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because as the years have passed I have been more open with people about my condition. This is a life and image altering disease that basically causes your hair to fall out as your body attacks itself and sees hair follicles as the enemy. Over the past 20 years, I have had all stages of the disease and right now (and for several years now) I have the most severe form of the disease, known as Alopecia Universalis, which means that I don’t have a single hair on my body. No head hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, nose hair, arm hair, leg hair, etc. Being a professional woman with a certain image to maintain has made this disease hard to cope with. However, I have found that being open and vulnerable is a form of strength. More and more nowadays, I want people to know and see the real me and I have found that when you are authentic with people, they almost always respond positively.
AALM: How do you balance your home life and work life?
Nero: Luckily, my boyfriend of five years also owns his own law practice in a complementary area of law (business law). We do a lot of work related events and trips together, which makes it easier to make time for both my personal and work life. Let’s be honest, when you own your own practice, there really is no defined line between personal life and work life. Our firms are our babies; we eat, sleep, and breathe them. Luckily, we do a lot of networking and working together, in- cluding giving seminars all over the world on “Doing Business in the U.S.,” we teach CLE classes together, and we are writing a book together.
AALM: What accomplishment are you most proud of achieving?
Nero: Becoming the secretary of the board of di- rec tors of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF). NAAF is the premier patient foundation in the country for those living with Alopecia Areata, and their loved ones. I am very proud to be the secretary since January 2017, one of their first and most active legislative liaisons since 2013, and also the Miami support group leader for the past year.
I do a lot of advocacy work for the foundation both in Washington DC and locally, as well as fundraising and speaking engagements to raise awareness. This disease has been the most challenging thing I have had to deal with in my life and I continue to battle it daily. Not recognizing your own reflection in the mirror is a special kind of hurt I don’t wish on anyone. This dis- ease robs you of your identity, femininity, confidence, self-image. However, through my work with the foun- dation, I have been able to heal, gain confidence, and support others with the disease. I have been able to turn something negative in my life into something positive and empowering, instead of hiding and cop- ing alone and in silence.
To learn more about Nero’s journey with Alope- cia, and to learn more about or support NAAF, please visit http://support.naaf.org/deirdrenero.
AT a glance
NERO IMMIGRATION LAW P.L.
121 Alhambra Plaza, 10th Floor Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 351-1079 www.neroimmigration.com
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor, University of Miami School of Law, 2003
Bachelor of Arts, Florida State University, 1999
AWARDS
AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell South Florida’s Legal Leaders, Top Rated
Lawyers, The Miami Herald, 2015
Top Lawyers, Daily Business Review, 2015 Business Immigration Lawyer of the Year –
Florida, Acquisition International, 2014
HOBBIES
Time With Pets – Marty (dog) and Buchanan (cat) Traveling and Sailing with Boyfriend, Eric Certified Spinning Instructor Teaching Classes
Weekly
FAVORITE QUOTE
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill.
IMAGE ME PHOTOGRAPHY