(L to R: Mark Zelek, Morgan Lewis Labor and Employment partner; Dean Patricia White, University of Miami School of Law; Salvador Juncadella, International Consultant for Morgan Lewis; Carmen Perez-Llorca, University of Miami School of Law, ‎Director, International Graduate Law Programs)

The International In-House Counsel Group, formerly known as the South Florida Group of Regional Counsel, recently made a $15,000 donation to Miami Law. Chaired by Morgan Lewis international consultant Salvador Juncadella, the IICG is an organization of in-house lawyers for over 250 multinational corporations with operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

During a reception hosted by the Miami office of Morgan Lewis, Juncadella and Miami Labor and Employment partner Mark Zelek presented the gift to Dean Patricia White, which will benefit the Rafael Benitez Scholarship Fund. The Benitez Scholarship provides assistance to foreign lawyers pursuing their international and foreign LL.M. degrees at Miami Law.  
 
The reception and donation were made possible through proceeds from an IICG seminar hosted in November by Morgan Lewis, Miami Law, and the IICG. More than 60 individuals attended the reception from companies including Accor North America, Banco Santander, Bank of America, Caterpillar, Daily Business Review, Marsh, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Sunbeam Products, Univision, and Yahoo!.      
 
“We are extremely grateful to the International In-House Counsel Group, to Morgan Lewis and to Salvador Juncadella for this gift to the Benitez Scholarship Fund,” said Carmen Perez-Llorca, director of the International Graduate Law Programs. “This donation will help highly qualified international candidates pursue their dream of getting a graduate degree at Miami Law.  Every year Miami Law’s graduate programs enroll around 50 students coming from more than 25 different countries, and donations like the one we received help us attract lawyers from all over the world to join Miami’s thriving global legal community.”
 
Established by family and friends of the late Professor Rafael C. Benitez, this scholarship commemorates his vision for global education and his deep commitment to the education of foreign law students. At Miami Law, Professor Benitez founded the Comparative Law LL.M. program, the Inter-American Law LL.M. program, and the Lawyer of the Americas (now known as the Inter-American Law Review).
 
Current recipients of the scholarship are two Brazilian lawyers, Aline Gomes-Nogueira and Julia Oliveira, both pursuing an International Law LL.M. degree.  Gomes-Nogueira is a corporate lawyer who has worked for Philip Morris and Bematech in Brazil. Oliveira served as a partner in the law firm of Torreao Braz Advogados in Brazil.

Nicolle Lafosse is already a lawyer in her native country, Honduras. She worked at her parents' boutique firm in Tegucigalpa, assisting international investment clients with real estate transactions and residency applications. She came to Miami Law to earn an LL.M. in U.S. and Transnational Law and would like to, one day, service more of the firm's clients in a satellite office in Miami.

In a few weeks, Lafosse is traveling to Spain, to argue at the Moot Madrid, the international commercial arbitration competition.

Lafosse participates in Miami Law’s International Moot Court Program - designed to teach students not only written and oral skills but also all necessary skills to persuade in law at international venues. As the training takes place during the academic year, students also have the opportunity to network with practitioners, experts, and former participants in the inter-school competitions, either based in Miami or other cities around the world.

"Moot Court has opened my eyes," Lafosse says. "I thought international law was just neutral law; that both parties agreed to. I never understood how it works. I didn't know the actual meaning of arbitration had I not come to Miami Law and joined the moot court."

The Moot Madrid, founded in 2009, is an arbitration competition for law students conducted entirely in Spanish. Teams from law schools from all countries are eligible to compete. Each year, Moot Madrid involves a case-study to be settled by recourse to international commercial arbitration, where different law bodies from Uniform Law (transport of goods, international bankruptcy, electronic commerce, international sale of goods, for example) are applicable.

Moot Madrid features both written and oral pleadings, and Miami Law came in second place at the competition in 2014 and 2015 and was the only American law school to participate.

In addition to the moot court program, while at Miami Law Lafosse has researched immigration reform policies and analyzed the Dream Act. She has also drilled down on Florida's "Stand Your Ground" laws.

The 25-year-old graduated from UNITEC, the Central American Technical University, with the equivalent to a J.D., and could have settled in comfortably in the family firm. She speaks, reads, and writes in two languages, thanks to a rigorous high school education.

"But I felt that I wanted to bring something else to the firm," she says. "I am fluent in English and Spanish, and can analyze documents in either language.”

However, she said the business culture in Honduras is far different than what she has experienced in the United States. "Unfortunately, the system there is based on who you know and what social status you have," she says. "You could have perfect grades, and be an excellent attorney, but without the right connections that often isn't enough to get your court filings signed off."

Also, she said, in Honduras there are only two branches of law that you can chose from when pursuing a law masters. "And I didn't want to do either," she says. "Coming to Miami Law, I could have a higher degree, and I want to contribute intellectually to my parents’ firm." She decided to pursue a Master’s Degree with an international component.

Students in the International Moot Court Program, run by Professor Paula Arias, participate in moot competitions around the world, representing Miami Law. Appearing before a mock International Tribunal, students act as counselors and advocate the different sides of a case based on a problem written by an organization or school. The students analyze the problem, identify the legal issues, research the law, write the briefs, and orally present it to the moot court. In essence, the students learn how to litigate a case in front of an international tribunal doing what an attorney does in real life.

Miami Law is expanding the program to include new moot competitions and areas of international law with the intention of offering a wider variety of topics of interest to students during the 2016-2017 academic year.

"I came to UM and Miami Law because many other schools didn't offer international moot court nor did they have the kinds of connections that UM has to recognizable names in the field," Lafosse says. "Also, the mentoring here is far different than what one would receive at other universities, like Professor Paula Arias.

"She is tough," Lafosse says, "but I love it because it always pushes you to be better and to persevere. It is very motivating, trying to achieve perfection, or at least something close to it."

When Bryan Thompson was a teenager, he befriended an undocumented Mexican immigrant. Maria was the sister-in-law of a family friend and Thompson found her intriguing.  

"She was the first person I met who couldn’t speak English," he says. "It was fascinating trying to communicate."

The two eventually attended prom together. Not long after the night of limos and corsages, the U.S. government deported Maria back to Mexico, where she lives to this day. The two have remained friends.

In the opening scenes of “El Sueño,” Thompson's feature length film, two young Mexican families arrive in the United States. The parents are killed by an anti-immigrant hate group at the border, leaving two children orphaned in America. The film's narrative follows their efforts to gain legal status and become citizens of their adopted country.

The roots of the film wind back to Thompson's youth and his witness to the struggle of undocumented children, brought without say, to stay in the United States.

As well as promoting his film, Thompson is enrolled in the LL.M. in Inter-American Law at Miami Law. Inter-American Law is a specialization within the International Law LL.M., designed for U.S. lawyers to prepare them for a career in the Inter-American legal field and to expose them to the basic aspects of Latin American law and legal culture. The degree enables them to more efficiently service clients from that region as well as advise clients doing business in Latin America.

And he is simultaneously exploring the LL.M. in Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law offerings.

Thompson wants to use his new degree to foster relationships between independent filmmakers and major distribution companies while remaining anchored firmly in Latin American communities on both sides of the border.

