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Lara O’Donnell concentrates her practice in complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts throughout the United States. Her experience includes the areas of life insurance and annuities, health care, property and casualty, consumer finance and banking, environmental law, Indian law, criminal defense, and appeals. Lara has experience representing financial institutions in a range of complex matters, including extensive experience in class actions.  Lara is fluent in Spanish.

Prior to joining Berger Singerman, Lara clerked for the Honorable Peter T. Fay in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. She also served as a legal intern in the Appellate Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

Representative Experience

  • Representation of insurance companies, banks, and other financial institutions in litigation and arbitration, including class actions and other complex, high exposure matters involving state and federal industry related claims
  • Representation of criminal defendants in federal appeals involving allegations of conspiracy, robbery, narcotics and other charges, including briefing and argument of statutory, procedural, constitutional, and federal sentencing issues
  • Representation of Native American Indian Tribe in environmental, commercial, constitutional, and other matters, including extensive experience involving federal environmental statutes such as the Clean Water Act and in the area of state, federal, and tribal sovereign immunity
  • Representation of property owner in Chapter 11 adversary proceeding

Professional and Community Involvement

  • Adjunct Professor, Miami Dade College Law Center
  • American Bar Association, Website Notes Editor for the United States Supreme Court, Section of Litigation, Appellate Committee
  • American Bar Association, Website Notes Editor for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Section of Litigation, Appellate Committee (2008-2011)
  • Member, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation
  • Member, Cuban American Bar Association
  • Member, Dade County Bar Association
  • Member, Peter T. Fay American Inn of Court

Article

  • ABA Appellate Practice Journal, Appellate Advocacy: A Young Attorney's Perspective (Fall 2011).

Prior Affiliations

  • Associate, Jorden Burt LLP
  • Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Peter T. Fay, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • Intern, Appellate Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida