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GENERAL OVERVIEW
Florida Supreme Court certified Civil Circuit, Family and Appellate mediator. Florida Supreme Court qualified Arbitrator. Member of the American Arbitration Association’s Commercial and Construction rosters of neutrals, and FedArb and CPR’s rosters. Bankruptcy Mortgage Modification Program certified mediator. Member of the ADR rosters of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. WIND Insurance Network certified insurance umpire. Board certified construction lawyer and civil trial attorney with more than twenty years of experience successfully representing clients in civil litigation and construction matters.
EXPERIENCE
Mediates and arbitrates civil, family and appellate disputes including but not limited to construction claims, insurance claims, commercial disputes, contracts, employment discrimination, bankruptcy, ADA violations, landlord/tenant issues, qui tam disputes, condominium claims, marital settlement agreements, divorce issues, custody issues, child support and visitation issues, foreclosure and other real estate matters. Certified insurance umpire. Available to serve as a project neutral on construction matters.
Represented clients in complex commercial, construction, condominium, employment, banking, tort, products liability, insurance coverage, aircraft lease, qui tam, and real estate litigation in state and federal courts and administrative proceedings. Successfully resolved cases by way of mediation, informal settlement negotiations, dispositive motion practice and/or trial.
EDUCATION
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
President, Federal Bar Association South Florida Chapter, August, 2014- September 2015
Director, Federal Bar Association South Florida Chapter, 2011-present
Co-Chair, Mindfulness in Law Joint Task Force of the Dade County Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association South Florida Chapter, 2012-present
Member, American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution
Member, American Bar Association Section of Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
Member, Florida Academy of Professional Mediators
Member, Florida Bar
Former Member, Florida Judicial Nominating Commission for the Florida Supreme Court, 2006-2010
Past President and Former Director, Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association, 1997-1999
Former Member, Florida Bar Grievance Committee 11-A, 1998-2000
Former Director, American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, 1999-2000
Former Director, Dade County Bar Association, 1998-2000
Vice Chair, Banking & Corporate Litigation Committee, Dade County Bar Association, 1998-1999
Tutor, Minority Bar Passage Project, Dade County Bar Association/Young Lawyers Section, 1997-1999
Former Editor, Affiliate Newsletter, American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, 1997-1998
CERTIFICATIONS, AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Florida Supreme Court Certified Civil Circuit Mediator
Florida Supreme Court Certified Appellate and Family Mediator
Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator
WIND Insurance Network Certified Insurance Umpire
Bankruptcy Mortgage Modification Mediator, S.D. Florida
Board certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar
A.V. Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
PUBLICATIONS
“Construction Subcontracting: A Comprehensive Practical and Legal Guide” (Chapter 16), ABA Book Publishing, 2014. (Co-authored with Timothy Kolaya, Esq.).
“Judicial Profile Hon. John O'Sullivan, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Southern District of Florida,” The Federal Lawyer Magazine, October/November 2014
LANGUAGES
Conversational Spanish