families, listening to their stories, and helping them find success in their lives and the lives of their children became her passion.

She eventually went to law school at Boston University, where she interned at the Legal Aid Society working with battered immigrant women. As an immigrant, she was lucky that she had her family as her support system. It is not lost on her how many immigrants lack a strong support system, so she wanted to continue assisting families within the legal realm. She realized that her language skills and background were extremely beneficial in a community where, sadly, those skills are lacking in the legal profession.

After graduating law school, she returned to Rochester where she married her college sweetheart, Bryan, and built her beautiful family, including her 2 daughters, Sophia and OIivia, and their black lab, Sadie.

Prior to her appointment as Family Court Judge by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2023, Maria's law practice focused on family, matrimonial, and immigration law. She has represented parents, grandparents, legal guardians, foster parents, as well as children in abuse and neglect, custody, and juvenile delinquency matters in Family Court. She has the unique experience of litigating from all perspectives, which is crucial to assessing cases that would come before me as a judge. She has also had the opportunity to work with community service providers in evaluating and formulating the best possible options to assist families in need. Additionally, as a a firm believer in giving back to the community, she handled pro bono cases to ensure that all people have equal access to justice. 

Maria Cubillos Reed has been recognized by several organizations for her legal accomplishments. In 2017, she was awarded the Empire State Counsel Award for performing over 50 hours of pro bono service to low-income individuals. In 2021, Maria was honored by the Daily Record with the Excellence in Law - Top Women in Law Award. In 2022, she received the Western Bar Association of Women Attorneys’ Hanna S. Cohn award for pro bono service. This year she has also been selected by the Rochester Business Journal and New York Daily Record as one of the region’s power players in the legal industry for the Power 50 Law list.

For Maria, family is everything, and continuing to assist Monroe County’s families in establishing and reinforcing a strong foundation continues to be her passion. She would be honored to have your vote for Monroe County Family Court Judge.