“The Inter-American Law LLM Program is perfect for students who are looking to enrich their legal education by gaining knowledge of the issues that practitioners encounter when working with Latin America,” said Carmen Perez-Llorca, director of the International Graduate Law Programs. The degree is tailored to the student’s needs and interests.  Beyond the program’s core curriculum, our students have access to a wide range of elective courses that allow them to explore issues in immigration, dispute resolution, trade, tax, or entertainment law, to name a few.  It is only with an offering as varied and flexible as the one we provide that we can attract students like Bryan with such impressive backgrounds.”

Today, Thompson is a remarkably busy man. “El Sueño” is on the film festival circuit showing at Los Angeles Cinefest, Movement Latino in Santa Monica, the Hollywood Boulevard Film Festival, and others pursuing worldwide distribution. He is also preparing for the 3rd Annual Miami Web Fest, which showcases web series from all over the world, running from September 29th to October 2nd. It will also serve as the Miami festival premiere of El Sueño (the first 50 Miami Law students to register will get in free). And Thompson's weekly course load at Miami Law keeps him ever occupied, which includes International Business and Doing Business in Latin America.

“Almost all prominent media companies have their Latin American hub in Miami," Thompson says. "What I am learning in my courses is already allowing me to evolve my business into a dependable source of new content for these companies while creating opportunities for independent filmmakers. Understanding treaties, international business practices, and international alternative dispute resolution can play a significant role in overall success in both international business and international law.”

Just as his protagonists -- the two young Mexican immigrants -- find success, Thompson strives to marry his loves for art and law and Latin America.

Galicia, Spain native Lorena Senra is pursuing her LL.M. degree in Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law, thanks to the new LL.M. with Intensive Legal English Program at Miami Law.

Serna was one of eight students in the Intensive English Program's inaugural class. The three-semester program, which began in January 2016, is designed for students who need to improve their English proficiency before beginning their studies for an International Law LL.M. degree. Senra recently transferred into the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law program.

“Lorena is a great example of the type of student that this program attracts: talented, motivated, and ready to work hard. The LLM with Intensive English Program opened doors for her that will change the course of her career,” says Carmen Perez-Llorca, Director of the International Graduate Law Programs.

During the first semester, students focus on achieving the English language and communication skills necessary to be successful in the LL.M. program. After successful completion of the first semester, students join the International Law LL.M. class and proceed with the regular course of studies.

"Academically, the program helped me to become more proficient in English and improve my legal vocabulary. It also taught me specific skills necessary for law school, such as debating and the American style of writing," said Senra. "But the best part of the Intensive English Program is meeting people from different countries."

Senra received her Bachelor of Laws at the University of Vigo in Galicia, Spain before moving to Miami to pursue her LL.M. degree.  She plans on completing her J.D. degree at Miami Law as well.

"I want a high-quality education before I start working," said Senra. "My plans are to stay in the USA and pursue a career as a lawyer because this country has opportunities that I will not find anywhere else."
 

Like most good sons, Luiz Miranda always wanted to make his father proud. The senior Miranda is a legend in his son’s mind: a highly respected attorney on two continents, a charismatic leader who draws admirers like a Pied Piper, and a trusted advisor to his two sons.

That moment arrived last summer when the 3L J.D./LL.M. in International Law was offered a position at Mayer Brown, the storied Chicago-headquartered international law firm. Miranda called his father, catching him at dinner with family and friends in Rio de Janeiro.

“He started crying, then I started crying,” Miranda says. “He had to hand the phone to my mother. He told me that he felt that it marked the moment that he had done his job as a father.”

Paulo Miranda, LL.M. in Comparative Law `96, had brought his family to Miami from Brazil when Luiz was twelve. Paulo Miranda worked at Baker Mckenzie, Greenberg Traurig, and Akerman, before opening his practice, though neither of his sons showed an interest in law at the time.

Luiz Miranda grew up boating. Member of the Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club, he spent practically every weekend of his youth with his family sailing Angra dos Reis, a Caribbean-like destination in Rio. When not on the water, he remained active competing in club sports – volleyball, tennis, swimming, and basketball – while operating a small disc jockey business spinning for parties and working in radio during his summers in Brazil.

He also became more technology focused, building and selling computers, and hosting bulletin boards. He continued in college, receiving a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the University of Central Florida.

“I could not see myself doing what my father does. My father is superb with people,” Miranda says. “It felt like that world was very geared toward men with picture-perfect families, and I couldn’t picture myself in it.”

Instead, Miranda took his degree and headed to Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, where he started out an engineer with a team in the company’s support services. Over the next 13 years, he would rise into software development and design engineering, but it wasn’t enough for the guy who spent his weekends alpine snow skiing and offshore boating.

"I had reached a ceiling as to where I could go in the engineering field, and I wasn't too interested in going into a managerial role," Miranda says. "I wanted to explore the passion that I had long had with the law, but with an eye toward combining it with my love of technology. I also felt that I was older and could better overcome perceived challenges of my youth."

Miranda sought the counsel of both his father and Horacio Gutierrez, J.D. `98 and then-general counsel and head of intellectual property at Microsoft. IP law seemed to dovetail nicely with Miranda’s previous experience and interests.

"Once I better understood what the career was like, I felt that it would be something great to work on," Miranda says. "Even if it didn't work out in a big law way, I could always join my father's corporate law practice. It felt like a good fit."

He weighed offers from Seattle University, where he could do a night program and stay at Microsoft, and Miami Law. Ultimately, he opted for Miami, where he could engage in the law school experience full time and start building relationships in a legal community where he would someday like to work. Family, finances, and weather -- and access to year-round boating -- tipped the scales.

“With so many changes – leaving the job I loved, changing cities and changing careers – I thought it would all be easier to balance if I was closer to my family. And in Miami, I would have more access to the business traffic between the United States and South America, and especially Brazil,” the dual citizen says.

Miranda spent his first summer at Miami Law in Washington, D.C., at the Hispanic National Bar Association/Microsoft Intellectual Property Institute, a coveted opportunity for 25 Latino law students from across the country interested in IP law. Gutierrez was one of the speakers.

With an eye toward advocacy for the underserved and gaining some real-world experience, Miranda also joined Miami Law's Health Rights Clinic and represented more than a dozen Spanish-speaking clients, developing strategies and serving them in immigration and Social Security hearings.

"The clinic involvement was both highly rewarding and, in hindsight, critical to my growth," Miranda says. "It was exciting to help people in great need, and it left me empowered in the knowledge that I could thrive in a client-driven environment."

Miranda attended the largest IP job fair in the U.S. at Loyola University in Chicago. He landed a highly coveted summer slot at Mayer Brown, the firm that would eventually lead to a post-graduate position.

Around the same time, he was awarded an IP scholarship from The Richard Linn American Inn of the Court. "I had applied with zero expectations. The previous winners were from the very top schools," he says. "I was so pleased when I received the award."

With the award, was a fully paid trip for two to Chicago to accept at a banquet. Miranda took his father. "I thought my dad would love it. So much of what I have achieved is because of his support, advice, and acceptance," he says. "As it turned out, Mayer Brown had a table at the event. I introduced my dad and, of course, he charmed them."

