The Law Alumni Association recently hosted its annual Miami-Dade County Judicial Reception, held at the School of Law at the Coral Gables campus. The guests were welcomed by president of the LAA, Stephanie L. Carman, J.D. ‘01, who honored the Law Alumni Association award recipients - the Honorable Javier Enriquez, J.D. ‘14, the Honorable Darrin Gayles, the Honorable Norma S. Lindsey, J.D. ‘93, Roland Sanchez-Medina, Jr., BBA ‘88, and Laurie Silvers, J.D. ‘77. These honorees are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the legal profession, community, and students.
Judge Enriquez is a Circuit Court Judge in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court. Previously he served as General Counsel for Florida’s Department of Children and Families. At Miami Law, Judge Enriquez was the Litigation Skills Program Marco A. Vasquez Scholarship recipient, president of the Federalist Society, and an Associate Justice on the SBA Supreme Court. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Knights of Columbus Coral Gables Council, Gulliver Schools Alumni Council, and the United Nations Women’s Miami Chapter.
Judge Gayles is a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. He previously served as a judge of Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit. Judge Gayles received his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, after which he began his career as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County. He then worked for the US Department of Justice as an Assistant District Counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and later as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He is an adjunct professor at St. Thomas University College of Law, former co-chairman of the 11th Judicial Circuit’s Professionalism Committee, and an active volunteer in Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 100 Black Men of South Florida, and the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project.
Judge Lindsey serves as a judge for the Florida Third District Court of Appeal. Previously she practiced in commercial litigation. She has judged Miami Law Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions, FIU Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions, and various others in the area. She has been active in judicial education, serving as faculty member of the Civil Track for the Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies (she was also co-chair), Florida Judicial College, the Florida Conferences of Circuit Court Judges, and the Florida Conference of County Court Judges. She remains active in many organizations in the community.
Roland Sanchez-Medina, Jr. is a partner at SMG&Q Law and is President-Elect of the Florida Bar. Prior to forming the firm, he was a senior associate at Holland & Knight and a partner at McDermott, Will & Emery. After receiving his BBA from UM, he received his J.D. from Boston College Law. He has served as a member of the Orange Bowl Committee, chairman of the Miami-Dade County School Board Budget & Audit Committee, general counsel of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and as president of the Cuban American Bar Association.
Laurie Silvers is co-CEO of Hollywood.com, an entertainment website, and is the current Chair of the UM Board of Trustees. She is the co-founder of the Syfy Channel, and co-founder and majority owner of MisFits, an esports organization. She is also the majority owner of four FM radio stations in Florida. She is an active member of the PBS Foundation in Washington, D.C., South Florida PBS, United Way Palm Beach, and the International Women’s Forum of Palm Beach.
The event was sponsored by Gary M. Carman, J.D. ‘74, Kristina A. Downey, J.D. ‘12, GrayRobinson, Holland & Knight, Jones Walker LLP, Leinoff & Lemos P.A., Marlow Law Firm, Shutts & Bowen LLP, Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits, Todd R. Friedman, P.A., Vasquez de Lara Law Group, and Zebersky Payne Shaw Lewenz LLP.
