Law School Board Of Advisors - St. Thomas University

Law School Board of Advisors 

Herman J. Russomanno, Esq. 

Chair 

Jeannette F. Hausler 

Chair Emeritus 

The Hon. A. Leo Adderly 

Robert Frederick Bouchard, Esq. 

Bob Butterworth, Dean 

Rev. Msgr. Franklyn M. Casale 

The Hon. Michael Chavies 

Raul Delgado de Armas, Esq. ’88 

The Hon. Peter T. Fay 

Lawrence S. Forman, Esq. 

Mark S. Gallegos, Esq. 

Philip M. Gerson, Esq. 

The Hon. Mario P. Goderich 

Estrella F. Gonzalez, Esq. ’89 

Karen E. Guito, Esq. ’98 

Joseph P. Klock Jr., Esq. 

The Hon. Henry Latimer 

The Hon. David Levy 

Justice R. Fred Lewis 

MaryAnne Lukacs, Esq. ’87 

Timothy M. Martin, Esq. ’87 

Rev. Dr. Patrick H. O’Neill 

Ralph G. Patino, Esq. ’87 

Leanne M. Polk, Esq. ’01 

Kimberly B. Redmon-Jones, Esq. 

Patricia A. Redmond, Esq. 

Edward M. Ricci, Esq. 

A. Jeffry Robinson, Esq. 

Rafael J. Roca, Esq. ’87 

Mark A. Romance, Esq. ’94 

D. Jean Ryan, Esq. 

Lisa M. Schiller, Esq. ’93 

Parker Davidson Thomson, Esq. 

The Hon. Daryl E. Trawick 

Prof. Basil Yanakakis 

Law Alumni Council 

Raul Perez-Ballaga, Esq. ’00 

Brett Barfield, Esq. ’99 

Elizabeth Bowen, Esq. ’98 

Carlo D’Angelo, Esq. ’97 

Daniel Dolan, Esq. ’96 

Thomas Donaldson, Esq. ’93 

Juliette Espinosa-Garcia, Esq. ’01 

Rawny Garay, Esq. ’99 

David Gordon, Esq. ’99 

Joshua Hertz, Esq. ’01 

June Hoffman, Esq. ’94 

David Perez, Esq. ’00 

Leanne Polk, Esq. ’01 

Jason Rudolph, Esq. ’95 

Patricia SaintVil-Joseph, Esq. ’96 

Juan Saiz, Esq. ’87 

Jason Warshofsky, Esq. ’95

contents 

40 

Photo Album: 

The Law School 

Celebrates Class 

Reunions, a Golf 

Tournament, 

and Graduation 

The Lawyer 

Winter 2004 

In Session: Five STU 

Law Alumni Exemplify 

the St. Thomas 

Tradition of Service 

in their Roles as 

State Legislators 

14 

features 

11 

Bob 

Butterworth 

Joins STU Law 

as Our 6th 

Dean 

Editor 

Graphic Designer 

Karen A. Malin 

Associate Dean of Student and 

Alumni Services 

George Sheldon 

Dean 

Bob Butterworth 

President 

St. Thomas University 

Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale 

The Lawyer is published two times a year 

by St. Thomas University School of Law 

Office of Alumni Relations and 

Communications. St. Thomas University is 

an equal opportunity employer. 

2 

4 

27 

departments 

Dean’s Message 

News Briefs 

Alumni News & Notes 

49 

Alumni Calendar of Events 


School of Law 

16400 N.W. 32nd Avenue 

Miami, Florida 33054 

www.stu.edu/lawschool 

(305) 474-2434

Fromthedean 

My first few months of serving as dean of St. Thomas 

University School of Law have been rewarding, challenging and 

most of all, exciting. I feel privileged to lead St. Thomas law 

school through these times of challenge and change. 

One of my first challenges as dean was to improve student 

morale, and I am pleased to tell you that student morale has 

been transformed. We have implemented a true studentcentered 

vision at the law school through an administrative 

restructuring and an intense focus on service, responsiveness, 

and accessibility. To accomplish these goals, we created the new 

Office of Student and Alumni Services, spearheaded by 

Associate Dean George Sheldon, which addresses student’s 

needs and concerns in a timely and fair manner. Additionally, 

throughout each and every office at the law school, we have 

implemented a focus on providing students with quality services 

and accessibility to faculty, administrators, and staff. The new 

student-centered vision at the law school is working—it has 

dramatically increased student morale. 

2 

St. Thomas University School of Law Magazine

We have also launched aggressive efforts in the areas of Bar passage and admissions. In July, our Bar 

passage rate increased eleven points over last year, and the gap between our score and the mean score was 

closed from 30 points last year to 15 points this year. In spite of the fact that the Bar exam was made 

more difficult to pass, our scores increased 22%, while most Florida schools experienced a decrease. I am 

confident that St. Thomas University School of Law will reach the state average within the next three 

years. 

This fall, the law school brought in our largest class in its history—299 students representing 136 

different universities and 32 states—while raising academic credentials and increasing diversity. These 

students hail from universities such as Duke, William & Mary, NYU, Yale, Cornell, and Emory. Fortyeight 

percent are non-Florida residents, and forty-nine percent represent diverse ethnic backgrounds. U.S. 

News & World Report ranks St. Thomas University School of Law the fourth-most-diverse accredited law 

school, and Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine ranks us as one of the top five law schools in the 

U.S. for Hispanic students. 

At the same time, the law school faces challenges with the opening of more law schools in the state. 

Now is the time for us to make our strengths known. We are reaching out to the community through 

events, increased involvement in community organizations, and one-on-one contacts. This fall we hosted 

a series of events in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties to reintroduce St. Thomas 

University School of Law to the community. The Miami-Dade reception held at the Miami City Club 

boasted more than 200 attendees, the Palm Beach reception at the home of The Honorable Mary Lupo 

and Ed Ricci introduced the Dean and the law school to more than 100 guests, and the Broward reception 

drew well-over 300 people—including more than 50 judges, 60% of our Broward County alumni, a 

number of state legislators, county commissioners, and other elected officials. These events were 

incredible successes that have everybody—judges, hiring partners, and the entire South Florida legal 

community—talking about St. Thomas University School of Law. We will continue to reach out to the 

legal community and the community at large to make known the strengths of our law school, our 

students, and our alumni. 

Ultimately, our alumni are our greatest testimonials to the strength of this law school. St. Thomas law 

school alumni are partners in major firms across the U.S.—from Dechert in Palo Alto, California, to 

Gunster Yoakley right here in Miami. St. Thomas is represented by incredibly bright, professional, and 

ethical alumni in firms like Akerman Senterfitt, Baker Botts, Carleton Fields, Fowler White, Greenberg 

Traurig, Holland & Knight, and Steel Hector, to name but a few. This issue of The Lawyer magazine 

highlights five of our alumni—Florida House of Representatives members Gaston Cantens ’92, Bruce 

Kyle ’94, J.C. Planas ’98, John Quinones ’92, and Maryland House of Delegates member Victor Ramirez 

’01—who embody the law school’s mission to produce lawyers of conscience, competence, and 

compassion who dedicate their professional lives to the service of others. I am extremely proud of our 

all of our alumni, and I look forward to working with our alumni, students, friends, faculty, and staff to 

raise St. Thomas University School of Law to even greater heights. 

Bob Butterworth 

Dean 

The Lawyer Winter 2004 

3

Newsbriefs 

STU Law Honors Tod Aronovitz & Mark Romance ’94 

Dean Bob Butterworth, Florida Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero, Associate 

Dean and Dean of Students at University of Miami School of Law Jeannette 

Hausler, immediate past president of the Florida Bar Tod Aronovitz, and 

president of the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar Mark Romance ’94. 

Law School Establishes Annual 

Alumni Awards Program 

This year the law school 

established an annual St. Thomas 

University School of Law Alumni 

Awards program to recognize 

outstanding alumni, judges, and 

community leaders. The inaugural 

Alumni Awards were presented on 

December 2, 2003 at the annual 

Law Alumni Holiday Reception at 

the Miami City Club. (See story 

in next issue). 

Alumni Awards are made in the 

following categories: Distinguished 

Alumnus/a Award, Arete Award, 

Outstanding Young Alumnus 

Award, Outstanding Jurist Award, 

and Dean’s Award of Distinction. 

Nominations are accepted yearround 

by the Alumni Office, with 

an October 1st deadline for each 

year’s awards. 

For award descriptions, criteria, 

and a nomination form, go to 

http://www.stu.edu/lawschool/ 

Alumni/ or contact Karen Malin, 

Director of Alumni Relations, at 

(305) 474-2435 or 

kmalin@stu.edu. 

St. Thomas University School of 

Law hosted a reception on June 

26, 2003 at the Florida Bar Annual 

Meeting to honor Tod Aronovitz, 

outgoing president of the Florida 

Bar; and Mark Romance '94, 

incoming president of the Young 

Lawyers Division of the Florida 

Bar. 

More than 250 alumni, judges, 

and attorneys from across the 

state of Florida came to honor 

these two distinguished attorneys 

for their service to the Florida Bar. 

Dean Butterworth and President 

Monsignor Franklyn Casale 

presented an award to Tod 

Aronovitz for his commitment to 

Dignity in Law, and to Mark 

Romance '94 for his commitment 

to improving the professional lives 

of Florida's young lawyers. 

Profile: STU Law 

Class of 2006 

The Class of 2006 consists of 299 

students, 160 men and 139 women 

with an average age of 26. Fortyeight 

percent of the students are 

non-Florida residents hailing from 

more than five different countries 

and 34 different states. Forty-eight 

percent of entering students 

received scholarships. Continuing 

our proud tradition of diversity, 

38% of the class members are 

minorities, and 49.8% are nonwhite 

Americans. 

4 


Newsbriefs 

Inaugural Spring Golf Fling A Swinging Success 

The St. Thomas University School 

of Law Inaugural Spring Golf 

Fling was a great success. 

Presented by the law firm of 

Sams, Martin, Lipsky, Lister & 

Kaufman, P.A., the tournament 

drew 73 golfers to Shula’s Golf 

Club in Miami Lakes for a 

wonderful day of golf, networking 

and camaraderie. 

Thanks to its many generous 

underwriters, the Inaugural Spring 

Golf Fling also raised more than 

$12,000 for the School of Law. 

Mark your calendar now for next 

year’s 2nd Annual Spring Golf 

Fling on Friday, April 30, 2004 at 

Shula’s. For information on 

sponsoring or participating in next 

year’s event, contact Cheryl 

Chapman at (305) 474-2432 or 

cchapman@stu.edu. 

Douglas Hartman, Esq.; Cdr. James Carr; Manuel Suarez, M.D.; Tim Martin ’87, 

Esq. For more photos from the Inaugural Spring Golf fling, turn to page 44. 

Distinguished Speakers on Campus 

Hispanic Outlook in 

Higher Education 

magazine ranks 


School of Law 

one of the 

top five law schools 

in the U.S. 

for Hispanic students. 

Donna Arzt, Bond, Schoeneck & 

King Distinguished Professor of 

Law at Syracuse University College 

of Law, will present “Web-site for 

the Prosecution,” a discussion 

about the use of a web-site to bring 

together prosecutors of those 

accused of the Lockerbie bombing 

and the victims’ families on 

February 10 at noon in the Moot 

Court Room. 

Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte, 

President Emeritus of Florida 

State University, will discuss “Was 

deTocqueville Right About 

Lawyers’ Being the Connecting 

Link for American Society?” He 

will consider the increasing 

disconnection of attorneys from 

their communities and propose 

remedial strategies on April 1 at 

noon in the Moot Court Room. 


5

Newsbriefs 

Law School Graduation 2003 

Daphne Clements, Tamara Green, Tamara Hall, Shayna Stern, and J.C. Perez 

celebrate earning their Juris Doctorate. 

On May 10, 2003, St. Thomas 

University School of Law marked 

its annual commencement 

ceremonies by recognizing 150 

Juris Doctor graduates, 24 LL.M. 

graduates in International Tax, 

and 26 LL.M. graduates in 

International Human Rights. We 

look forward to watching these 

bright graduates as they excel in 

their professional careers and 

impact their communities in 

meaningful ways. 

