Maria Sampedro-Iglesia

Education

• University of Miami School of Law, Juris Doctor May 1988

• University of Miami, Bachelor of Arts, Journalism May 1985

Practice Areas

• Civil and Family Mediation

• Co-Mediation

• Pre-Suit Mediation

• Arbitration

• Non-Binding Arbitration

• Neutral Umpire

• Special Magistrate

• Private Judge

• Elder Law

Background

• Eleventh Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida, Circuit Court Judge January 2009-April, 2019

  • Associate Administrative Judge of the Unified Children’s Court Division

  • Dependency Court Division and G.R.A.C.E. (Human Trafficking Division)

  • Past Co-chair of CBC Alliance

  • Chair of Dependency Workshop Group

  • Unified Family Court /Complex Litigation Division Judge

  • Unified Children’s Court Judge

  • Founder of G.R.A.C.E. Court

• Law Offices of Jose R. Iglesia & Associates, Partner July 1998 – December 2008

  • Appellate Counsel

  • Trial Counsel

  • First Party Insurance Litigation

  • Criminal Law

• AIB Financial Group, In House Counsel January 1996 – June 1998

  • Supervised Insurance Litigation Adjuster

  • Supervised Outside Counsel

  • Provided legal advice on claims handling and coverage issues

  • Provided administrative and financial evaluation for claims and losses

  • Supervised all Florida No-Fault Litigation

• Law Office of Carlos Diaz-Padron, P.A., Associate August 1992 – May 1995

  • Insurance Defense Litigation

  • Trial Counsel

• Law Offices of Carlos Lidsky, P.A., Associate December 1991 – May 1992

  • Plaintiff and Defense First Party Insurance Litigation

• Maria I. Sampedro, P.A., Solo Practitioner April 1989 – December 1991

  • Criminal Law

  • Family Law

  • Appellate Law

Professional Memberships & Affiliations

• The Florida Bar – April 1989

• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida – September, 1989

• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida – April, 1990

• Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals – April, 1990

• Cuban American Bar Association – March, 2007

• Florida Association for Women Lawyers – 2007

• National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – November, 2009

• National Association of Professional Women – June, 2010

• National Association of Women Judges – June, 2011

• Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association – 2017

Awards & Recognitions

• 2021, 2022 Mediation & Arbitration, Florida Trend, Legal Elite

• 2021 Unsung Heroes, Daily Business Review Florida Legal Awards

• 2020 Top Latino Lawyer, Latino Leaders Magazine

• 2019 Hall of Fame, South Miami Senior High School

• 2018 Judicial Trailblazer Award, Hispanic Heritage, Dade County Bar Association

• 2018 First Champion for Child Advocacy Award, Florida’s Children First

• 2018 William E. Gladstone Award

• 2017 Leslie Sternlieb Advocacy Award for Human Trafficking, The Women’s Fund

• 2016 Top Female, Executive Professionals & Entrepreneurs

• 2015 International Women’s Leadership

• 2015 Nominee William E. Gladstone Award

• 2014 Teaming Up for The Change Award, Department of Children and Families

• 2012 Woman of the Year, National Association of Professional Women

• 2012 Young Urban Cuban American Award, Federación de Estudiantes Cubanos

Publications

• Trends in State Courts 2018: Florida’s GRACE Court, NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS

• For a Judge, One Rewarding in Miami-Dade Juvenile’s Court, THE MIAMI HERALD (Apr 8, 2017)

• G.R.A.C.E. Court Bench Book 2017

• The Heroes Among Us, WESTBOW PRESS, 2011

Other Recognitions

• Featured in Judge Finds New Way of Dealing with Human Trafficking, MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER, March 10, 2019

• Featured in G.R.A.C.E Court: Where Trafficked Kids are Understood, THE FLORIDA BAR NEWS, October15, 2016

• Featured in New Court Launched to Handle Human Trafficking Cases, THE DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW, July 7, 2016

• FEATURED IN SEXUALLY TRAFFICKED GIRL ENDURES NEW TORMENT – IN FOSTER CARE, THE MIAMI HERALD, June 19, 2015

Recent Symposiums, Conferences, & Speaking Engagements

• Miami Law – Litigation Skill Program Judge Spring 2019 – April 13, 2019

• Presenter, “Chosen” at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish School – April 12, 2019

