Puerto Rico Attorney Reform Litigation Compliance Issues Expert Witness

Background

Attorney at Law – Notary Public with twenty-three (23) years of experience in active litigation before State and Federal Courts and Administrative Agencies. Ample experience in management of complex and remedial structural class action cases’ litigation, negotiation processes, and consultant to government officials in matters related to public policy and pending litigation in courts. Also, vastly experienced in Constitutional Law, Labor and Civil Rights litigation.

Work Experience

At present, Expert is a Partner of the A Name, LLP Law Firm, where she handles active litigation matters and participates in the administration of the Firm; From 1997-2001, Partner at  A Name, LLP., where she was in charge of handling active litigation matters and participating in the administration of the Firm; From 1993-1996, Senior Associate at Martinez, Odell & Calabria, as part of the Litigation Department of said Firm; From 1992-1993, Consultant under contract for the Litigation Department at Fiddler Gonzalez & Rodriguez, where she handled complex class action cases pending in Federal court regarding prisoners’ civil rights; From 1987-1992, Senior Associate at Ramirez & Ramirez, where she acted as lead counsel in handling day to day complex class action cases pending in Federal court regarding prisoners’ civil rights.

Experience in institutional reform litigation and compliance issues: Expert has had active leading participation as an attorney and consultant in practically every multi-plaintiff case dealing with the living conditions of institutionalized individuals in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, including adult corrections, juvenile institutions, psychiatric hospital patients and the mentally ill. She also participated in a class action suit, dealing with the services given to disabled children by the Commonwealth’s Department of Education.

Specific experience in adult corrections’ reform litigation and compliance issues: First as counsel and then and lead counsel for the Commonwealth in the Morales Feliciano litigation for over fifteen years, Expert has participated in almost all of the important events that have taken place since the case started, including the stipulations and orders that are now in full force and effect. She has worked with all parties involved in negotiating, monitoring and sometimes litigating compliance issues, in all conceivable scenarios, ranging from the simplest to extremely complex issues such as the privatization of the correctional health component.

Bar Membership

Admitted to the U.S Federal District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, the First Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.), 1986, Interamerican School of Law; Bachelor’s Degree (B.A.), 1981, University of Puerto Rico.