Magda Abdo-Gomez
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., University of Miami, 1978, summa cum laude
J.D., University of Florida, 1982
LL.M., University of Florida, Taxation, 1983
After earning her LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida, Magda Abdo-Gomez worked at Robert Feinschreiber and Associates for five months before joining the Chief Counsel’s Office of the Internal Revenue Service in Miami. Her work consisted of all aspects of Tax Court litigation, preparation of defense letters and advisory opinions, and coordination of bankruptcy and refund litigation cases with the United States Attorney and the Department of Justice. In 1986, Ms. Abdo-Gomez became a Special Assistant United States Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami handling all aspects of Bankruptcy Court litigation on behalf of the United States Internal Revenue Service. Since 1988, Ms. Abdo-Gomez has had her own practice, Law Offices of Magda Abdo-Gomez. At St. Thomas University School of Law, she teaches Debtor-Creditor Rights and Bankruptcy Seminar.
Jeffrey Allen
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Southern University, 1979
J.D., Southern University School of Law, 1983
Jeffrey Allen’s experience as a professional athlete for the Dallas Cowboys Football Club serves him well in his legal profession working in the sports law field. From 1982-1984, Mr. Allen worked as an independent contract advisor to the National Football League Players Association handling contract negotiations on behalf of professional athletes. From 1984-1990 he was the president of Allen Pro Sports Management working in contract negotiations, investment planning, and tax planning. Since 1991, Mr. Allen has been with the Law Offices of Gregory A. Samms, and since 1990, he has taught Sports Law at St. Thomas University School of Law.
Reverend Monsignor Andrew Anderson
Associate Director for Student Affairs, Chaplain and Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., St. Bernard College, 1970
M.Div., St. Vincent de Paul Major Seminary, 1973, cum laude
J.C.B., The Catholic University of America, 1980, cum laude
J.D.L., University of St. Thomas, Rome, 1982, summa cum laude
J.C.D., University of St. Thomas, Rome, 1986, magna cum laude
Ordained in 1974, Msgr. Anderson has served as Judicial Vicar, Metropolitan Tribunal, for the Archdiocese of Miami from 1982-1990 and from 1994 to the present. He also serves as associate director for student affairs, chaplain, and adjunct professor of law at St. Thomas University School of Law. Msgr. Anderson has an extensive teaching background, serving as an instructor for St. Leo’s College, Father Ryan High School, and the Permanent Deacon Program of the Archdiocese of Miami, as well as a visiting professor at Barry University and Marymount College. He has also served as president of the Eastern Region Canon Law Society, chaplain of the Catholic Lawyers’ Guild, Miami, and canonical consultant to the Priest Retirement Plan. As an adjunct faculty member at St. Thomas University School of Law, Msgr. Anderson has taught, among others, Comparative Law, Church-State Relations, and Canon Law.
Joni Armstrong Coffey
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Florida State University (summa cum laude), 1976
J.D., University of Florida Law School (honors graduate), 1979
Joni Armstrong Coffey is an Assistant County Attorney for Miami-Dade County, Florida, and heads the Zoning, Land Use and Environment Section of the office. She has been a Florida Bar Board Certified City, County and Local Government Lawyer since 1996, and has served on the Executive Council of the City, County and Local Government Law Section of The Florida Bar since 1990. She is past chair of that section, and has been the recipient of the statewide Paul S. Buchman and the Ralph A. Marsicano Awards for public law service. Ms. Coffey is currently Vice Chair of The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. She has lectured in numerous continuing legal education courses, including those presented by the National Judicial College, The Florida Bar, and the Florida Planning and Zoning Association, and she teaches as an adjunct law professor in the areas of land use and state constitutional law. Published articles include “High Hopes, Hollow Harvest: State Remedies for Partial Regulatory Takings,” The Urban Lawyer, Vol. 39, No.3 (Summer 2007); “Practical Aspects of Quasi-Judicial Hearings: Basic Tools, Recent Fine-Tuning,” Stetson Law Review, Vol. XXX No.3 (2001) and “Private Property Rights Protection Legislation: Statutory Claims for Relief From Government Regulation,” Florida Environmental and Land Use Law Treatise, Vol. III, Chapter 30 (Florida Bar 2001). . She was privileged to serve as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Peter T. Fay, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1979-1980. Ms. Coffey served as editor of the University of Florida Law Review. At St. Thomas University School of Law, she teaches Florida Constitutional Law.
