CABA Past Presidents

Giselle Gutierrez
2023

Giselle Gutierrez, a Shareholder at Stearns Weaver Miller’s Labor & Employment and Litigation Departments in Miami, has demonstrated steadfast commitment to Florida’s legal community since graduating from the University of Florida in 2012. Notably, her leadership roles within the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA), including President in 2023 and President of the Pro Bono Legal Services Board in 2022, underscore her dedication to promoting equality and diversity in the law. Recognized for her exceptional contributions, Giselle served on Florida Bar’s Young Lawyer Division Board of Governors from 2018 to 2023, earning the “2022 Most Productive Board Member” Award and receiving accolades from leading publications for her legal expertise. Beyond her professional achievements, she balances her career with motherhood and a passion for triathlons, showcasing her commitment to personal and professional excellence.

Miriam Soler Ramos
2022

Miriam Soler Ramos is Partner at Holland & Knight, and focuses her practice on land use and zoning, administrative law, procurement, state and local government ethics compliance and defense, and internal investigations.  Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Ramos served as city attorney for the City of Coral Gables, Florida, serving as the chief legal officer and general counsel for the city, as well as counsel to the city commission, quasi-judicial boards, city officials and city departments, providing legal opinions and interpretations on behalf of the city and supervising the city attorney’s office and outside counsel. She received her B.S. from the University of Miami.  She earned her Juris Doctor from University of Miami School of Law.

Anthony “Dax” Bello
2021

Anthony “Dax” Bello is Shareholder at Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain, P.A. His practice is devoted to representing plaintiffs in the civil prosecution of wrongful death, catastrophic injury and other complex matters including, but not limited to, birth injury, liquor liability, medical malpractice, qui tam (whistleblower), sexual assault, aviation and maritime accidents, fraud, and products liability. As a former Miami homicide prosecutor, Dax represented the people of the State of Florida prosecuting crimes of varying degrees, including homicide, armed narcotics trafficking, sexual battery, vehicular manslaughter, home invasion robberies, and many more.

Frances Guasch De La Guardia
2020

Frances Guasch De La Guardia is Partner at Holland & Knight and practices in the areas of commercial and insurance litigation, including appellate and trial support in both state and federal courts. As a litigator and appellate counsel, Ms. De La Guardia has handled hundreds of appeals in Florida’s district courts of appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the Miami-Dade and Broward Circuit Court of Appeals Division. Ms. De La Guardia was appellate counsel on the landmark case, Fabre v. Marin, on the apportionment of fault of non-party tortfeasors before Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal and assisted in briefing at the Florida Supreme Court. As a litigator, she has evaluated, mediated and litigated in state and federal courts. She received her B.A. from the University of Miami. She earned her Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law.

Maria D. Garcia
2019

Maria D. Garcia is Partner at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, and focuses her practice on health care law and commercial litigation.  She has extensive experience in managed care litigation and advising health care providers on various legal issues. She received her B.A., magna cum laude,  from Florida International University, where she majored in Political Science.  She earned her Juris Doctor from Florida International University College of Law

Jorge L. Piedra
2018

Jorge L. Piedra is a trial lawyer and Of Counsel at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton.  Trained and mentored by some of Florida’s top trial lawyers, Mr. Piedra enjoys a reputation as one of the finest commercial litigators in South Florida.

Javier A. Lopez
2017

Javier Lopez is is a Partner at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, the co-chair of complex and commercial litigation and currently serves on the firm’s management committee.  Javier has particular expertise in advising and representing international clients in matters brought in U.S. federal and state courts.  He has represented many high-profile corporations and individuals in contract and business disputes, commercial transactions, and intellectual property matters.  He has handled trials and appeals on both the state and federal levels.

Anna Marie Gamez
2016

Anna Marie Hernandez Gamez is a litigation and real estate attorney in Holland & Knight’s Miami office and a member of the firm’s South Florida Litigation Team. Ms. Gamez’s experience consists of representing both publicly traded and closely held corporations, financial institutions, domestic and international businesses, developers and individuals. Her work primarily focuses on complex real estate and commercial litigation matters.

