Representative Experience
 

• Lead trial counsel for a major tobacco company in Engle progeny cases.

• Lead counsel in successful pre-trial defense of multi-million dollar business tort case alleging civil fraud and breach of contract.

• Lead counsel for multi-national telecommunications company in business tort case alleging federal RICO and telecommunications fraud claims.

• Lead counsel representing one defendant in $400 million dollar RICO and fraud case.
  Advised a Fortune 500 company in the coordination, review, and audit of global data privacy policies and procedures.

• Lead counsel in Florida state and federal courts representing and advising international clients in defending civil litigation regarding multi-million dollar ponzi scheme allegations.

• Lead counsel in domestication of multi-million dollar foreign judgment and defense of $5 million dollar breach of contract claim.

• Lead counsel for hospitality industry client in theft of trade secret and non-compete litigation. Successfully secured temporary and preliminary injunctive relief for client and enforced terms of non- compete agreement.

• Trial counsel representing a multinational corporation in defense at trial of a claim in excess of $60 million for alleged breach of a joint venture agreement.

• Counsel to clients with litigation and transactional matters pending in the Caribbean.

• Lead trial counsel in multi-million-dollar class action litigation involving breach of contract dispute in the agricultural sector.

• Trial counsel for a client involved in defense of class action breach of contract claim; successfully secured decertification of class and subsequent denial of request for class certification.

• Represented various insurance companies through summary judgment and successfully on appeal in state and federal courts.

 

 

Honors & Recognitions
 

• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, 2021

• Highly Commended, Outstanding Contribution to Diversity & Inclusion (Private Practice/Individual), Chambers North America, 2021

• Band 5, Litigation: General Commercial, Florida, Chambers USA, 2020-2022

• Band 2, Litigation: Product Liability, Florida, Chambers USA, 2022

• Member, American Board of Trial Advocates, 2021

• Top Commercial Litigation, Best Lawyers in America®, 2021-2022

• Top Attorney, Florida Super Lawyers, 2011-22

• Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine, 2007-10, 2012, 2015, 2020-22

• Top 100 for Southern Florida, America's Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®, 2020

• AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell

• Band 4, Litigation: General Commercial, Florida, Chambers USA, 2014-15

• Top Attorney for Business Litigation, Super Lawyers Business Edition (National), 2012-2015

• Top Lawyer, South Florida Legal Guide, 2014-15

• Top 100 Blacks in Healthcare and Law, ICABA (inaugural directory), 2009

• Abogados Destacados del Sur de la Florida, Revistas Abogados, 2013

• Top Up and Comer, South Florida Legal Guide, 2005-12

• Presidential Volunteer Service Award, HANDS ON MIAMI, 2007

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Professional & Community Activities
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• Broward County Bar Association, Immediate Past President 2021-22

  • President, 2020-21

  • Chair, Bench & Bar Committee, 2015-16

  • Vice Chair, Bench & Bar Committee, 2014-15

• The Florida Bar

  • Former Vice Chair, Committee on Diversity and Inclusion

  • Former Member, Judicial Nominating Procedures Committee

  • Former Member, Leadership Academy Committee

  • Former Chair, Grievance Committee​

• National Bar Association, Member

• Caribbean Bar Association, Past President, 2004-05

• International Bar Association, Business Law Section, Member

• Dade County Bar Association, Former Member Board of Directors

• Black, Latino, Asian Pacific American Law Alumni Association at New York University, Former Member, Board of Directors

• Caribbean Bar Foundation, Board Member

• Hands on Miami, Former Board of Director

• Dean’s Advisory Board, FIU School of Law, Member

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Teaching
 

• National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Trial Skills Program, National Session Faculty

• National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Trial Skills Program, Florida Regional Trial Skills Program Instructor

• AIG Custom Advanced Trial Skills Program, 2013

• Cross Examining the Industry Expert, National Institute of Trial Advocacy Video Lecture, 2014

• Advocacy Teacher Training, Pristina, Kosovo (U.S. Dept. of Justice), January 2010

• Advocacy Teacher Training, Pristina, Kosovo (U.S. Dept. of Justice, Consultant), Oct., 2010

 

 

Education
 

• New York University School of Law, J.D.

• State University of New York, B.A., cum laude

 

 

Bar Admissions

 

• All Florida state courts

• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

• United States District Court, Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida

• The Supreme Court of Jamaica, West Indies

 

 

Professional Background

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• Kim Vaughan Lerner LLP, Chair, Commercial Litigation

• Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP (now Squire Patton Boggs), Partner/Hiring Chair

• Steel Hector & Davis LLP, Partner

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