The Honorable Edward D. Re, 

Chief Judge Emeritus, United 

States Court of International 

Trade, was the keynote speaker 

and also received an honorary 

degree from the law school. 

Marisol Rodriguez, a member of 

the Class of 2003 who passed 

away, was awarded a Juris 

Doctorate Honoris Causa. 

Congratulations to the 

St. Thomas University School of 

Law Class of 2003. (For more 

graduation photos, see page 40.) 

During 2002-2003, St. Thomas University 

School of Law students contributed 

8,179 hours of pro bono service 

to their communities. 

Tax Clinic Receives 

Pro Bono Award 

On May 21, 2003, Larry Fedro, 

executive director of the St. 

Thomas Low Income Tax Clinic 

was honored by the Put Something 

Back program of the Dade 

County Bar Association for the 

delivery of pro bono services to 

residents of Miami-Dade County 

during 2002-2003. The 

St. Thomas Low Income Tax 

Clinic has been in operation some 

three years and has provided pro 

bono services to more than 200 

clients in need. The clinic is 

staffed by five to six law students 

each semester, who work with the 

executive director to provide 

quality services to the lessfortunate. 

Congratulations to 

Larry Fedro and the St. Thomas 

Law Clinic for making a difference 

in our community. 

News Makers 

Lance C. Ivey ’95 secured a 

$5.75 million confidential 

settlement in a suit against a major 

automaker. 

Gloria Velazquez Meitin ’92, of 

Greenberg Traurig, was named 

Attorney of the Year by the Latin 

Builders Association. 

Prof. Richard Maloy celebrated 

50 years as a member of The 

Florida Bar in 2003. 

Prof. Elizabeth Pendo is 

chairman of Miami-Dade’s 

Managed Care Ombudsman 

Program. 

6 


Newsbriefs 

Class Reunion Revelry 

Saturday, April 26, 2003, marked 

the first-ever St. Thomas Law 

Alumni Class Reunions. 

More than 120 alumni from the 

Classes of ’92, ’93, ’97, and ’98 

gathered to celebrate their tenand 

five-year reunions at Shula’s 

Hotel on Main Street, Miami 

Lakes. Alumni travelled from 

across the state of Florida and 

from as far away as New York and 

Tennessee to celebrate this special 

occasion and to catch up with 

friends and classmates. 

Reunions for the Classes of ’89, 

’94, and ’99 will be held on May 1, 

2004. To join your reunion 

committee, contact Karen Malin at 

305-474-2435 or kmalin@stu.edu. 

Employment 

Statistics: 

Class of 2002 

The report is in! By February 

2003, 89% of St. Thomas Law 

Class of 2002 graduates seeking 

employment had found employment 

or had enrolled in full-time 

advanced degree programs. Of 

those employed, 58% went into 

private practice, 19% government, 

12% business sector, 6% public 

interest, and 5% academics. 

Ninety-one percent of the class is 

located in the South Atlantic 

region between Washington, D.C. 

and Miami, 4% in the Mid-Atlantic, 

4% in the Southwest and West, 

and 1% in the Midwest. 

Brian Livingston ’98, Mary McPherson-Lewis ’98, Alicia Noble-Briggs ’97, and 

Joseph Copeland ’98 enjoy the inaugural Law Alumni Class Reunions. 

New Office of Student & Alumni 

Services to be led by George Sheldon 

This summer, Dean Butterworth 

created a new department in the 

law school, the Office of Student 

& Alumni Affairs, which oversees 

the offices of Recruitment, 

Registrar, Career Services, Alumni 

Relations, and Communications. 

Each of these departments will 

work together as a team under the 

new Associate Dean of Student and 

Alumni Services, George Sheldon. 

Dean Sheldon, former Florida 

Deputy Attorney General, former 

state legislator, and practicing 

attorney, brings a wealth of 

experience and fresh ideas to this 

new position. “I am very excited 

about joining the administation at 

St. Thomas law school. I look 

forward to helping bring 

innovative, effective, and quality 

services and programs to our 

students and alumni,” said 

Sheldon. 


7

Newsbriefs 

Hernandez 

Named Director 

of Student Affairs 

Prof. Hernandez was named 

Director of Student Affairs this 

fall. After more than 10 years of 

service at the law school, serving in 

positions ranging from Associate 

Professor to Academic Affairs 

administrator, Hernandez is 

looking forward to this new 

challenge. “I see my role as 

minimizing obstacles students face 

so that they can more effectively 

pursue their careers,” says 

Hernandez. “I look forward to 

helping students make the most of 

their legal education.” 

Msgr. Andrew Anderson has 

been appointed as the Associate 

Director of Student Affairs. 

Dean Butterworth notes that 

“Prof. Hernandez and Msgr. 

Anderson are well-known for their 

rapport with students. I feel they 

are the best people to work closely 

with students to improve their 

experience here at the law school.” 

Both Hernandez and Anderson 

are happy to be a part of Dean 

Butterworth’s team dedicated to a 

student-centered vision of legal 

education. 

Mentor Program 

Our Lawyers at Work Mentoring 

Program, begun with the help of 

Florida Supreme Court Justice Fred 

Lewis, is now in its third year. 

Second- and third-year students are 

matched with experienced 

attorneys according to preferred 

areas of law. The students witness 

the workings of real law practice, 

benefit from the insights of 

experienced practitioners, and are 

afforded opportunities for 

Alumni and Friends Meet the Dean 

at Dade County Happy Hour 

Alumni enjoy the Dade County Alumni Networking Happy Hour. 

Raquel Campos ’02, Edward Tapanes ’02, Kathryn Fernandez-Rundel, Prof. Silver, 

and Michelle Tustin ’00. 

This summer alumni, community 

leaders, and friends of the law 

school gathered at Gordon Biersch 

Brewery in downtown Miami for a 

happy hour and a chance to meet 

Dean Butterworth. The event, 

which drew graduates from 1987 

to 2003, provided alumni, judges, 

and fellow attorneys an 

networking with attorneys on the 

job and at professional meetings. 

In its first year, 11 students 

signed up for this extracurricular 

opportunity; in its second, 35. 

Forty-four students have applied for 

this year’s program. 

If you have six years of 

experience and would like to be a 

mentor, please call program 

coordinator Maggie Kreuzberger at 

305-474-2433. 

opportunity to network and to 

hear from Dean Butterworth on 

his plans for the School of Law. 

If you or your firm would like to 

sponsor a networking get-together 

for St. Thomas alumni, contact 

Karen Malin at (305) 474-2435 

or kmalin@stu.edu. 

8 


Garcia Named Associate Dean of Academic Affairs 

Newsbriefs 

Dean Butterworth has announced 

the appointment of Prof. Alfred 

Garcia to the post of Associate 

Dean of Academic Affairs. “I am 

extremely pleased that Prof. Garcia 

has accepted this position,” said 

Dean Butterworth. “I am 

confident that his vast knowledge 

of the law school and his incredible 

talents will serve the law school 

very well in this new position.” 

Dean Garcia has served on the 

faculty at St. Thomas since 1989, 

teaching primarily Criminal Law, 

Criminal Procedure, Evidence, and 

Torts. During his 14-year tenure at 

the law school, Dean Garcia has 

Save the Date! 

2nd Annual 

St. Thomas Law 

Spring Golf Fling 

April 30, 2004 

& 

Class Reunions for 

’89, ’94, & ’99 

May 1, 2004 

chaired numerous committees 

including Faculty Recruitment, 

Admissions, and Promotion and 

Tenure. 

Dean Garcia is pleased and 

honored to have the opportunity to 

serve in this important position at 

the school he has been an integral 

part of for so long. “I see my role 

here primarily as serving the needs 

of the faculty and students, and to 

help propel the law school into the 

21st century under the leadership 

of Dean Butterworth,” says Garcia. 

“I look forward to working with 

faculty, students, administrators, 

and staff to continue to strengthen 

and solidify the position of 

St. Thomas here in our community 

and across the country.” 

Fall Orientation Kicks Off the 

New School Year 

1L Melissa Button signs the wall of the 

Moot Court Room during new student 

orientation. 

On August 14, more than 200 new 

students arrived on campus for a 

fabulous fall orientation program 

that included a welcome featuring 

guest speaker Charlie Crist and a 

number of prominent law school 

alumni, a luncheon with The Hon. 

Samuel Slom ’87, and a reception at 

the home of Dean Butterworth. 

Dean Butterworth’s welcome 

focused on the contract students and 

faculty enter into in which faculty 

promise to “teach and coach” and 

students promise to “learn.” Cheers 

broke out as faculty shouted out, “I 

will teach and coach,” and students 

replied, “I will learn.” To seal the 

deal, students and faculty jumped up 

to sign their names on the walls of 

the Moot Court Room. 


9

Newsbriefs 

Dean Butterworth Hosts Student 

Receptions 

Students and faculty enjoy the orientation receptions hosted by Dean 

Butterworth at his home this fall. Pictured: Prof. Carol Zeiner, Dean Barbara 

Singer, Sarah Jacobs ’05, and Sara Coen-Giovanelli ’04. 

Dean Butterworth hosted students 

receptions for each class this fall 

at his home in Hollywood. “I feel 

it is important to give students an 

opportunity to interact with one 

another and with faculty and 

administration in a social setting,” 

said Dean Butterworth. “Our 

small size enables our students 

and faculty to develop meaningful 

relationships, and I felt these 

student receptions were a good 

way to let students know that we 

are serious about putting students 

first, listening and responding to 

their needs, and developing strong 

working relationships between the 

student body and the faculty and 

administration.” 

Get involved with your alma mater! 

New Faculty: 

Charles Lugosi 

The School of Law welcomes 

assistant professor of law, Charles 

Lugosi, Esq., to our faculty. Prof. 

Lugosi received his Bachelor of 

Law degree from the University of 

Western Ontario and his Master of 

Law and his Master of Bioethics 

degrees from the University of 

Pennsylvania, where he is also a 

candidate for a Doctor of Juridical 

Science degree. 

Mr. Lugosi currently teaches a 

seminar on the 6th Amendment. 

In addition to constitutional law, his 

teaching and research interests 

include bioethics, biotechnology, 

tort law, forensic science, trial and 

appellate advocacy, law and religion, 

and law and literature. 

His scholarly achievements 

include published articles in 

ISSUES IN LAW AND MEDICINE 

(2001), UNIVERSITY OF 

DENVER LAW REVIEW (2001), 

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY 

CIVIL RIGHTS LAW JOURNAL 

(2002), and the AMERICAN 

JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL LAW 

(2003). 

Prof. Lugosi is also a member of 

the Trial Lawyers of America, and a 

life member of the Million Dollar 

Advocates Forum. 

Become a mentor, serve as a career resource, recruit 

prospective students, and more! 

Simply fill out the alumni form on page 48 

or call the Office of Alumni Relations at 305-474-2435. 

10 


An 

Interview 

with 

Dean Bob Butterworth 

On May 19, 2003, President Msgr. Franklyn Casale announced the appointment of Bob Butterworth 

as Dean of St. Thomas University School of Law. At the time of his appointment, Dean Butterworth 

was serving as senior judge appointed by the Florida Supreme Court to preside in all judicial circuits 

and in the District Court of Appeals. Butterworth was elected Florida’s 33rd attorney general in 1986, 

following nearly two decades of service as a prosecutor, judge, sheriff, and mayor. Florida’s longest 

serving attorney general, he was re-elected attorney general in 1990, 1994, and 1998. As Florida’s 

Attorney General, Dean Butterworth received national attention for his success in enforcing 

consumer protection, environmental, civil rights, and anti-trust laws. He was a leader in the multistate 

litigation against the tobacco industry and was voted the top attorney general in the nation by 

his peers. During his tenure as attorney general, Butterworth issued 1,200 legal opinions on questions 

relating to the application of state laws to public officials and government entities. As a member of 

the Florida Cabinet, he served on the State Board of Education for 16 years.

It is time for us to 

toot our horn, 

so to speak. 

I want to make 

people aware of the 

excellence of our 

students, the 

strength of our 

programs, 

and our 

contributions to 

this community. 

Q: From the variety of 

opportunities you had, why did 

the deanship at St. Thomas 

University School of Law pique 

your interest? 

