Written by: CLIFF FRIEDMAN, HOPE POST-GRADUATE FELLOW
It is inevitable that a profile about Miami attorney Jane Muir will mention her family’s tradition of producing exceptional attorneys. Her father is a well-respected attorney and her mother, Celeste Muir, has served as a judge in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit for nearly thirty years. However, Jane Muir is not one to be defined by her past or tethered to a legacy – she’s out to forge her own path in a city that is constantly in flux. And she’s off to an incredible start.
At Miami Law, Muir made a name for herself on the Mock Trial team. A self-proclaimed “theater kid,” her first opportunity to perform came as a trial witness.
“At one point, the attorney asked me a question and I went completely off-script. He wasn’t too happy, but it ended up working out!” Her performance earned high praise from Professor Emeritus Terence Anderson, the team’s advisor, who welcomed Muir’s participation in more substantive roles. She went on to compete in six intramural, four state, four regional, and two national competitions in negotiation, mock trial, and appellate advocacy.
After graduating from Miami Law, Muir hung out her own shingle almost immediately and began an incredible track record of involvement. A partner at Gersten & Muir, where she focuses on civil litigation, corporate counsel and corporate formation, she has served as President of the Coral Gables Bar Association, Chair and Vice-Chair of Miami Law’s Young Alumni Committee, and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Dade County Bar Association and the Law Alumni Association Executive Committee. She received a Pro Bono Service Award from the Dade County Bar Association for Innovative Projects in 2012, and the Alumni Leadership Award from Miami Law in 2013.
However, the leadership positions she so readily accepted as an integral part of her career began to affect other areas of her life.
“I accepted and ran for any position that came my way out of a fear that I wouldn’t be presented with the same opportunity again,” said Muir. “My commitments outside of the office were consuming more and more of my time—at some point, you realize that balance is the key.”
Muir’s eagerness to succeed and record of involvement has brought her recognition beyond what most young attorneys experience in their first five years out of law school. She believes her desire to win and willingness to learn from her failures sets her apart from other attorneys. “If I lose an argument or a case, whether in law school or in practice, I don’t just move on. I have to know exactly where things went wrong so I make sure it never happens again.”
Her advice to young attorneys and law students struggling with over-commitment is to treat obligations as you would clients. “Communication is absolutely key.”