Howard K. Blumberg
Adjunct Professor
B.A., University of South Florida, 1973
J.D., University of Miami, 1978
From his law school days to the present, Howard K. Blumberg has devoted himself to criminal law. As a law student he interned at the Florida State Attorney’s Office, Appellate Division, Miami, Florida (1976-1978), and after graduation spent several months as an Assistant State Attorney in the Appellate Division in Miami. Then in April 1979 he shifted his emphasis to criminal defense, becoming an Assistant Public Defender in the Office of the Public Defender, Appellate Division, Miami, Florida. He has held that position since then, and has presented numerous oral arguments leading to decisions at the Third District Court of Appeal and argued a number of cases in the Florida Supreme Court. In January 2005 he joined the adjunct faculty at St. Thomas University School of Law to teach the classroom component of the Appellate Litigation Clinic.
The Honorable Michael B. Chavies
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Rutgers University, 1971
J.D., Rutgers Law School, 1974
As a law student at Rutgers, Michael Chavies was the president of the Black Law Students Association, and, upon his graduation, received the Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship Award. Following law school, Judge Chavies moved to Jacksonville where he became an Assistant Public Defender. In 1978, he joined the Dade County Public Defender’s Office where he reached the highest trial position attainable when he was promoted to the position of senior attorney. Judge Chavies opened his own law practice in 1985 specializing in criminal defense, civil litigation, and appellate law. Judge Chavies remained in private practice until his appointment to the bench by Governor Lawton Chiles on June 22, 1992. He was invested as a Circuit Court Judge on August 6, 1993, and he won re-election to the Circuit Court Bench for a full six-year term in September of 1994 and again in July of 2000. Judge Chavies currently serves in the Civil Division of the Circuit Court, and has been nominated for a seat on the Third District Court of Appeal in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Judge Chavies is an active member of The Florida Bar, has been recognized by the Dade County Bar Association for pro bono work, and is a member of the Black Lawyers Association, the National Bar Association, the American Judges Association, and the NAACP. He is the director of the Mock Trial for Youth Program. At St. Thomas University School of Law, Judge Chavies teaches the Judicial Internship Clinic for Dade County.
Attilio M. Costabel
Adjunct Professor of Law
Istituto Scolastico Vittorino da Feltre, Genoa, Italy, 1958, Valedictorian
Genoa University School of Law, 1962, summa cum laude
J.D., University of Miami School of Law, 1987
Attilio Costabel began his distinguished legal career in Italy in 1962 as an apprentice at Uckmar Law Office handling general tax law, commercial, admiralty and litigation practice. In 1962, he joined a major Italian national admiralty firm, Studio Legale Mordiglia in Genoa, where he practiced admiralty, insurance, and international contracts. From 1975-1985, Mr. Costabel owned his own firm, Studio Legale Costabel, Genoa and London, which handled primarily admiralty, aviation, shipbuilding, insurance, and international contracts. He served major international clients including Lloyds of London, Chevron Oil, Dow Chemical, all major Dutch shipyards, Grimaldi Lines, KLM, Alitalia, and others. In 1988, Mr. Costabel opened a Florida office, now called Rumrell, Costabel, Warrington, Thomas & Brock LLP with offices all over the state. As an adjunct faculty member at St. Thomas University School of Law, Mr. Costabel teaches Admiralty and Transnational Litigation.
Larry S. Davis
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.S., Florida Atlantic University, 1971
M.S., Nova University, 1978
J.D., Nova University Center of Law, 1984
Larry S. Davis began his professional service as a social worker for the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services at South Florida State Hospital from 1972-1976. In 1976 he began serving as a liaison between the Hospital’s forensic unit and the Circuit Courts of Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Mr. Davis went on to work under then Sheriff Robert Butterworth to develop the forensic psychiatric unit of the Broward County Jail. Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Davis served as an Assistant Public Defender for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, and in 1988 he began is own practice, specializing in all aspects of criminal defense. He has also served as Counsel for the City of Hollywood Police Department, South Florida State Hospital, the Broward County Clerk of Court, The Broward County Jail, and Kids In Distress, Inc. As an active member in many associations, Mr. Davis is also a charter member of the Steven R. Booher chapter of the American Inns of Court. Mr. Davis comes to St. Thomas with other teaching experience at the Broward County Criminal Justice Institute and Nova Southeastern University, where he taught trial advocacy techniques. He has also served as a volunteer Guardian Ad Litem for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit since 1989.
