I earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Florida International University (FIU) College of Law in 2011
BAR ADMISSIONS
The Florida Bar, 2012
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 2012
U.S. Tax Court, 2020
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor. Florida International University College of Law, Miami, Florida. 2011
Ph.D. (Candidate) in Philosophy. University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica. 1999
ATTORNEY EXPERIENCE
Law Office of Victoria Morales, P.A., Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. 2012 – Present
Civil Litigation: Handle litigation in defense of the client’s legal rights, whether as a plaintiff suing a party to recover damages, or as a defendant responding to a lawsuit, and sometimes countersuing.
Debt Settlement: Alternative ways are sought to relieve debt and reach settlement agreements, if available, to avoid litigation and bankruptcy, if these are not the appropriate or desirable routes for a client.
Foreclosure Defense: Handle foreclosure defense proceedings, preparing legal documents, arguing before the court on behalf of the client, and negotiating settlement agreements with the lender through mediation or directly, including consent final judgments to avoid the deficiency, short sales, deed in lieu of foreclosure, or cash for keys solutions, if available.
Loan Modification: Assist clients in loan modification applications to modify their mortgage loans both outside and within the bankruptcy proceeding, depending on the overall strategy devised to save the client’s home or real property.
Bankruptcy: Manage federal bankruptcy proceedings both in chapter 7 and chapter 13, in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Analyze the client’s overall financial situation, and counsel if a bankruptcy is an option, advising clients, how to proceed. Set up the case, prepare and file the bankruptcy documents, necessary additional motions, and all filings relative to ongoing proceedings, appearing before the court on behalf of the client. Attend the meetings of creditors, confirmation hearings and motion hearings, deal with the bankruptcy trustees and the court, and oversee the proceeding from beginning to end of each case.
Family Law: Handle family law proceedings, providing client with counsel, preparing all the documents to be filed with the court, attending mediation, and advocating for the client’s interests before the court, in custody cases, child support proceedings and petitions for modification, dissolution of marriage, and alimony awards.
Client care: Extensively engaged with the client, from the initial interview, to the continuous relationship with the client throughout the life of the case, and beyond, providing legal support on demand.
PARALEGAL EXPERIENCE
Bankruptcy Litigation Paralegal. Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller, P.A., Fort Lauderdale, FL. 2005 – 2009. Paralegal assistance to attorneys in chapter 11 and chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings and adversary litigations in federal and state courts.
Bankruptcy Paralegal. Law Offices of Beverly Fox, P.A., Plantation, FL. 2002 – 2005. Paralegal support to attorney in chapter 7 and chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings in federal court.
Paralegal/Legal Assistant. John J. Murphy III, P.A., Hollywood, FL. 2001 – 2002. Legal assistance to attorney in family law, probates, wills and trusts, civil litigation proceedings, real estate, and corporations.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Professor of Philosophy. (Taught: Moral Issues) Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. 2002 – 2003.
Professor of Philosophy. (Taught: Introduction to Philosophy, Introduction to Logic, Ethics) Broward College, Davie, FL. 2000 – 2001.
LANGUAGES
Fluent in Spanish.
LEGAL RESEARCH
Substantial analytical experience. Written and oral communication competence. Proficient in legal research tools, including WestLaw.