Professional Accomplishments

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• Top 40 Attorneys Under 40, Miami-Dade Bar, 2023

• Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

• Top Lawyer in Miami-Dade County, Aventura Magazine, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

• Top Lawyer in Civil Litigation, South Florida Legal Guide (SFLG), 2020, 2021, 2022

• Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Lifetime Member

• AV-Preeminent, Highest Rating for Professional Excellence, Martindale-Hubbell, 2019-Present

• 10.0 Rated, Avvo

• The Florida Bar, Standing Committee on Education Law, June 2023-Present

• The Florida Bar, Standing Committee on Government Advocacy, June 2023-Present

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Political Accomplishments

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• Delegate, Democratic National Convention, 2024

• Rules Committee, Democratic National Convention, 2024 (Chair: Gov. Tim Walz)

• Lead County Counsel, Miami-Dade County, Kamala Harris for President, 2024

• Lead County Counsel, Miami-Dade County, Joe Biden for President, 2020

• Lead County Counsel, Miami-Dade County, Florida Democratic Party, 2020, 2022, 2024

• Lone State Committeeman for Miami-Dade County, Florida Democratic Party, December 2022-November 2024

• Congressional District Chair, Districts 24 and 26, Florida Democratic Party, 2023-2024

• Congressional District Vice Chair, District 27, Florida Democratic Party, 2023-2024

• Rules Committee, Florida Democratic Party, April 2023-Present

• Vice Chair, Rules Committee, Florida Democratic Party, April 2023-March 2024

• Acting Chair, Rules Committee, Florida Democratic Party, September 2023-March 2024

• Chair, Rules Committee, Miami-Dade Democratic Party, 2024

• General Counsel, Miami-Dade Democratic Party, 2019-2023

• Voter Protection Director, Florida Democratic Party, 2018

• Hillary Clinton for President, Voter Protection Team Member: Voter Protection General Election Special Projects Director and Primary Election Regional Voter Protection Director for Palm Beach County, 2016

• Barack Obama for President, Voter Protection Team Member, 2012

 

Current and Past Affiliations

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• Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee (DEC)

• Florida Democratic Party, State Executive Committee and Central Committee

• Broward Democratic Lawyers Council

• Miami-Dade Democratic Lawyers Council

• Juvenile Rights Advocacy Project

• The EdLaw Project

• Yale Club of New York City

• SAG – AFTRA (AFL-CIO)

• Broward County Bar Association

• Miami-Dade Bar (formerly the Dade County Bar Association)

• American Bar Association

• Education Law Association

• Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity

• Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity

 

Bar Admissions

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• Florida Bar

• Massachusetts Bar

• United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida

• U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado

• U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts

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Education

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• J.D., Boston College Law School, 2011

• M.Ed., K-12 Curriculum & Instruction, Boston College, Lynch Graduate School of Education, 2011

• B.S., cum laude, New York University, 2008

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Select Past Cases and Reported Opinions

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• Desiderio v. City of Miami, 2024 WL 4766249, 2024 WL 4766250 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Nov. 5, 2024) (denying City's motions to dismiss claim brought to invalidate referendum alleged to be illegal under Florida law, see also https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/lawsuit-seeks-to-have-miami-park-gym-equipment-referendum-taken-off-ballot/3391269/)

• Padilla v. Pickett, 385 So. 3d 1088 (Fla. 4th DCA 2024) (affirming dismissal of domestic violence claim)

• Kimera Labs, Inc. v. Jayashankar, 346 F.R.D. 146 (S.D. Fla. 2024) (denying motion to depose Florida-based third party witness in out-of-state litigation)

• Trocano v. Vivaldi, 720 F. Supp. 3d 1231 (M.D. Fla. 4th 2024) (dismissing defamation action brought over defendant's criticism related to the events of January 6, 2021 at the United States Capitol)

• Velez v. DeSantis, (Fla. Cir. Ct. 2024) (Ordering Florida Governor to show cause why he had the authority to prevent the swearing-in of a candidate elected to the Broward County School Board, https://floridapolitics.com/archives/654886-judge-orders-gov-desantis-to-show-why-school-board-election-winner-shouldnt-be-seated/)

• Ansaroff v. Laureles, 3D22-1863, 2022 WL 18360412 (Fla. 3d DCA Dec. 8, 2022) (granting motion to dismiss appeal)

• Toll v. North, 644 F. Supp. 3d 1050 (S.D. Fla. 2022) (granting defendant's motion to dismiss for lack for personal jurisdiction to be sued in Florida, and severing and transferring the action to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado)

• Florida Democratic Party v. Byrd, 22-CV-23366, 2022 WL 14664662 (S.D. Fla. Oct. 25, 2022) (determining that claim by political party that election statute making it a crime to release information about public canvassing meetings was unconstitutional was not subject to preliminary injunction where state had issued written guidance to avoid criminal penalties for canvassing volunteers after suit was filed)

• Cooper v. Empower U Inc., 603 F. Supp. 3d 1317 (S.D. Fla. 2022) (denying motion to dismiss claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress against plaintiff's employer)

• Roberts-Jackson v. King, 2022 WL 1236066 (Fla. Cir. Ct. April 26, 2022) (entering judgment for partition and damages in the amount of $393,400.85)

• Selinger v. Kimera Labs, Inc., 20-CV-24267, 2022 WL 668340 (S.D. Fla. Mar. 4, 2022) (holding that defendant's failure to disclose liability insurance policy may result in sanctions)

• Selinger v. Kimera Labs, Inc., 20-CV-24267, 2022 WL 34444 (S.D. Fla. Jan. 3, 2022), report and recommendation adopted, 1:20-CV-24267, 2022 WL 220063 (S.D. Fla. Jan. 25, 2022) (denying defendants' motions to dismiss claims for negligent infliction of emotional distress, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, defamation, and negligent misrepresentation)

• Cruz v. Jinny Beauty Supply Co. Inc., 1:17-CV-23445-JB, 2019 WL 5212463 (S.D. Fla. Sept. 22, 2019) (denying defendant employer's motion for summary judgment on Title VII claim for discrimination on the basis of age and race)

• Joyner v. Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, 17-22568-CIV, 2018 WL 481880 (S.D. Fla. Jan. 18, 2018) (In suit brought on behalf of the ACLU, Florida Immigrant Coalition, and others against the Federal Government's commission on voting, the Court ordered the Federal Government to explain what it is doing with state voter data)

• Wilkis v. The Whitney Condominium Association, Inc., 2017 WL 3706537 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Aug. 24, 2017) (granting Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment, holding that a West Palm Beach condominium manager was not barred from suing for personal health claims resulting from the presence of, and procedures performed on, Chinese Drywall at the condominium)

• Grillet v. Momentis Property Group, (Fla. Cir. Ct. Nov. 16, 2016) (Claim by widow that exposure to Chinese Drywall caused or exacerbated her husband's lung cancer, https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/woman-claims-defective-chinese-dry-wall-killed-husband/88388/ )

• Solyom v. World Wide Child Care Corp., 14-80241-CIV, 2015 WL 5853124 (S.D. Fla. Oct. 7, 2015) (denying defendant's motion for summary judgment on claim that defendant had engaged in international securities fraud scheme)

• Katz v. Chevaldina, 12-22211-CIV-KING, 2014 WL 2815496 (S.D. Fla. June 17, 2014), report and recommendation adopted, 12-22211-CV, 2014 WL 4385690 (S.D. Fla. Sept. 5, 2014), aff'd sub nom. Katz v. Google Inc., 802 F.3d 1178 (11th Cir. 2015) (granting summary judgment in favor of blogger on copyright claims brought by defendant who wished to remove critical blog posts)

• Swartz v. Steinberg, (Fla. Cir. Ct. Feb. 25, 2014) (final judgment in favor of Plaintiff for $242,790.22 for breach of promissory notes)

• Rumbaut and Company, Inc. v. Caribevision Holdings, Inc., (Fla. Cir. Ct. Dec. 20, 2013) (jury verdict for $738,000 in favor of plaintiff in media services brokerage commission suit)

• Murphy v. City of Aventura (Fla. Cir. Ct. 2012) (jury verdict for $155.7 million, later vacated on determination of absolute immunity)

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