Florida Supreme Court Justice John D. Couriel will be the featured spring speaker for The Alan S. Becker and Gary A. Poliakoff Preeminent Leaders in Law Speaker Series April 18, 2023, on the campus of the University of Miami.
Couriel is the 90th Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis June 1, 2020.
The Fort Lauderdale-headquartered law firm of Becker & Poliakoff established the speaker series in 2021 to honor the legacy of the founding shareholders by bringing renowned national and international legal experts to Miami Law every semester.
"This is sure to be a great evening," said Gary Rosen, managing partner of Becker & Poliakoff. " We look forward to an interesting, lively discussion learning about Justice Couriel’s background, career path and his insights into the state of the judiciary today in Florida."
Becker, J.D. '69, and Poliakoff, J.D. '69, were two distinguished Miami Law alumni and prominent legal community leaders. They met when they were paired for a mock trial competition while attending law school, which led to a partnership and, ultimately, the firm's formation. Most notably, Becker and Poliakoff helped conceive, draft, and pass the laws governing shared ownership housing in Florida.
The firm, which has since evolved into a multidisciplinary practice, is now one of Florida's largest, with 11 offices in Florida, plus additional locations in New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.
According to his official biography, Couriel received his A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard College in 2000 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2003.
He clerked for the Honorable John D. Bates of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia before joining Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York. His practice included securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy matters, and investigations.
In 2009, he became an assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He prosecuted hundreds of federal offenses, including international money laundering, public integrity, health care fraud, and human trafficking crimes.
In 2013, he joined Kobre & Kim LLP, specializing in cross-border disputes and investigations relating to financial products and services, asset recovery, and government enforcement defense, emphasizing clients in Latin America.
Couriel is a native speaker of Spanish. His parents emigrated from Cuba in the 1960s, and his father was one of approximately 14,000 unaccompanied minors welcomed to the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan.
The Tuesday, April 18, 2023, event is free and open to the public with advance registration. A 5 p.m. reception will precede the 6 p.m. lecture at the Storer Auditorium, 5250 University Drive, Coral Gables, Florida. Valet parking will be available.
