JURIS DOCTOR/ MASTER OF LAWS IN INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION
James East competed at the Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Competition as part of the International Moot Court Program. He joined White & Case LLP in Washington, D.C. as a legal assistant. There, he met Miami Law alumna and White & Case partner Carolyn Lamm, J.D. '73, and alumnus Michael Daly, J.D. ‘08. Lamm teaches investment arbitration at Miami Law as part of the school’s vast international arbitration curriculum. Lamm and Daly were both mentors and a path to the doors of Miami Law. "I was just seeking a taste of what it was like to practice law," he says. "I liked the high energy and dynamic environment that is a law firm. My first case was a commercial arbitration case and, as nerdy as it sounds, I instantly caught the international arbitration bug." After graduation East will join White & Case's International Arbitration practice group under Carolyn Lamm and Jonathan Hamilton in Washington, D.C.
Brian Vaca represented Miami Law at the UBA-Rosario Conetencia Internacional de Arbitraje Moot Court in Chile. “I think Miami is the only city in the U.S. where the Hispanic community has thrived on all levels,” Vaca says. “It is the one place where Hispanics aren’t just seen as gardeners or housekeepers. They are in politics, in law, in medicine. And Miami Law has unique opportunities in international law and international business. That is why I am here and why I am in the International Arbitration LL.M. Program. It is the direction every major company is headed – resolving their disputes through arbitration. No one seems to favor going to court anymore.” After graduation Vaca will begin a six-month traineeship with Astigarraga Davis in Miami and then go on to join White & Case's International Arbitration practice group in Washington, D.C.
JURIS DOCTOR
Sarah Hanners, who taught English to Koreans and backpacked Mongolia, spent five years at a wildlife rescue center in Bolivia on her way to Miami Law. “That is when I realized that I couldn’t walk cats forever because there were bigger picture injustices that needed addressing, and I knew I needed a law degree to do so,” she says. Since coming to Miami Law, the Miami Scholar recipient has joined The University of Miami Inter-American Law Review, the Society of Bar and Gavel, the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, and the Children and Youth Law Clinic.
MASTER OF LAWS IN REAL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
Nathalie Remelus is a licensed real estate sales associate in Florida currently working as an Assistant School Board Attorney for the School Board of Miami-Dade County. She is Haitian, and moved to Miami as a young child. She and her siblings grew up alone in a tiny studio apartment in Miami, all working in order to make ends meet. Remelus was determined to excel in academics, and eventually graduated magna cum laude from college. “My perseverance through trials and tribulations ignited my determination to succeed,” said Remelus. “I am obtaining an LL.M. in Real Property Development in order to access another avenue through which I can succeed at my professional goals in real estate.”
JURIS DOCTOR/MASTER OF LAWS IN TAXATION
Zacarias Quezada, who is earning his JD/LLM in Taxation, was part of the moot team that competed at the Spanish-only Moot Madrid Competition in 2015. The team came in second. "The long and arduous road to Madrid, which first began nine months ago, was daunting and the numerous obstacles faced this year at times seemed insurmountable,” said Quezada. “However, with the support of my team, professors, and the tireless hours dedicated to preparing, I learned what a cohesive group of ambitious young professionals could achieve. The journey to Madrid resulted in life-long friendships, and mentors who I know I will always be able to turn to."Robert Rowe, with Samuel Bookhardt, won Miami Law’s John T. Gaubatz Moot Court Competition, the main moot court contest at Miami Law used to select the top twenty-five advocates for the Charles C. Papy Moot Court Board based on performance. Said Rowe. “Overall, the experience was phenomenal and a lot of fun thanks to the hard work of the Board.”
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Miami Law’s Fall 2016 Commencement will be held on Thursday, December 15 at 10:00 a.m. at the Watsco Center, 1245 Dauer Drive, on the Coral Gables campus. A reception for the graduates and their family will immediately follow at the nearby Newman Alumni Center, 6200 San Amaro Drive.
