The University of Miami School of Law will host Judge Aldaberto Jordan, B.A. '84, J.D. '87, in a conversation with Judge Kevin Newsom, both who serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, at the Alan S. Becker and Gary A. Poliakoff Preeminent Leaders in Law Speaker Series. The two jurists will discuss "Finding Common Ground on a Multi-Member Appellate Court" on April 3, 2025, on the Coral Gables campus.
The speaker series started in 2021 and was created by the law firm Becker & Poliakoff. It honors the legacy of its founders, Alan Becker, J.D. '69, and Gary Poliakoff, J.D. '69, by bringing in law experts each semester. The series aims to enrich the University of Miami community by providing insights into the field of law.
“The speaker series continues to fulfill the vision of our firm’s founders by bringing together some of the brightest legal minds to engage in meaningful discussions on the law and the judiciary,” said Gary C. Rosen, managing partner and CEO of Becker & Poliakoff. “Judge Jordan and Judge Newsom’s conversation on navigating consensus within a multi-member appellate court will provide invaluable insights for students, legal professionals, and the broader community. We encourage all who are interested in the judicial process to attend and be part of this important dialogue.”
In 1961, Jordan was born in Havana, Cuba, and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1968. Following law school, he clerked for Judge Thomas Clark of the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor of the United States Supreme Court. He returned to Miami and was in private practice before working as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida from 1994-1999. He was head of the appellate division during his last year at the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Jordan is currently teaching "The Fundamentals of Appellate Advocacy" at the School of Law.
Newsom is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. He sits in Birmingham, Alabama. Before his appointment to the bench, Newsom was the head of the appellate practice group at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP and, before that, the Solicitor General of Alabama. As a practicing lawyer, Newsom argued four cases in the United States Supreme Court and nearly 40 more in the United States Courts of Appeals and state supreme and appellate courts.
Alan Becker and Gary Poliakoff graduated from Miami Law in 1969. They met while participating in a mock trial competition in law school. Their partnership led to forming their law firm, which has become one of the largest in Florida. The firm has been instrumental in shaping laws related to shared ownership housing, and many of the leading cases in the field bear the firm's name.
Today, Becker & Poliakoff, now a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals, has 15 offices in Florida and locations in New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. The firm remains dedicated to supporting legal education and professional development. The speaker series is a key part of this mission, providing a platform for leading legal minds to share their experiences.
The Thursday, April 3, 2025, event is free and open to the public with advanced registration. The 6 p.m. lecture will take place in the Gail D. Serota, J.D. '79, Reading Room in the Law Library on the Coral Gables campus, with a reception to follow.
The event is part of the University of Miami's centennial celebration, commemorating 100 years of breaking boundaries and shaping what’s next. As the University enters its second century, it remains committed to advancing knowledge, and tackling the challenges of tomorrow.