Jeffrey P. Ehrlich
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., University of Michigan, 1992
J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1994
After law school, Jeffrey P. Ehrlich began working as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King in June 1995. After a year of judicial clerkship, he joined a Washington, D.C. law firm, Sidley & Austin, as an associate participating in appellate and trial litigation in communications, criminal, and immigration matters. In December 1998, Mr. Ehrlich returned to South Florida where he became an Assistant County Attorney with the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office. His teaching career began in 2000, when he started as a legal writing instructor at St. Thomas University School of Law. Mr. Ehrlich continued his teaching by becoming an adjunct professor at both the University of Miami School of Law and Florida International University College of Law where he instructed in state, local government, and election law. While Mr. Ehrlich teaches at St. Thomas University, he continues to serve full time with the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office.
The Honorable Ana I. Gardiner
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Dickinson College, 1984
J.D., Temple University School of Law, 1987
The Honorable Ana I. Gardiner, who presides in the Circuit Court, Criminal Division, Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, in Broward County, Florida, teaches Trial Advocacy practice course and the classroom component of the Judicial Internship for the students doing judicial internships in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Before her election to the bench, she was Vice President and Shareholder in Gardiner and Gardiner, P.A. (1993-1998) and a former partner in Patterson, Maloney & Gardiner, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (1987-1992). As a law student, she served internships at Community Legal Services and at the Court of Common Pleas for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, both in Philadelphia; then, at the New York District Attorney’s Office in New York City; and, finally, back in Philadelphia at the office of the Unites States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The Honorable David M. Gersten
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., University of Florida, 1973
J.D., University of Florida, 1975
Judge Gersten was in private practice from 1975 until 1980, when he was elected to the Dade County Court. In 1982, he was elected Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit and subsequently re-elected in 1988. In 1989, he was appointed as an Appellate Judge to the Third District Court of Appeal, and was retained by the voters in 1990 and 1996. Judge Gersten has been named Best Judge by South Florida Magazine and has received the Benjamin Franklin Society’s Library Award. Judge Gersten serves the community through various legal organizations and civic programs. He served as Associate Dean, Appellate Section of the Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies (1994-99) and on the faculty (1994-present). Judge Gersten has served on the faculty of the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada, from 1997 to the present and as Adjunct Professor at St. Thomas University School of Law since 1994. At St. Thomas University School of Law, Judge Gersten teaches Trial Advocacy Practice and Legal Thought.
Murray A. Greenberg
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1965
J.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1968
Murray A. Greenberg has practiced law at the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office for all but three of the last 37 years, first as an Assistant County Attorney, then as First Assistant County Attorney, and now as County Attorney. During his hiatus from the County Attorney’s Office, Mr. Greenberg was a partner in the Miami Beach firm Greenberg & Greenberg (1972-1975). Since 1974 Mr. Greenberg has been teaching law courses as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami and Florida International University law schools, as well as at St. Thomas University School of Law. At St. Thomas University School of Law, he teaches State and Local Government Law as well as Election Law.
Linda Collins Hertz
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Shorter College, 1961, Mathematics
J.D., University of Miami, 1973, cum laude
During her legal career, Linda Collins Hertz was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and served as Chief of the Appellate Division for over twenty years. She also served as an Assistant Attorney General of Florida, a partner in her own law firm, and a partner at the law firm of Holland & Knight. Linda’s legal practice was primarily in appellate law. During her career she personally wrote and filed more than 500 briefs and presented more than 300 oral arguments in various courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh and Fifth Circuits, the District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the Supreme Court of Florida and the District Courts of Appeal of Florida. In addition, she supervised more than 20 lawyers in the filing of at least 5000 briefs and directed the oral arguments in approximately 1000 cases. She worked on a wide variety of constitutional, criminal, civil, evidentiary, and administrative subjects in both the State of Florida and the Federal Court Systems. At St. Thomas University School of Law, she is faculty advisor to the Moot Court Society.