When the call came from Mayer Brown, Miranda had a month to respond to the offer as a first-year associate. "It was a no-brainer," Miranda says. "It is experience second to none."

"I know I made the right decision coming to Miami Law," he says. "The experience and the opportunities have factored hugely in what I have become and where I am heading. It is more than I could have ever hoped.

“And I hear Lake Michigan is world class place for sailing," he says.

Miami Law is a gateway and a launchpad. It attracts students from around the world and propels them on new trajectories. Some graduate to pursue careers amid the courtroom drama. Others, the detailed intensity of transactional work. And others, to take their place at the intersection of business and law, lending legal guidance and support through a complicated multinational maze of laws and regulations, in an international arena.

“If you thrive on uncertainty and navigating ambiguous waters, then it’s for you,” says Augusto Aragone, LL.M in U.S. & Transnational Law., ’06.

Aragone came to Miami Law with a specific goal in mind: “To be able to grow professionally in the legal market in the United States.”

A decade later, he’s the vice president and associate general counsel at Ingram Micro Inc., the world’s largest global information technology distributor. He is responsible, among a host of other duties, for providing legal support around the world to the $43 billion corporation’s mergers and acquisitions team.

In 2015 alone, he was lead counsel or team member in the acquisition of São Paulo, Brazil-based Grupo Acao, one of Latin America’s leading IT providers, with operations in Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, and Ecuador; Odin Service Automation, involving over 500 employees scattered across the Russian Federation, North America, Europe, and Asia; a mobility insurance brokerage operation in Ireland, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand; and the largest value-added technology distributor in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“We acquired companies in Russia or Brazil or Saudi Arabia—countries with very different systems, and different laws, and different requirements, and different cultures you’re going into,” he says. “You have to make it work using the U.S. framework, but also leveraging our multicultural perspective.”

There have also been acquisitions of companies with operations in the Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Chile, Peru, and Turkey.

Just to mention a few. Just in 2015.

“It’s an exercise in balance and pragmatism,” he says. “When you’re in-house, as opposed to working for a law firm, the role involves what you can think of as an interpreter, of legal needs and business needs. So you’re kind of a bridge that allows the business to accomplish their goals by enabling them with the law.”

For Aragone, it brings together two passions, which he discovered, he says, “by happenstance.”

Growing up in Uruguay, he didn’t aim to be a lawyer. He played drums in bossa nova and jazz bands as a teenager and dreamt of coming to the U.S.

“One of my goals back then was to come to the U.S. to study music,” he says. “I never thought I would be a lawyer, let alone end up in the U.S. as a lawyer. I ended up, apparently, in the right place but in a different way.”

By the time he started college, though, he moved to the beat of a different calling. Or two.

“I was sort of forced into the law, wisely as it turns out, by my mother,” he says. “I was thinking about signing up for law or for international relations, and I ended up signing up for the latter. And when I got back home, my mom said, ‘You know what? Go back. You’re going to drop international relations, and you’re going into law.’”

He did. Then, love happened. Twice. Or, actually, three times.

He met his wife (whom he calls “my support system”), got married at 19, and had his first child a year later. Work took priority, but school never stopped.

“I was studying law at night,” he says. “I had to put food on the table, so I had to work. And then after work, I would go to law school.”

That’s how he found his second and third loves.

His day job was at a major Swiss logistics company, as a salesman. “I worked my way through the ranks, as time went by, while I was studying law. So I was working at the company and also discovering a passion for logistics.”

He was also discovering a passion for the law. So much so, that he decided to put the two together. As soon as he graduated from law school in Uruguay, the family moved to Italy, so he could get his first master’s, in transportation law.

“I tried to combine both my work experience with the knowledge of law.”

It worked.

DHL Global Forwarding, the international logistics and freight forwarding company, hired him to “set up an in-house law department for Latin America in Miami. And that’s how I came to this country.”

That’s also how he came to Miami Law.

“Sort of the next step in my career was taking the LL.M.,” he says, “That’s allowed me to compete in the legal profession in the U.S.”

It did, leading to the job at Ingram Micro. He started as director and associate general counsel for the Fortune 100 company’s Latin America division, handling mergers and acquisitions, litigation, commercial contracts, employment and tax matters, and corporate governance, as well as advising on anti-bribery, export, and anti-trust compliance.

In January of 2015, the company promoted him to handle mergers and acquisitions worldwide.

For others considering a similar career, he says, “Keep an open mind, travel. Languages are essential. If you are not able to communicate in one or two languages in addition to your mother tongue then you’re probably going to limit yourself a little bit. Have an experience living abroad. You need that kind of full immersion to then be able to start connecting dots. Learn to learn.”

The result, he says, is “never boring. It’s also very challenging. But it’s a function of the fact that you’re breaking new ground all the time.”

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Francisco Reyes Villamizar, LL.M. ’93, has helped change the legal landscape in his native Colombia, smoothing the way for increased trade, investment, and business activity. Internationally recognized for his dedication to public service, teaching, and legal scholarship, Reyes helped reform the Colombian Commercial Code and create a “streamlined” corporate entity, while teaching corporate and comparative law in Latin America, Europe, and the United States.

“The University of Miami School of Law played a critical part in my career,” said Reyes. “The great input I received at UM was instrumental in fostering my understanding of the intricacies of law.”

Reyes believes that a legal education provides a solid foundation for a career in public service. “It is critical for public servants to know the laws, regulations, and constitutional provisions affecting their positions,” he said. “There are many decisions that have legal consequences. If you’re not a lawyer, you have to rely on someone else’s expert opinion. But with legal training, you can foresee the consequences of your decisions.”

One of the recent highlights of Reyes’ career in public service was serving as chairman of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, which strives to modernize laws, reduce transaction costs and facilitate global trade. “UNCITRAL has been very successful in harmonizing laws related to electronic commerce, cross-border insolvency, arbitration and commercial transactions,” said Reyes, who presented a series of trade seminars in Korea this spring before his term as chairman ended in July. “UNCITRAL has a great program for helping developing countries improve their trade capacity and legal infrastructure.”

AN EARLY INTEREST IN LAW

A native of Colombia, Reyes earned his law degree (LL.B.) from Javeriana University in Bogotá. “My father was a lawyer, diplomat, and a writer, and that certainly influenced my choice of career. In Colombia, law is an undergraduate program, so I started my legal education fresh out of high school."

Reyes then traveled to Portugal, earning a diploma in Portuguese culture from the University of Lisbon. He also began thinking about a legal degree from the University of Miami. “I had been to UM before in a four-day law school program for Latin American practicing lawyers,” he said. “I had begun teaching law in Bogotá and wanted to continue my education. Fortunately, I received a scholarship to study at UM, thanks to an exchange program with my school.”

Reyes came to the UM in the Fall 1992 semester just a few weeks after Hurricane Andrew had devastated the region, delaying the start of classes. Originally, Reyes had enrolled in the master’s degree in public administration program but quickly decided to transfer to Miami Law’s Comparative LL.M. program, where he focused on the courses in comparative law and corporate law. “Even though I joined the program late, I was able to catch up,” said Reyes, who cited the lasting influence of Professor Keith Rosenn, chair of the LL.M. program and a noted scholar in comparative law.

