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MANAGING PARTNER

RALPH E. FERNANDEZ

ESQUIRE

 

EDUCATION

Stetson University College of Law, J.D. 1977

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), B.S. 1972

 

ADMISSIONS

U.S. Supreme Court

United States Court of Appeals Eleventh Circuit

United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit

United States District Court  Middle District of Florida

Florida Supreme Court

 

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Ralph Fernandez was born in Havana, Cuba, on January 24, 1952. He left Cuba with his parents as political exiles in 1960. He lived in Puerto Rico for a year prior to moving to Tampa, Florida. He graduated from Jesuit High school in 1969 and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He graduated from MIT in 1972, completing his engineering degree in three years. At MIT he was a recipient of the Clapp and Poliak Engineering Design Award as well as the Admiral Luis de Flores Award for Creativity and Ingenuity.

 

Fernandez worked as a nuclear engineer for Westinghouse Electric in the design of nuclear power plant components. In 1974 he became a club professional at the Club Tennis complex in Tampa and began tournament competition in the sport of racquetball. He became one of the top ranked players in Florida while at the same time enrolling at the Stetson College of Law. He graduated with a juris doctorate in 1977. Upon graduation he became a criminal prosecutor for the State Attorney’s Office of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Florida. He left the State Attorney’s Office after having become the chief of narcotic prosecutions for the circuit at the age of twenty-seven.

 

In 1980 Fernandez began the practice of law as a solo practitioner, specializing in trial work. He is now the managing partner of the Law Office Ralph E. Fernandez, P.A., in Tampa. He has belonged or belongs to a number of professional associations. He has had the privilege of handling a significant number of high profile cases. Fernandez has been married since 1972 to his high school sweetheart. His daughters have attended undergraduate and graduate school at Harvard, Yale Law, Brown, Duke and Georgetown.

 

CIVIL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

Throughout his career Fernandez has engaged in civil service.  His activities include the founding directorship of SER Jobs for Progress, Inc.; LULAC in Tampa Bay; lead trial counsel for the Hispanic Defense League; general counsel to the World Federation of Cuban Former Political Prisoners; counsel for the Tampa Bay Area Exile Council; counsel for the Cuban Civic Club; a gubernatorial appointment to the Florida Commission for a Free Cuba; counsel for the Circulo Cubano Inc.; member of the Hispanic Advisory Council and the Tampa Advisory Council; and three term President of the Academy of the Holy Names Dads Club. He has also been appointed counsel to the Brigade 2506 as well as an honorable member of the Brigade by the Los Angeles chapter.

 

His advocacy and commitment to a better life for others earned him the 1984 Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Award; the 1993 City of Tampa Human Rights Award; the 1987 Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award; the 1991 Joaquin Del Cueto Freedom Fighter Award; the 1995 Solidarity Award; the AICEP Human Rights Award of 1999; the Cuban American National Foundation Special Recognition of 1999; and the Ray Fernandez Human Rights Award for 1997.  Fernandez was selected in 1990 as the second Hispanic Man of the Year, the first being then Florida governor Bob Martinez.

 

INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES

Since 1988 Fernandez also has been continuously involved in the provision of what has been characterized as “invaluable service” to the FBI and other government agencies engaged in intelligence and counter-intelligence operations.  In a letter authored on June 20, 2007, a domain coordinator for the FBI recounted twenty years of service by Fernandez as “voluntary and patriotic assistance on multiple, sensitive foreign intelligence investigations conducted by the Bureau.”  The investigations were characterized in the letter as dealing “with sensitive national security issues and a hostile intelligence service.”  The letter acknowledged the “positive impact” made by Fernandez on behalf of the United States.  More importantly the note confirmed the great deal of respect the FBI has for Fernandez based on his “professionalism and discretion in maintaining a pledge of confidentiality in matters of national security.”  Fernandez continues to work closely with old associates and new agencies in government, including the Department of Homeland Security.  During the entire time period Fernandez has yet to accept remuneration or even cost reimbursement from the United States for travel or expenditures associated with his services.

 

On March 31, 2011, Fernandez was summoned to render testimony in the case of United States of America v. Luis Posada Carriles, federal district case number 07-CF-87-KC, tried in the Western District of Texas.  The Honorable Kathleen Cardone, United States District Judge, presided over the trial.  During testimony specific missions and measures that Fernandez had participated in over many years up until that very day were the subject of interest.  A history of service to the country was detailed.  Fernandez was qualified by Judge Cardone as an expert on Cuban intelligence, counter-intelligence and espionage practices of the Republic of Cuba.

 

 

 

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ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

A.J. ALVAREZ

ESQUIRE

 

EDUCATION

Stetson University College of Law, J.D. 2005

Florida State University B.S. 2002

 

ADMISSIONS

United States District Court Middle District of Florida

Florida Supreme Court

 

Andrew J. Alvarez (A.J.) was born in Tampa, Florida on August 2, 1979. Mr. Alvarez was raised in Tampa and later attended Jesuit High School following in his father, Andrew Alvarez's, footsteps. At Jesuit High School Mr. Alvarez was a member of the student council and graduated in 1998. Mr. Alvarez attended Florida State University where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and the legal fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta. Mr. Alvarez graduated from Florida State University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a minor in Communications.

 

After graduation Mr. Alvarez was accepted and attended the U.S. News and World Report's #1 Trial Advocacy Program in the nation, Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. While at Stetson University Mr. Alvarez participated in a number of interesting and engaging programs, including the study abroad program where he traveled for a semester to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mr. Alvarez attended the mediation certification program in which Mr. Alvarez became a Certified Mediator in the State of Florida. Mr. Alvarez was also a Certified Legal Intern at the State Attorney’s Office, Hillsborough County, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.

 

During his internship at the State Attorney’s Office, Mr. Alvarez worked as a prosecutor  which allowed him to litigate and prosecute criminal cases through trial.  Mr. Alvarez graduated from Stetson University College of Law in May of 2005.   In September of 2005, Mr. Alvarez was admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of Florida and later by the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

 

Mr. Alvarez initially went into the field of family law and joined the Law Office of Paul M. Tabio, P.A.  In December of 2005, Mr. Alvarez accepted an offer to join the Law Office of Ralph E. Fernandez, P.A.  Mr. Alvarez was immersed in personal injury law allowing him to learn the essentials of that field.  Mr. Alvarez also continued to handle criminal and family law cases.

 

Mr. Alvarez now devotes a significant portion of his practice to the area of criminal defense and personal injury.  In the criminal arena, Mr. Alvarez has successfully represented clients in a wide range of state and federal matters, including defending those accused of felony and misdemeanors throughout Florida.

 

Mr. Alvarez has also continued to represent clients in an array of personal injury and family law matters.  Mr. Alvarez represented clients at trial in criminal cases, personal injury cases and family law matters.  Mr. Alvarez has also worked with Mr. Fernandez in the appellate representation of clients in criminal, personal injury and family law cases before the Second District Court of Appeal.

 

Mr. Alvarez is a member of the American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.