The Honorable Amy Karan
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., University of Miami, 1982
J.D., University of Miami School of Law, 1986, cum laude
Judge Karan spent eight years at the law firm Dubbin, Berkman, Bloom & Karan, P.A. first as an associate, and later as partner and then administrative partner. In 1995, she was elected County Court judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit for Miami-Dade County, and in since 1997, she has served as Associate Administrative Judge for the Domestic Violence Division. Judge Karan has earned numerous accolades for her work with domestic violence including: the Unsung Heroes of Domestic Violence award from the Dade County Alliance; Woman of Valor award from the National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Miami Chapter; and 101 Top Women award by Miami Metro Magazine; and twice earned the Governor’s Peace at Home award. She has authored numerous publications on domestic violence, has given nearly one hundred lectures, has served on numerous panels, and has appeared on television and radio. In 2005, Judge Karan joined St. Thomas University School of Law’s adjunct faculty.
Robert F. “Rob” Lewis
Adjunct Professor of Law
J.D., University of Miami (magna cum laude), 1997
Rob is a shareholder and founding member of GrayRobinson’s Alcohol Beverage Team. A former employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Agent with the State of Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (DABT), Rob has experience with the processes and methods by which government regulators investigate and apprehend alcohol and beverage and tobacco law violators. He concentrates his practice on the laws governing alcohol, tobacco and other regulated products. His experience includes liquor licensing, business permitting, alcohol beverage regulations, administrative litigation, zoning regulations, state and local government, commercial leasing and alcohol business analysis. Rob works with domestic and foreign suppliers, importers, wholesalers, real estate developers, and a broad range of retailers, including nightclubs, national retail chains, bars, adult entertainment establishments, national hotel chains, restauranteurs, sports arenas, entertainment complexes and establishments, and other members of the hospitality industry. Selected to teach the 2005 inaugural class of Alcohol Beverage Law, Rob continues to teach each academic year.
Richard C. Lorenzo
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.S., Rollins College, 1992, magna cum laude
J.D., University of Miami School of Law, 1995, cum laude
Richard C. Lorenzo is a partner in the Miami office of Hogan & Hartson. His practice focuses on international commercial litigation and arbitration; Latin American litigation and arbitration; EPC disputes; telecommunications disputes; and energy, oil, and gas disputes. Mr. Lorenzo has broad experience in these areas representing foreign and domestic clients in the United States, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Central America, and the Caribbean. He has handled numerous, complex commercial international arbitration matters before the International Chamber of Commerce, the American Arbitration Association, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution, and the Society of Maritime Arbitrators of New York. Mr. Lorenzo has lectured and published extensively in his practice areas, and is an adjunct professor of law in International Arbitration at St. Thomas University School of Law.
The Honorable Stanley Marcus
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Queens College, City University of New York, 1967, magna cum laude
J.D., Harvard Law School, 1971
After earning his Juris Doctorate at Harvard Law School, Stanley Marcus began his distinguished legal career as a clerk for the Honorable John R. Bartels, United States District Judge, Eastern District of New York from 1971-1973. He then spent a year in private practice before joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. In 1978, Judge Marcus became Deputy Chief of the Justice Department’s organized Crime Strike Force, Detroit Office, and in 1980, became the Attorney in Charge of the Detroit Strike Force. From 1982-1985, Judge Marcus served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and from 1985-1997, he served as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. Since 1997, Judge Marcus has served with distinction as a United States Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Additionally, Judge Marcus is a member of the Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Judicial Center and Chairman of the Board of Editors of the Federal Judicial Center’s Manual for Complex Litigation. Judge Marcus is an adjunct professor of law at Brooklyn Law School and St. Thomas. At St. Thomas University School of Law, Judge Marcus teaches Trial Advocacy Practice.
Timothy M. Martin
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.S.B.A., Western Carolina University, 1975
M.B.A., Florida International University, 1978
J.D., St. Thomas University School of Law, 1987
Before attending law school, Tim Martin served from 1975-1985 as a police officer in the Metropolitan Dade County Police Department, first in the uniform division and later as a homicide detective. Since attending law school, Mr. Martin has spent nearly twenty years practicing law, focusing primarily on the areas of tort, personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and products liability. He began his career at Sams, Yanowitch, Speigel & Alger, P.A. (1988), and Lawrence B. Rodgers, P.A. (1988-1993), eventually becoming a partner at Rodgers & Martin (1993-1994). In 1994, he joined Sams, Martin, Spier, Lister & Virgin, P.A., and currently is a partner with Martin, Lister & Alvarez, P.A. Mr. Martin serves with Volunteer Lawyers of the Dade County Bar Association and three times has been on the Pro Bono Honor Roll. He also participates in the Dade County Bar Guardianship Program.
