The article explores the ongoing efforts to preserve the old courthouse’s complex history as judges transition into the newer modern facility.

Joe, who helped lead the renovation efforts, discussed the importance of acknowledging the courthouse’s full history and explained decisions to preserve features such as a Jim Crow–era water fountain.The plaque over the fountain was dedicated for Black History Month along with another one across the hall marking the election of Barack Obama in 2008. 

“I mean, that’s really history,” Serota said. “That was our justice system, and if that wasn’t hypocrisy, I don’t know what is.”

Joe recently made his first legal argument in the new, modern courthouse, describing the building in one word: “utilitarian.” Even so, he remains optimistic that the old courthouse will continue to be valued and he is hopeful that a new owner will preserve its unique architectural and historical features in an adapted space that honors its legacy for generations to come.

Joe is a founding partner of WSHC+B and serves as the firm’s General Counsel. He has long been a leader in Miami’s legal community and remains deeply connected to the history and evolution of the Miami-Dade court system.

Click here to view the article.

The post WSHC+B Founding Partner Joseph H. Serota Comments on Miami-Dade County Courthouse Relocation in Miami Herald Article appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Haydee is a partner in the firm’s Government Division, where she serves as lead City Attorney for Miami Springs and North Bay Village. She also represents private developers on land use and zoning matters. She has been deeply involved with CABA for over a decade, previously serving as Vice President, Secretary, Co-Chair of the Young Lawyers and Judicial Committees, and Co-Chair of the Art in the Tropics annual fundraiser supporting CABA’s Pro Bono Legal Services.

Candice represents municipalities on a broad range of issues, including contracts and compliance with public records, sunshine, and ethics laws. She is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator, and applies her alternative dispute resolution training to her practice. A CABA member since 2013, Candice has previously served two terms as CABA’s Secretary, has Co-Chaired the CABA on Cuba Committee for seven years, and provides pro bono representation for Cuban political prisoners before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Together, Haydee and Candice were involved in CABA’s efforts to name Miami-Dade County’s new civil courthouse the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center, honoring the late civil rights advocate and past CABA president. Candice also helped secure significant artwork for the courthouse’s jury room, a testament to the collaborative efforts that brought this project to life.

The post WSHC+B Attorneys Haydee Sera and Candice Balmori Elected to Leadership Roles with the Cuban American Bar Association appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

In this role, Tania will help lead initiatives that promote engagement and strengthen connections within our legal community. The Miami-Dade Bar’s mission is to be the voice of Miami-Dade County’s legal profession, serving the public and the bar by promoting equal justice, professionalism and civility, and excellence and respect for the law.

Tania has more than 16 years of experience representing clients in complex litigation cases throughout the state of Florida. She currently handles various civil trial and appellate matters for her clients, including complex commercial disputes, civil rights claims, and torts.

The post WSHC+B Attorney Tania Varela Named Vice Chair of the Miami-Dade Bar Civil Litigation Committee appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Founded in 1995 by Stephanie and Jules Trump, The Foundation’s Miami chapter is a non-profit dedicated to motivating and empowering children from low-income communities to achieve their educational and career goals. Through long-term mentoring, tutoring, enrichment programs, and tuition assistance, the Foundation provides students with the tools and support needed to pursue higher education.

The Miami chapter adopted the entire second-grade class at Charles R. Drew School in Liberty City—97 Dreamers in total. Of those students, 95 advanced to twelfth grade, 83 graduated on time in 2005, 54 earned college degrees, and several others are currently pursuing higher education. In a community where the average income is $11,000, one in four children faces arrest by age 16, teenage pregnancy is common, and graduation rates fall below 25%, the “I Have a Dream” Miami program has helped defy the odds. These Dreamers have shown that opportunity can transform outcomes, regardless of one’s circumstances.

Building on this impact, the Miami chapter has expanded its work to support students at Fulford Elementary in North Miami Beach. The “I Have a Dream” Foundation remains the only U.S. nonprofit offering continuous, year-round support to lower-income children throughout their entire educational journey.

The post WSHC+B Sponsors and Attends the “I Have A Dream” Foundation’s Annual Gala appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

“Job Posting: Will pick mangoes for FREE. Highly professional and efficient.”  