A: Interestingly, my career goals and 

mission have run strikingly parallel to the 

goals and mission of St. Thomas 

University School of Law. Ranked the 

fourth-most-diverse law school in the 

nation by U.S News & World Report, St. 

Thomas law school clearly promotes 

diversity in the law. As Attorney General, 

I worked through vigorous and sustained 

recruitment to achieve within the ranks of 

the Florida Attorney General’s Office 

general parity with the gender, racial, and 

ethnic composition of the State of 

Florida. Technology is another area 

where my interests and those of St. 

Thomas University School of Law 

intersect. During my tenure, the Florida 

Attorney General’s Office was among the 

first legal entities in the country to 

recognize the value of integrating 

advanced communications technology 

into the practice of law. St. Thomas, as 

one of the nation’s most wired law 

schools, shares and promotes the value of 

technology in the law. So, when current 

and former St. Thomas University School 

of Law students approached me and 

asked me to consider the deanship, I was 

honored and intrigued. And the more I 

learned about the mission and values of 

the law school—professionalism, public 

service, lifelong learning, practical 

education, and scholarship, in addition to 

diversity and technology—the more I 

knew that the deanship at St. Thomas 

was a challenge custom-fit to my talents 

and interests. 

Q: In your opinion, what is the 

role of a law school dean? 

A: Often in older, more established law 

schools, the role of the dean may consist 

of mostly fundraising or strictly 

administrative work. At St. Thomas, 

however, I see the role of the dean a bit 

differently. I feel my number one 

mission as dean is to reintroduce St. 

Thomas law school to the community, 

the state, and the country. St. Thomas is 

producing excellent attorneys who 

graduate with a solid legal education, 

significant practical experience, and a 

strong commitment to ethics and 

professionalism. Our alumni are tops in 

their fields, making incredible 

contributions not only to the legal 

community but also to the underserved 

members of our community. St. Thomas 

is just not well known, and it is time for 

us to toot our horn, so to speak. I want 

to make people aware of the excellence 

of our students, the strength of our 

programs, and the contributions we make 

to this community. I believe we can do 

this quickly, and the legal community and 

the community at large will be impressed 

with St. Thomas. 

Q: What do you feel are the 

unique qualities that set St. Thomas 

law school apart from other law 

schools? 

A: One of the most striking qualities 

that sets us apart is the unique feeling on 

campus. We have a friendliness and spirit 

you will not find elsewhere. While the 

law school is a competitive place, the 

camaraderie among students is still 

undeniable. Just taking a quick walk 


through the breezeway, campus visitors see clearly that our 

law school community is one which encourages friendship 

and acceptance of others from different races, religions, and 

socio-economic backgrounds. I feel that our small class size 

helps foster this atmosphere. It also has another significant 

impact that sets us apart. Because our small class size 

demands it, our students are much better prepared for class 

than those who attend larger schools. Ultimately, this is of 

great value both to the student and to the firm or company 

that hires our graduates. 

Q: How would you characterize the role of 

alumni at the law school? 

A: I think the role of alumni is a critical one. Alumni are 

what the community sees—they are in many ways the public 

face of the institution. Alumni successes are our successes, 

and we are blessed to have such successful alumni—alumni 

who are serving as legislators, judges, leaders in the Florida 

Bar, and partners in top national law firms. But even more 

than this, the continued involvement of alumni in the life of 

the school is critical for a young school like St. Thomas. We 

are fortunate to have alumni who are finding the time and 

money to serve as mentors, to organize local alumni 

chapters, to hire St. Thomas graduates, to refer business to 

fellow graduates, and to teach current students as adjunct 

faculty. I am very enthusiastic about getting to know our 

alumni, and working in tandem with them to strengthen our 

programs and our reputation in the community. 

Q: Looking down the road, what do you see for 

the future of the law school? 

A: I believe St. Thomas law school has the brightest future 

of any law school in the country. That we are still relatively 

unknown is both a plus and a minus. The minus is that we 

want to be well known and well respected. The plus is that 

now we have the opportunity to go out there and earn that 

recognition and respect. We have all the evidence we need 

to put forth our case that this is, as Judge Peter Fay says, a 

solid law school that is on the verge of becoming great. St. 

Thomas will no longer be kept a secret. In partnership with 

our alumni and friends, I look forward to getting our 

message out.

While our faculty commit themselves to teach and coach 

and our students commit themselves to learn, 

our alumni continue to commit themselves to serve. 

The five alumni interviewed here 

pursue public service as state legislators.

Representative 

Bruce Kyle ’94 

Born and raised in Fort Myers, Florida, Bruce Kyle ’94 left his hometown to earn his 

undergraduate and graduate degrees in America’s big cities. After earning a bachelor’s 

degree at Emory University in Atlanta, Kyle moved to Miami to pursue a law degree. “I was 

interested in living in Miami, and the fact that St. Thomas University School of Law was a 

Catholic law school held a strong appeal for me,” says Kyle. He completed his J.D. and went 

on to Villanova University in Pennsylvania for an LL.M. in Tax. 

After living in Atlanta, Miami, and Philadelphia, Kyle was ready to come home to Fort 

Myers. “I was working as an Assistant State Attorney in Fort Myers when the seat for my 

district opened up,” he recalls. “At the time, I was prosecuting juvenile offenders, and my 

girlfriend, who later became my wife, was teaching middle school. We were witnessing two 

16 


sides of the juvenile system—a system that clearly was not 

working. I decided to run for the legislature because I believed I 

could change the system for the better.” 

Now into his third term as a member of the Florida House of 

Representatives, and currently serving as Chair of the Budget 

Committee, Kyle is undeniably making a positive impact. “It is 

interesting how the experience of being a member of the House 

has changed for me over my 2 ½ terms of service,” says Kyle. “As 

a first-term legislator, I was really learning the process. The 

experience was analogous to my first days as a prosecutor for the 

State Attorney’s Office. As a prosecutor, I was thrown into court 

to try cases and quickly had to learn the rules and courtroom 

procedures. The same was true for my first days as a legislator,” he 

remembers. “Now that I have mastered the process and the rules 

of the legislature, I am able to effectively apply them to meet my 

goals.” 

As the current budget chairman, Kyle faced his fair share of 

challenges this year. “We are constantly number-crunching, 

working hard to allocate limited resources in the most effective way 

possible,” he says. “A lot of tough decisions have to be made, but 

ultimately that is why I am here. It is rewarding to know that my 

decisions help shape policies that benefit all of the residents of our 

great state.” 

The challenges of serving as a member of the Florida House of 

Representatives extend beyond the tough decisions made in 

chambers. “Florida’s is a part-time legislature, but I still spend 

about four months a year away from home. It can be difficult to 

be away so much. And when I am in town, I still work as an 

Assistant State Attorney—so really I hold two public service jobs,” 

Kyle adds. “I believe in being active in your community, learning 

about the issues, working hard. If you are passionate about your 

job, you will succeed.” 

Part of his success Kyle attributes to St. Thomas University 

School of Law. “The skills I learned at St. Thomas are skills I 

apply every day, all day long in both my role as legislator and as 

prosecutor. From debates about child support to the Presidential 

vote recount, the legal background I received at St. Thomas has 

been invaluable. And I am honored to count myself among the 

four St. Thomas alumni proudly serving the people of the state of 

Florida.” 

“I believe in 

being active 

in your 

community, 

learning about 

the issues, 

working hard. 

If you are 

passionate about 

your job, 

you will succeed.” 


17


J.C. Planas ’98 

“When I was eight years old, I can remember standing with my father on a street 

corner waving signs supporting a local politician on Election Day,” says J.C. Planas ’98. “My 

family always respected the political process and believed in getting involved. Growing up, I 

observed politics from the outside looking in, but I always knew I wanted to be an insider.” 

Elected in 2002 to the Florida House of Representatives, Planas is certainly an insider now. 

“I keep pinching myself,” he says. “This is something I have wanted for so long and worked 

for so hard, it is surreal to me at times that I am finally here.” While earning a political 

science degree from Florida State University and a J.D. from St. Thomas, Planas also earned 

practical experience working as a legislative aide in Tallahassee and as an administrative aide 

18 


to Alex Penelas while Penelas was serving as a 

county commissioner. 

“I have to give credit to St. Thomas for helping 

me prepare for my career in politics,” says Planas. 

“Because of St. Thomas’s small size, I was able to 

be very involved at the law school. I served as 

president of the Hispanic Law Society and as vice 

president of the Student Bar Association. These 

experiences—getting votes, persuading people to 

consider my opinions, representing my 

constituents, and building consensus—really 

prepared me for my campaign and my service as a 

legislator.” 

Armed with this knowledge and experience, in 

addition to the 3 ½ years he worked as a State 

Attorney in Miami, Planas campaigned for a seat in 

the Florida House of Representatives and was 

elected in 2002. “The time was right both for me 

and for my district,” says Miami native Planas. “I 

felt my district could use better representation, and 

I felt I had something worthwhile to contribute.” 

“This first year has been a real learning 

experience,” notes Planas. “I went into this with a 

lot of expectations—expectations of changing the 

world right away. But in reality, it takes baby steps 

to create this kind of change,” he says. “I have 

been fortunate to have an excellent mentor, a 

leader in the House and a fellow St. Thomas 

graduate, who I am proud to emulate, Gaston 

Cantens ’92.” 

Now that he has attained his goal of becoming a 

politician, Planas is enjoying every minute of it. 

“In the same way that a mechanic loves opening 

up a car engine and seeing how the pieces work, I 

love being there and seeing how government 

works,” he says. “I love the mechanics of 

legislation, the process of passing a bill, the gears 

of government in motion.” He adds, “I also enjoy 

seeing all sides of an argument. As an attorney, I 

act as an advocate for one side. As a legislator, my 

position is more like that of a judge—hearing all 

sides and deciding which is best for my 

constituents.” 

“It is hard work,” Planas says about his role as a 

legislator. “It is rewarding to know that I make a 

difference in the lives of others, but it is also 

sobering to have such power. I am constantly 

learning and studying because I can’t make a 

difference if I don’t know the issues and the 

facts.” “This is true,” Planas says, “for everyone.” 

His advice to people is to get involved because “if 

people are not interested or involved in politics, 

then they are not interested or involved in 

freedom.” 

“If people are not interested 

or involved in politics, 

then they are not interested 

or involved in freedom.”


Victor Ramirez ’01 

The first Latino to serve in the Maryland legislature, Victor Ramirez ’01 credits St. Thomas 

University School of Law with teaching him the value of diversity and the power of uniting 

and speaking with one voice. “I returned to my hometown of Prince George’s County, 

Maryland, after graduation from law school,” says Ramirez, “and I noticed that while the 

Hispanic population was growing significantly, the representation in the legislature was not. I 

felt it was important to bring this representation to the legislature—I felt it was time for a 

change and that I had something important to offer.” 

20 


Just one year out of law school, Ramirez ran a successful 

campaign to become Prince George’s County’s 

representative in the Maryland House of Delegates, and to 

make history by becoming the first Latino to serve in the 

Maryland legislature. But Ramirez did not always want to 

become a lawyer or a politician. “I had a mentor when I 

was younger who recommended getting a law degree 

because it opened so many doors, and could be used in so 

many careers. This mentor taught me that a law degree 

could help me succeed in any career, and so I went to law 

school,” he remembers. 

But it was the wild-west antics of the Bush-Gore 2000 

Presidential election that focused Ramirez on politics. 

“While I had always had an interest in politics, I really 

caught the bug while I was at St. Thomas,” says Ramirez. 

“It was impossible not to become fascinated with the 

political process while living in Miami during the media 

frenzy over the 2000 presidential election. The entire 

experience of that election highlighted for me the important 

role local politics plays, not only in the state, but in the 

country as well.” 

Now Ramirez is playing an important part in the local 

politics of Prince George’s County—especially as the only 

Latino voice representing a significant Latino population. 

“It is incredibly rewarding to know that you make a 

difference—whether big or small. Sometimes your vote is 

one of many, and other times it makes the critical 

difference,” he says. “Either way, it is always meaningful.” 

And it is the small moments of accomplishment and 

recognition that make playing in the difficult arena of 

politics worth it, says Ramirez. “While ours is technically a 

part-time legislature, mine is really a full-time job. Juggling 

my legislative work and my law practice keeps me busy 

seven days a week. But when a constituent comes up to me 

on the street to say thank you, it is all worth it.” 