James E. McDonald
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Fairfield University, 1966
J.D., Catholic University School of law, 1969
James E. McDonald, Of Counsel at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, LLP ( Miami), has over thirty years of practice in the areas of civil litigation, particularly commercial and construction litigation, environmental enforcement, healthcare, aviation, and government investigations. Prior to entering private practice, he had an extensive career in government. He was a special agent with the FBI; Assistant Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, Select Committee on Crime; Special Counsel to Florida Governor Reubin Askew; Assistant United States Attorney, Southern District of Florida; and Senior Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, Select Committee on Assassinations. He is a past member of the Board of Trustees of St. Thomas University, and at St. Thomas University School of Law, he teaches Trial Advocacy Practice.
Kenneth F. Noto
Adjunct Professor of Law
A.B., Georgetown University, 1972
J.D., University of Maryland School of Law, 1975
Mr. Noto is presently a Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. In his tenure at the Office, he has been assigned to a special multi-agency and prosecutor task force which gained fame as Operation Greenback. Mr. Noto specialized in the prosecution of money laundering and narcotics cases. After five years in Operation Greenback he went to the Narcotics Section in 1988 and then to the Public Corruption Section. Mr Noto was made a supervisor and Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Section in 1988 and then a Deputy Chief in the Narcotics Section in 1990 where he returned to the prosecution of money laundering and complex narcotics cases, as well as the supervision of line Assistant United States Attorneys. Prior to joining the United States Attorney’s Office in Miami Mr. Noto worked approximately four years as a Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. He specialized in the prosecution of complex white collar organized crime cases. While at the Department of Justice he served tours of duty as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia and the Southern District of Florida. Prior to the Department of Justice, Mr. Noto worked for almost three years in the Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. Mr. Noto has lectured domestically and internationally on the topics of money laundering and narcotics prosecutions. He has taught advanced seminars and classes on these subjects and taught at the Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C. and at the F.B.I. Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Mr. Noto teaches the criminal law practice clinic at St. Thomas University School of Law.
N. Brenda Rivera-López
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.S., Florida international University, 1992
J.D., St. Thomas University School of Law, 1996
Brenda Rivera-López is Supervising Attorney at the Dade County Bar Association Legal Aid Society, where she has practiced public interest law since 1997. Her first position there was as a project attorney (1997-2001) hired to establish a satellite office of Legal Aid in Homestead, Florida, to handle a high-volume practice specializing in domestic violence and family law matters. There she also trained service providers and victim advocates and reached out to the South Dade community by doing educational presentations and appearing on local radio shows. In 2000, she was recognized as the Victim Service Professional of the Year. Since 2001, Ms. Rivera-López has been Supervising Attorney for Legal Aid, planning and developing programs; writing grant proposals and handling all aspects of grant administration; hiring, training, supervising, and managing Legal Aid Domestic Violence Unit staff; coordinating the Unit’s service delivery; and marketing the services of the Unit through community outreach. At St. Thomas University School of Law she teaches the classroom components of the Family Court Clinic, the Criminal-Civil Field Placement Clinic, and the Criminal Practice Clinic.
Herman J. Russomanno
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Rutgers University, 1971, magna cum laude
J.D., Samford University-Cumberland School of Law, 1975
Herman J. Russomanno, partner in the Miami firm Russomanno & Borello, P.A., and former partner in Floyd Pearson Richman Greer Weil Brumbaugh & Russomanno, P.A., is one of Florida’s toughest and most successful trial lawyers. He has received numerous forms of recognition, among the more recent being Best Lawyers in America, Leading Florida Attorneys (all editions), Pursuit of Justice Award (ABA, 2002), Justice Harry Lee Anstead Professionalism Award ( Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, 2002), B.J. Masterson Award for Professionalism (Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2001), and Florida Trial Lawyer of the Year (American Board of Trial Advocates, 2001); President of the Florida Bar (2000); and Doctor of Laws (St. Thomas University School of Law, 2000). At St. Thomas University School of Law, Mr. Russomanno is a member of the law school’s Board of Advisors, an adjunct professor of Trial Advocacy, and faculty advisor to the School of Law’s Mock Trial Team.
