Rafael Medina (fourth from left, front row) with members of McDonald’s in-house employment team and his outside counsel from major law firms and minority-owned law firms across the U.S.

Rafael Medina, a longtime in-house lawyer at McDonald’s Corp. and advocate for attorneys of color, died Aug. 4. He was 66.

Medina spent almost 30 years at McDonald’s before his retirement earlier this year.

Most recently, he oversaw all litigation issues for McDonald’s labor and employment practice group. He also helped McDonald’s grow in Latin America in his previous role as managing counsel for all employment and labor issues in the region.

But those who knew him professionally said they’ll remember him most for his unwavering commitment to helping others, especially early-career lawyers of color. Many attorneys of color called him a mentor and friend, including McDonald’s legal department colleague Suheily Natal Davis.

He recruited her to McDonald’s and encouraged her to grow as an in-house lawyer by applying for new roles and responsibilities on the team.

“My whole McDonald’s experience is really tied up with Rafael, both as a boss but also as a mentor and frankly beyond that. He really looked after everyone that worked for him and everyone that came across his path,” Davis said.

Medina was “the type of person who would give an attorney a chance” said Doris Del Castillo, Jabil Inc.’s assistant general counsel for global ethics and compliance of the Americas.

When she moved to Florida from Puerto Rico, she was treated as less than local peers despite her years of experience, she said. Then Medina hired her as outside counsel and raved about her good work to firm leaders, something she said was “very impactful” on her career.

Richard Amador, managing partner at Sanchez & Amador, said Medina “made a lot of people partner.”

“What I believe his legacy will be is that a whole generation of lawyers of color, both at law firms and in-house counsel, saw how one person can make a massive difference if they just act,” Amador said.

He wrote a post remembering Medina’s commitment to diversifying the legal profession on LinkedIn on Sunday, the day before Medina’s funeral mass. It has since garnered dozens of comments from lawyers recalling Medina’s impact on their careers.

Amador met Medina through the National Employment Law Council, an organization dedicated to advancing attorneys of color in employment law. Medina was a board member and chair of its newly formed advisory committee.

Medina’s wife, Nuncia, requested donations to the Rafael E. Medina In-House Scholarship in lieu of flowers. The scholarship was founded in 2017 for in-house counsel who wish to attend NELC’s annual conference but face cost constraints.

“Rafael was totally committed to advancing the next generations of lawyers. He was passionate about ensuring that younger attorneys had opportunities and giving them career advice,” said NELC president Barbara Johnson. “He’s helped countless, not only in-house attorneys but outside attorneys, in terms of advancing their careers.”

Joel Stern, the chief executive officer of the National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms, said Medina “walked the talk with respect to diversity and inclusion more than almost anyone I have ever met.” Medina regularly gave business to firms owned by women and people of color and mentored their attorneys.

Medina began his legal career at the National Labor Relations Board in Puerto Rico after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1977. He passed the bar in Puerto Rico, Illinois, Florida and Pennsylvania, all on the first try.

He was born Sept. 20, 1952, in Caracas, Venezuela, and was raised in Queens. Medina is survived by Nuncia and two daughters, Alana and Marissa.