While rewarding, politics also has its hurdles. One of the 

greatest challenges Ramirez finds as a politician is 

partisanship. “At times, partisanship can get in the way of a 

good piece of legislation. This can be one of the toughest 

things,” he notes. “But St. Thomas really prepared me for 

this. The diversity of the law school taught me to 

understand and respect people’s individuality—to broaden 

my mind to understand why people think and act the way 

they do. This is certainly one of the most important lessons 

I learned at St. Thomas,” he adds. 

So, after serving his first year as a legislator, what is 

Ramirez’s advice to those who want to pursue a career in 

politics? “Understand why you want to do it,” he says. 

“You go into politics not to make money but to make a 

difference in your life and in the lives of others. If you 

understand this, you will enjoy politics. “And, of course,” he 

adds, “know your constituents and keep them informed. 

You represent them, not yourself. They voted you in, and 

they can always vote you out.” 

“The diversity of the law school taught me to 

understand and respect people’s individuality— 

to broaden my mind to understand why people 

think and act the way they do.”


Gaston Cantens ’92 

While the Florida House of Representatives is in session, a typical day for Gaston 

Cantens ’92 is, quite frankly, “very long.” “Florida is a very large state and is one of the 

few large states that still have a part-time legislature. The regular session for our 

legislature is two months—this means that an incredibly large amount of work is 

compressed into an incredibly short period of time,” notes Cantens. “An average day 

while the legislature is in session consists of everything from constituent and policy 

meetings, to monitoring where bills are and what bills are having problems, to reviewing 

amendments filed for bills to be taken up on the floor, and much more,” he says, nearly 

out of breath. “It is a hectic process but ultimately a rewarding one.” 

Cantens, now in his third term as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, 

is accustomed to the feverish pace. “During my first term as a legislator, I was 

22 


concerned with my issues and my bills. This past year, I had 

no bills of my own. I didn’t have time because I was working 

with larger issues,” he says. “As a third-term legislator, I play 

a leadership role, and I have a much different perspective.” 

He adds, “I now have a more global picture, focusing on 

getting major legislation passed and making sure that we have 

good legislation that will be supported by the membership.” 

While Gaston Cantens may not have planned to become a 

politician from the time he was young, public service was 

certainly in his blood. “I have always enjoyed serving my 

community,” says Cantens, “whether it was teaching, 

coaching, working as a state attorney or serving as a 

legislator.” 

Born and raised in Miami, Cantens earned his bachelor’s 

degree in sociology from the University of Miami in 1982. 

From 1980-1986 he taught at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School 

in Miami, and from 1984-1986 he coached basketball at Barry 

University. In 1992, Cantens graduated from St. Thomas 

University School of Law and began practicing real estate law, 

and in 1995 he went to work for the Miami-Dade County 

State Attorney’s Office as an Assistant State Attorney. He 

held that position for 3 ½ years before being elected to the 

House of Representatives. Currently, in addition to his 

legislative duties, Cantens serves as Of Counsel at Greenberg 

Traurig, P.A. in Miami. 

“I don’t think there is any doubt that my legal education 

and my legal practice gave me a head start in the legislative 

process,” says Cantens. “It is no coincidence that many of 

the leaders in the legislature have law backgrounds. In 

addition to teaching the rules of law, law school also teaches 

a thought process that is critical for success as a legislator,” 

he adds. “The skills I learned in law school and as a lawyer 

contribute greatly to my ability to accomplish my goals for 

my constituents and for the state.” 

And Cantens finds accomplishing these goals extremely 

rewarding. “I enjoy having the opportunity to do so many 

good things for so many people,” he says. “Whether through 

budgetary or legislative means, what we do as legislators 

improves the quality of life for the people of Florida. As a 

legislator, it is rewarding to do things for people who will 

never be able to thank me.” “In fact,” he says, “that is what 

it is all about.” 

“The skills I 

learned in law 

school and 

as a lawyer 

contribute 

greatly to my 

ability to 

accomplish 

my goals for 

my constituents 

and for the 

state.” 


23


John Quiñones ’92 

“As a child, my first word was subpoena,” jokes John Quiñones ’92. “My father was an 

attorney in Puerto Rico, where I was born, and I grew up listening to legal arguments, briefs, 

and terminology. I always thought I would be an attorney, too.” 

After graduating from University of Central Florida, Quiñones went in search of a law school 

where he could fulfill his lifelong goal of becoming a lawyer. “When I visited St. Thomas 

University School of Law, I was impressed by the small class size, and the level of one-on-one 

interaction between faculty and students,” remembers Quiñones. “I also liked the decidedly 

friendly atmosphere at St. Thomas. From faculty to administration to students, everyone was 

personable. I decided this was the law school for me.” 

Following graduation, Quiñones moved to Kissimmee, Florida, and opened his own sole 

practitioner law firm. “I started my practice right after law school, and it has been very 

24 


Partners 

St. Thomas University School of Law 

Honor Roll of Donors 

On behalf of our 

2002-2003 

students at St. Thomas 

University School of 

Law, we gratefully 

acknowledge those 

alumni, parents, 

friends, faculty, staff, 

foundations, corporations, 

and organizations who 

have generously 

supported us through 

gifts and in-kind 

contributions during 

the 2002-2003 fiscal 

year. Your gifts make 

possible our commitment 

to excellence, diversity, 

and social justice within 

the faith tradition of 

our Catholic community. 

Thank you for your 

support. 

Students Nelson Alfaro ’04, Charles Britt ’05, Mercedes Lorduy ’05, and 

Gabriel Pinilla ’05 spent their summers doing public interest work largely 

because of the generosity of donors who support our public service fellowship 

programs. “The stipend I received made it possible for me to forego employment 

at a private firm, and instead devote my efforts towards providing legal counsel 

for the indigent at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office,” says Ricci 

Fellow Nelson Alfaro. “Through the generosity of Mr. Ricci, I was able to 

complete an internship with the High Technology and Economic Crimes Unit 

at the State Attorney’s Office in Miami,” says Charles Britt. With the help of 

a Ricci fellowship, Mercedes Lorduy spent the summer working with the 

Domestic Violence Program of the 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami. Gabriel 

Pinilla is grateful for the St. Thomas Faculty Public Service fellowship grant 

which enabled him “to spend the first half of the summer working at Catholic 

Charities Legal Services, and the remainder working as a research associate at 

the UN Refugee Commissioner’s regional office in San Jose, Costa Rica.”

Giving to St. Thomas is 

a way for me to show 

appreciation for the 

quality legal education 

I received at the law 

school. Secondly, it is 

a way for me to stay 

connected to and to be 

an active part of a fine 

educational community 

that is committed to 

excellence. 

Giving is important 

to help ensure the 

continued advancement 

of our school. 

Alumni support is 

essential. It is a 

responsibility that I take 

seriously. 

-Karen Guito ’98 

St. Thomas More Society 

$200,000 to $499,999 

Edward J. & Adrienne B. Mulvey 

$25,000 to $49,000 

Florida Lawyers’ Legal Insurance 

Corporation 

Hugoton Foundation 

$10,000 to $24,999 

The Florida Bar Foundation 

John & June Mary Makdisi 

Stanley G. Tate 

The Dean’s Circle 

Senior Partner 

$5,000 to $9,999 

Mrs. Esther C. Atkins 

Dade Community Foundation 

Mark S. Gallegos 

Edward Ricci & Mary Lupo 

Sams, Martin, Lipsky, Lister & 

Kaufman, P.A. 

Partner 

$2,500 to $4,999 

Timothy M. Martin ’87 

Rev. Dr. Patrick H. O’Neill 

Associate 

$1,000 to $2,499 

The Hon. A. Leo Adderly 

Mary P. Alloway 

Lydia & Art Amy 

Hina Askari ’96 

Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund, Inc. 

Patrick L. Cordero ’87 

Cuban American Bar Association 

James Cammarasana ’94 

Cheryl D. Chapman & Timothy S. 

Foster 

Walter H. & Dorothy B. Diamond 

Law Offices of Bill Dickey (Bill 

Dickey ’91) 

Maria Delores Espino 

Josefina I. Espino 

The Hon. Peter T. Fay 

Philip J. ’90 & Jacqueline Feldman 

Kenneth N. Feldman 

Florida Association of Criminal 

Defense Lawyers 

Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance 

Company 

Monroe H. Freedman 

Estrella F. Gonzalez ’89 

Daniel R. Gordon 

Karen E. Guito ’98 

Haitian Lawyers Association, Inc. 

Terry G. & Martha J. Harkins 

Jeannette F. Hausler 

Howard R. Miller Communications 

Melanie Jacobson 

Lakeside Title Services, LLC 

The Hon. Henry Latimer 

Alain Tadeo Lecusay ’03 

Alfred R. Light 

Russell Lombardy II ’97 

Christopher M. Lombardy ’98 

MaryAnne Lukacs ’88 

Mellon United National Bank 

Ashley & Wendy Menzies 

Frank & Eulalie Menzies 

David T. Perez ’00 & Dulce Perez 

Mary Lou Pfeiffer ’02 

Leanne M. Polk ’01 

Kimberly B. Redmon 

John Charles & Kathryn S. Redmond 

Foundation 

Herman J. Russomanno 

D. Jean Ryan 

Lisa Schiller ’93 

Jay Silver 

Anthony J. Soto ’89 

Tenet Healthcare Foundation 

Society of Friends 

Jurist 

$500 to $999 

Joan McDonald Beck 

William T. Cotterall ’02 

Joseph R. DiFiore

Thomas Donaldson ’93 

Alfredo Garcia 

David S. Gordon ’99 

The Gordon Law Firm 

Tamara Green ’03 

Hoffman-Laroche 

George T. & Ruth C. Laboda 

Charitable Trust 

Justice R. Fred Lewis & 

Mrs. Judith M. Lewis 

Patron 

$100 to $249 

Very Rev. Andrew Anderson 

Brett A. Barfield ’99 

Stephanie E. Demos ’94 & 

Christopher D. Brown 

Frank Esposito 

Melody G. Fortune ’89 

Lauren Gilbert 

John F. Hernandez 

Vincent Esposito 

Al DiCalvo ’95 

Kathleen Dolan-Valdes 

Larry C. Fedro 

Felix & Marie Fernandez 

Nancy Guffey Landers ’92 

Janelle Henry 

Edwin W. ’94 & June G. Hoffman ’94 

Margaret M. Kreuzberger 

Andrea Ayers Layman ’00 

I gladly support our law school because we have 

become an important source of legal 

practitioners in Florida. We play a major role in 

assuring diversity in the Florida Bar and help 

ensure access to legal services for all Floridians. 

I take great pride in our efforts and our 

achievements. 

-Dan Gordon,Professor of Law 

Doug Matthews & Jerry Grifo 

Alix J. Montes ’98 

Richman Greer Weil Brumbaugh 

Mirabito & Christensen, P.A. 

Amy D. Ronner 

Gordon Russell 

Barrister 

$250 to $499 

Karen Berg Brigham 

Gordon T. Butler 

Rosemary & Jim Clarke 

James A. Donovan 

Vincent P. Farina ’88 

Donna Fagundes 

Vicky Kothari 

Permit Xpress 

Rice Pugatch Robinson & 

Schiller, P.A. 

Mark A. Romance ’94 & 

Connie A. Romance ’94 

Carol L. Zeiner 

The Hon. David L. Levy 

Ann P. Machado 

Gilda M. Marin 

Clythie & Joseph Menezes 

Ernest L. Nargi ’95 

Anthony E. Ortego ’01 

Law Offices of Shook, Hardy & 

Bacon L.L.P 

Barbara Singer 

Suzanne A. Singer ’92 

Lisa L. Vanderperre 

Zelch and McMahon Architects 

AIA 

Member 

Up to $99 

Tammy Alvarez 

Locksley Arnold 

Ayel & Rochel, Inc. 

Walkiria J. Blanco 

Mark R. Brown ’00 

Jon R. Lowe 

Christina B. Lyew 

Karen A. Malin 

Erajh M. Panditaratne 

Roza Pati 

Dulce Font Perez 

Leonard D. Pertnoy 

Jack B. Phillips ’97 

Pizza Shack 

Carolyn Roan 

Aaron M. Schneider 

Paula Tejeda 

Anthony Joseph Tinelli, Jr. 

