Garrett A. Tozier is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Garrett A. Tozier from Shutts & Bowen!

Garrett will speak at our upcoming Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing and Oral Argument 101 program on June 26 & 27, 2024. During this program appellate judges and seasoned appellate practitioners will walk the beginner appellate practitioner through both areas of appellate practice in state and federal appellate courts.

Garrett A. Tozier is a partner in the Tampa office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the Appellate practice group.

Garrett represents clients in a wide range of appellate and litigation matters involving commercial disputes, business torts, real-property litigation, and class action and insurance defense. He is experienced in appellate advocacy and procedure in state and federal appellate courts, and routinely prepares briefs on merits, on jurisdiction, and for extraordinary writs in original proceedings. Garrett also provides pre-trial and trial support to litigators, assisting in the development of legal arguments and ensuring that all steps necessary to preserve issues for appellate review are taken.

Prior to joining the firm, Garrett clerked for the Honorable Susan H. Rothstein-Youakim at the Florida Second District Court of Appeal. He also previously served as a Central Staff Attorney at the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, where he gained extensive experience in appellate jurisdictional matters, appellate motion practice, and original proceedings.

While attending the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Garrett served as articles and research editor for the Journal of Technology Law and Policy. During law school, he also interned for the Honorable Darryl C. Casanueva at the Florida Second District Court of Appeal.

We are so glad to have him join us!

Hon. Fleur J. Lobree is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Judge Fleur J. Lobree from the Florida Third District Court of Appeal!

Judge Lobree will speak at our upcoming Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing and Oral Argument 101 program on June 26 & 27, 2024. During this program appellate judges and seasoned appellate practitioners will walk the beginner appellate practitioner through both areas of appellate practice in state and federal appellate courts.

Judge Fleur J. Lobree was appointed to the Court by Governor Ron DeSantis on April 25, 2019. She previously served as an Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge in the criminal division from February 2013 through January 2015, and as a Miami Dade County Court Judge in the criminal and civil divisions from April 2011 through January 2013. Apart from her work on the bench, Judge Lobree has been an assistant state attorney, an associate with Hicks, Anderson and Kneale, a career law clerk for the Hon. Rodolfo Sorondo, Jr., and an assistant attorney general.

In 2021, Judge Lobree was the recipient of the Miami-Dade Bar Mario P. Goderich Legal Ethics Award. In 2014, she received the Dade County Bar Association Alan R. Schwartz Judicial Excellence Award. In 2016, Judge Lobree received a MADD Prosecution Award of Honor. Judge Lobree was listed among the Top Government Attorneys by the South Florida Legal Guide from 2007 through 2011. The Dade County Bar Association gave her a Put Something Back Pro Bono Service Award in 1996 and a Special Public Service Award in 1991. She earned a Davis Productivity Award in 1993 for work in Homestead as an ombudsman in insurance disputes following Hurricane Andrew.

In service to her profession, Judge Lobree is a member of the Appellate Court Rules and Criminal Court Steering Committees. Previously, she spent six years as a member of the Florida Bar Criminal Procedure Rules Committee, including serving as its Chair and liaison to the Appellate Court Rules and Rules of Judicial Administration Committees. She also volunteered on a Florida Bar Grievance committee. Judge Lobree has trained attorneys and law enforcement officers on topics such as Extraordinary Writ Proceedings, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendment Law, Ethics and Professionalism, Frye Hearings, Search Warrant Issuance and Execution, and Sunshine Law.

Judge Lobree was born in Evansville, Indiana and raised in Miami, Florida. She is a 1992 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law. She devotes free time to mentoring students through the Florida Bar law related education and Miami Dade Bar school programs committees. Since 2007, she has been a member of Save Our Sisters dragon boat racing team, created to raise awareness about breast health and enable breast cancer survivors to discover or regain fitness after treatment.

We are so glad to have her join us!

Elina Magaly Santana is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Elina Magaly Santana from Santana Rodriguez Law, P.A.!

Elina will speak at our upcoming Crimmigration: Identifying and Mitigating the Immigration Consequences of Convictions program on June 18, 2024. This course caters to attorneys specializing in immigration and criminal law. If you’re not familiar with the latest ramifications of criminal convictions for your immigrant clients, this program is a must for you! Elina previously spoke at our Immigration 101: The Nuts and Bolts program in 2023, and our Immigration: Waivers – An Introduction program in 2018.

