Many of us arrived at Wynwood Padel Club on June 16 believing that an hour of instruction would be enough to turn us into competent padel players. By the end of the evening, the summer associates had learned two important lessons: padel is much harder than it looks, and the attorneys in Bilzin Sumberg’s Tax, Trusts & Estates Group have been quietly hiding some serious athletic talent.

The group gathered for an evening of padel, friendly competition, and plenty of laughs. Set against the backdrop of a classic Miami summer night, the event gave summer associates the opportunity to spend time with attorneys outside the office while testing our skills on the court. As it turned out, some members of the TT&E Group were far more skilled than many of us anticipated.

To get us started, the instructors led a warm-up and introduced the fundamentals of padel. During the drills, many of us began feeling surprisingly confident. At one point, after a few successful shots, I jokingly told the instructor that if I practiced every day for two weeks, I could probably become really good at padel. Without hesitation, he laughed and informed me that I was simply “not a natural.” The comment quickly became one of the funniest moments of the evening and, in hindsight, a fairly accurate assessment.

The lesson gave us a chance to learn the basics and sharpen our skills, but once the matches began, we quickly realized that returning practice shots is very different from competing in a live game. Ellina and I spent time practicing with the coach and entered the matches feeling ready to dominate. Unfortunately, our confidence may have developed faster than our actual padel abilities.

One of the highlights of the evening was a doubles match featuring Alex Denault and me against Ellina and Nellie. The match was competitive, energetic, and full of laughs. While our team managed to come away with a victory that round, everyone on the court was having too much fun to worry too much about the score.

Of course, as the evening went on, it became increasingly clear that the attorneys had been holding out on us. Jenn Wioncek was undoubtedly one of the stars of the night. Watching her play was honestly intimidating. Her athleticism was impossible to miss, and I personally decided it was best to admire her game from a safe distance rather than find myself on the opposite side of the net. If her Division I basketball days are behind her, her athletic career is certainly not.

Not everyone spent the evening on the court. Jessica once again embraced her role as the group’s premier spectator, cheering everyone on from the sidelines and helping keep the energy high throughout the event. Between matches, attorneys and summer associates had the opportunity to catch up, share stories, and enjoy spending time together outside of the office.

If the event taught us anything, it is that the attorneys of the Tax, Trusts & Estates Group are far more athletic than they let on. Should a future showdown between the attorneys and summer associates ever take place, the smart money would almost certainly be on the attorneys.

Overall, the event was a fantastic opportunity to connect with colleagues, enjoy some friendly competition, and experience one of Miami’s fastest-growing sports. It was an evening filled with laughter, new connections, and memorable moments both on and off the court—a perfect example of the camaraderie that makes Bilzin Sumberg such a special place to spend the summer.

This week I had the privilege of participating in the Pro Bono Clinic hosted by Bilzin Sumberg in partnership with the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA). Led by Raquel Fernandez from our litigation department, alongside representatives from CABA, the clinic brought together Bilzin attorneys and summer associates to assist undocumented minors who have experienced neglect, abuse, or abandonment as they begin the process of seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status. The clinic focused on helping clients and their caregivers complete the initial petitions necessary to begin a legal process that can ultimately provide stability, protection, and opportunities for the future.

Supporting Clients Through the Legal Process

At the start of the clinic, each summer associate was paired with a Bilzin Sumberg attorney and assigned a client. I was paired with Savannah Bergeron, who has experience doing CABA pro bono work both as a former Bilzin summer associate and now as an attorney at the firm. Her guidance throughout the afternoon was invaluable, and watching how naturally she navigated the process gave me a real sense of the kind of lawyer this firm develops over time.

Working in small groups, we met with our clients and their caregivers to learn about their backgrounds, experiences, and adjustment to life in the United States. We sat with families, listened to their stories, and worked to build the kind of trust that made them comfortable sharing details that are not always easy to talk about. From there, we helped gather information, organize documentation, and prepare the required petitions.