Michael Tomberg ’98 

Mariela Torres 

Dione Yvette Trawick 

Arthur Vincent ’94 

Maricelia Wagner 

Anita Yulis ’99 

Sylvia Zabarsky 

Vivian Zabarsky

As a member of the 

Law School Board of 

Advisors, I strongly 

support the public 

interest mission of 


School of Law. South 

Florida needs first-rate 

public interest lawyers. 

I gladly lend my 

financial support to 

students interested in 

pursuing public 

interest careers. 

-Edward M. Ricci, Esq. 

Member, Law School 

Board of Advisors 

Inaugural Spring Golf Fling 

Title Sponsor 

Law Offices of Sams, Martin, 

Lipsky, Lister & Kaufman, P.A. 

Corporate Sponsors 

Patrick L. Cordero, P.A. 

Dade Aviation Consultants 

The James Street Group & 

Hartford Life 

Lakeside Title Services, LLC 

Alain Lecusay ’03 

Neurology Associates Group 

Protano’s Bakery 

Russomanno & Borrello, P.A. 

Anthony J. Soto, Esq. ’89 

Corporate and Personal Tee 

Sign Sponsors 

Michael Alvarez 

John T. Cullen CPA 

Delta Group Settlement Services 

Richard J. Diaz, P.A. 

Law Offices of Bill Dickey 

Downs & Associates, P.A. 

Hartman & Cornely, P.A. 

Lukacs & Lukacs, P.A. 

MaryAnne Lukacs ’87 

Roberto A. Moya, M.D., P.A. 

David ’00 & Dulce Perez 

Preferred Legal Plan 

Tony J. Rodriguez, P.A. 

TrialGraphix 

Urrechaga, P.A. 

Auction Contributors 

The Biltmore Hotel 

Xavier Cortada 

Brad Phares ’98 at Cracker Cowboy 

Enterprises, LLC 

Pahola Duque ’02 

Frames Express 

Tami Green ’03 

The Heat Foundation 

Holiday Inn Lauderdale by the Sea 

Vicky Kothari ’03 

Jose A. Baez ’97 at LawyerConcepts 

Pantry Liquor 

Puppy Palace 

River Oyster House 


In-Kind Supporters 

Busy Body Gyms to Go 

Dynacolor Graphics 

Roca & Sharpe 

Sunshine State Manufacturing, Inc. 

TrialGraphix 

Richardo DeSoto – UBS 

Paine Webber 

This report reflects gifts received July 1, 2002 through June 30, 

2003. We strive to produce a complete and accurate report. 

Please notify us of any errors or omissions at (305) 474-2434.

successful and rewarding. But, I would caution other new attorneys to try to get some experience under their 

belts before opening their own firms,” he adds. 

After nearly ten years of successful legal practice, Quiñones wasn’t looking for a change. But an 

opportunity presented itself—one that he could not pass up. “The legislature created a new seat in my area,” 

says Quiñones, “an area that is the fastest-growing county in Florida, with a large influx of Hispanics, 

especially from Puerto Rico. It was an opportunity to serve my community—the same community I serve 

with my legal practice—in a new way. Public service seemed like a natural progression for my career.” 

Looking back on his first term as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Quiñones feels it has 

been a very rewarding and educational experience. “I didn’t really know what to expect from this new role,” 

he says. “As a freshman, I was honored to chair the Committee on Workforce & Economic Development 

this year. And my office was able to successfully pass two bills that were signed by the governor, one that 

will have a significant impact on public education.” While proud of these successes, Quiñones notes that 

politics is not without its challenges. “Reaching consensus among all of the members of the House and the 

Senate is difficult. As a legislator, I have learned the art of compromise without compromising my 

principles.” 

“This has been a very educational year for me,” says Quiñones. “I have spent much of my time when the 

legislature is in session meeting with constituents, lobbyists, and committees, and researching and studying 

upcoming bills so that I am prepared to vote—so that I know if a bill is good for my constituents or not.” 

He adds, “I have to give a lot of credit to St. Thomas law school for providing me with a strong legal 

foundation, which has been invaluable to me as a legislator. And I have to give credit to Professor Dan 

Gordon and let him know that now I really appreciate the value of his Florida Con Law class.” 

“All together, my first year as a legislator has been a wonderful experience,” says Quiñones. “I enjoy the 

interaction with the public. I like going into a place and having people tell me their problems, and being able 

to help them. As a sole practitioner, I help people with real-life problems every day. As a legislator, I do the 

same thing on a much larger scale.” 

“Reaching consensus among all of the 

members of the House and the Senate is 

difficult. As a legislator, I have learned 

the art of compromise without 

compromising my principles.” 


25

Make a Difference 

You might have wondered what difference a $5000, $2500, 

$1000 or even a $500 scholarship can make for a law 

student. Or even if it does make a difference. 

I can tell you first-hand, it makes a difference. And it’s 

made a big difference in my life. 

A scholarship means I can attend class and study without 

worrying if I will have enough money for rent, for food, or 

even for gas to get to school. 

A scholarship means I don’t have to add to the more than 

$80,000 I have already borrowed to achieve my dream of 

practicing law. 

A scholarship means I might actually be able to consider 

working in public interest law and making a difference in 

other people’s lives. 

A scholarship gives me that little bit of extra hope that 

everything might just work out. 

If you ever wondered if your gift to St. Thomas University 

School of Law makes a difference, I can tell you it does. 

Your gift makes a big difference in my life. And I know I’m 

not alone. 

— Scarlet Dyson, 3L 

The Dean’s Circle 

The STU Law Fund 

You can make a difference in a law student’s life by making a gift now to St. Thomas University School of Law. 

You may designate your gift to support our general scholarship fund or to support a specific scholarship or a 

designated program. However you choose to give, remember this: Your gift truly does make a difference. 

Society of Friends 

Senior Partner $5,000 to $9,999 

Partner $2,500 to $4,999 

Associate* $1,000 to $2,499 

Jurist $500 to $999 

Barrister $250 to $499 

Patron $100 to $249 

Member $99 or less 

*Graduates of the last 5 years or those working in public interest law may join as an Associate member 

of The Dean’s Circle with a gift of $500 or more.

1987 

Alumnews 

MIKKI CANTON 

has joined the Miami office of 

Gunster Yoakley as a 

shareholder and chairperson of 

its corporate strategic 

counseling and public affairs 

practice. 

VALERIE DONDERO 

was married to George 

Mahfood on Dec. 1, 2001. 

Valerie and George are now the 

proud parents of a beautiful 

baby girl, Juliet Marie, born June 

12, 2003. 

ELIZABETH (BETSY) 

NELSON 

now retired from the Broward 

State Attorney’s Office, is 

enjoying working part-time in 

Orlando, Fla., as a Title I 

attorney with DeBeaubieu, 

Knight, Simmons, Mantzaris, 

and Neal’s Pre-paid Legal 

Attorneys. 

JASON PSALTIDES 

has returned to civilian life after 

a 17-month stint on active 

military in Kuwait, Iraq, and 

Korea as Asst. Chief of Staff 

for Intelligence for the Army 

Air and Missile Defense 

Command. Col. Psaltides was 

responsible for locating and 

destroying all Iraqi missiles and 

combat aircraft. 

JUAN J. SAIZ 

whose practice is in 

immigration law, now wears 

Evelyn Grey ’88, Dean Butterworth, Susan Tirado-Williams ’88, and 

Henrietta Pace ’87 visit at the St. Thomas reception at the Florida Bar Annual 

Meeting in Orlando. 

another hat, that of a full-time 

visiting professor at Florida 

International University. Juan 

teaches at both undergraduate 

and graduate levels in the 

criminal justice program. 

SAMUEL J. SLOM 

is the Administrative Judge of 

the Criminal Division of 

County Court (Miami-Dade 

County, Fla.). 

1988 

JOHN C. AUSTIN 

is working for General Electric 

Financial Advisors in Altamonte 

Springs, Fla., as a long-termcare 

insurance agent. 

EVELYN GREY 

has been appointed a magistrate 

of the Palm Beach County 

Traffic Court. She says she 

finds this part-time position 

fascinating. When she is not 

hearing civil infraction cases, 

she is managing her solo 

practice in family law, probate, 

wills and trusts, and 

immigration law. 

SUSAN J. TIRADO 

WILLIAMS 

has her own firm in Orlando, 

Fla., representing a diverse 

client base in state and federal 

courts and focusing on public 

service and pro bono litigation. 

Susan is general counsel to 

several non-profit corporations 

and churches. Her son Teddy, 

our first “law school baby,” 

born Jan. 3, 1988, is now 15. 

1989 

DORIAN J. HUGHES 

and Michael S. Davis, a criminal 

lawyer and former police 

officer, practice together as 


27

Alumnews 

Davis & Hughes, P.L.L.C., in 

Fairfax, Va. Dorian practices 

family law and personal injury 

law. 

1990 

BARBARA JEAN BURNS 

with the State Attorney’s Office, 

15th Circuit, in West Palm 

Beach, Fla., prosecutes cases 

involving major crimes and 

crimes against children. 

DEENA GANS-WILLIAMS 

partners in the firm Gans & 

Reynolds in Bridgeport, Conn. 

On January 19, 2003, Deena 

gave birth to her second child, 

Jacob Ryan. Her first child, 

Shayna, is now 2½. 

1991 

MICHAEL F. CANNING 

is Executive Director of the 

Association of Corporate Credit 

Unions, headquartered in 

Washington, D.C. 

CESAR SASTRE 

is a partner at Wicker, Smith, 

O’Hara, McCoy, Graham & 

Ford (Miami, Fla.), specializing 

in insurance defense, 

particularly medical malpractice. 

Formerly a Miami Shores 

Village Vice Mayor (1995-97) 

and Councilman (1997-99), he 

now serves on the Board of 

Trustees of Cushman School, 

which his children Karin, 6, and 

Patrick, 4, attend. 

1992 

TYLER GOLD 

solos in Plantation, Fla., 

specializing in real property 

litigation and transactions. Tyler 

represents several Bankruptcy 

Trustees as well as several 

institutional mortgage lenders in 

South Florida. 

PENNY WILSON SCHMIDT 

in September 2002 became a 

named partner in the 

Jacksonville, Fla., firm Schutt, 

Humphries & Schmidt, 

practicing primarily in insurance 

and personal injury defense. As 

a recently certified Circuit Court 

Mediator, she also is handling 

mediations in Northeast Florida. 

1993 

THOMAS B. DONALDSON 

is now a partner in the New 

York City firm Donaldson, 

Chilliest & McDaniel. Until 

September of this year Tom 

worked for STU School of Law 

as an admissions adviser. 

SEAN JAY GREENE 

has become a named partner in 

Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Greene, 

a Palm Beach, Fla., personal 

injury firm. 

MICHAEL HERNANDEZ 

formerly with Jackson Lewis in 

Miami, Fla., is now with 

Walgreen Company in Fort 

Lauderdale, Fla., as Senior 

Attorney in the area of Human 

Relations. 

CHRISTY HERTZ 

married Temple Law grad Brent 

Friedman on June 1, 2002. 

Christy is a partner at the Coral 

Gables, Fla., firm Merlin & 

Hertz, P.A., and specializes in 

family and elder care law. 

Husband Brent is general 

counsel and secretary to 

Eclipsys Corporation, a medical 

technologies software company. 

JILL ANNE HILLMAN 

moved to Monroe & Shapiro 

(Los Angeles, Calif.) in April 

2003. She specializes in 

maritime law/admiralty defense 

throughout the nation. 

Currently licensed in five states 

including Florida, Jill is handling 

the firm’s numerous Florida 

cases and says it is “good to 

finally practice in what I 

consider my other home state.” 

DAVID L. MARGOLESKY 

opened his own law firm, The 

Law Offices of David L. 

Margolesky, P.A., in Kendall, 

Fla., in December 1999. His is 

a general law practice, but he 

concentrates in family law. He 

and his wife, Denise, have two 

children, Kylie Rae, 4, and 

Jonah Elias, 2. 

