Jaret Davis, JD ’99, Reaffirms Commitment as Social Justice Advocate at Miami Law Workspace Rededication

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Jaret Davis, J.D.'99 & B.A.'96

Jaret Davis, J.D. ’99 and B.A. ’96, saw 2020 as an inflection point for social justice in the United States. In the wake of the murder of 46-year-old George Floyd in Minnesota in May, Davis called for a “commitment to empathy and appreciating the common humanity within us all.”

At Miami Law, the magna cum laude double ‘Cane was a member of the executive editorial board of the University of Miami Law Review. He also served as a member of the Moot Court Board, was the Catsman Fellow for the School of Law's Center for Ethics and Public Service, and the first African-American chief of the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the leading honor society at the University of Miami. As an alumnus, Davis was Law Alumni Association president during the 2013-2014 academic year.

“One of the reasons I chose the University of Miami School of Law for my studies is because I was impressed by their ability to master the hybrid of striving for excellence as a practitioner, regardless of the area of law, while also instilling a fervor for addressing social justice,” Davis said. “My success at Greenberg Traurig and my commitment to community service are both rooted in this powerful ethos that drew me to Miami Law and grew under the mentorship of greats such as former Dean Sam Thompson, late great Professors John T. Gaubatz and Richard Hausler and administrators like Marni Lennon.

The co-managing shareholder of the Miami office of Greenberg Traurig, P.A. – one of the largest law firms in the U.S. – and a member of the firm’s global executive committee, oversees approximately 170 attorneys and 200 business staff based in the firm’s founding office in Miami. Davis focuses his corporate and securities practice on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, and large financings.

In addition to his routine representation of information technology companies, life sciences/biotech companies, angel investors, venture capital firms and growth equity firms, the Miami native has redoubled his efforts to make a difference in his community with a focus on bringing everyone together to work toward solutions.

“For the good of our society, I would issue a plea that we all join in this dialogue,” he wrote in the Miami Herald in June, 2020. “The NAACP has already brought some proposals to the table. And while this plea obviously includes the leadership of law enforcement, more importantly it must include the police unions such as the Policemen’s Benevolent Association and the Fraternal Order of Police. This dialogue cannot be had in a meaningful fashion without their involvement.

“My greatest hope is, while there is great discord now, through communication, common humanity, and empathy, we can see a path forward to grow closer as individuals and as a community,” he wrote.

On November 22, 2020, Davis was honored at the MCCJ Humanitarian Awards with a 2020 Silver Medallion award during a virtual ceremony. Since 1946, Silver Medallions have been presented to individuals in South Florida whose humanitarian work promoting social justice and equality have contributed to unity and a better understanding between persons of different religions, races and ethnic groups.

The Robert H. Waters Chapter of the National Black Law Student Association and Miami Law will similarly recognize Davis with the virtual re-dedication of the Jaret L. Davis BLSA Racial Justice Collaborative Workspace, located within the law school rooms at the Donna E. Shalala Student Center, on Wednesday, February 3, 2021, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. EST. The event is free and open to the public with registration.

The event will also serve to unveil a gift to the law school: artist Sydney Maubert’s 2021 acrylic on canvas painting, “On the Shoulders of Giants.” The work depicts icons of Black history from civil rights activist Eula Johnson and Malcom X, victims of police violence Breonna Taylor and Emmett Till to local legends Marvin Dunn, Arthur McDuffie, all within the afro of Angela Davis.

“I envision this space continuing to serve as a refuge and safe space for the disenfranchised, so they may use it to grow as lawyers and civic leaders, in a similar manner to how the law school nurtured the same in me,” said Davis. “By cultivating this personal growth, we can create an optimal environment for dialogue and connectivity. We can no longer operate in silos of race, gender and nationality. Through shared experiences, we can learn to appreciate our common threads and grow together with a commitment for change.”

Read about Miami Law's social justice and public interest program