Professional & Community Involvement
Trustee, Florida International University
Chair, Florida International University Law School, Advisory Board
Trustee and Chair of Audit Committee, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Trustee, University of Florida Levin College of Law
Trustee, Miami Dade College, 2005-2007
Board of Directors, Florida International University Foundation, 1998-2008
Trustee, Manhattanville College, New York, 2002-2007
Board of Directors, National Council of La Raza
Board of Directors and Treasurer, Equal Justice Works
Member, The Florida Council of 100
Member, Advisory Council, United Way of Miami-Dade
Chairman, Board of Directors, United Way of Miami-Dade, 2003-2005
Campaign Chair, United Way of Miami-Dade, 2001-2002
Member, Miami Business Forum (Non Group)
Trustee, Florida Free Trade Area of the Americas
Trustee, National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts
Participant, Guardian Ad Litem Program, Miami-Dade County
Chair, Mesa Redonda, South Florida Hispanic Business Group, 2001-2004
Board of Directors, Holocaust Documentation & Education Center, Inc., 2004-2007
Member, Executive Committee for Cuban Detainees in Guantanamo
Former Chairman, Securities Committee of The Florida Bar
Awards & Recognition
Recipient, "Lifetime Achievement Award," Chambers USA Awards for Excellence, 2008
Recognized as one of the "50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America," The National Law Journal, May 2008
Recognized as one of the "25 Best Latinos in Business," Hispanic Magazine, The Power Issue, February 2008
Recognized as one of the "Top Most Powerful Hispanics," The Black Book of Poder, 2008 Special Edition
Recipient, Spirit of Excellence Award, 2008 presented by the American Bar Association
Listed, Chambers & Partners USA Guide, an annual listing of the leading business lawyers and law firms in the world, 2007-2008 edition
Selected by Super Lawyers magazine, 2007 and 2008
Listed as one of the "Lawdragon 3000 Leading Lawyers in America," Lawdragon.com, 2006
Listed, The Best Lawyers in America (Every Edition)
Recipient, "CEO of the Year" award, MultiCultural Law Magazine, 2006
Recognized, "100 Most Influential Lawyers in America," The National Law Journal, 1997, 2000 and 2006, (Last Three Editions)
Selected, South Florida CEO Magazine, Power Issue, April 2005
Recognized, "Miami's New Power Players and the List of the Top 100 Most Powerful Players," Ocean Drive - En Español, June 2005
Recognized, "Top Managing Partner," Legal Elite issue of Florida Trend Magazine, 2005 and 2006
Listed, 2004 and 2005 Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine, listing of Florida's top attorneys as selected by their peers
Recipient, FIU Medallion, Florida International University, 2005
Recipient, South Florida Business Journal's Diversity Works! Advocate-Individual Award, February 2004
Inducted, Miami-Dade Community College Hall of Fame, 2003
Recognized, "The Power Dozen: The Most Influential Business People in Miami-Dade County," The Miami Herald, December 2003
Recognized, "The 100 Most Powerful Latinos," Poder Magazine (International Edition), 2003 and 2004
Recognized as one of the 50 most powerful people in South Florida, Poder Magazine, The Power Issue (Miami Edition), 2003 and 2004
Recipient, South Florida Ultimate CEO Award, South Florida Business Journal, 2004
Recipient, New American Award, presented by the Archdiocese of Miami, Inc., 2003
Recipient, Silver Medallion for Service to Humanity Award, 2003, presented by The National Conference for Community and Justice (formally National Conference of Christians and Jews)
Recognized, "100 Most Powerful People in South Florida," South Florida CEO Magazine, December 2002
Recipient, Attorney of the Year Award, 2001, presented by the Hispanic National Bar Association
Recognized, "100 Most Powerful People in Miami," Miami Business Magazine, 2001
Recognized, "100 Most Influential Hispanics," Hispanic Business, 1996 and 1998
Recipient, Humanitarian of the Year Award, 1997, presented by the Women's International Zionist Organization
Recipient, Golden Castanets Award, 2002 presented by Ballet Hispanico
Recipient, Pro-Bono Award, presented by the Cuban-American Bar Association .