That experience at Miami Law set the foundation for Reyes’ career in academia and the public sector. “When I came back home from UM, I felt there were many things in the Colombian legislation that could be improved by transplanting some U.S. Corporate Law principles,” he said. Soon after his return, Reyes was appointed as the Ministry of Justice’s coordinator for the reform of the Colombian Commercial Code.

In December 1995, Colombia’s Congress passed a new law of corporations, providing more flexibility in creating business associations with unrestricted life span and limited liability. “Many of those ideas were transplants from U.S. law that I was familiar with thanks to my classes with Professor Rosenn and Dr. Nicholas Trucker, an Italian scholar who was a guest lecturer at UM.”

CREATING A NEW CORPORATE STRUCTURE

More than a decade after his ground-breaking work on Colombia’s Commercial Code, Reyes returned to the legislative arena as an advocate for a new type of corporate structure. In 2008, the Colombian Congress approved the creation of the Simplified Corporation, a flexible legal entity that is similar to a U.S. limited liability company.

“Ever since the law was approved, business people understood that SAS was a state-of-the-art structure,” Reyes said. “Today, about 96 percent of all new businesses are incorporated as simplified corporations, and there are now about 350,000 in the corporate landscape.”

During the past 20 years, Reyes has served two terms as Superintendent of Companies. “This is a government institution that supervises corporations,” said Reyes, who is now in the midst of a four-year term. “We have extensive powers on corporate law and bankruptcy. We also manage a court of arbitration for commercial disputes.”

A LEADING LEGAL SCHOLAR

In tandem with his career in public service, Reyes has been a noted legal scholar, earning a Ph.D. in law from Tilburg University in the Netherlands. Reyes has written more than a dozen books and articles on business associations and bankruptcy, including publications in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. He has also been an editorialist for several Colombian newspapers and served as the chairman of the board of directors of the Latin American publishing company Legis S.A.

In addition to his work with the UN commission, Reyes is a member of the International Academy of Commercial and Consumer Law, the Academy of Comparative Law, and the Colombian Academy of Jurisprudence, and has been a speaker at international forums, including those at the Supreme Courts of Brazil and Mexico, as well as Columbia and Fordham Universities in New York. He also delivered the 39th LSU Tucker Lecture on Comparative Law in 2016 and was awarded the Javeriana University Golden Medal for his distinguished academic contribution in Colombia. Reyes has been a visiting professor at universities in Europe, Africa, and North and South America, including Stetson College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.

While Reyes is a global thinker who believes in harmonizing international law, his focus continues to improve his native Colombia. “We have made great progress in the past 25 years, and our legal reforms have changed the corporate landscape,” he said. “Today, Colombia is a sophisticated corporate law jurisdiction that can adjudicate very complex cases while providing our business people with a clear and consistent legal framework. We will continue to move forward to enhance Colombia’s domestic and international commercial relationships.”

More on Miami Law's LLM Programs

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Mariana Briceño (Photo courtesy of Sandy Campbell/Vanderbilt University)

As the gateway to Latin America, students at Miami Law have access to the unparalleled network of 150+ multinational companies with headquarters in South Florida. Just ask Mariana Briceño, a part-time J.D./LL.M. in International Law student who hails from Venezuela.

When she began her studies in the LL.M. in International Law (Inter-American Law Specialization), she took the course “Doing Business in Latin America” with Visiting Professor Hernan Pantaleón.

In sum, Briceño thinks, “It’s the best class; the best way to find a job.”

Regional Latin American and Caribbean Counsel as Guest Speakers

During the course, she heard many guest speakers present and met in-house counsel from all over. At one of those presentations, she made a contact that led to her current position as an analyst in the business and legal affairs department at HBO Latin America.

Briceño came to Miami Law with a lot of experience under her belt – a lawyer in Venezuela, a business LL.M. from Vanderbilt Law School, years working at Baker & Makenzie, and a member of the New York Bar.

But it was the course, Briceño says, that added that boost to break into this tight job market.  “It is perfect for the LL.M. who wants to work as in-house counsel for a Latin American legal department. It gave me the tools to understand the issues that arise in Latin America.”

Fellow classmate in the International Law LL.M., Juan Pablo Borja agrees, "The course was a game changer for me. Many people come to their LL.M. with various goals, and one of mine was networking." From the course Borja landed a position in Microsoft as a Legal Support Specialist. 

A Course that Brings the Industry to Miami Law

That is precisely how the course was designed. Professor Pantaleón explains that he and International Graduate Program Director Carmen Perez Llorca wanted to have a class that provided “a way to bring the industry inside the Law School.”

“Together with Carmen and Yazmyne Vazquez (from Miami Law’s Career Development Office) we contacted the leading practitioners in the most representative U.S. industries doing business in Latin America and invited them to act as mentors to our students in a project paper for grade and also as lecturers to the class,” said Pantaleón.

It was Borja's hard work on such a project that helped secure his job at Microsoft. "I was assigned as mentor for my paper Daniel Korn of Microsoft Latin America, with whom a couple of weeks later I interviewed for a position. I demonstrated to Mr. Korn what I was capable of, even having him present at my final paper's presentation."

Key Career Office Contacts

Miami Law is the only school to be part of the South Florida Group of Regional Counsel  - recently named Juncadella Corporate Counsel Group (JCCG) - made up of more than 300 members from 250 multinational companies.  

Vazquez, of Miami Law’s career office, agrees. “The access to this group of in-house counsels either based in South Florida or who do work primarily related to the Latin America and Caribbean region gives students opportunities for relationship building, networking, and sharing of information and best practices among members.  

“The majority of the industry experts and mentors for the ‘The Doing Business in Latin America Workshop’ came from this group.”

Resulting Job Offers from Networking

Another benefit of the course is the professionals that came to present did so in a small workshop environment - a setting that lent itself more easily to networking than the typical cocktail reception or job fair. Borja, the LL.M. '17 from Ecuador concurs, "Because there were only a few of us, we had every day the opportunity to talk one on one because there were only a few of us, where in networking events there is a lot more people."

Other in-house counsel that participated included:  Ingram Micro, Latam Airlines Group, Caterpillar Inc. Latin America & the Caribbean, CONCACAF,  AccorHotels North & Central America, BBC Worldwide Latin America, and Amadeus.

According to Professor Pantaleón, the course met its goal of giving students the academic and practical background for working with the complexities of Latin America.

“The result was a successful gathering among practitioners and students (future practitioners) where the topics for discussion were based on professional experience, challenges and risks of doing business in such a particular and complex region.”

More on LL.M. Programs.
More on Joint Degree options
More on Top Reasons for International Students to Study at Miami Law

A unique feature of Miami Law's LL.M. programs is the select program size and the mentoring students receive from faculty. Juan Pablo Moyano Garcia, who received his LL.M. in International Law (U.S. and Transnational for Foreign-Trained Lawyers) in 2016, is one such LL.M. graduate. He received guidance and encouragement from esteemed Professor Jan Paulsson which resulted in the publishing of an article Moyano Garcia wrote in the prestigious Journal of International Arbitration.

main-small-jpm.jpg Juan Pablo Moyano Garcia

The article, written for Professor Paulsson’s advanced arbitration seminar last year, focused on the legal consequence of lack of payment of deposits during an arbitration and on the way courts have answered this practical issue. Professor Paulson is also the Faculty Chair of Miami Law's White & Case International Arbitration LL.M. program.

