Hosted by WSHC+B partner Marlon Hill, the series brings together lawyer from across North America, including Aarij Wasti (partner at Gowling WLG, Toronto), Juan Carlos Partida (partner at EC Rubio, Mexico City), and other WSHC+B attorneys who focus their practice on governmental affairs, sports and entertainment, immigration, intellectual property, business transactions, labor & employment, and real property.

The series breaks down the complex issues stakeholders face—from immigration and border protocols to sponsorship, licensing, and venue operations. Each episode delivers actionable guidance and real-world examples, equipping in-house counsel, sponsors, venue operators, government liaisons, and other professionals to navigate challenges and turn them into opportunities.Sideline Conversations: Road to ’26 is designed for anyone looking to stay informed on the cross-border legal and commercial trends shaping the FIFA World Cup 2026 experience.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch each monthly episode and stay ahead of the conversation.

Watch the first episode here: https://youtu.be/LTELlMfUbsQ?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

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“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.

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On December 3, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction in the case of Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc. v. Garland, temporarily halting the enforcement of the CTA and its beneficial ownership reporting requirements. The court also stayed all deadlines for compliance.

On December 23, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an order staying the injunction. As a result, reporting companies were once again required to submit beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Most companies were required to file by a new, extended deadline of January 13, 2025.

The renewed reporting requirement was short-lived, though, because in yet another turn of events, on December 26, 2024, the same appellate court vacated its stay of the injunction. Accordingly, reporting companies under the CTA are no longer required to file a BOI report while the Court debates the merits of the case. 

Given this continued uncertainty, reporting companies should make a determination as to whether to submit their BOI report voluntarily or await an appellate decision on the injunction. For those companies that decide to wait, completing the analysis to identify their beneficial owners under the CTA may facilitate filing in the event enforcement of the law is reinstated. This is an extremely fluid situation. If you decide not to file, you need to make sure that you are closely following the decisions rendered in the Texas Top Cop Shop case.

For those reporting companies that choose to file voluntarily or need assistance in determining their beneficial owners, our Firm remains ready to assist them in navigating the process and ensuring compliance with the requirements.

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Marlon and two other nominees were recognized at the 20th Annual Marcus Garvey Rootz Extravaganza. The award recognizes important members of the Jamaican community.

The event, timed to honor the 137th birthday of political activist Marcus Garvey, was attended by Jean Garvey, the widow of Marcus Garvey Jr.

The Rootz Foundation provides essential educational, cultural, recreational, health, and multimedia intervention services nationally and internationally to underserved individuals, especially minority students.

Marlon represents businesses, entrepreneurs, and local and international governments in corporate, intellectual property, and government matters. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Marlon has served as a civic leader in a number of roles across South Florida, especially with African-American and Caribbean-American communities.

The post WSHC+B Attorney Marlon Hill Receives Marcus Garvey Community Service Award appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

In discussing the potential impact of these decertifications, Marlon expressed confidence that USCIS would likely avoid drastic measures, stating, “I don’t anticipate that there’s going to be any knee-jerk, wholesale termination of these centers. No one wins at that point.” Marlon added, “At the end of the day, it remains to be seen whether the USCIS will ultimately exercise its termination authority or reset the program in an election year.” 

Marlon Hill represents businesses, entrepreneurs, and local and international governments in corporate, intellectual property, and government matters. For international entrepreneurs and families, Marlon manages the filing of business and family immigration visa petitions for investor entrepreneurs, specialty occupation professionals, multi-national executive transferees, entertainers, artists, and media talent.

Read more: https://www.bisnow.com/national/news/capital-markets/eb-5-funds-face-hair-on-fire-moment-as-surprise-termination-letters-arrive-in-the-mail-125393?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

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Alison has mobilized support through WSHC+B, donating $5,000 to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). The donation was presented at the well-attended annual Independence church service hosted under the patronage of Consul General Oliver Mair in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

Marlon, for his part, partnered with organizations such as the American Friends of Jamaica and the Global Empowerment Mission to gather vital relief supplies, including first aid kits, tarps, and canned goods. “Whether it was only one parish or the entire island, our people need us to organize and mobilize funds and resources to help them recover, heal, and rebuild their lives and their livelihoods,” Marlon said.

Both Alison and Marlon grew up in Jamaica and maintain strong ties to the island. WSHC+B is proud to support Marlon and Alison’s efforts. Their dedication and hard work exemplify the spirit of our firm and our commitment to making a positive impact in the communities we serve and beyond.

Read more here: https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024/08/05/two-florida-based-sisters-open-hearts-hurricane-battered-hometown-st-elizabeth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

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“We are thrilled to be selected by the DBR as a 2024 Florida Legal Awards finalist in the Innovators category. Our well-rounded RTWC2026 Focus Group is at the forefront of helping businesses and governments take advantage of the exciting opportunities offered by the 2026 FIFA World Cup games being hosted in South Florida,” says Marlon Hill, WSHC+B Partner and member of the RTWC2026 Focus Group.

Our RTWC2026 Focus Group, composed of Alan K. Fertel, Chad S. Friedman, Fabio Giallanza, Marlon A. Hill, Mitchell A. Bierman, and Nelson Slosbergas, will be at the forefront of the Firm’s efforts in assisting clients with their World Cup-related business activities. 

The firm’s RTWC2026 Focus Group will be honored at the DBR’s Florida Legal Awards event on April 4, 2024. 

Read more here: https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2024/03/10/innovators-weiss-serota-helfman-cole-bierman/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

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Marlon mentions that despite Black individuals constituting around 17% to 19% of Florida’s population, the representation within the local legal sector does not align with these demographics. He highlighted why this lack of reflection should concern the entire legal profession.

Marlon represents businesses, entrepreneurs, and local and international governments in corporate, intellectual property, business immigration, and government matters. 

Listen to the podcast here: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/6114e6db/I0eSWBVmp0aCUDGEdmVo4A?u=https://legalspeak.libsyn.com/&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss.

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Our Road to the World Cup Focus Group – RTWC2026 Focus Group, composed of Alan K. Fertel, Chad S. Friedman, Fabio Giallanza, Marlon A. Hill, Mitchell A. Bierman, and Nelson Slosbergas, was recognized for its innovative approach to providing professional assistance to clients preparing for the 2026 World Cup.

The RTWC2026 Focus Group will be at the forefront of the Firm’s efforts in assisting clients with their World Cup-related business activities. With its multilingual and multicultural team, the RTWC2026 Focus Group is well versed in serving domestic as well as international businesses and organizations in French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish and Hebrew.

The firm’s RTWC2026 Focus Group will be honored at the DBR’s Florida Legal Awards event on April 4, 2024. 

To view the full list of honorees and finalists, click here.

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