I was not fully prepared for what came next. I was inundated with offers from friends and family to visit their humble collection of mango trees scattered across Miami-Dade County. Usually at dusk when the weather was more pleasing, I’d venture out to mango land. Thus “We The People Mango Services” was born. After all, every mango tree needs a community friend. 

In the tropical heart of Miami’s summer season, when the sun lingers a little longer and hotter and the air hangs ripe with possibility, something beautiful unfolds among our local foliage: mangoes blush with a red and golden glow, hung on branches heavy with promise. For me, this mango season has sparked not just a harvest, but a quiet revolution in how we can show up for one another. I call it mango as a community currency with no exchange rate.

During each visit with friends, there was no money exchanged, no formal agreements — just a willing hand and shared joy. For some, their deathly fear of lizards, iguanas and other crawling neighbors of nature was enough to put me on speed dial. For others, the sheer volume of mangoes, battles with squirrels or an aversion to rotten fruit were sufficient reasons to welcome my farmer hand. 

From these community harvests, we gifted mangoes to others in the community: co-workers, elders, children, newcomers and friends we have not connected with in months and less so during the pandemic. And with every handoff of a sun-warmed fruit, something extraordinary happened: We connected. We slowed down. We exchanged smiles and stories of our mutual love.

In a world often overrun with transactional exchanges, mangoes remind us that generosity can be deeply simple and wildly powerful. A mango is never just a mango — it’s a gesture. A story. A smile between strangers. A memory waiting to be made. To pick one from a tree, still sticky with sap, and offer it freely is to say, “I see you. You matter. Let’s share this moment.”

There’s something anciently and soulfully special about this fruit. It grows effortlessly in our Caribbean and South Florida yards, provided by nature with abundance. Yet we rarely stop to honor its magic. Mangoes feed not just the body but the spirit. They ask nothing of us except to be gathered and shared. In doing so, they become symbols of reciprocity, humility and joy.

The act of harvesting together is sacred, too. It slows us down, requires cooperation, and invites storytelling. Someone always has a memory to share — the mango tree planted by a grandfather, the childhood games played beneath its shade, the recipe passed down through generations, the joy from the mango juice dripping down the crease of your palm to your elbow. These conversations, woven between branches and over buckets of fruit, root us deeper in the soil of our shared humanity.

This experiment of mine has grown into a movement, one sweet exchange at a time. As we turn mangoes into meals, gifts and gestures of connection, we rewrite what community care can look like. We build new traditions. We learn that sometimes the most radical thing we can do is offer something beautiful and ask nothing in return. For the people, by the people, of the people.

For this summer and other seasons to come, let’s remember to ignore the noise of the world and extend the open door of this gift of nature. Because when we share mangoes, we share more than fruit — we share love, belonging and the delicious truth that we are all connected.

To read the original blog post in The Miami Times, click here.

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A past recipient of PhilanthropyMiami’s Hank Raattama Community Champion Award, Marlon has a long-standing record of civic leadership and public service, leveraging his legal knowledge to empower nonprofit and community-based organizations.

PhilanthropyMiami’s mission is to equip nonprofit leaders with the tools, training, and connections they need to thrive, fostering an inclusive community of nonprofit professionals, volunteers, and organizations across Miami-Dade. Marlon’s insight and leadership will be instrumental as the organization continues to expand its impact across the region.

The post WSHC+B Partner Marlon Hill Joins the Board of Directors of PhilanthropyMiami appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Known as America’s Relationship Coach, Dr. Del Rosario has spent more than three decades helping individuals and families navigate challenges, build resilience, and create stronger relationships. As the CEO of Empowerment Concepts, Inc., and the founder of ReCapturing the Vision International (RTV), Dr. Del Rosario has led her nonprofit to secure over $30 million in funding, providing underserved communities with access to critical educational programs and resources. Her work has directly impacted 50+ communities and 32,000 families nationwide.

Dr. Del Rosario has played a key role in shaping national education policy, serving on The White House Advisory Panel and testifying before Congress on the importance of whole-child education. She has developed 12 curricula used in schools across the country, helping students build resilience, emotional intelligence, and life skills. Her commitment to breaking the generational cycles that affect low-income communities has helped make RTV a globally recognized nonprofit.

In addition to her work in education, Dr. Del Rosario is a renowned relationship coach who has personally counseled over 4,000 couples, guiding them through challenges and helping them build strong, lasting relationships. Her two latest initiatives, Trauma Treatment and Relationship Keys, provide individuals with transformative tools for healing and personal growth.