“I had the great honor of being Professor Paulsson’s student, and he suggested I try to publish the article that I wrote for the seminar,” said Moyano Garcia. “I’m grateful for his help in developing the article and his support in pushing to have it published.”

Moyano Garcia, who hails from Mexico, started his professional career in Bufete García Jimeno, S.C., a recognized litigation firm in Mexico City. He began working there as an intern during his third year of law school, and continued his services as a full-time attorney in the field of civil and commercial litigation.

He finished his legal studies at the Escuela Libre de Derecho in Mexico City in 2010 and obtained his legal qualifications in the year 2011, obtaining an honorary distinction during his professional exam. In 2013 he successfully completed his Master degree (LL.M.) in Comparative and International Dispute Resolution at Queen Mary, University of London with special focus on international commercial and investment arbitration, graduating with Distinctions.

Following this, he began working in Wilmer Hale's London Arbitration Group as a legal intern, and subsequently as a visiting foreign lawyer during 2014.

He currently works as a Case Director for the International Centre for Dispute Resolution.  

Third-year law student Nazli Doga Meric is spending the summer at the Legal Services of Greater Miami working on Special Education matters as well as the Disaster Legal Assistance Project, which helps neighborhoods with damage from Hurricane Irma recover, thanks to a grant from The Florida Bar Foundation.

mainsmall-Doga.jpg Nazli Doga Meric

The Turkish native, and member of the Istanbul Bar Association, is a joint J.D./LL.M. candidate in International Law (U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign-Trained Lawyers) and was a senior lawyer at Ernst & Young in Istanbul.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this prestigious fellowship from Florida Bar Foundation.” Meric says. “After having met with the officers, board members of Florida Bar Foundation as well as the 13 other brilliant fellows, I feel privileged to be part of the fellowship.”

The Florida Bar Foundation’s Summer Fellows Grant Program awarded fourteen law students the opportunity to work in civil legal aid programs this summer.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime for these students,” said Kate York, the Foundation’s grants program officer. “It is a great way to develop their awareness and passion for legal services throughout Florida. Each student will bring their own unique perspective, as well as the knowledge learned in their training, to their civil legal placements.”

The 14 fellows, chosen out of 71 applicants, attended a three-day interactive Boot Camp training in March at the Miami law office of Akerman LLP. During the training, the fellows were taught skills such as persuasive speaking and client interviewing techniques. The students, after research on the legal aid organization at which they were placed, also gave speeches about each organization.

“Starting from day one, Legal Services of Greater Miami has provided me with a unique opportunity to work side by side with a talented group of attorneys who are dedicated to provide social justice.”  Meric says. “I am fortunate enough to work under the supervision of Miriam Haskell, an inspiring social justice advocate, who has not only offered me her guidance, but also shared her experiences with me. This has allowed me to build my career path in the public interest arena.”

The Foundation was able to restart the Summer Fellows Program after a seven-year hiatus thanks to donations and pledges. The firm of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley P.A. gave $75,000 and Florida Bar Foundation board member David Prather of West Palm Beach firm Clark, Fountain, La Vista, Prather, Keen & Littky-Rubin pledged $50,000.

More on Summer Public Interest Fellowships at Miami Law

As part of Miami Law’s commitment to attracting the brightest legal minds abroad and strengthening bilateral cooperation in legal education, the School has partnered with some of the best law schools and associations in Colombia. 

The agreements offer a $15,000 USD scholarship toward LL.M. tuition fees for all LL.M. programs that accept foreign-trained lawyers. Up to four outstanding law graduates from each school or four outstanding members of each organization are eligible. 

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According to Miami Law’s LL.M./J.D. Academic Director Yasmina Assis, “These agreements are with the best law schools in Colombia and benefit our law school because they attract competitive Colombian attorneys to join our student body and to pursue one of our LL.M. programs.” 

Thus far four students have benefited from the agreements. One such student is Colombian attorney Iván Mauricio Guzmán Rojas who came to Miami Law in August 2017 to study in the Maritime Law LL.M. He was the first beneficiary of an agreement between Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali and Miami Law.  Currently, Gilli Kahn, also a graduate of Javeriana Cali is currently attending the LL.M. with Intensive Legal English program.

Currently, Miami Law has agreements with a total of seven Colombian institutions including:

• Universidad del Rosario, Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia

• Universidad ICESI, Cali, Colombia

• Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali, Colombia

• Universidad de San Buenaventura, Cali, Colombia

• Universidad EAFIT, Medellín, Colombia

• Acofade Colombian Association of Law Schools

• Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia

Assis feels the agreements not only benefit “recent graduates from Colombian law schools, but also practitioners from the best law firms in Colombia who have graduated from one of the law schools with whom we have an agreement.”

Other Colombian lawyers who have studied at Miami Law include Juana Garcia-Osorio of Universidad del Rosario Bogota who earned her LL.M. in Entertainment, Arts and Sports and Francisco Rodriguez of Universidad Externado de Colombia currently earning his LL.M. in U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign-Trained Lawyers.

Assis sees a long-term benefit for both legal practice in Colombia and for ongoing cross-border relationships. “The attorneys who have the opportunity to come to UM will learn about the United States and become familiar with the American legal system. They will go back to work for the best law firms, corporations or the government in Colombia.”

For Information
Contact Yasmina Assis, Associate Director, International Graduate Law Programs, Lecturer in Law, and LL.M./J.D. Academic Director at yassis@law.miami.edu.

* Recipients are nominated by each of the foreign law schools or associations. Miami Law will evaluate and award applicants on the basis of their skills and achievements: Nominees must apply for admission to the LL.M. Program and follow all established application procedures and meet standard admissions requirements. Applications are considered on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of May 1 and are reviewed by the Admissions Committee as soon as all required documents are received.

Studying for an LL.M. degree in the U.S. can be intimidating, especially for attorneys from other countries who have had little exposure to the American legal system. While a few law schools offer a summer program on the American system, Miami Law offers much more in its Intensive Legal English + LL.M. program.

Launched in 2016, foreign-trained lawyers learn about the American legal system and improve their legal English. “The LL.M. with Intensive English Program can open doors for students that will change the course of their career,” says Carmen Perez-Llorca, Director of Miami Law’s International Graduate Law Programs and founder of the program.

Since its inception, the program has welcomed students from France, Brazil, Honduras, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, Spain, Russia, Dominican Republic, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. We spoke recently with some current students in the program who attest to its value.

main-intensive-englsh.jpg Yulianna Bukovskaya, Olesya Shulgina & Adnan Alajaji

A Career Launching Pad

For about eight years, Olesya Shulgina of Russia practiced Business Law in Russia. She chose this program because during “the last years we have received more cases where one of the parties is an international company, and understanding International Law has become necessary for me.” Shulgina is confident earning “an LL.M. In International Law will help me receive the necessary background to recognize, understand and resolve problems arising in International business.”