BRYAN J. SINCLAIR 

formerly a partner at 

Oppenheimer Wolff & 

Donnelly, LL.P. (Palo Alto, 

Calif., office) has moved to 

(cont. on p. 31) 

28 


Alumnews 

Alumni and 

Friends Gather at 

Florida Bar 

Annual Meeting 

Reception 

Outgoing President of the Florida Bar and honoree, Tod 

Aronovitz, and Incoming President of the Young Lawyers 

Division of the Florida Bar and honoree, Mark Romance ’94, 

enjoy the St. Thomas reception 

Jesse Diner, David Welch, and Steven Jaffe 

Ed Hoffman ’94 and June Hoffman ’94 with Eddie 

Joseph Hoffman 

William Clay Mitchell ’95, Prof. Richard Maloy, and 

Debbie Townsend ’96 

The Hon. Jose E. Martinez, Ervin A. Gonzalez (Biscayne 

College ’82), and Justice Raoul G. Cantero 


29

Alumnews 

Pahola Duque ’02 

Actress, Artist 

It was Career Services Director Joan Beck who 

got the news. “No!” Joan gasped. The 

electricity in the voice on the other end jumped 

out of the earphone. It was Pahola Duque ’02. 

She had just nabbed the lead role in Philip 

Michael Thomas’s and Sandy Morais’ new 

musical, Sacha, which would open at the end of 

August 2003 at Hollywood Playhouse and then 

go on the road. 

For Pahola a lifelong dream has come true, and 

not only that: she is playing a character that 

illustrates her own reality. “I play a young girl 

with dreams who goes to sleep and is taken on a 

magical journey that contains the theme of the 

whole musical—to follow your heart and your 

dreams.” With the strong support of a mother 

who encouraged Pahola to believe in herself and 

to pursue her own possibilities, Pahola had 

always followed her heart, though it had not 

been easy. 

“I was born in Columbia. My mom struggled 

to raise me and my brother, who was severely 

mentally ill as a result of meningitis at nine 

months of age. As hard as it was, my mother 

always told me not to allow any wrong 

perceptions others may have of me to limit what 

I can be. When I was nine, I was already writing 

melodies and lyrics, and when we came to the 

United States when I was twelve, I came with 

my mind set on taking every opportunity this 

country offers to better myself.” 

Pahola blossomed in the arts, honing her 

singing, acting, and dancing skills under the 

mentorship of fine teachers. Next she majored 

in journalistic and mass communications skills at 

FIU. Since 1996 Pahola has been doing arts and 

talent features for Gem’s television show “Casa y 

Estilo,” defining her own style as a painter and 

songwriter, and preparing demos of her own 

songs. While she was rehearsing for Sacha during 

the summer, she was also preparing her Joanie 

Edwards group dance routine for the Aventura 

Founder’s Day celebration at the Aventura Hyatt 

this month. 

So why in the world did Pahola go to law 

school? “I saw it as a good way to enhance my 

self-confidence and the degree of control I can 

have over my own work. And I do want to 

practice law later on, too, probably real estate.” 

But for now, what Pahola wants to say in every 

form she masters is that we can follow our hearts 

and our dreams if we refuse to be limited by the 

stereotypes others may have about what we are 

and can be. “People told me law was not for me 

because ‘You are too sweet to be a lawyer’ and 

“You don’t look like a lawyer.’” But a lawyer she 

became. 

“And life is long ...,”Pahola adds eagerly, 

open to all her possibilities. 

30 


to Dechert LLP , as a partner, 

to form a Palo Alto office. 

Dechert, a 800-attorney 

international law firm with 

numerous offices in the U.S. and 

Europe, is #48 on the Global 

100 List of international law 

firms. Bryan’s specialty is 

intellectual property litigation. 

1994 

PHOEBEE REBECCA 

FRANCOIS 

is Assistant Public Defender in 

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 

KAREN SCOTT GREENE 

has been in solo practice in 

Snellville, Ga., for a year now, 

specializing in land use and real 

estate law. She has married 

concert promoter James Greene 

and recently purchased a new 

home in Snellville. 

YAMILE HAIBI 

has moved to the Tampa Bay 

area and is now sharing office 

space with Keith Warshofsky 

’95 in Tampa, Fla. Yamile 

specializes in labor and 

employment law as well as 

transactional practice. 

SCOTT A. SANOK 

is president of Sanok & 

Associates, P.A. His Delray 

Beach, Fla., firm specializes in 

estate, trust, tax, and assetprotection 

planning. 

Judkins, Simpson & High, of 

Tallahassee, Fla. He practices in 

the areas of family law, criminal 

defense, clemency, personal 

injury, and general civil 

litigation. Tom and his wife are 

the proud parents of a second 

child, a daughter, Layne Atkins 

Schulte, born April 28, 2003. 

1995 

AL A. DICALVO 

is Assistant (Broward) County 

Attorney. His office is in Fort 

Lauderdale, Fla. 

HANS KENNON 

is Senior Attorney at Morgan, 

Colling & Gilbert in Orlando, 

Fla. He heads the firm’s First 

Party Litigation Department 

that handles toxic mold and 

property damage cases; 

disability, life and health 

insurance cases; and automobile 

and other insurance cases for 

the firm’s Orlando, Tampa, 

Jacksonville, and Naples offices. 

MINDY B. LEATHE 

is currently an associate in the 

tax department at Greenberg 

Traurig in Miami, Fla. Mindy 

specializes in executive 

compensation and employee 

benefits. 

CHRISTOPHER J. 

METCALFE 

opened his own firm in 

Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., in Jan. 

2003. His practice concentrates 

in plaintiff personal injury 

litigation and workers’ 

compensation. 

JACQUELINE ROGERS 

is an analyst and records 

manager at Perkins Coie in 

Seattle, Wash. 

SHELLEY RAY SENECAL 

is a partner at Law Office of 

Alumnews 

THOMAS J. SCHULTE 

is an associate with Kitchen, 

Jamie Moses, Connie Alzugaray Romance ’94, Mark Romance ’94, and Virginia 

Herrero Pagliery enjoy the St. Thomas reception at the Florida Bar Annual 

Meeting. For more about this event, see page 4. 


31

Alumnews 

Shelley Senecal in Fort 

Lauderdale, Fla., where she 

specializes in civil appeals. In 

January 2003 she became Of 

Counsel to the firm Blanca D. 

Cruz, P.A. 

1996 

DEBRAH ANTELL 

specializes in workers’ 

compensation defense at 

Conroy, Simberg, Ganon, 

Krevans & Abel in Hollywood, 

Fla. She and her husband 

Glenn Taubman have two 

children, Aden Spencer, 7, and 

Alec Hunter, 3. 

SPENCER KUVIN 

has moved to the West Palm 

Beach trial law firm 

Montgomery & Larson, LLP., 

that handled the litigation that 

won the largest settlement in 

the history of Florida —$11.8 

billion for the state from the 

tobacco companies. Spencer’s 

areas of specialty there are 

products liability, personal 

injury, and medical malpractice. 

LUZARDO PENDAS 

as of January 1, 2003, became a 

named partner in the Law Firm 

of Rogers, Coleman, Pendas, 

Knapp & Dill, P.A., in Orlando, 

Fla. Luzardo specializes in 

medical malpractice and nursing 

home negligence law. 

ORIN SHAKERDGE 

joined the Florida Power & 

Light Company’s legal team in 

February 2003. At the Juno 

Beach, Fla., headquarters, Orin 

provides real estate help to FPL 

Energy, the nation’s largest 

developer and producer of wind 

energy. Orin married Jennifer 

Elliot in September 2002, 

honeymooned in Greece, and 

tells us he grew three inches— 

sideways. 

It’s Time to Join The Peter T. Fay American Inn of 

Court at St. Thomas University School of Law! 

Built on a tradition of excellence, the American Inns of Court is 

the country’s oldest and largest legal mentoring organization. The 

Peter T. Fay American Inn of Court is our branch of this noble 

organization. The Inn meets monthly at the U.S. District 

Courthouse in Miami and provides lawyers, judges, and law students 

an opportunity to participate in developing professionalism and 

higher levels of excellence and to further the causes of dignity and 

integrity in the practice of law. The collegial and informal 

atmosphere encourages networking with and learning from state and 

federal judges, practitioners, professors, and law students. For more 

information about the Inn, please contact Gary Kravitz at (305)523- 

5772 or Brett Barfield at (305)789-7661. For information about 

annual membership dues, to join the Inn, or find out about our next 

monthly meeting, contact Christina Lyew at (305)623-2321. 

ANDREW YAGODA 

recently expanded his law 

practice and relocated it to 

Coral Gables, Fla., but his Fort 

Lauderdale office remains open 

for work by appointment. 

Andrew’s practice centers on 

commercial and residential real 

estate transactions and business 

litigation. 

1997 

MICHELE D. ALLEN-HART 

has become a shareholder of 

Abbott, Simses & Kuchler, 

PLC, a full-service litigation law 

firm with offices in four major 

cities. At the New Orleans, La., 

office Michelle practices 

primarily in toxic torts, 

environmental law, class-action 

defense and products liability in 

the Gulf South Region for 

Fortune 50 national and 

international companies. 

DIANE ANTELL REESE 

recently married Dr. Gregg 

Reese. They and their little 

daughter, Farrah Ray, reside in 

Hollywood, Fla. Diane 

specializes in workers’ 

compensation defense at the 

Boca Raton, Fla., firm Styles, 

Taylor & Grace. 

DANA GOTTLIEB 

HOERNER 

has relocated from Kentucky to 

Ft. Myers, Fla., to join Christine 

Wright ’97 in forming Wright, 

Shaw & Hoerner, P.A., a Cape 

32 


Coral, Fla., general practice and 

immigration law firm. 

Alumnews 

THOMAS J. MORGAN 

who practices family law and 

insurance defense in Coconut 

Grove, Fla., remains at the same 

location, but has been assigned 

a new address—one that relates 

to the rear, not the front, of his 

building! 

W. BRADLEY PHARES 

and his wife Sam have formed a 

company, Cracker Cowboy 

Enterprises, that sells online 

their prize-winning salsas, Brad’s 

Florida cowboy art, and other 

Florida cowboy products. Brad 

is also a realtor for Saunders 

Real Estate, LLC, in Lakeland, 

Fla. 

CHRISTOPHER PRUSASKI 

is an associate at Proskauer 

Rose, LLP, one of the oldest 

(1875) and largest (over 590 

attorneys) law firms in the 

nation. Chris practices 

commercial litigation and 

employment law at this labor 

and employment law firm’s 

Boca Raton, Fla., office. 

CHRISTINE WRIGHT 

has expanded her practice, 

joining with Dana Gottlieb 

Hoerner ’97, to form Wright, 

Shaw & Hoerner, P.A. 

Christine’s new firm, a general 

practice with heavy emphasis on 

immigration law cases, remains 

at the same address in Cape 

Coral, Fla. 

Rawny Garay ’99 and Matthew Yon ’00 enjoy the March 27, 2003 happy hour at 

Gordon Biersch. 

MICHELLE YAFFE 

HOLLISTER 

has moved to Tallahassee as the 

new executive director of the 

Statewide Public Guardianship 

Office, Department of Elder 

Affairs. 

1998 

DANIEL A. BACHERT 

is a partner at Ford & Bachert, 

P.A., of West Palm Beach, Fla. 

LISA WHALEN BLEICH 

and her husband, Robert ’99, 

became the proud parents of a 

new daughter. Abigail Rose, 

born April 11, 2003, joins her 

sister Claire Margaret, 4. With 

Robert she practices law at 

Bleich Law Office in Yuma, 

Ariz. Lisa specializes in family 

law. 

JUAN M. BURGOS 

is now in Washington, D.C., as 

part of the U.S. Department of 

Housing and Urban 

Development’s legal team. 

AARON M. COHEN 

with Lawrence K. Fagan ’93, 

opened the firm Aaron M. 

Cohen, P.A., in Delray Beach, 

Fla. The firm focuses on 

commercial and civil litigation 

and criminal defense. 

GLORIA GARCIA 

has begun her fifth year at the 

Law Offices of Pemsler & 

Grindal, P.A., in Coral Gables, 

Fla., where she specializes in 

workers’ compensation for 

plaintiffs. Gloria and her 

husband Carlos Garcia have a 

son, Carlos Andres, 2. 