Manuel L. Crespo
2015

Manuel L. Crespo is a shareholder at Greenspoon Marder. He was born in Miami and educated at Duquesne University, where he graduated with honors. He received his J.D. at Boston College Law School. He began to practice law with his late father, Honorable Manuel A. Crespo, at Crespo & Crespo, until the latter was elected to the bench. After that, Mr. Crespo built a sole-practice and later a firm practice in real estate and litigation.

Ricardo Martinez-Cid
2014

Ricardo M. Martinez-Cid is a partner at Podhurst Orseck, P.A., in Miami. He earned his undergraduate degree in only three years at the University of Miami (B.A. cum laude 1997) and his Juris Doctorate at Yale Law School (J.D. 2000) where he was the William S. Beinecke Scholar. While a law student, Ricardo was a director at Yale’s renowned clinical program. He served on the Board of Directors of the Latino Law Students Association, and was an editor of the Yale Journal of International Law. Before joining the firm, Ricardo served as a law clerk to the Honorable James Lawrence King on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He joined the firm in 2002 and was named a partner in 2005.

Sandra Ferrera
2013

Sandra M. Ferrera is a partner at Meland Russin & Budwick, P.A. Ms. Ferrera’s main areas of practice are in real estate, corporate and transactional matters. Ms. Ferrera’s area of expertise is in the representation of developers and lenders in matters concerning the creation and operation of residential and commercial condominiums.

Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz
2012

Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz, is a partner at Holland & Knight. Mrs. de las Cuevas-Diaz’s main areas of practice are in real estate and special assets.

Victoria Méndez
2011

Victoria Méndez is the City Attorney for the City of Miami.

Manuel Garcia Linares
2010

Manuel A. Garcia-Linares is the Managing Shareholder at Richman Greer, P.A. Mr. Garcia-Linares’ main areas of practice are commercial and business litigation, class action litigation.

Roland Sanchez-Medina
2009

Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr. is a partner residing in our Coral Gables office, where he focuses his practice in the areas of corporate and securities law, including mergers and acquisitions.

Marlene Quintana
2008

Marlene represents private and public sector employers in both labor and employment law matters. Marlene has litigated and advised clients in federal civil

Elizabeth Hernandez
2007

Shareholder
Akerman Senterfitt
One Southeast Third Avenue
25th Floor
Miami,2008
Direct Line: 305.789.7467

Corali Lopez-Castro
2006

Corali Lopez-Castro is a shareholder and the managing partner at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton. She concentrates her practice on bankruptcy and commercial litigation matters.

Antonio C. Castro
2005

Ever since he began his career as a prosecutor, Tony Castro has had a passion for justice. As an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, Tony spent years in the front lines of litigation—investigating crimes, interviewing and preparing witnesses, selecting juries, examining and cross-examining witnesses, delivering effective opening and closing statements, and prosecuting cases to the full extent of the law.

Ramon A. Abadin
2004

Complex Commercial Litigation -General Civil Litigation -Insurance Litigation -Medical Malpractice -Premises Liability -Automobile Negligence -Corporate Litigation

Victor M. Diaz
2003

Victor was born November 14, 1960, in Camaguey, Cuba. In 1982, he received his Bachelor’s Degree (summa cum laude) from Duke University in 1982, where he graduated first in his class.

Eugenio Hernandez
2002

As a founding partner of Avila Rodriguez Hernandez Mena & Ferri, LLP (ARHM&F) and former practice group leader of the Immigration Practice Group for an AmLaw 20 national law firm, Eugenio “Gene” Hernandez brings extensive experience in the area of immigration law.

Michael Diaz, Jr.
2001

Michael Diaz, Jr., is the founder and managing partner of Diaz, Reus & Targ, LLP, an innovative, full-service law firm with offices around the world.

Oscar Marrero
2000

Oscar E. Marrero Esq., has been practicing law for over twenty eight years and has developed a diverse litigation practice.

Sergio Mendez
1999

Sergio Mendez was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1985. He practiced with his late father for fifteen years. His practice is limited to Guardianship, Probate and Real Property law.

Hector J. Lombana
1998

A proven and aggressive commodity,Hector stands ready to help you get out of the catastrophic problem presently facing you.

Eduardo Cosio
1997

Eduardo Cosio is the founding member of Eduardo Cosio, P.A., a minority owned insurance defense firm. He is a 1987 graduate of Boston College Law School.

Luis N. Perez
1996

2010 – PEREZ & RODRIGUEZ, P.A. Partner. AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. 1997 – 2010 PEREZ, GORAN &

Fernando S. Aran
1995

Fernando was born in Havana, Cuba on July 25, 1957. He graduated from the University of Miami cum laude in 1978.

Arturo Alvarez
1994

Arturo Alvarez was born in Havana, Cuba on June 13, 1948. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science in 1970 from the University of Florida.

Antonio Marin
1993

Graduated from Miami-Dade College ’78 Graduated Honors from Florida International University ’80 Graduated from Nova University School of Law 1984

J. Raul Cosio
1992

J. Raul Cosio is a member of the commercial litigation, securities litigation and international litigation and arbitration practice groups.

Katherine Fernandez-Rundle
1991

Katherine Fernandez Rundle was appointed State Attorney for Miami-Dade County in 1993. She has subsequently been re-elected five times to serve as State Attorney.

Robert Fleitas
1990

Roberto F. Fleitas is a native of La Havana Cuba. He moved to the United States during the 1960’s.

Jorge L. Hernandez−Toraño is a transactional attorney who has practiced in the areas of domestic and international corporate and mergers and acquisitions for more than 25 years.

Jose A. Garrido, Jr. founded CABA Pro Bono Project in 1984 with the help of Manuel Morales. Presently, Mr. Garrido is the CEO of a food & personal care distributor, serving 38 countries.

Manuel R. Morales, Jr. founded CABA Pro Bono Project with the help of Jose Garrido. Mr. Morales graduated Nova Southeastern University Law School with honors.

Armando Bucelo has been in private practice since 1979.

Rene V. Murai, a graduate of Columbia Law School, is transactional attorney specializing in banking, business and real estate law.

A seasoned and esteemed trial lawyer, Tomas F. Gamba has been dedicated to protecting his clients’ rights for more than three decades.

Rogelio del Pino came to the this country alone at the tender age of 14 via the “Peter Pan Flights” fleeing the Castro regime.

Francisco “Frank” Angones, 2007-2008 President of The Florida Bar, is a civil trial lawyer with over 90 jury trials.

Born in Havana, Cuba on October 2, 1945, to Manuel M. Crespo, and Esther Morales. He was the middle child between two sisters Margararita, his senior, and Josefina.

Jose A. Villalobos focuses his practice on legal issues involving land use and entitlements and he counsels clients on a broad array of legal issues, including local governmental operations.

Luis A. Figueroa was born in Havana, Cuba on March 8th, 1929. After completing his Baccalaureate studies in both the United States and Cuba, in 1951 he received a Doctorate in Civil Law.

Professional Legal Services & Counseling For Over 32 YearsPeople work hard to attain the standard of living that they enjoy, to raise and educate their children, to provide for their family.

Mr. Vazquez was born in La Havana, Cuba, on October 30, 1944. He has 4 children.

Phi Kappa Phi. Birch Award. Order of the Coif. Adjunct Professor, University of Florida Law School, 1973-1974. Princeton University: Assistant in Instruction

Mario P. Goderich
1974-75

Mario P. Goderich was born in Santiago de Cuba, Oriente, Cuba. While still living in Cuba, his parents enrolled him in high school in Virginia.