In a similar vein, Bayan Alheiji of Saudi Arabia also enrolled in the program to prepare for a future career. “I finished my bachelor degree in law in my country, and then I got the scholarship from my government to complete my LL.M. in the U.S.A. My future goals are to be a legal consultant in the international commercial scope, and work with official authorities in my country such as the ministry of foreign affairs.”

Transitioning to a New Scope of Law

Some students come to the program looking to transition into a different area of law. Take for example, Patricia Ortega Ramirez of The Dominican Republic who says, “I am a recent law graduate with some experience in the private and public fields. Being at the University of Miami School of Law has given me the chance to explore many potential areas of specialization and opened the possibility of a corporate career in both my country and the United States.”

As a foreign attorney interested in improving her English and future job prospects, Yulianna Bukovskaya of Russia admits, “The Intensive Legal English Program was very helpful for me, as a non-native English-speaking student. My English-language skills have become more advanced in writing, reading and speaking.” After successful completion of the Intensive English component, Bukovskaya has commenced her studies in the White & Case International Arbitration LL.M. program. 

Joining an International Community of Lawyers

Since the 1950s, Miami Law has offered LL.M. programs for foreign-trained lawyers, making it one of the most established LL.M. programs in the U.S. Each LL.M. student creates a course of study that matches his or her career goals. 

“I am an international student, so my country’s legal system is completely different from the U.S.’s legal system,” says Alheiji. “I found the Intensive English Legal program is very important to take as a preliminary course before I study the LL.M. because it gave me a whole picture of the U.S.A. system. My friend was a student at UM, and she highly recommended it. Additionally, UM provides support to international students which was significant for me.” 

Ortega Ramirez agrees and gravitated to the program since “Miami Law’s programs are specifically crafted for foreign lawyers, who such as me, have interest in getting to know, and being able to work in the American Legal System. This is a unique characteristic that this school has to offer.”
 
Spending 3 Semesters at University of Miami

For other students, the quality of the program is not the only draw. At times it is the University of Miami and its location. Shulgina acknowledges, “First of all, I fell in love with the environment where UM is located. UM has a very beautiful and safe campus with great facilities. Second, UM Law School is one of the top nationally and internationally ranked schools. I decided to take the Intensive English + LL.M. program in order to improve my legal English proficiency and to be better prepared to the actual LL.M. classes.”

Adnan Alajaji from Saudi Arabia is a SACM Scholar (Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission) and took intensive legal English and is now studying his LL.M. in International Arbitration and will graduate in December 2018.  “The three-semester program was a turning point in my life. The Intensive Legal English semester prepared me for the LL.M. program. It gave me the ability to deeply absorb the law-specific intricacies of the English language. Professors spared no effort or time to develop their students' abilities.”
 
The positive experiences of students in the Intensive Legal English + LL.M. program is a common one at UM. Recently the International Jurist Magazine described the University of Miami as welcoming “thousands of students from around the world every year, so there’s great university support for the international community. The LL.M. program has students from more than 33 countries.” Perez-Llorca agrees, “Our faculty and curriculum are a reflection of our location.” 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Classes Begin in January 2019: See the Intensive Legal English + LL.M. Program (information also available in Spanish and Portuguese)
Join Us: "Vías de Acceso a la Práctica del Derecho en los Estados Unidos"; Martes, 9 de Octubre - 6:00 pm EDT - hora Miami
 

Foreign-trained LL.M. graduates consistently attribute their professional success to the network, career opportunities and knowledge they obtain during their time at the University of Miami School of Law. Yet it is the practical opportunities they take advantage of, especially via externships, that often stand out for them.

One of Miami Law’s career advisors, Yazmyne Vasquez Eterovic who specifically assists foreign-trained law students, has a few ideas why this is. “Externship positions with in-house counsel are often where foreign lawyers get hands-on experience. The benefits for foreign lawyers are they improve their English, know about what’s going on in the legal market in the U.S., and they make connections that in the end can serve as references.”

main-collage.jpg Aline Nogueira Schmiedt, Marina Moreno, and Mercedes Caycedo

One such graduate is Mercedes Caycedo of Venezuela LL.M. ‘16 in International Law: U.S. & Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers. She is now working as a Legal Affairs Support Specialist at LATAM Corporate for Microsoft in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and works in the area of compliance investigations. 

Caycedo attributes much of her success in law school and in her career to the hands-on opportunities available to her while studying at Miami Law. “The LL.M has been key in my professional development, not only academically but also in terms of job opportunities. The LL.M offered me the possibility to participate in the Externship Program and apply for a one-year internship at Microsoft Corporation (part of an alliance between Microsoft Latin America and UM), that was followed by an offer to become a full-time employee within the company," she said.

Another graduate who is now an Associate at Jones Day in Washington, D.C. is Marina E. Moreno who received her LL.M. in International Law: U.S. & Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers in 2013. 

Originally from Madrid, Moreno says “after a year at UM I became proficient in English and learned a different legal system. As a result, I wanted to explore my chances in the United States so I looked for a job and took the bar. Once I passed the bar and had been working for a little more than a year, the opportunity came and I joined the international law firm I am currently working at. This would not have been possible without the LL.M.”

She is also thankful for the ongoing friendships formed during her LL.M. year and recalls attending every gathering and social activity for LL.M. students. “It was a fantastic opportunity to spend time with LL.M. classmates and learn from their professional experiences. Now, I have friends who can assist whenever I need a lawyer in other jurisdictions.”

“My LL.M. was a fundamental step to expand my career internationally. I participated in every networking opportunity, and they have incredible value especially to foreign attorneys who are new to the Miami legal market,” says Aline Nogueira Schmiedt of Brazil, LL.M. ‘16 in International Law: U.S. & Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers who now works as Legal Counsel at International Materials, Inc. 

When asked about Miami Law she feels it “broadened my professional horizon” and that the career development was unparalleled. ”I’d say one of the highlights of my LL.M. year was the Legal Externship - the contacts I made through this externship, direct or indirectly, opened the doors for other job opportunities for me so I am very grateful for this experience.”

“Finally, the Bar preparation provided me not only great advice but also the emotional support that is required to successfully navigate through the ‘bar prep marathon.’ My network of contacts from my LL.M. allows me today, when faced with an international legal need, to reach out to my colleagues and identify local counsels almost anywhere in the world.”

Many of the positions LL.M. students secure originate from Miami Law’s position as the only school to be part of Juncadella Corporate Counsel Group-JCCG (formerly the South Florida Group of Regional Counsel), an entity made up of more than 300 members from 250 multinational companies.  

Vazquez Eterovic concurs, “The main theater is in-house for the foreign-trained attorney and the access to this group of in-house counsels either based in South Florida or who do work primarily related to the Latin America and Caribbean region gives students opportunities.

“This is the best market to be a foreign-trained lawyer because our LL.M. students have an advantage – they know the region and often a second or third language that a company is looking for.”  

More on Miami Law’s Externship Program 

More on Bar Information for Foreign Lawyers 

Graziella Gonzalez, LL.M. student

When Airbnb’s Latin America legal department went looking for a legal intern, they found the perfect fit in Graziella Gonzalez, an LL.M. student in Miami Law’s U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign-Trained Lawyers Program.   

The Venezuelan attorney was both a big fan of the hospitality giant and had a C.V. that read like a five-star booking review. She had practiced administrative, public law, litigation, and tax in Caracas, before joining her family’s property management firm as their legal representative where she practiced real estate and corporate law. 

Gonzalez had followed her father into the law, graduating from Universidad Catolica Andres Bello in Caracas and practicing in similar areas. In 2016, Gonzalez, her husband, and their three children – ages 10, 8, and 7 – moved to Miami and Gonzalez started looking for opportunities stateside.

“I saw this program and was excited to apply,” she says. “My first interview was with Carmen [Perez-Llorca, director of the International Graduate Law Programs]. She guided me through the process and was really a great help. It’s been wonderful.”

Specifically designed for the foreign law graduate, the LL.M is Miami Law’s general postgraduate offering. The program welcomes attorneys from all over the world to continue the study of law in a context that emphasizes American common law and its impact in the global economy. While technically a specialization in the International Law LL.M., the program permits unusual flexibility and allows students to choose courses in their area of interest from the general law school curriculum and structure their studies according to their professional goals.

“The program can really be transformative for students like Graziella, a seasoned lawyer in her own country who needed a stepping stone for her career development in the United States,” says Perez-Llorca. “With the LL.M. in U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers and her job as legal intern at Airbnb, Graziella is acquiring both the knowledge and the skills that she needs to achieve her goal of working in-house in Florida- in addition to the ability to take a bar exam in the US, which, like many of our international students, she plans to do in New York.”
 
When the international law LL.M. student booked the internship, she was already well into her curriculum, studying startups and entrepreneurship with Dan Ravicher, Director of the Larry Hoffman/Greenberg Traurig Startup Practicum and business associations with Professor Andrew Dawson. 

“Those classes helped me a lot,” says Gonzalez, “because they gave me context for the office discussions.”

At Airbnb, Gonzalez is involved with assisting on legal matters related to Airbnb for countries in Latin America, including research and analysis of various aspects of corporate, international and statutory law, and drafting memoranda on various legal issues for countries in Latin America. 

The one-year internship will take her through her December 2019 graduation; she will then study and sit for the New York Bar in NY.  

After that, she hopes to work as in-house counsel somewhere with a Latin America connection, even at Airbnb, if available. “I would love to stay there,” she says. “It’s a great team and I welcome that opportunity.”

More information on the LL.M. in U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign-Trained Lawyers
More on all LL.M. Programs
 

Guillermo Levy, J.D. ’00, and Christina Ceballos-Levy, J.D. ’00

Attorneys Guillermo Levy, J.D. ’00, and Christina Ceballos-Levy, J.D. ’00, have recently created a scholarship fund at Miami Law that helps first-generation law students finance their education. 

“We were both fortunate enough to have been recipients of scholarships during our time at Miami Law, and we felt it was our duty, and a privilege, to be able to give back in some measure,” said Levy, who graduated summa cum laude and served as projects editor of the University of Miami Law Review and is now senior corporate counsel at Caterpillar Inc. “The support, financial and otherwise, that we received during our time at Miami Law set us up for the professional success that both of us have enjoyed. Like it did for us, we hope that the scholarship will reward deserving law students and will encourage them down the road, as well as others who are in a position to do so now, to pay it forward.”

Ceballos-Levy, a shareholder at Kenny Nachwalter PA, graduated from Miami Law summa cum laude and served as executive editor of the University of Miami Law Review. She has focused her practice on complex commercial litigation and professional malpractice defense and has spent many years teaching legal research and writing to students in Miami Law’s U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign-Trained Lawyers LL.M. Program. 

She has many happy memories of her time at Miami Law. 

“When I look back, there were so many moments—preparing for competitions with my moot court partners, lunches shared with colleagues in the law review office, fishing trips on the weekends—they all were integral to my experience at Miami Law and the feeling that it was there where I made these friends for life,” said Ceballos-Levy.

Levy remembers the time his wife was late to Professor Bernard Oxman’s class and the professor didn’t let her into the classroom. “I still get to brag about being the one that didn’t get thrown out of class!” 

The couple hopes the Guillermo Levy and Christina Ceballos-Levy Scholarship will make a legal education accessible to first-generation law students. 

“We want the recipient to have a certain quality in common with each of us—a first-generation lawyer in his or her family,” said Levy. “With this achievement comes not only the responsibility of helping your family members solve all of their legal problems, but also a great source of pride. We are happy to make a legal education more accessible to men and women who would be the first in their families to embark on this great journey that is the legal profession.” 

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When asked about Ms. Alhejji, Carmen Perez-Llorca, Director of Miami Law’s International Graduate Law Programs, was not surprised Bayan had been chosen for the honor. Says Perez-Llorca, “Bayan has been an extraordinary student.  Her focus, determination and drive, together with her passion for the law, have been instrumental in her many accomplishments during the time she has spent at Miami Law. I am convinced that she will go on to put her passion into practice and achieve great things when she returns to her home country of Saudi Arabia.” 

We were able to catch up with Banyan before heading back to her home country and got some more background on this hardworking student and lawyer.   

Can You Tell Us a Little About Your Background? 
I am from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  My father is an engineer, and my mother is a teacher. I am 27, have three brothers and three sisters, and I am married and I have a son. 

What made you go to law school? Why did you choose to come to Miami Law? 
I always have had the ambition to complete my education. Thus, when I finished my bachelor’s degree in Law, I applied to the LL.M. My friend was a student in the UM school of law, and she recommended the school for me as a good school in law. I am currently thinking about pursuing my S.J.D (doctoral of judicial sciences). 

What was the biggest obstacle you had to face? 
I would not say it was the biggest obstacle, but I faced some difficulties absorbing the structures of the laws in the U.S. 

Which course(s) did you most enjoy studying while at Miami Law and why? 
I have to acknowledge that almost all courses which I took were helpful, but a few were especially helpful. L-Comm 1 & 2 were very helpful because it teaches how the legal writing should be, so it improved my legal writing. As well, there were some short courses I found helpful such as consumer protection. Consumer protection gave me a flavor regarding the issues of consumer protection in the United States. Transactional Drafting was also a useful course, it taught me how I could read and write an agreement such as an Asset or Stock Purchase. 

Which faculty and/or staff members at Miami Law were most helpful to you during your LL.M. studies? 
The Librarian was very helpful when I faced some difficulties regarding the citations or research. In addition, my program office (International Graduate Law Programs) was extremely helpful for any issues you would face as an international student. They assisted me in choosing my courses, and they explained to me and other students regarding the environment of the law school. I really found the office very helpful, and I really appreciate their cooperation and assistance during my LL.M. 

What do you want to do next? Practice in Saudi Arabia?  
As I mentioned, I am contemplating pursuing my S.J.D, and when I get back to my country Saudi Arabia, I will work with the trade ministry. I learned a lot at the law school here, and it is a great opportunity to study abroad since it opens your mind to other thoughts and ideas. I believe that diversity creates a lot of opportunities because you meet different people from different backgrounds, thus, you share with them and they share with you many ideas which will assist you to think out of the box. 

More Information for Foreign-Trained Lawyers at Miami Law 

Indira Agrenot

Indira Agrenot is driven. As a foreign-trained lawyer, born and raised in Cuba, it takes commitment to come to the U.S., study Intensive Legal English plus an LL.M. degree, decide to then transfer to the J.D. program and subsequently set one’s sights on sitting for a U.S. Bar exam. 