Jon A. Sale
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1964, Honors
J.D., New York University School of Law, 1968
After earning his J.D. from New York University School of Law, Jon A. Sale clerked for Honorable Morris E. Lasker, U.S. District Judge in the Southern District of N.Y. Following the clerkship, Professor Sale served as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of N.Y. Thereafter, he served under Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski in the Watergate Special Prosecutor’s Office. Professor Sale was Chief Assistant United State’s Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida. Before coming to St. Thomas as an Adjunct Professor, he was a full time and Adjunct Professor at Nova Southeastern Law School. Professor Sale has a national law practice specializing in white collar and complex crimes litigation.
Stuart Saltzman
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Queens College of the City University of New York, 1972
J.D., Nova University Law Center, 1983, magna cum laude
Throughout his professional career, Stuart Saltzman has been in the business of helping people. Upon graduation from Queens College, Mr. Saltzman worked for the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Northeast Nassau Psychiatric Hospital, and the Queensboro Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children as a counselor for individuals, abused children, families, and other groups. In 1979, he began teaching as an adjunct professor in psychology, sociology, and criminal justice at Nova College where he eventually went to law school. After graduating magna cum laude from law school, Mr. Saltzman started teaching at St. Thomas University. He has instructed courses in Sociology, Psychology, and Human Services, and he has taught Constitutional, Juvenile, Business, Health, and Family Law for the J.D. program. Mr. Saltzman has also practiced as an associate attorney for two Miami firms handling matrimonial, family, and general civil litigation; as Assistant Public Defender for Dade County, and as Florida General Counsel for the Fraternal Order of Police. Mr. Saltzman teaches First Amendment Law, Juvenile Law, and Products Liability.
Jacqueline Schneider
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Florida International University, 1993
J.D., Nova Southeastern University, 1996
Jacqueline Schneider joined Bedzow, Korn, Brown & Lipton, P.A. upon graduation from law school as an associate attorney concentrating in real estate, and commercial and civil litigation. In 1999, she joined the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit as a trial court staff attorney handling criminal law and appeals. The following year she moved to the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in Fort Lauderdale where she served as a judicial staff attorney handling probate and trust administration, as well as guardianship and mental health law. Ms. Schneider currently works at Jerome Ira Solkoff, P.A. handling elder law, estate planning, Medicaid planning, disability planning, guardianship, probate, and real estate matters. She has taught Legal Analysis and Writing for Concord University School of Law and currently teaches the Professional Guardianship Training Course at Broward Community College. At St. Thomas University School of Law, Ms. Schneider teaches the Elder Law Clinic.
The Honorable Frank A. Shepherd
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., University of Florida, 1968, cum laude
M.A., University of Massachusetts, 1970
J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1972
Judge Shepherd began his legal career with the law firm of Bradford, Williams, McKay, Kimbrell, Hamann and Jennings in Miami, Florida, where he maintained both a trial and appellate practice for more than 18 years. In 1981, he was appointed by President Reagan and served as Associate Administrator for Legal Counsel and Enforcement for the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In 1990, he became the founding managing partner of the national law firm of Popham, Haik, Schnobrich and Kaufman, P.A. He was a partner in the law firm of Weissman Dervishi, Shepherd, Borgo & Nordland, P.A., from 1997-1998, and from January 1, 1999, until he was appointed to the Third District Court of Appeal, he was the Florida Senior Attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation. Judge Shepherd assumed his position as a Judge of the Third District Court of Appeal in 2003. His community and professional activities have included service as a director of the James Madison Institute in Tallahassee, Florida (1987-1995), a member of the research advisory board of the Foundation for Florida’s Future (1995-1998), and participation in the Miami-Dade County Guardian ad Litem program. In 1985, he was recognized by the Florida State-Federal Judicial Council for his representation of Raleigh Porter, an inmate then serving on Death Row. Judge Shepherd teaches Florida Constitutional Law.
The Honorable Ronald G. Sonom
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., Wayne State University, 1970
J.D., University of Miami, 1974
Ronald G. Sonom began his law career as an associate attorney for Korner and Sampson, P.A., in Coral Gables, Florida, where he was involved in general civil practice. In 1975 he became an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Joseph Fitzgerald in Miami. The following year, Judge Sonom began serving as a general attorney for the Department of Justice within the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). As a trial attorney responsible for representing the District Director of the INS at various proceedings before state, federal, and other immigration courts, Judge Sonom also appeared in hearings involving personnel matters, and he received outstanding performance awards from the Attorney General. Since 1994, Judge Sonom served as a United States Immigration Judge for the Department of Justice. Appointed by the United States Attorney General, he was responsible for holding hearings and rendering decisions in all immigration and nationality matters, including matters of national interest. Judge Sonom retired from the U.S. Immigration Court and public service in January 2006, and presently is an immigration and nationality law consultant. He also teaches immigration law courses at St. Thomas University School of Law.
