M. paula aguila, esq.

Paula Aguila represents clients in their most important business disputes, both domestically and internationally. Understanding the importance of working towards an efficient resolution from the outset of the case, Aguila designs strategies with the end in mind that will improve her clients’ position at every stage of the case. She understands that each case is different and treats each client and their case with the personal attention they deserve.

Aguila represents foreign and domestic clients throughout the United States and Latin America in a wide range of federal, state and international litigation and arbitration matters involving business torts, complex contractual disputes, unfair trade practices, breaches of fiduciary duties, professional negligence, partnership dissolutions, civil RICO claims, international disputes, and appellate litigation.

Aguila’s recent work includes the successful representation of two former presidents and 12 former directors of two Puerto Rico banks in federal disputes arising from the U.S. government takeover of those banks for $257 million and $55 million, respectively; a Chinese entity in an intellectual property dispute in Orlando, a Guatemalan bank in an ICDR arbitration, and all plaintiffs in the biggest Helms-Burton Act claim brought to date in the U.S. Aguila also represented Chevron in the multibillion-dollar case related to oil spill in Ecuador; a Spanish citizen and an Argentine/Brazilian national involved in the FIFA investigation; and an Ecuadorian financial advisor involved in the Panama Papers investigation, among others.

Not only does Aguila deliver exceptional results to her clients, but she is actively engaged in community service organizations. Aguila serves as a leader of professional organizations devoted to raising the standards for the legal profession, promoting diversity in the legal community and building cross-border relationships, including as Chair of the American Bar Association Latin America and Caribbean Committee, and as Chair of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Program Development Committee.

Education

· Harvard Law School, Leadership Program (by invitation; full scholarship awarded), 2015

· University of Miami School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2007

· Florida International University, B.A. in International Relations, 2004

· Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Facultad de Derecho, Argentina 2001

· Colegio Nacional Arturo U. Illia, Mar del Plata, Argentina 1996

Court admissions

· Supreme Court of the United States

· United States District Court, Southern District of Florida

· United States District Court, Middle District of Florida

· United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

· All Florida State Courts

Awards and Honors

· Recognized in the 2021 edition of Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” in General

Commercial and Class Action (2020)

· Nominated to The Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards 2020 (formerly known as the National

Women in Law Awards) (2020)

· Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star (2016-2020)

· Recognized as a Top Rated International Attorney in the 2017 edition of Florida Super Lawyers

· Recipient of Harvard Law School’s full scholarship to attend its Accelerated Leadership Program

(2015)

Speaking Engagements

· The American Bar Association, Section of International Law Webinar, Moderator, Covid-19 in Latin

America: Legal Developments and Challenges, May 2020

· The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Live CLE Webinar, Speaker, Serving the

Foreign Client: How Local Attorneys Can (and Should) Become Global Lawyers, December 2019

· The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Spring Meeting (New York), Moderator,

International Discovery: Cooperation between Latin America and the United States in Discovery

Procedures, April 2018

· The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Fall Conference (Miami), Moderator,

Latin America with Trump, Temer, Macri, Maduro and a New Cuba, October 2017

· The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Spring Meeting (Washington D.C.),

Moderator, Panama Papers: Exposing the Powerful, April 2017

· The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Spring Meeting (Washington D.C.),

Speaker, International Best Practices in Mentoring to Increase Competency, Professionalism, and

Ethics in the Legal Profession, April 2017

· The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Fall Meeting (Tokyo), Speaker, Utilizing

Professional Skills and Education from Outside the United States During the Pacific Century, October

2016

· The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Regional Roundtable (Washington D.C.),

Moderator, Being an Exceptional Leader: What it Takes to Build an Outstanding Team, March 2016

· The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2015 1L Scholars Summit (Dallas), Speaker, Secrets to

Success, May 2015

· The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Regional Roundtable (Fort Lauderdale), Moderator,

The Importance of Language in Understanding Diversity in the Business World, April 2015

· The American Bar Association, Section of International, Law Spring Meeting (Washington D.C.),

Moderator, Litigating in an Evolving Landscape: A Survey of Data Privacy Laws in Latin American

Countries, April 2015

· The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Regional Roundtable (Boca Raton), Moderator, The

Effect a Diverse Background Has on a Career Path, March 2015

· The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Regional Roundtable (Miami), Moderator, The

Growth of International Business and Its Impact on Understanding Diverse Backgrounds, February

2015

· Legal Learning Series, eDiscovery and Information Governance Conference (Miami), Speaker, Crafting

an Effective eDiscovery Protocol, November 2014

· Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Pre-Law Workshop (New York), Speaker, April 2014

Publications

· The U.S. Supreme Court Just Made It Harder for U.S. Companies to Sue Foreign Governments in the U.S. for

the Unlawful Seizure of a Company’s Assets Abroad,American Bar Association Section of International

Law: Legal Developments in Latin America, June 2017

· Creditors’ lawsuits against the government of Puerto Rico amid PROMESA’s stay on litigation, American Bar

Association Section of International Law: Legal Developments in Latin America, April 2017

· U.S. Supreme Court finds Puerto Rico not sovereign, American Bar Association Section of International

Law: Legal Developments in Latin America, March 2016

· Class Arbitration, the FAA, and the Role of State Law After the Stolt-Nielsen and AT&T Mobility Decisions,

Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG) e-newsletter, August 1, 2011

· Reconocimiento y Ejecución de Fallos Judiciales Extranjeros en Estados Unidos, Quorum Legal Publication,