St. Thomas University College of Law

As we all enjoy the FIFA 2026 World Cup, let us also reflect on the values and the true spirit of sports: celebration of human potential, human dignity, and freedom.

Join The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy for an exceptional training video series that explores the realities of human trafficking in, through, and around the world of sports, while highlighting pathways for prevention and protection. Let us look beyond the game: be a champion for human dignity!

🔗 Explore the videos through the link: https://humantraffickingacademy.org/event/sports-human-trafficking/.

The Summer in Spain experience extends far beyond the classroom.

STU Law students have had the opportunity to learn from distinguished faculty, including Professors Keith Fisher and Colleen O’Toole (Comparative Judicial Decision Making), Professor Christian Gonzalez Rivera (Law, Science, and Policy: An Introduction to Jurisprudence), Professor Colleen Baker (International Negotiations), Professor François Martin (Regional Systems of Human Rights Protection), and Professor Jaime Olaiz-Gonzalez (Comparative Constitutional Law). Dean Tarlika Nuñez-Navarro further enriched the academic experience by presenting to each class on a variety of topics.

Students also had the unique opportunity to hear from Fernando Vaz Ventura, a highly distinguished Portuguese magistrate and Judge Counsellor at the Supreme Court of Justice of Portugal, who joined a class session via Zoom to share insights from his experience serving on Portugal’s highest court.

Beyond their studies, students have immersed themselves in Spain’s rich history and culture while building meaningful connections with faculty, alumni, and one another through shared meals, excursions, and fellowship. Students also had the opportunity to visit the Spanish Constitutional Court, made possible through the generosity and support of STU Law alumna Alexandra Rengal (’12).

One memorable evening included a performance by the Musical Youth Orchestra of Miami, where students had the opportunity to meet the conductors and opera singers following the concert. In a fitting reminder of how small the world can be, one of our student musicians connected with a fellow bassoon player over their shared love of music.

Students also enjoyed the annual tradition of golfing with Dean Nuñez-Navarro at the historic Real Club de Golf La Herrería, a course renowned for its natural beauty and situated at the foot of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

From the classroom to the concert hall and beyond, the Summer in Spain Program continues to create lasting memories while preparing students for an increasingly interconnected legal profession.

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Join us for an engaging Employment Law CLE Seminar presented in partnership with Nelson Mullins, the Miami-Dade Bar, and STU College of Law.

Featuring Garrett Buttrey, Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Labor, this program will explore the latest legal developments, emerging workplace trends, and key issues impacting employers and workplaces across industries.

📅 June 25
🕒 3:00–5:00 p.m.
📍 STU Moot Courtroom
🥂 Cocktail reception to follow
🔗 https://bit.ly/STULAW26

Complimentary admission for STU Law students and faculty. Limited tickets available. Registration required.

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On Saturday, members of the STU Law community attended the Broward County Bar Association’s Annual Installation Gala, an evening celebrating excellence and leadership within the legal profession.

The event provided valuable opportunities for rising 2Ls Luis Fuentes, Sebastian Vazquez, Georgia Temple, Sara Jacobs, and Brinley Delorme to connect with members of the bench and bar alongside Assistant Dean Ana Vallejo, Assistant Director of Career Development Dalilian Gutierrez, and Professor Amber Tracey.

The gala recognized numerous distinguished leaders in the legal community, including the Honorable Judge Powell, recipient of the President’s Award, and renowned trial attorney Bob Kelley, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Congratulations to newly installed Broward County Bar Association President Diana Castrillon, and to STU Law alumni serving on the Association’s Board of Directors: Lourdes E. Ferrer (’01), Secretary; Aron Gibson (’11), Past President; Bernardo Protano (’99), Director; Laurie Spector (’06), Director; and Kevin Gardiner (’18), Young Lawyers Section Director.

Congratulations to all of the evening’s honorees and leaders for their outstanding contributions to the legal profession and the South Florida community.

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From Miami to Spain, STU Law students are expanding their legal education beyond borders through the Summer in Spain Program in San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

Nestled in the foothills of the Guadarrama Mountains and just outside Madrid, the historic town of El Escorial offers students a unique setting to combine academics, culture, and community while living alongside centuries of history at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

In the classroom, students are exploring topics such as judicial decision-making, including independent factual investigation, judicial notice, and statutory interpretation. Outside the classroom, students are experiencing Spain firsthand through shared meals, cultural immersion, and excursions, including a hike led by Dean Tarlika Nuñez-Navarro to one of the highest points in town, where the group enjoyed breathtaking views of the monastery and the surrounding landscape.

The Summer in Spain Program reflects STU College of Law’s commitment to providing students with transformative global experiences that prepare them for an increasingly interconnected legal profession.

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Congratulations to Professor Colleen O’Toole! Her innovative article, “Prosecutorial Discretion as Infrastructure: The Sequential Intercept Model,” has been accepted for publication in Volume 15 of the Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality.

The article explores how prosecutors can play a pivotal role in preventing individuals from entering or re-entering the criminal justice system by embracing a community-centered, prevention-oriented approach. By integrating resources such as housing, healthcare, education, and social support into the justice system, Professor O’Toole argues that preventive justice offers a more sustainable path to reducing crime and strengthening communities.

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Professor Dr. Roza Pati attended the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop on May 20-21, 2026—two days of expert panels and discussion groups on cutting-edge issues impacting U.S. engagement with the world. Participation in the workshop is by invitation and selection only. The CFR is a non-partisan, independent national membership organization, think tank, educator, and publisher, including of Foreign Affairs. It generates policy-relevant ideas and analysis, convenes experts and policy makers, and promotes informed public discussion. This year’s workshop focused on issues at the intersection of religion and U.S. foreign policy affairs. Panels focused on: The Future of Humanitarian Aid; Faith, Ethics, and Artificial Intelligence; Conflict in the Middle East; The Local to Global Dimensions of Immigration. Discussion group sessions related to Climate and Faith Movements; Gender Equality and Faith Communities; International Religious Freedom; Peace and Global Conflict; and the Rise of Religious Nationalism and Authoritarianism, in which Dr. Pati had her insightful contribution.

Professor Pati has also received an exceptional invitation from the Council of Europe to present at its Headquarters in Strasbourg before the 8th Plenary Meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs (The Santiago de Compostela Convention), which will take place on June 9-10, 2026. Dr. Pati has been invited to share her “valuable experience and insights” in anti-trafficking, with particular emphasis on trafficking in persons for the purposes of organ transplant. The organizers express appreciation for Dr. Pati’s “willingness to engage with the work of the Council of Europe.”

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