A MESSAGE FROM YOUR LAW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
Dear Fellow Canes:
As we approach the end of the year, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support. Each of you, together with our interim dean, faculty, and the staff of the School of Law, has done so much to strengthen our community through your commitment and selfless service. Throughout the year, we have been working together to engage our alumni with the life of the school, build community, and recognize the achievements of our graduates. So many of you have been a part of this, whether by mentoring our students through the bar exam, speaking with our student organizations, or contributing to support scholarships.
Looking back, I wanted to highlight just a few of our major events over the last few months. Our weeklong Homecoming festivities were a great success and were capped by our annual Morning Spirits and Homecoming Breakfast, which was among the best attended in recent years and featured an engaging interview with our new provost, Joel Samuels.
We were proud to recognize several exceptional alumni this year, including Joseph Bogosian, J.D. ’92; Judge Jose E. Martinez, B.B.A. ’62, J.D. ’65; Lesley S. Mendoza, J.D. ’02; and Gabriela S. Hernandez, J.D. ’20. At our Annual Holiday Celebration and Miami-Dade Judicial Reception just last week, we celebrated the year together and recognized Lynn Carrillo, J.D. ’00, and Hon. Melissa Damian, J.D. ’95, with Alumni Achievement Awards; Joanne Harvest Koren, J.D. ’83, with the Alumni Leadership Award; and Judge Cecilia Altonaga, Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan, and Detra Davis with We Are Proud of You Awards.
We also enjoyed many other opportunities to come together, from our Florida Bar Alumni Reception to the Palm Beach Judicial Dinner Series with Hon. Donald W. Hafele, B.A. ’79, J.D. ’82; Hon. Scott I. Suskauer, J.D. ’88; Hon. James W. Sherman, J.D. ’07; and Mag. Ilana F. Marcus, J.D. ’03, as well as young alumni gatherings across South Florida, including the Miami Spice Dinner Series. I am very grateful to our board and committees for all of their hard work to make all of these events possible!
We will have even more to celebrate in the coming year during the law school’s centennial. This remarkable milestone is an important opportunity to reflect on the pivotal role the school has played over the last century. It has opened up a whole world of opportunities for our thousands of alumni and shaped scores of leaders in our community. Our yearlong celebration will feature our Centennial Signature Speaker Series, the nationwide “Law 100 Tour” visiting key cities, and the return of our Young Alumni Scholarship Reception. During the coming year, we will celebrate the return of another beloved tradition: Beer on the Bricks (or the “Slab,” depending on your vintage)! Please stay tuned for event invitations, social media highlights, and more as we honor this incredible milestone together. We can’t wait to celebrate 100 years of Miami Law with you!
Thank you for everything you do for our law school and legal community. If we can help you in any way, please reach out to us at any time.
Law Alumni Association President Harout Samra and new University Provost Joel Samuels discussed a bold, collaborative future for Miami Law during the 76th annual breakfast event.
Marking its 100th anniversary, the University of Miami's oldest honor society has 372 Miami Law graduates as members, highlighting its strong tie to the school.
Law students in public service internships enhanced their legal skills and commitment to community impact through hands-on experiences led by School of Law graduates.
Two School of Law students, Daniel Diez and Sara White, gained valuable real-world experience as judicial interns in federal court under the mentorship of Judge Beth Bloom, J.D. ’88.
The 2012 graduate, who took his LSAT in Afghanistan, brings two decades of experience as an Army infantry officer and judge advocate to his new role in Atlanta.
Mario O. Marin, J.D. ’16, was recently elevated to partner at Akerman LLP in the Litigation Practice Group in West Palm Beach.
Sidley Austin LLP Opens Miami Office with two Miami Law alumnae, Beatriz Azcuy, J.D. ’94, and Yvette Ostolaza, J.D. ’92.
Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP announces Sahil Kapoor, J.D. ’25, has joined the Naples office as an associate in the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Area.
Maria Passo, LL.M. ’24, has joined Sperling Kenny Nachwalter as an associate in Miami.
Michael MacHarg has joined Kaufman Dolowich’s national Labor and Employment team as a partner.
Nicholas Jackson, J.D. ’23, has joined Fox Rothschild in West Palm Beach as an associate in the Taxation and Wealth Planning Department.
Elizabeth Giles, J.D. ’25, and Olivia C. Polimeni, J.D. ’25, have joined GrayRobinson as associates.
This email was sent by the School of Law | University of Miami Division of Development and Alumni Relations
Newman Alumni Center, 6200 San Amaro Drive Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
Alumni Relations and Community Relations
1311 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146
E-mail: alumni@law.miami.edu Phone: 1.866.99.UMLAW