• Presenter, Human again: Surviving Exploitation in Strip Club at FIU – January 30, 2019

• Change to Thrive – H.T. Fundraiser Painting with a Twist – January 27, 2019

• Presenter, 13th Annual Regional Child Welfare Conference – December 6, 2018

• Presenter, 2018 Delinquency Regional Training Program – December 3-4, 2018

• Presenter, PACE Girls Luncheon – October 25, 2018

• Presenter, Miami Law U.M. Speaking on “What is Human Trafficking and How does it affect South Florida October 15, 2018

• Meeting re: HT with Dr. McGrath and the Freedom Forward site people – September 13, 2018

• Think Tank Seminar with Dr. Vincent Felitti – Naples, Florida – August 6, 2018

• Presenter, 2018 Human Trafficking Academy – July 26, 2018

• Panelist, Dade Legal Aid – Pro Bono Seminar – Hogan Lovell’s – July 19, 2018

• Presenter, Miami Law Summer Public Interest Fellows Course – June 27, 2018

• Presenter, Reunification Celebration – June 20, 2018

• Presenter, Our Kids Graduation – June 8, 2018

• Meeting with National District Association Research Team SAO – June 7, 2018

• Human Trafficking training on Trauma Informed Care Creating an Environment for Survivors to Thrive – April 25, 2018

• Presenter, GRACE Court at Weil, Gotshal & Manges – April 19, 2018

• Panelist, UM Law School Judge & Advocate – April 13, 2018

• Presenter, Teddy Bears – Donated by Braddock Sr. High School – March19, 2018

• Global Ties Miami – hosting International visitors leadership program and educating them on G.R.A.C.E. Court – March 5, 2018

• Presenter, St. Brendan’s School – on dangers of human trafficking – March 2018

• Panelist, Adverse Childhood Experience “ACE’s training” – March 23, 2018

• Panelist, Lawyers for Children America Child Advocacy Training – March 21, 2018

• Presenter and Faculty, NJIDCST Program in Ashville N.C – February 10-14, 2018

• Presenter, Human Trafficking -FSU Conference – February 2, 2018

• Presenter, H.T. Symposium in Marathon, Florida – January 29, 2018

• Presenter, Alonzo & Tracy Mourning High School on Human Trafficking – January 19, 2018

• Presenter, Miami Dadeland Pinecrest Rotary Club – January, 2018

• Presenter, Jamaican Delegation and Human Trafficking – November 12, 2017

• Presenter, Lawyers for Children America CLE Training on Child Welfare Law – October 26, 2017

• Presenter, JuST Conference – October 24-25, 2017

• Presenter, Human Trafficking Summit – October 2, 2017

• Keynote Speaker, Melissa Institute Peace, Harmony & Moonlight – March 16, 2017

• Presenter, Tikkum Olam Committee, Temple Beth Am, Human Trafficking Awareness – March 15, 2017

• Presenter, Women’s Fund Junior Board, University of Miami – March 11, 2017

• Presenter, Human Trafficking, 6th Annual State Attorney Office Forum, Jackson Memorial Hospital – January 26-27, 2017

• Presenter, Human Trafficking Coalition Conference – January 24-25, 2017

• Presenter, JuST Conference, Washington D.C – November, 2016

• Telemundo Interview on Human Trafficking – November, 2016

• Presenter, Human Trafficking Round Table Discussion, FBI – November, 2016

• Human Trafficking Delegation Presenter, New York – October, 2016

• Presenter, 5th Annual HNBA Human Trafficking Conference, St. Thomas University – September, 2016

• Presenter, Human Trafficking Symposium, GFWG Women’s Club, Homestead, Florida – September, 2016

• Presenter, Human Trafficking, Child Protection Summit, Orlando – September, 2016

• Presenter, FFTA Conference on Human Trafficking, New Orleans – July, 2016

• Presenter, Human Trafficking Podcast – July 2016

• Telemundo Interview featuring G.R.A.C.E. Court – May, 2016

• Presenter, Judicial Training on Human Trafficking for 11th Circuit – April, 2016

• Presenter, Human Trafficking Symposium, Cutler Bay – March, 2016

Other Interests

• National Multiple Sclerosis Society, South Florida Chapter