Elina Magaly Santana, Esq. is a Shareholder and Co-founder of Santana Rodriguez Law, P.A. She is licensed in the state of Florida, the U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Attorney Santana is the firm’s lead Immigration Law Practitioner. She focuses her practice on representing foreign clients in affirmative petitions with U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (“USCIS”), as well as providing direct representation at interviews and in deportation proceedings before the U.S. Immigration Courts. She handles Family-based and Marriage-based Residency, Naturalization, Acquired and Derivative Citizenship, Deportation Defense (including Asylum, Cancellation of Removal, and Waivers), and Appeals for previously denied cases. Attorney Santana has also represented many detained clients in bond proceedings and reasonable/credible fear interviews. Furthermore, Attorney Santana has successfully argued for Stays of Deportation for clients with humanitarian reasons why they cannot return to their countries.

She is dedicated to representing the immigrant community nationwide and travels often for her clients’ cases. She has represented clients in courts nationwide, including Miami, FL; Orlando, FL; Hartford, CT; New York, NY; Buffalo, NY; Charlotte, NC; San Antonio, TX; Harlingen, TX; Atlanta, GA; Cleveland, OH; San Francisco, CA; Newark, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Tacoma, WA; and Kansas City, MO, among others.

Attorney Santana earned her Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law, where she served as an editor for the Public Interest Law Journal. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in both Sociology and Spanish Literature at New York University with high honors. She is fluent in English and Spanish and loves to travel throughout the world.

Attorney Santana also had the honor of serving as a judicial intern at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida under the supervision of the Honorable William C. Turnoff in Miami, Florida.

Attorney Santana volunteers in the local South Florida community by accepting pro bono cases through several local organizations. She also previously volunteered with the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (“ProBAR”) in Harlingen, Texas, where she worked with detained and previously abused children seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile visas.

Attorney Santana is the President-Elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”) South Florida Chapter. She simultaneously sits on the CLE Due Process Committee for AILA National. She is an active Business Network International (“BNI”) member and Florida Lawyers’ Network (“FLN”) member. She is also a Trustee member in the Coral Gable Chamber of Commerce, a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (“NAWBO”), a member of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce (“WCC”).

Attorney Santana is a U.S. Citizen born in Miami, Florida. She is the child of Cuban Immigrants who immigrated in the 1960s. As such, her personal connection to the plight of immigrant families is a personal one. She previously lived in New York, New York, Boston, Massachusetts, and briefly in Madrid, Spain.

We are so glad to have her join us!

Juliana G. Lamardo is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Juliana G. Lamardo from the Law Offices of Juliana G. Lamardo, P.A.!

Juliana will speak at our upcoming Crimmigration: Identifying and Mitigating the Immigration Consequences of Convictions program on June 18, 2024. This program is for both immigration and criminal law attorneys – if you are not up on the latest consequences of criminal convictions for your immigrant clients, you need to take this course! Juliana previously spoke at our Crimmigration: Identifying and Mitigating the Immigration Consequences of Convictions in 2022. Julian is a frequent speaker at our seminars, and has also spoken at past Immigration 101 programs, including the one held in 2023, which you can find here.

Juliana G. Lamardo was born in São Paulo, Brazil. When she was 8 years old, her parents made the difficult decision to leave Brazil in search of a better life. Juliana’s father obtained an L-1A visa and moved the entire family to the United States. In 1994, Juliana became a lawful permanent resident and then a U.S. Citizen in 2001. Juliana experienced the immigration process firsthand and knows how apprehensive it can be.

Juliana attended Florida International University in Miami and earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration in 2003. Following her mother’s footsteps as an attorney, Juliana attended law school at Barry University School of Law in Orlando, Florida. She graduated in 2007. It was in law school where her desire to help other immigrants came to life.

Juliana opened the Law Offices of Juliana G. Lamardo in 2016. She was previously a Senior Associate Attorney with a private immigration law firm for over six years, where she handled thousands of cases. She concentrates in the areas of deportation defense, bond hearings, deferred inspections, family-based residency, Citizenship, and naturalization.

Juliana has represented clients in removal and bond proceedings before the Immigration Court, before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on family-based petitions, applications for residency, and applications for Citizenship, as well as various waivers for criminal activity. She has also appeared before the Customs Border Protection (CBP) for deferred inspections.

She is a frequent speaker at various immigration-related seminars including the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Pincus Professional Education, and the Association for the Studies of the Cuban Economy (ASCE). She was also a regular guest speaker on Almavisión radio (87.7 FM) on issues related to immigration.

She has been licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida and the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida Division since 2008. She is also a member of the Florida Bar and is licensed to practice immigration in all 50 states.

Juliana is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. She understands the complexities associated with immigration procedures and she applies her knowledge and background to competently assist those who wish to build a life in this country.

We are so glad to have you join us again Juliana!!

Jennifer Rozdzielski is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Jennifer Rozdzielski from JR Immigration Law Group!

