WORK EXPERIENCE
MANAGING PARTNER, de la O, Marko, Magolnick & Leyton, September 1994 -
ASSOCIATE, Neal R. Sonnett, P.A., October 1993 - August 1994
ASSOCIATE, Sonnett Sale & Kuehne, P.A., August 1991 - September 1993
ASSOCIATE, Steel Hector & Davis, September 1989 - August 1991
HONORS:
AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Named a Florida Legal Elite by Florida Trend Magazine, 2004 – 2010
Named a Florida “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics Magazine, '07, '08, '09 & 2010
Named “Best of the Bar” by the South Florida Business Journal, 2005
Union Planters’ Young Hispanic Leadership Award, 2004
Named “Boss of the Year” by The Miami-Dade Legal Support Association, 2004
Fellowship, Miami Fellows Initiative, 1999-2000
Guardian Ad Litem of the Month, March 1992 and January 1994.
Nominated, 11th Judicial Circuit Guardian Ad Litem Award, 1994
2nd place, National Cross-Examination Debate Association Tournament, 1986
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Chairperson, City of Miami Civil Service Board, 2004 – 2010
Board of Directors, Miami-Dade Urban Debate League, 2005 – 2009
Member, Coral Way K-8 Educational Excellence School Advisory Council, 2008 –
Board of Directors, Dade County Bar Association, 2002 – 2006
Hearing Officer, Dade County School Board, 1995 –
Member, Community Relations Board, City of Miami, 2003 – 2005
Member, Charter Review Committee, City of Miami, 2003 – 2004
Member, Civilian Investigative Panel Nominating Committee, 2002
Board of Directors, Human Services Coalition, 2001 – 2006
Board of Advisors, Haitian-American Scholarship Fund, 2002 –
Board of Advisors, ALS Recovery Foundation, 2001 – 2003
Board of Directors, People with Aids Coalition, 1996 – 1998
Guardian Ad Litem Attorney, 1990 - 1995
BAR
Admissions:
Florida, 1989
Southern District of Florida, 1991 (Trial Bar, 1992)
Middle District of Florida, 2002
Northern District of Florida, 2002
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 1991
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1996
Second Circuit Court of Appeals, 1997
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2008
Memberships:
American Bar Association
Cuban-American Bar Association
Dade County Bar Association
Spellman-Hoeveler American Inn of Court, 1993-1995, 2001 - Current
Activities:
Chair (2006-07), Florida Board of Bar Examiners, 2002 – 2007
Chair (2006-07), Florida Bar Grievance Committee “B,” 11th Circuit, 2004–2007
Rules and Code of Evidence Committee, Florida Bar (1991 - 1993)
Publications:
M. de la O & D. Leyton, Worth the Wait: Do Copyright Holders Waive The Right To Protect Their Works By Waiting Too Long To File Suit?, Copyright World (Feb. 2003)
Comment, Admissibility of Prior Acquitted Crimes Under Rule 404(b): Why the Majority Should Adopt the Minority Rule, 16 Fla. St. U.L. Rev. 1033 (1989).
EDUCATION
Florida State University College of Law, Graduated April, 1989 with High Honors
Member
Law Review, Articles and Notes Editor
Moot Court, Editorial Chairperson
Awards
Privacy & Information Law Moot Court Competition, Fifth Place, 1987 & 1988; Second Best Brief, 1988
Book Awards: Legal Research & Writing, 1987; Moot Court, 1989
Vandercreek Award for Moot Court, 1989
Order of the Barristers, 1989
National Criminal Defense College, Macon, GA, Summer, 1992
Florida State University, B.S. in Political Science & Criminology, 1986 (Cum Laude)