From badge to bar: Veteran Zabdiel Hernández built Puerto Rico's first digital law firm

LCDO. Zabdiel Hernández - InnovaLaw Solutions, PSC.

Beyond the murals and art galleries that attract visitors to Centro Bellas Artes de Caguas, a central Puerto Rican cultural hub, are eight lawyers working at what was opened just five years ago: a law office. Hernández founded it on the belief that legal services should be as accessible as picking up a cellphone. "We're trying to make law services as easy and affordable as possible," said Zabdiel Hernández, owner of InnovaLaw Solutions, a virtual law firm that he refers to as Puerto Rico's first digital legal platform. "We want people to think of us like they would an app."

Hernández spent 14 years working as a police officer in Puerto Rico before joining the U.S. military. He later exchanged both uniforms for a law degree. Today, Hernández is a 2026 Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year award recipient from the U.S. Small Business Administration's Puerto Rico District Office. His story is one of reinvention, discipline, and service. For veterans looking to do the same, he has become something of a blueprint.

The pandemic shutdown of 2020 sparked the idea behind InnovaLaw. Hernández had already been pursuing his law degree alongside his uniformed duties when he saw courthouses shutter and clients unable to reach attorneys. "How can I bring access to justice wherever they are?" Hernández said. "That's when I hired a programmer, and what was once just an idea became what today is Puerto Rico's first digital platform bringing access to justice anywhere."

Clients can consult with attorneys remotely through the platform, something Hernández sees as preventive medicine of sorts. He does not want to be remembered for his courtroom theatrics, he said, but rather for stopping people from ending up in courtrooms in the first place. "I want people to know that prevention is first," Hernández said. "Attorneys usually charge you thousands of dollars for a case. But a phone call only takes minutes, if not just a few cents."

Before he could build the firm, Hernández had to build himself. His choice to pursue law school stemmed from his experiences on the other side of the badge. As a police officer, Hernández was sworn to defend the state. After some time in, he began to notice civil rights abuses and systemic injustices that he felt needed to be challenged. He enrolled in law school while still serving as both an active police officer and soldier, took and passed the Puerto Rico bar, and established InnovaLaw.

LCDA. Celinés Quijano - InnovaLaw Solutions, PSC.

Another attorney from the firm, Celinés Quijano-Sanjurjo, explained how Hernández's time with both law enforcement and the military has shaped the practice's culture. "Zabdiel, being a police officer, has allowed for a sense of maturity, from a legal standpoint and a military standpoint," Quijano-Sanjurjo said. "I think he's been exposed to enough of a broad structure to allow him to create what today is InnovaLaw Solutions."

Quijano-Sanjurjo, who works with Hernández daily, said the influence helps with more than trial preparation. She credits her boss with helping her gain confidence, which she shares with her clients.

"Clients can trust InnovaLaw Solutions because we have a diverse team of attorneys who specialize in different areas of law," Quijano-Sanjurjo said. The firm handles criminal defense, civil litigation, family law, real estate matters, and veterans' appeals before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to its website. It has grown from a one-person startup to an eight-attorney operation headquartered in Caguas. Local accolades turned national.

In May 2026, during National Small Business Week, InnovaLaw Solutions was recognized as Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year by the SBA's district office in Puerto Rico, News is My Business reported. Hernández joined a select group of entrepreneurs on the island recognized for helping grow the local economy.

On the mainland U.S., veteran-owned businesses generate about $1 trillion in annual sales and employ approximately 5 million people. But for veterans still on the fence about exchanging their camouflage for a clipboard, Hernández's story — from patrol car to laptop — shows how skills learned in the service can help run a successful small business and give back to the community. Hernández himself shrugs off the accomplishment.

"It's simple: If you want to know about me," Hernández said, gesturing toward the artwork adorning the walls of Caguas. "Come on in and get to know me."