Rory S. Stein
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., University of Miami, 1975
J.D., University of Miami School of Law, 1978
Rory S. Stein began his legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in Miami, Florida, assigned to the Appellate Division. In that capacity, he represented indigent defendants on direct appeal and post-conviction proceedings in appellate courts in the State and Federal systems. In 1980, Mr. Stein joined Leib, Popper, Mackoul and Martinez, P.A., a firm that specialized in commercial, family, and criminal practice, as a litigation associate. The following year, Mr. Stein re-joined the Public Defender’s Office in the Appellate Division. In 1985, he transferred to the Trial Division and worked as a felony trial attorney, a training attorney and a major crimes attorney. As an adjunct professor at St. Thomas University School of Law, Mr. Stein has taught Criminal Procedure and Trial Practice. He has also taught at the Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Practice Institute, sponsored by The Florida Bar, and at Defender College, sponsored by the Florida Public Defender Association.
Daniel J. Stermer
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.A., State University of New York at Binghamton, 1984
J.D., Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, 1988
After completing law school, Daniel J. Stermer spent most of his legal career as a government prosecutor at various levels both in New York, as a Special Assistant United States Attorney- Southern District of New York Organized Crime Unit and the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office (1988 – 1996), and Florida as an Assistant Attorney General at the State of Florida, Department of Legal Affairs, Office of the Attorney General, Economic Crimes Litigation Unit (1996 – 2000). Since 2000, Professor Stermer has been a principal at Lewis B. Freeman & Partners, Inc., a leading forensic accounting and consulting firm with offices in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, specializing in the areas including fiduciary practice, forensic accounting, and litigation support. In 2002, Professor Stermer was elected Commissioner in the City of Weston and was reelected in 2003 and 2006. Professor Stermer is the Chair of the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization and Chair of the Broward League of Cities Sustainability Committee. At St. Thomas, Professor Stermer teaches Receivership Practice and the Inter-Relationship between the Legal, Accounting, and Business Worlds.
Todd P. Sullivan
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.S., Florida International University, 1987
J.D., University of Florida College of Law, 1992
Todd P. Sullivan
Mr. Sullivan is the Coordinator of Academic Support at St. Thomas University School of Law and has been since 2008. Mr. Sullivan began his career working at a big four accounting firm for two years and a Florida law firm for five years specializing in Corporate and Tax law. Mr. Sullivan then formed his own consulting business which he has carried on since. Professor Sullivan has been teaching as an adjunct faculty member at St. Thomas University School of Law since 2000 including courses in Contracts, Legal Accounting, Sales, Commercial Paper and Art of Lawyering.
Enrique Zamora
Adjunct Professor of Law
B.S., University of Florida, 1971
M.B.A., Florida International University, 1975
M.S.M., Florida International University, 1981
J.D., University of Miami School of Law, 1985
Enrique Zamora is a partner with the firm of Zamora & Hillman with offices in Miami, Florida. Mr. Zamora’s practice includes the areas of probate administration, probate litigation, guardianship, estate planning and elder law. He is also a certified civil mediator. He is the chair of the Guardianship Committee of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar and member of the Guardianship Task Force where he represents the Elder Law Section. Mr. Zamora is an adjunct professor at St. Thomas University School of Law where he teaches Elder Law. He is the past chair of the Probate and Guardianship Committee of Dade County Bar Association, where he also served as vice-chair and secretary. Mr. Zamora has served as general counsel and director of the South Florida Guardianship Association for the last three years and is currently president of the Association. Mr. Zamora has acted as General Master, Guardian Advocate, and Special Public Defender in Baker Act proceedings for the last six years. Mr. Zamora was the recipient of the 2000 Put Something Back Pro Bono Award presented by the Dade County Bar Association, and he also received the Leo Plotkin Outstanding Legal Service Award in 1999 from the Association for Retarded Citizens, South Florida.