ZIKAR MARK GHAOWI 

is currently operating his own 

criminal and DUI defense 

practice from an office he 

shares with Vincent A. Luisi, Jr. 

(cont. on p. 35) 


33

Alumnews 

Alumni Enjoy 

St. Thomas Law 

Happy Hour at 

Gordon Biersch 

July 17, 2003 

Brett Barfield ’99, David Gordon ’99, and Betsy Bowen ’98 

Peter Egan ’01, Colleen Greene ’01, Prof. Wiessner, 

Jaime Pozo ’01 

Charter class of ’87 members Juan Saiz and 

MaryAnne Lukacs 

John Miquel ’01, James Allen ’01, Lisa Schiller ’93, 

Cheryl Burm ’01, and Tereina Stidd 

Raul Delgado de Armas ’88 and Barbara Ruiz- 

Gonzalez ’02 

34 


’99, in Chicago, Ill. Recently he 

successfully completed the 

Chicago Marathon and donated 

a kidney to his youngest 

brother. 

DEAN G. PEPE 

joined David Russell and 

George Pappas, for whom he 

had worked upon leaving law 

school, and became a partner 

of Pappas, Russell & Pepe in 

Daytona Beach, Fla. Dean 

works in various areas of law 

including plaintiff ’s personal 

injury and insurance claims, 

employment discrimination, 

contracts, landlord/tenant law, 

and appeals. 

DAVID FRANK PETRANO 

has his own law office in 

Clearwater, Fla., where he 

practices Americans with 

Disabilities Act law and Bar 

admissions law. 

ANA VALLEJO 

acquired her LL.M in 

Intercultural Human Rights Law 

(2002) and is now at the Florida 

Immigrant Advocacy Center in 

Miami, Fla., as part of its Lucha 

Project, which helps victimized 

immigrant women to obtain 

legal immigration status without 

the involvement of their 

abusers. 

1999 

ROBERT BLEICH 

and his wife, Lisa’ 98, became 

the proud parents of a second 

daughter, Abigail Rose, born 

April 11, 2003, Abigail Rose 

joins her sister, Claire Margaret, 

4. At his and Lisa’s firm, Bleich 

Law Office (Yuma, Ariz.), 

Robert’s specialty is criminal law. 

ANDREW C. DEMOS 

is a senior associate at Welbaum, 

Guernsey, Hingston, Greenleaf 

& Gregory, L.L.P. in Coral 

Gables, Fla. 

RAWNY GARAY 

has established affiliated offices 

in Kingston, Jamaica; Panama 

City, Panama; Caracas, 

Venezuela; and Bogota, 

Colombia. 

DAVID GORDON 

is the proud father of a second 

son, Mason, born Mar. 18, 

2003. David’s first son, 

Matthew, is 3. David also 

recently joined Eversole and 

Associates, a law firm 

specializing in aviation litigation 

in Coral Gables, Fla. 

PAOLO LONGO 

recently opened his own law 

office, Paolo Longo, Jr., P.A., in 

Orlando, Fla., Paolo specializes 

in workers’ compensation, 

personal injury, and first 

party/bad faith insurance 

litigation. 

DONIELLE MASON 

had a baby girl, Faith Renee 

Kazim, at home on Nov. 12, 

2002. 

ELIZABETH 

MONTGOMERY 

is an associate at Vernis & 

Bowling of Palm Beach, P.A. 

JONATHAN M. MYERS 

recently left the Kansas City 

Trial Division of the Missouri 

State Public Defender System to 

go into the private sector. While 

a trial attorney for the Public 

Defender, all Jonathan’s trials as 

lead or co-counsel resulted in 

acquittals. In the private sector, 

Jonathan is handling personal 

injury cases and a little 

environmental law. 

MARCO ANTONIO 

SALAZAR 

has moved from Solms & Price, 

P.A. to another Miami firm, 

Hardeman &. Associates, P.A. 

His practice concentrates on 

civil litigation, insurance 

defense, nursing home, and 

wrongful death cases in Miami- 

Dade and Broward counties. 

Marco got married last year and 

resides in Miami. 

JODIE SIEGEL 

moved from Greenberg Traurig 

to Holland & Knight, LLP, in 

August 2002. In Fort 

Lauderdale, Fla., she practices 

governmental, land use, zoning, 

environmental, and real estate 

law. She co-authored two 

published articles on the 

controversial Florida smoking 

legislation and helped plan a 

series of working breakfasts to 

help prepare the hospitality 

Alumnews 


35

Alumnews 

industry for the impact of the 

legislation. 

2000 

AIMEE N. SONTAG 

ARTILES 

has moved into a new position 

as Director of Media Relations 

for Miami-Dade County. She is 

married to Frank Artiles ’00. 

FRANK A. ARTILES 

served with the U.S. Marines in 

Qatar and Saudi Arabia for nine 

weeks. Now safely home, he 

now provides government 

liaison and real estate counsel 

for B Developments, a Miami 

condo developer. 

RAUL PEREZ BALLAGA 

has joined the firm of 

Cohen|Fox, P.A, in Miami, Fla. 

as an associate specializing in 

residential and commercial real 

estate law. 

JUAN CARLOS DIGON-GREER 

with his brother Francisco Javier 

’00, has established a real estate 

transaction practice, Digon & 

Digon, P.L.L.C., in North 

Miami, Fla. 

FRANCISCO JAVIER 

DIGON-GREER 

the first legal resident in the 

United States, completed his 

year of legal residency at the St. 

Thomas University Community 

Law Center. With his brother, 

Juan Carlos, he has opened 

Digon & Digon, P.L.L.C., a 

transactional real estate firm in 

North Miami, Fla. 

VIOLET FELIPE 

is the Judicial Services 

Coordinator for the 11 th 

Judicial Circuit. 

MAGDALENA FRESEN 

is co-founder and Vice 

President of Academica 

Corporation (Miami, Fla.), a 

charter school management firm 

established in 1999. 

KIMBERLY ANN LOUCKS 

is Assistant Commonwealth 

Attorney at the Buchanan 

County Commonwealth 

Attorney’s Office in Grundy, 

Va. 

MIGUEL FRANCISCO 

PARLADÉ 

with Susana Villarruel ’00, 

formed Parlade & Villarruel, 

P.A., a Miami, Fla., firm 

specializing in bankruptcy and 

personal injury law. 

SUSANA VILLARRUEL 

has joined with Miguel 

Francisco Parladé ’00 in 

establishing Parlade and 

Villarruel, P.A., a bankruptcy 

and personal injury practice in 

Miami, Fla. 

2001 

LATOSHA YVONNE 

BRADLEY 

coordinates the Knowledge is 

Power Program at St. Thomas 

University Human Rights 

Institute, Miami, Fla.. 

PASCALE CHANCY 

is an assistant public defender 

for Broward County, Fla. 

MICHAEL C. DART 

is the Deputy Attorney General 

at the Indiana Attorney 

General’s Office in Indianapolis, 

Ind. 

ANTHONY J. DESTRIBATS 

clerks for a N.J. state trial judge 

in Trenton, N.J. 

BRETT A. ELAM 

has moved from Adorno and 

Yoss, P.A., to another West 

Palm Beach, Fla., firm, Elk, 

Bankier, Christu & Bakst, where 

he practices bankruptcy law. 

JULIETTE ESPINOSA- 

GARCIA 

is an Immigration Staff 

Attorney at the Florida 

Immigrant Advocacy Center, 

Miami, Fla. 

CELIA GORE 

opened her own law firm in 

January 2003. The Law Office 

of Celia Gore is located in 

Coral Gables, Fla. Celia 

specializes in immigration law. 

COLLEEN M. GREENE 

is an associate at Solms & Price, 

P.A., in South Miami, Fla. 

Colleen’s areas of practice are 

personal injury and medical 

malpractice. 

36 


MARK C. HOLMBERG 

received an LL.M. in Taxation 

from University of Miami, 

Coral Gables, Fla. 

BEATRIZ A. LLORENTE 

is an assistant public defender in 

Miami-Dade County, Fla. 

MICHAELLE PAULSON 

has joined Markowitz, Davis, 

Ringel & Trusty, P.A., as an 

associate concentrating primarily 

on civil and commercial 

litigation, family law, and 

domestic violence law. 

Formerly with the Legal Aid 

Society, she continues her pro 

bono work through the Put 

Something Back program. This 

year, Michaelle was elected to 

the Board of Directors for the 

South Miami-Kendall Bar 

Association. 

SILVIA PEREZ 

Project Attorney for the Legal 

Aid Society, is providing legal 

services to domestic violence 

victims through the society’s 

South Dade Domestic Violence 

Project in Homestead, Fla. 

CHRISTOPHER L. 

RADDATZ 

joined Mohr Hackett, a 

Phoenix, Ariz. firm, in 

September 2002 after 

completing his LL.M. in 

Taxation at NYU. His primary 

areas of practice are taxation 

and trust and estate planning. 

With the Volunteer Lawyers 

Program of Maricopa County, 

Chris also provides legal 

assistance to low-income 

families. On June 1, 2003, Chris 

completed his third marathon in 

San Diego, Calif. 

RENE SUAREZ 

has moved from Rumberger, 

Kirk & Caldwell in Orlando, 

Fla., to Ashland Inc. in Atlanta, 

Ga. Assigned to the Ashland 

Paving And Construction 

subsidiary, the country’s largest 

highway paver, Rene’s work is 

in corporate, construction, 

preventative, and employment 

law; and he oversees litigation. 

On July 11, 2003, he and his 

wife Yohany became the proud 

parents of their first child. 

They named their 6 lb. 11 oz. 

son Antonio. 

2002 

MARTHA LILIANA ARIAS 

is Director of Latin-American 

Law and an associate editor at 

International Business Law 

Services. Martha developed and 

manages IBLS’s Latin-American 

law portal, and she writes e- 

commerce summaries and the 

IBLS topic of the week. 

Martha also conducts freelance 

research for STU’s Walter H. & 

Dorothy B. Diamond 

International Tax LL.M. 

Program. 

JUSTIN EDWARD BAIRD 

is practicing at Williams & 

Williams in Munfordville, Ky. 

CRYSTAL LEOLA BEMBERY 

is now on the legal team at the 

Miami-Dade State Attorney’s 

Office in Miami, Fla. 

PAUL R. BUCKIN 

is an associate with Steel, 

Hector & Davis in Miami, 

Fla. 

HUMBERTO J. CORRALES 

is working for Church World 

Service in its Immigration and 

Refugee Program in Miami, Fla. 

WILLIAM THOMAS 

COTTERALL 

is transitioning into commercial 

litigation at Tripp Scott in Fort 


KIM ANN CUNZO 

is an assistant state attorney in 

Fort Pierce, Fla. 

INIGO DE PABLO 

has established DePablo & 

Associates in Miami, Florida. 

Inigo’s practice areas are 

business/commercial law, real 

estate, and intellectual property. 

Inigo pursued post-graduate 

study in tax at the University of 

Florida and is now in the LL.M. 

program in real estate at the 

University of Miami. 

BRIAN N. DIGIACOMO 

has joined the District 

Attorney’s legal team in 

Morristown, N.J. 

ZENA XIAMARA DUNCAN 


Alumnews 


37

Alumnews 

the misdemeanor court division 

of Office of the Public 

Defender Bennett H. Brummer 

in Miami, Fla. 

PAHOLA DUQUE 

played the lead role in the new 

Philip Michael Thomas and 

Sandy Morais musical Sacha, 

performed this past summer at 

the Hollywood Playhouse. She is 

also part of the Joanie Edwards 

Little Theatre School dance 

group performing this month at 

the Aventura Hyatt at the 

Aventura Founders’ Day 

celebration. 

KELLY CELIA O. FOSTER 


the Office of the Public 

Defender Bennett H. Brummer 


JEFFERY RODMAN 

LAWLEY 

is an associate at Wicker Smith’s 

Fort Lauderdale, Fla., offices. 

LEANNE POLK 

after spending a year as an 

academic admissions 

administrator at STU, has 

moved to Texas, and is a 

political consultant. Leanne 

remains on the STU Law School 

Board of Advisors, to which 

she was appointed last year, and 

continues to work with 

admissions as our Texas-based 

recruiter. 

