Tell our readers a bit about yourself. Where are you in your career, and how did you get here?
I moved to Miami in 2021 shortly after graduating law school, part of the broader New York-to-Florida migration but motivated by the opportunities that were opening up in Florida. I grew up in Washington Heights—New York City’s “Little Dominican Republic”—in a household soundtracked by bachata and merengue and fueled by café con leche. I credit my environment for shaping me into a storyteller. I’m also a first-generation college student, which very much informs how I approach my career and my appreciation for mentorship and networking in a profession where networks are often assumed.
I graduated from Cornell University, where I studied philosophy and global health—an academic combination that trained me to think critically and write precisely. I went on to attend American University Washington College of Law, where my work on the Business Law Review, in the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, and with Judge Timothy Kelly in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia reinforced the discipline required to make complex ideas accessible. Most importantly, law school is where I found my first legal mentor. Professor Kenneth Anderson introduced me to the regulation of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence before those issues were widely taught, while also guiding me toward private practice and helping me begin to imagine the contours of my career.
Today, I practice primarily in complex civil litigation, with a strong focus on appellate issues. Across my work, my background and training continue to inform how I practice: identifying what matters, quieting the noise, and presenting arguments with clarity and intention.
What made you decide to be a lawyer?
I think I inherited the idea of becoming a lawyer from my mother, who always wanted to pursue law but did not have the resources to finish her education. It’s difficult to say where her aspirations end and mine begin, but that sense of unfinished possibility always remained. The idea crystallized during an internship at the United Nations. There, I worked in the orbit of attorneys representing their respective countries on an international stage—often collaboratively, in service of shared goals. Watching that kind of advocacy was inspiring, but also grounding. It showed me that law can be a way of giving structure and credibility to ideas. Somewhere along that path, I realized I might want to be someone who speaks for others too.
What does your current practice look like?
I’ve been practicing for four years and am currently an associate at Dinsmore & Shohl in Miami. Although the firm is relatively new to Miami, it has been around for more than a century, and it offers the combination I value most: big-law resources paired with Midwestern collegiality.
My practice is primarily appellate–I’ve worked on more than forty appeals since becoming an attorney. Day to day, my work sits at the intersection of appellate strategy and trial support. That generally means serving as appellate counsel at trial, drafting and arguing dispositive motions, and handling nuanced pre- and post-trial motion practice designed to preserve and sharpen issues for appeal.
Substantively, my work spans a wide range of issues, including personal and subject-matter jurisdiction, sovereign immunity, construction defect and personal injury claims, insurance-coverage disputes, contract-based litigation, and arbitration enforcement. What I enjoy most about this work is the discipline it demands: identifying the issue that drives the outcome, shaping the record carefully, presenting a clear story that holds up on appeal, and carrying it through.
Do you have any fun hobbies outside of work? What are they?
I have a few creative hobbies outside of work. I keep a scrapbook of my travels—Thailand, Mexico, England, Morocco, and most recently Japan—which has become my way of holding onto small details and special moments that might otherwise be lost. I also write poetry regularly, always returning to language as my refuge and tool, so that nothing remains unexamined. Since moving to Miami, I’ve joined a girls’ walking club, which has been a fun way to explore the city and make new friends. I’m also active in the Cornell Club of Greater Miami, which has been a way to stay connected to my alma mater and build community locally.
When did you realize you were interested in appellate practice?
I realized I was drawn to appellate practice about six months into my career, when I was assigned to handle an appeal as appellant. It was my first time navigating the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure, which made for a steep learning curve and a memorable introduction to appellate work. What stood out to me most was the space to think and write carefully. I had the time and the responsibility to get the writing right, and the expectations were high. My client cared deeply about precision, and we wanted the brief to reflect the very best version of the argument. That focus on disciplined writing resonated with me, and it’s been a through line in my practice ever since.
How did you hear about APS’ fellowship program?
I heard about the APS Fellowship through my mentor, Katie Ender, who encouraged me to apply and then followed up—twice—to make sure I did. I’m very glad she did. Her persistence felt like a quiet vote of confidence.
What is one thing you’re most excited about for the fellowship program?
I’m most excited about meeting other appellate practitioners. It’s a small and close-knit community, and I’ve been eager to find my footing within it and learn from lawyers who care about the craft. The fellowship feels like a natural entry point and I’m hoping it will serve as a catalyst for deeper engagement.
One space or two space?
One space. Not just because the typewriter is gone (though may it rest in peace), but because one space keeps sentences moving. Two spaces introduce a micro‑pause the reader didn’t ask for. And anything that disrupts momentum works against you. Judges read fast. Clerks read fast. Our job is to remove friction, not add speed bumps. So unless you plan to retrograde your equipment and return to parchment and quill, one space is the more persuasive choice.
Do you have any preferences or tips that you feel everybody should follow when writing appellate briefs?
If I had to pick one tip, it would be to invest real time in the introduction. Win or lose, I usually find myself praising or blaming the introduction.
There are introductions that do not tell the reader what matters:
This appeal arises from a final judgment entered by the trial court on March 3, 2024, following a jury trial in which the jury returned a verdict in favor of Appellee. The trial court denied Appellant’s post-trial motions, and Appellant now seeks review of those rulings. As explained below, the trial court committed reversible error.
And there are introductions that frame your case before the facts ever appear:
This appeal turns on a single legal issue: whether a Florida trial court may exercise personal jurisdiction over a foreign defendant based solely on the unilateral conduct of a third party. Florida law answers that question clearly—it may not. Yet that is precisely what happened here. Because the trial court’s ruling expands personal jurisdiction beyond constitutional and statutory limits, it must be reversed.
Clarity at the outset can matter as much as the law itself, and that careful attention to structure and tone in the opening can carry through the entire brief.
The Appellate Practice Section Fellowship is open to all members of The Florida Bar in good standing who have been practicing for fewer than 5 years. Applications for the next fellowship term will be available in February of 2027.