Jennifer will speak at our upcoming Crimmigration: Identifying and Mitigating the Immigration Consequences of Convictions program on June 18, 2024. This course caters to immigration and criminal law practitioners alike. If you’re not abreast of the latest ramifications of criminal convictions for your immigrant clientele, enrolling in this program is imperative! Jennifer previously spoke at our Immigration 101: The Nuts and Bolts program in 2023, and our Crimmigration: Identifying and Mitigating the Immigration Consequences of Convictions program in 2022.

Jennifer Rozdzielski specializes in immigration deportation defense, family immigration and Federal litigation. She has represented hundreds of clients in Immigration Court and has successfully litigated applications for cancellation of removal, adjustment of status, NACARA, waivers and asylum. Additionally, she has obtained bond and immigration benefits for numerous detained clients. She also represents clients before the USCIS in diverse matters including family-based petitions, unlawful presence waivers, and naturalization.

Jennifer is one of a small percentage of immigration attorneys who is a Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law, State Bar of California.

Jennifer first discovered her passion for immigration law while externing with the Office of the Chief Counsel, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in Phoenix, Arizona. This work provided her with unique insights into deportation matters.

We are so glad to have her join us!

Sabrina Damast is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Sabrina Damast from the Law Office of Sabrina Damast, Inc.!

Sabrina will speak at our upcoming Crimmigration: Identifying and Mitigating the Immigration Consequences of Convictions program on June 18, 2024. This program is for both immigration and criminal law attorneys – if you are not up on the latest consequences of criminal convictions for your immigrant clients, you need to take this course! Sabrina previously spoke at our Crimmigration: Identifying and Mitigating the Immigration Consequences of Convictions in 2022, our Immigration 101: Visa Processing program in 2017, and our Immigration 101 program in 2016.

Sabrina Damast practices in the areas of immigration and nationality law and post-conviction relief. Before opening her own law practice, Sabrina served as a judicial law clerk in the Los Angeles Immigration Court and worked as an immigration attorney in private practice. As a law clerk, she conducted research and wrote more than two hundred decisions for dozens of Immigration Judges. She developed an expertise in all forms of deportation defense, including applications for asylum, permanent residence, NACARA, fraud waivers, and criminal waivers. As an attorney in private practice, she solidified these skills by representing clients threatened with deportation.

Sabrina is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, swing dancing, and musical theater, and she is the leader of a local Girl Scout troop. Sabrina is a member of the New York and California Bars and is admitted to the Central District of California, the Southern District of California, the Northern District of California, the Eastern District of California, the Western District of Arkansas, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. She frequently publishes articles, teaches CLEs, and gives presentations on immigration law. Sabrina is a California certified specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law.

We are so glad to have her join us!

John Riordan is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is John Riordan from Kelley Kronenberg!

John recently spoke at our 13th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (FL) program on May 21 and 23, 2024. At this program attendees learned everything from complaint strategies to depos and discovery, to case management conferences, motions, trial prep, Juries and trial techniques. John previously spoke at our 12th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp (FL), our 11th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp (FL), as well as our 1st Party Property Insurance Start to Finish program.

John Riordan is a Partner and Business Unit Leader in the firm’s West Palm Beach. John is an AV rated and highly experienced civil trial attorney who handles first-party property defense, premise liability defense, automobile liability, personal injury protection, and complex civil matters.

John assists insurance carriers in varying aspects of insurance coverage disputes, including civil remedy notices of insurer violations, Special Investigation Unit (“SIU”) investigations, pre-suit investigations and coverage evaluations, declaratory judgments, and bad faith litigation. John represents insurance carriers throughout Florida.

Prior to joining the firm, John was the Managing Partner of a West Palm Beach boutique law firm and focused his practice on civil litigation, and criminal defense. Prior to that, John proudly served as an Assistant State Attorney with the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, prosecuting misdemeanor and felony crimes. John has tried more than 150 jury and non-jury trials in criminal and civil matters in both state and Federal court.

John has earned a reputation an excellent trial attorney. In 2012 and 2013, he was honored as a Super Lawyer Rising Star, and as a Super Lawyer in 2022, a prestigious distinction only awarded to the top 5% of lawyers in the state who are recognized for their skill, ethical services, and professional excellence.

John is a native of Miami, Florida, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami in 1997. Thereafter, he earned his Juris Doctorate degree from Nova Southeastern University School of Law where he graduated in 2001. John is licensed to practice law in Florida and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Southern, Northern and Middle Districts of Florida.

We are so glad to have him join us!

Samera S. Ludwig is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Samera S. Ludwig from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP!

Samera has spoken at our CLE programs many times over the years – both litigation related and immigration related.  She just recently spoke at our 15th Annual Federal Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (IL) program on May 16, 2024 to her usual rave reviews. Samera is well versed as a litigator, having practiced for more than 20 years, and is very good at communicating and teaching litigation skills to the attorneys who attend our programs. She also provides terrific materials and powerpoints as resources for our attendees!