MIRIAM LATORRE QUINN 

is an associate in the intellectual 

property group at the Dallas, 

Tex., office of Baker Botts, 

L.L.P., the #51 firm on the 

Global 100 List of international 

law firms. Miriam specializes in 

Patent Law and, having passed 

the Patent Bar, is now registered 

to prosecute and file applications 

with the U.S. Patent and 

Trademark Office. 

BARBARA RUIZ- 

GONZALEZ 

has joined her mentor, Raul 

Delgado de Armas, in legal 

practice and is also pursuing an 

LL.M. in taxation at the 

University of Miami. 

MICHAEL IAN SCHWARTZ 

has completed his LL.M. degree 

program in estate planning at 

the University of Miami, Coral 

Gables, Fla. 

2003 

JAMES BROWN 

is corporate counsel for Sunland 

Homes in West Palm Beach, Fla. 

CALVIN CALLWOOD 

is working on the island of St. 

Thomas as a judicial clerk with 

the Territorial Court of the 

Virgin Islands. 

JELANI DAVIS 

was awarded the 2003 Florida 

Association of Criminal 

Defense Lawyers scholarship 

last spring and now works as an 

assistant public defender in 

Miami, Fla. 

LOURDES FERNANDEZ 

is clerking for U.S. Magistrate 

Judge Robert Dubé (SD Fla.) 

EMANUEL GALIMIDI 

has joined the Miami firm 

Keller Bolz, L.L.P., in Miami.. 

TAMI GREEN 

is working toward an LL.M. in 

tax at the University of Florida 

in Gainesville. 

GERALD HILL 

is working toward an LL.M. in 

Tax at the University of Florida 

in Gainesville. 

VICKY KOTHARI 

is pursuing an LL.M. in 

bankruptcy at St. John’s 

University in Jamaica, N.Y. 

APRIL DALE KRUEGER 

former St. Thomas University Law 

Review editor, is now an 

associate at Holland & Knight 


ALAIN LECUSAY 

plans to return to the general 

construction business as well as 

practice construction law. 

ANTONIO MARTINEZ 

has joined Jose Luis Machado 

’92 and Emilia Evelio Herran 

’93 at Machado & Herran, P.A. 


MIGUEL MARTINEZ 

has joined the labor and 

employment law firm Muller 

Mintz in Miami, Fla. 

38 


JUAN C. “J.C.” PEREZ 

has joined the Miami-Dade State 

Attorney’s Office in Miami, Fla. 

GEORGE B. RIBAROVSKI 

is providing legal support for 

Advantage One Mortgage 

Company in Fort Lauderdale, 

Fla. 

ALEJANDRO SIXTO 

has joined Josh Hertz ’01 at the 

Law Office of Joshua J. Hertz, 

P.A., in Miami, Fla. 

TIANNA SOUSA 

provides legal and administrative 

support to the St. Thomas 

University Human Rights 

Institute’s Knowledge is Power 

Program. 

CHRISTIAN STRAILE 

is at the University of Florida 

pursuing an LL.M. in Taxation. 

F. SAM TALLIS 

is now part of the legal team at 

the Fort Worth, Tex., main 

office of Shannon, Gracey, 

Ratliff & Miller, L.L.P. 

CRAIG TEMPLE 

has joined the Miami, Fla., firm 

Solas, Ede, Petersen & Lage, LLC. 

ANTHONY TINELLI 

is working in the Hollywood, 

Fla. main office of Conroy, 

Simberg, Gannon, Krevens & 

Abel, P.A., a general civil 

litigation firm with over 100 

attorneys and offices in eight 

major Florida cities. 

DIONE TRAWICK 

is an Assistant State Attorney at 

the Miami-Dade State 

Attorney’s Office in Miami, Fla. 

TONYA WALKER 

has joined the family law firm 

of Patterson & Maloney in Fort 


JOHN D. WHITE 

is working in the Miami, Fla., 

offices of Wicker, Smith 

O’Hara, McCoy, Graham & 

Ford, P.A. a civil practice firm 

with over 100 attorneys and 

offices in seven Florida cities. 

I n M e m o r i a m 

ANNETTE PRATT 

who spent her first year of law 

school at STU, was killed in a 

motorcycle accident on July 6, 

2003, in Los Angeles, Calif. 

Annette practiced sports and 

entertainment law in Los 

Angeles. She was laid to rest in 

St. Louis, Mo., where her 

parents reside. 

MICHAEL AARON 

THOMAS ’00 

died on April 22, 2003. At the 

time of his death, “Mikey T” 

resided with his fiancée, Diana 

Rodriguez, in Sunny Isles, Fla., 

and was working as a law clerk 

in Fort Lauderdale. 

ALUMNI 

INFORMATION 

SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE 

Let your fellow classmates 

know what is new with you. 

Submit a class note today 

online at 

www.stu.edu/lawschool/alumni/ 

or call (305) 474-2435 or 

e-mail kmalin@stu.edu. 

ADDRESS UPDATES 

Be sure to keep receiving The 

Lawyer magazine and other 

STU Law mail. Update your 

address online at 

www.stu.edu/alumni/ 

address_update.asp or call 

(305) 474-2434. 

E-NEWSLETTER 

Watch your e-mail box for our 

new alumni e-newsletter, 

providing you with up-to-theminute 

information on 

campus happenings, alumni 

events and more. If we do 

not have your e-mail address, 

please send it to us at 

kmalin@stu.edu or call (305) 

474-2435. 

Alumnews 


39

Alumnews 

Law School Graduation 

May 2003 

Deno Frangakis, J.C. Perez, and George Ribarovski 

Anthony Tinelli and Craig Temple 

Lorelei Schechner, Lauren Penn, and Suzanne Kopulos 

Michel Reyes, Mercedes Blasm, Michele Vargas, and Kismara Garcia 

Lauren Hamlin, Erica Dunmyer, Heather Zardus, 

and April Dale Krueger 

40 


Alumnews 

Belinda Paris, Alicia Paulino-Grisham, Peggy Urbaneja, and Cheryl 

Flowers 

Elizabeth Vega-Davis and Alain Lecusay 

LL.M. in Intercultural Human Rights graduates Cindia 

Marcellin, Joann Hennessey, James Evans, Cyclyn 

Smith-Mobley 

LL.M. in Intercultural Human Rights graduates Denise 

Wallace, Mariam Ahmedani, Dinga Joseph, Sara 

Pedersini, Mireya Pena-Guzman, Faig Alchalaby, Roy 

Balleste, and Ernest Essien 

LL.M. in International Tax graduates Nena Homan 

and Mitchell Nouri Abbas 


41

Alumnews 

Law Alumni Class Reunions 2003 

Carlos Garcia, Gloria Garcia ’98, Brenda Supple ’97, and 

Carmela Beltran ’97 

Evan Ostfeld ’93, Jodi Bair ’93, Steve Simon ’92, and 

Donna Simon 

Kelly Gibson ’98 and Tammy Alvarez ’98 

Paul Molle ’97, Stewart Kasner ’97, and Carlo D’Angelo ’97 

Gloria Velazquez ’92 and Ramona Tolley ’92 

42 


Alumnews 

Bill Dillon ’98 and Joseph Gibson ’98 

Dean Pepe ’98, David Woods ’98, Bill Dillon ’98, and Mark Ghaowi ’98 

Chris Lombardy ’98 and Jeffrey Braxton ’98 

Stacy Glick ’97, Christopher Prusaski ’97, and 

Jessica Guernsey-Rothenberg ’97 

Ana Vallejo ’98, Trina DeLisser ’98, and Karen Guito ’98 

Armando Martinez and Tania Mazza-Martinez ’98 


43

Alumnews 


STU Law alumni, faculty, students, and friends 

got game at the 1st annual 

Spring Golf Fling 

sponsored by 

Sams, Martin, Lipsky, Lister & Kaufman, P.A. 

Javier Gonzalez, Jesus Perez, Miguel Perez, 

and David Perez ’00 

Jeannette Bologna ’93, Dan Rheume ’95, Jeff Welt ’96, and Dan 

Dolan ’96 

Brian Livingston ’98, Betsy Bowen ’98, Roberto 

Ortiz ’98, and Jason Rudolph ’95 

44 


Alumnews 

Prof. Al Gordon, Prof. Gordon Russell, Alain 

Lecusay ’03, and Manny Mantrana 

The Hon. Michael Chavies, The Hon. Robert 

Scola, The Hon. Ronald Friedman, and Joseph 

Lipsky ’92 

Pat Cordero ’87, Mark Tudino ’94, Nelson 

Lopez, and David Gordon ’99 

David Lister ’87, Eddie Olivera, and Eddie Lopez 

Renee Duff ’98, Bill Dillon ’98, Alan Brezin, Mike 

Alvarez and Tammy Alvarez ’98 


45

Alumnews 

Jeff Cross, Mark Binko, Ryan Libel, and Richard Welch 

Charlie Fernandez, John Duncan, and 

Herman Russomanno. 

Ivan Cabrera ’92, Jose Machado ’92, Brad 

McCormick ’93, and Arthur McCormick 

Roberto Ortiz ’98, Prof. Al Garcia, Prof. Gordon Russell, 

and Brian Livingston ’98 

G. Walter Araujo, James Campbell, Joseph 

Kalbac, Jr., and Angel Rodriguez 

46 


Alumnews 

Doug Hartman, Dr. Manny Suarez, Tim Martin, and Cdr. Jim Carr 

Betsy Bowen ’98, Brian Livingston ’98, Roberto Ortiz ’98, and Bill 

Dillon ’98 

Dan Rheume ’95, Jeannette Bologna ’93, Jeff 

Welt ’96, and Dan Dolan ’96 

Save the Date! 

2nd Annual 

STU Law Spring Golf Fling 

April 30, 2004 

at Shula’s Golf Club 


47

Alumni Update Form 

Name 

Home Address 

Year 

City, State, Zip 

Home Phone 

Firm/Company Name 

Business Address 

Title 

City, State, Zip 

Business Phone 

Business Fax 

Preferred Address Business Home 

E-mail Address 

Please take a moment to tell us what is new with you for the Spring 2004 issue of The Lawyer. 

I would like to become involved with STU School of Law as a: 

Mentor to an STU Law student 

Class Reunion host (Classes of ’89, ’94, and ’99) 

Resource for helping to recruit prospective students 

Career Resource for graduating law students and recent graduates 

Judge for Moot Court and Mock Trial competitions 

Please clip and return this form to: 

Karen Malin 

Director of Alumni Relations & Communications 

St. Thomas University School of Law 

16400 NW 32nd Avenue 

Miami, FL 33054 

Fax: (305) 474-2449 E-mail: kmalin@stu.edu Phone: (305) 474-2435 

48 


February 10 

February 24, 25 

March 11 

April 1 

April 30 

May 1 

Distinguished Speaker Series Lecture 

Donna Arzt 

“Web-site for the Prosecution” 

Noon 

Moot Court Room 

Bar Exam Luncheons 

at the Florida Bar Exam 

Tampa Marriott Waterside 

11:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. 

Reservations Required 

Alumni & Judicial Reception 

sponsored by Mellon 

Mellon Financial Center, 30th Floor 

1111 Brickell Avenue 

Miami 

5:30-7:30 p.m. 

RSVP Required 

Distinguished Speaker Series Lecture 

Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte 

“Was deTocqueville Right About Lawyers Being 

the Connecting Link for American Society?” 

Noon 

Moot Court Room 

2nd Annual Spring Golf Fling 

Don Shula’s Golf Club 

For more information, call (305) 474-2432 or 

e-mail cchapman@stu.edu 

Law Alumni Class Reunions 

Honoring the Classes of ’89, ’94, and ’99 

For more information, call (305) 474-2435 or 

e-mail kmalin@stu.edu 

Watch your mail for invitations and more information. 

For more details, call (305) 474-2434.

16400 NW 32nd Avenue 

Miami, FL 33054 

Miles McGrane, president of the Florida Bar, signs the STU Law Moot 

Court wall. See story on page 9. 

NON-PROFIT 

ORGANIZATION 

U.S. POSTAGE PAID 

PERMIT NO. 1259 

SOUTH FLORIDA FACILITY

Law School Board Of Advisors - St. Thomas University

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