A sought-after speaker and media expert, Dr. Del Rosario’s insights have been featured on Fox, NBC, ABC, CNN, Bravo, and Hallmark, as well as in publications like People, Bloomberg, Newsweek, The Huffington Post, Brides, and Parade.

In celebration of #WomensHistoryMonth, we honor Dr. Jacqueline Del Rosario for her dedication to helping her community by advocating for education reform and empowering individuals and families to build stronger, healthier relationships.

The post Women’s History Month Client Highlight: Dr. Jacqueline Del Rosario appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

A first-generation Indian American, Rashmi Airan graduated with honors from Columbia Law School and embarked on a successful legal career, gaining valuable experience at major corporations. Her expertise in law and business eventually led her to launch her own legal practice, where she worked with clients across multiple sectors. Today, Rashmi partners with leading companies, financial services firms, CPAs, lawyers, real estate professionals, and leadership groups to help organizations tackle ethical challenges and cultivate values-driven cultures.

Rashmi’s journey is one of profound transformation. While navigating the pressures of building a successful career, she found herself blindsided by a client whose unethical actions ultimately led her to make a decision that resulted in a federal prison sentence. Despite the unintended consequences, Rashmi converted this humbling experience into a turning point. She emerged with a renewed sense of purpose, gaining invaluable personal growth and a deep commitment to helping others navigate ethical challenges in their own careers.

Now an internationally recognized keynote speaker and TEDx presenter, Rashmi uses her story to ignite conversations around ethics, decision-making, and organizational culture. With over thirty years of real-world experience in finance, business, and law, she is a sought-after consultant and speaker, bringing valuable insights to leaders facing complex challenges. Rashmi has collaborated with global brands like Coca-Cola, Cardinal Health, Merck, Comcast, Sotheby’s, and Hershey’s, and her expertise is bolstered by years of research in behavioral psychology.

Her transformative journey and ability to turn adversity into strength have earned her recognition in major outlets such as the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. Additionally, Deloitte has highlighted the relatability and power of her story, which spans from an Ivy League education to a deeply personal transformation that reshaped her approach to leadership.

Beyond her professional impact, Rashmi is deeply committed to giving back to the community. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Overtown Youth Center/Alonzo Mourning Foundation and as an Ambassador for The Key Clubhouse, continuing her mission to empower others.

In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, we celebrate Rashmi Airan for her dedication to ethical leadership and her ability to transform organizations and empower their employees through her personal journey.

The post Women’s History Month Client Highlight: Rashmi Airan appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Giulia has dedicated her career to fighting for the undocumented community, ensuring those who have been exploited in their work or by the people who brought them to the country, as well as victims of domestic violence, receive the legal support they deserve. Her entrepreneurial spirit and client-centered approach have fueled GFI’s rapid expansion, establishing it as a leader in humanitarian immigration law within just a few years.

GFI is built on the belief that every immigrant deserves a chance at a better future. Through pioneering legal strategies for T visas, U visas, VAWA, the firm has helped thousands of immigrants obtain legal status, allowing them to live and work without fear.

Beyond legal advocacy, Giulia and her team are dedicated to community education, pro bono support, and policy advocacy. Through social media outreach, partnerships, and high-impact legal work, GFI has become more than just a law firm—it’s a movement for justice and a beacon of hope for immigrants across the U.S.

This #WomensHistoryMonth, we honor Giulia’s resilience, advocacy, and dedication to justice. Her work not only transforms lives but also drives meaningful change in immigration law.

The post Women’s History Month Client Highlight: Giulia Fantacci appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

The Palm Beach County Personnel Appeals Board is responsible for adjudicating appeals from permanent status, non-bargaining unit employees regarding discharges and layoffs. Upon an employee’s request, the Board conducts hearings and renders final, binding decisions.

As a Florida Bar Board Certified attorney in Labor and Employment Law, Brett helps public and private sector employers resolve issues in a prompt and efficient manner. Brett is a frequent speaker on labor and employment law and human resources matters and works closely with employers to ensure that their practices comply with federal, state, and local laws.

The post WSHC+B Partner Brett Schneider Appointed to Palm Beach County Personnel Appeals Board appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.