At our annual Federal Court Boot Camp a few weeks ago, attendees learned everything from complaint strategies to depos and discovery, to case management conferences, motions, trial prep, Juries and trial techniques. Samera expertly taught Motions for Summary Judgment.

Samera has previously spoken at our Immigration 101: Visa Processing program in 2017, multiple Deposition training programs, most recently in 2019 in Illinois.

Samera Syeda Ludwig focuses her practice on labor and employment and business immigration. For more than 20 years, she has represented employers in both state and federal courts and in administrative proceedings throughout the country. As an experienced litigator, Samera counsels and represents businesses on matters involving employee discipline, employee claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, OSHA compliance and counseling, EEO compliance and reporting, and conducts internal investigations. Samera also advises employers on immigration policies and employment related issues including obtaining non-immigrant and immigrant visas, providing immigration related guidance during corporate mergers and acquisitions, and assisting employers with I-9 employment eligibility and verification compliance.

Prior to joining the firm, Samera was a partner at a well-established litigation law firm in its Chicago, Illinois office where she concentrated her practice on commercial litigation, labor and employment, immigration, and alternative dispute resolution. Samera also served as the firm’s administrative partner where she was involved in many aspects of its management including working with the firm’s senior management team, acquiring legal talent, and overseeing administrative operations. Previously, Samera was a partner in the Chicago, Illinois office of a Global 100 law firm where she led diversity initiatives.

While attending Columbia Law School, Samera was Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law.

Samera received the 2023 Vanguard Award from the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, which honored Samera for making the law and legal profession more accessible to and reflective of the community at large. She was recognized as one of its “Notable Women Lawyers” in 2024 by Crain’s Chicago Business.

We are so glad to have her join us!

Jeannete C. Lewis is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Jeannete C. Lewis from Lewis Legal Group!

Jeannette just spoke this week at our 13th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (FL) program on May 21 & 23, 2024 and the attendees said she was terrific! At this popular annual Florida state court litigation seminar, attendees learned everything from complaint strategies to depos and discovery, to case management conferences, motions, trial prep, Juries and trial techniques.

Jeannete Lewis has spent her entire legal career handling complex personal injury and death cases from inception through trial. Since 1993 she has devoted exceptional legal and academic skills and resources to the compassionate pursuit of justice for those who are seriously injured as well as for the families of those who have lost their lives due to the negligence and gross negligence of others. Her law office is located in Plantation, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale in Broward County, Florida. However, she serves clients and handles serious injury and death cases from all over the United States and internationally as well.

Prior to opening her own practice in 2013, Jeannete Lewis represented catastrophically injured plaintiffs and the families of fatally injured victims at the well-respected Haggard Law firm in Coral Gables, in Miami-Dade County, Florida where she was a partner since 2001. Since opening her own practice in 2013, she has continued the honored tradition of personal commitment, excellence, and success.

In 2017 Jeannete Lewis was selected to the Florida Super Lawyers List for demonstrated excellence in practice. 2017 marked her tenth year of receiving this honor. Jeannete Lewis also was recognized recently in Florida Trend’s 2017 Florida Legal Elite in the field of Aviation Law. She was voted by her peers for inclusion in multiple annual editions of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Litigation and her firm, Lewis Legal Group, P.A. has been included in the “Best Law Firms” rankings in 2015-2018 by US News & World Reports.

Jeannete Lewis is AV 5.0 Rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest legal and ethical ranking possible for attorneys. She has maintained this status since 2005.

We are excited to have her join us!

Rima Kapitan is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Rima Kapitan from Kapitan Gomma Law!

Rima recently spoke at our 15th Annual Federal Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (IL) program on May 16, 2024 to rave reviews!

At this popular program attendees learn about litigating in Federal Court from start to finish. They get a multitude of perspectives from faculty – plaintiff and defense attorneys – as well as hearing from Federal Court Judges.

Rima joined the program for the first time this year and the attendees loved her.

Rima Kapitan specializes in employment litigation, consulting and advocacy on behalf of employees and small businesses. In recent years she has increasingly focused on academic issues, representing professors in appeals of tenure denials, litigating civil rights cases in the university setting, and providing consulting for faculty governance bodies. She has spoken on the topic of academic freedom at conferences and panels of the American Association of University Professors, the New York University School of Law, the Fordham University School of Law, and California State University. She also previously served as Managing Partner of a 7-attorney law firm. Ms. Kapitan was admitted to practice in the State of Illinois Supreme Court in 2005, and is a member of the Trial Bar of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She is a graduate of DePaul University College of Law and Indiana University’s Individualized Major Program.

We are excited to have her join us!