When Mary Barzee Flores was nominated for a federal judgeship in early 2015, the Florida litigator and former state court judge received bipartisan backing and a rating of “well-qualified” from the American Bar Association.

“She had a broad array of support on her qualifications and her demeanor, and we endorsed her without hesitation,” said Robert Raben, who leads the Hispanic National Bar Association’s judiciary committee. “We think she’s terrific.”