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area of law I have dedicated my practice to for the last 22 years.
Little did I know that I would spend over two decades representing Fortune 500 companies and privately held businesses in a multitude of matters ranging from insur- ance defense to products liability claims, banking litigation, construction matters, real estate issues, and consumer class actions, to name a few. e law never disappoints.
AALM: Did you have any mentors or professors who helped you develop your career?
Quesada: As a young lawyer, I had wonderful mentors who helped shaped my career and allowed me to develop the practice I cherish today. My most beloved mentor was Alice Hector during my days at Steel Hector & Davis, who took me under her wing and pushed me to do things I never thought possible as a young lawyer. e trust she placed in me built my con dence to levels I could not have imagined. I am grateful for the years I worked alongside her, and the knowledge she poured into me. It was a gi having a strong woman lawyer as my mentor early on because I could see myself in her position in years to come. at experience prepared me for the future I revel in today – owning my own rm with a group of remark- able lawyers, and leading high-stakes cases without pause.
AALM: Do you nd that as a woman you face any chal- lenges that men don’t?
Quesada: e greatest challenge I have faced as a woman, that I do not believe men face to the same extreme, is the con- stant juggle of work-life balance. As the mother of two daugh- ters, a freshman in college and junior in high school, the dif- ferent phases of raising my girls always presented a struggle. e pull of wanting to be at every event and engage in each milestone was at odds with the reality that as a busy litigator I was not available like I wanted to be. I struggled with that desire and guilt for many years. I applaud my husband of 24 years, Pablo Quesada, for helping when he could, as his sched- ule permitted. Pablo is an amazing husband and father.
AALM: What compelled you to start your own practice?
Quesada: With a growing book of business and an entre- preneurial itch that was shared with my husband who had gone out on his own six months earlier, we decided it was time to join forces with great friends and lawyers to open Sanchez- Medina, Gonzalez, Quesada LLP Jan. 1, 2007. Starting o with ve lawyers at the Colonnade building, here we are, 12 years later, having grown to 25 attorneys, including my law partners Gus Lage, Joe Gomez and Carlos Machado, to create SMGQ Law. e autonomy of being able to work on the matters and clients I choose to work on, including pro bono matters that hold a special place in my heart, were driving forces in my de- cision to open my own rm. It has been a tremendous blessing and one of the best decisions I ever made.
AALM: What traits do you think make an attorney ex- ceptional?
Quesada: Exceptional lawyers are honest, driven by in- tegrity, seek the truth and have compassion. Although the legal profession tends to have a bad rap, I do not believe it is merited. I have nothing but respect for the slew of attorneys I have dealt with as opposing counsel for over two decades. e majority of lawyers I have come across are respectful and professional. We represent a noble profession.
AT a glance
SMGQ LAW
201 Alhambra Circle, Suite 1205 Coral Gables, FL 33134 www.SMGQLAW.com
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor, Florida State University Law School, 1996
Bachelor of Science, Florida International University, 1992
NOTABLE RECOGNITION
AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale- Hubbell
Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association, Commercial & Healthcare
Arbitrator, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
Top Lawyer in Litigation, South Florida Legal
Guide
Minority Powerbroker, Law 360
Go-To Law Firm for the Top 500 Companies in
Litigation, American Lawyer Magazine
Top Law Firm, Corporate Counsel Magazine Former Commissioner, Commission on Women
in the Profession of the American Bar Association
FAVORITE QUOTE
“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” – Ronald Reagan