But Agrenot has done just that. 

Successful Lawyer in Cuba 

After graduating from the University of Havana law school in 2009, Agrenot worked at a Real Estate Registry in Havana where she verified the validity of certificates, contracts, and the registration of all residential and commercial property titles. 

Agrenot did so well at the Registry that she was chosen by Cuba’s Ministry of Justice of Cuba to lead the first group of lawyers to automatize the registration process of all property titles in the Real Estate Registries at a national level. 

Sights Set on Studying Law in U.S.

Agrenot had always dreamed of being a lawyer in the U.S. She says, “When I came to the U.S., I was convinced that this was my second chance to pursue my dream of being a lawyer in this country but in a whole new way.”

Luckily Miami Law offers a program ideal for someone like Argenot – Intensive Legal English + LL.M. She concurs, “What could be a better institution than the University of Miami and the LL.M. in International Law Program to make my dream come true? 

“Thus, the Intensive Legal English + LL.M. was the program I was looking for to improve my language skills and continue a successful path through law school.”
 
Ideal Program - Intensive Legal English + LL.M. 

Agrenot wants other international lawyers like her to understand that a language barrier does not have to stop you from reaching your dream. “I hope my story is an inspiration to fellow foreign attorneys that are considering joining this program that with hard work and effort you can accomplish your goals.”

She adds that there were “amazing people behind the program” that were particularly helpful to her including Director Carmen Perez Llorca, Associate Director Yasminat Assis and Professor of Legal Writing K. Renee Schimkat. 

Decision to Transfer to the J.D. Program

Not wanting to be limited to practicing federal law in Florida, Agrenot decided after starting her LL.M. to transfer to Miami Law’s J.D. program, enabling her to take the Florida Bar Exam and “choose what area of law I want to specialize in.”

Helpful to Agrenot is Miami Law’s policy of possibly awarding up to twenty-nine advanced standing credits for their foreign legal studies based on a review of an applicant’s J.D. application file.

Enthusiasm for Business Law

Once in the J.D. program Agrenot took advantage of the range of courses offered. One program that had a particular influence on her was the Startup Practicum in which law students help entrepreneurs with legal issues that arise as they launch their new businesses.

“Being part of the Startup Practicum directed by Daniel Ravicher was an amazing experience that opened my eyes to a whole new area of law because it gave me the opportunity to work with new ventures in need of legal assistance," says Agrenot. 

Ravicher also saw how the practicum benefitted Agrenot. “As an experienced foreign lawyer with the highest of intellect and integrity, Indira came to Miami Law to expand her legal knowledge and enhance her career opportunities.

“She is a shining example of what our outstanding international student body can accomplish here at Miami Law, many of who, like Indira, come not just to learn U.S. law but start a career here practicing it."

Exciting Eye on Her Future

After completing her J.D., Agrenot plans to pass the Florida Bar Exam and pursue a career as a lawyer in the business field. 

She is also very excited and grateful, along with her husband, to be expecting their first child in early October. 

Agrenot’s professional and personal life have certainly come full circle while at Miami Law, and she echoes this sentiment.

“This is truly the best year of my life!”

More on the Intensive Legal English + LL.M. Program
10 Reasons Why Foreign Lawyers Study at Miami Law 

Omar Del Olmo, Marisel Marrero, Joseph Vargas, Lietty Mejias

A group of J.D. and J.D./LL.M. students in this summer’s Health Rights clinical course share a similar legal journey with one another – they have all earned their Licenciatura en Derecho, a J.D. equivalency, from Cuban universities and they all have studied in Miami Law's LL.M. in U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers before commencing their J.D. studies. Joining them is a Cuban-American with deep ties to Spanish culture. The other thing that unites them in their quest is – through their clinical practice – to achieve everything for their clients.

Experience Representing Real Clients

“I chose the Health Rights Clinic because I wanted to live the experience of representing real clients in real legal matters,” Lietty Mejias, who was a judge with the Tribunal Provincial Popular and a 2009 graduate of the University of Havana. “As a judge, I never had the opportunity to be involved with clients, as I am now. I never got to know how they thought, what they did, and most importantly, how they felt.

“Now I represent clients who are very poor and sick – people whose histories are very emotional,” the J.D. ’20 candidate said. “It is not enough to just take classes; it is necessary to explore and know how the world works outside the classroom.” 

Caseload = 84 Cases and 67 Clients

The five students are handling 84 cases representing 67 clients and for four of them, it’s in their second language. They are deep into the definition of caseload, with 50 immigration, 33 Social Security, and one public benefits cases between them. 

Miami Law’s Health Rights Clinic is a medical-legal partnership operated in collaboration with the UM Miller School of Medicine. Students participating in the Health Rights Clinic represent multiple clients in different legal matters related to health. 

“What has surprised me most is that every case is an adventure,” said Anabel Garcia Gonzalez, a 2015 University of Havana graduate. “Sometimes I have had to change the theory of a case and the way to proceed based on new facts I gather from the clients, or even a change of circumstance, for instance, a change in migratory status or a worsening of a medical condition. I believe it is a very good exercise of law and social work.”

Work Under Supervision Representing Low-Income Patients

Under the guidance of Associate Director Melissa Swain, clinic students represent low-income patients of the South Florida Aids Network, Jackson Hospital and other medical partners.
 
“It has been a great teaching experience supervising and training this group of students with very different backgrounds; they have already worked as lawyers and judges in Cuba,” said Swain, who is fluent in Spanish. “Now they are working on their first actual cases in the United States and working in their second language. Their passion for their clients and their work ethic has inspired me tremendously.”

Omar Del Olmo has found the clinical participation to be as valuable to him as to the clients. “The work I do in the clinic involves helping people in need of crucial legal assistance,” he said. “It gives me the opportunity to contribute my skills to assist low income and disabled clients.” He counts the clinic staff and attorneys’ “good attitude, patience, and guidance” as one of the most valuable parts of the encounter.

Practicing Law in English and Learning First-Hand Skills

The students function as the clients’ primary advocates, conducting intake interviews, conducting legal research, filing legal pleadings, and legal documents. They develop case strategies and theories and represent their clients in administrative hearings and court.
 
“I believe that there is no better way to learn than to practice on actual cases,” said Marisel Marrero Lopez, a 2018 LL.M. in U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers graduate. “We use all our resources to help the clients and become close to them throughout the handling of their case. The time spent researching, drafting, and filing the cases is invaluable to my growth as an attorney learning to navigate systems such as the Social Security Administration,” the University of Matanzas graduate said. 
 
The Miami-born Joseph Vargas is the singular outlier in the class of Cuban-born. The 2021 J.D. candidate is nonetheless surprised by the extent of the hardship among the clinic’s clientele. “It is easy for most to acknowledge that there are issues of homelessness, health care, and poverty in Miami, but until a student joins the Health Rights Clinic, it is only then that we have a fuller understanding of the constant struggle deserving individuals in our community face,” he said.

“Being a part of a law school that helps tackle that with the support of an entirely Cuban student-driven clinic is the most rewarding.”

More on the Health Rights Clinic