A Personally Meaningful Experience

For me, the experience carried a special significance. Coming from an immigrant family myself, I was able to relate to many of the challenges and opportunities that accompany building a life in a new country. Because my client and caregiver were Spanish speakers, I was also able to communicate with them in their native language throughout the afternoon.

Those conversations created an immediate sense of connection and allowed me to play a more active role in the process. Being able to engage the client in the process and make the experience more comfortable for the family was incredibly rewarding. It served as a reminder that effective advocacy is often about more than legal knowledge. It is also about listening, communicating, and making people feel heard.

Looking Ahead

By the end of the afternoon, each team had spent several hours carefully working through the petitions and supporting their clients through an important step in their legal journey. Walking out of the clinic, I felt a sense of purpose that is hard to replicate in any other setting. I am grateful to Raquel, Savannah, and everyone at Bilzin Sumberg and CABA who made this experience possible. If there is one thing I will carry with me long after this summer ends, it is the reminder that the skills we develop as lawyers can make a real difference in people’s lives. Opportunities like these are what make Bilzin Sumberg such a special place to grow as an attorney.

If you have not already heard, Bilzin Sumberg provides legal counsel to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee, and, through that work, is an Official Miami World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter. You can find a really interesting look into Bilzin Sumberg’s work with FIFA in Corporate & Finance Practice Group Leader David Seifer’s article here. As a seasonal soccer fan (when “season” is defined as only the years in which the World Cup is held), working at the firm FIFA chose as local counsel at a time when matches are being played in our backyard is giving me a bit more team spirit this year.

Inside the office, everybody is getting ready for Miami’s first World Cup match next week. While I’m sure some of my colleagues are “realer” soccer fans than I am, some of that hype could be attributed to the weekly raffles that the firm is holding, with the winners receiving tickets to FIFA events. But, employees can’t just put their name in a hat to enter; they need to earn their raffle entry the hard way.

One way to enter is to participate in the Summer Associate FIFA Scavenger Hunt. Each week, one of the summer associates will have a pink soccer ball. No one at the firm (sans our great marketing department) knows which one of us has the ball. To enter this contest, employees will have to walk to each of our offices and take a picture with the summer associate who has the ball.

This is a great way for us summer associates to meet other employees. It’s been fun meeting new people who stopped by on their quest to find the hidden ball. However, I must apologize for the clickbait-style title of this post. To those who clicked this article thinking I would really reveal the location of the ball, you are severely mistaken.

The ball could be in my office. It also could not. Those who have stopped by over the last few days know the truth, but the ball’s location is privileged information that I can’t just give up. There is only one way to find out. You know where I am.

One of the highlights of my summer so far at Bilzin Sumberg has been the summer associate mock real estate transaction, which has been an experience that has given us a look into the rhythm and strategy of real dealmaking. Representing the sellers are myself, Nicole, and Michael (“the Dream Team”), while Alex and Nate represent the buyers (I’m not sure what they call themselves). Each session has been extremely interactive and educational, and helps remind me why I am interested in transactional work in the first place.

Our first session was with Phil Sosnow and Manny Gonzalez, who walked us through the first step of a real estate transaction: the letter of intent. They took the time to teach us what an LOI is, how it functions, and how it sets the baseline for everything that follows. I was struck by how much strategic thinking goes into a document that, for the most part, is not binding. The LOI isn’t just meant to be a preliminary formality, but rather, where the parties iron out the most important aspects of the deal.

Armed with this foundation, our two teams sat down to negotiate the LOI ourselves (alongside the help of our gracious coaches, Sean Gleason and Brittany Chung-Blair). That first negotiation was eye-opening. Balancing competing priorities (prices, timelines, contingencies) while trying to maintain a productive relationship with the other side required a level of finesse I hadn’t fully appreciated before.  

From there, at our next educational session, we moved on to the full purchase and sale agreement. We learned about the key points of contention that typically arise: title and survey issues, representations and warranties, closing conditions, and more. Then came another round of negotiations, this time working through a pre-drafted contract and debating what provisions to revise, strike, or add. Once again, we were learning how to react in real time to proposals made by the opposition, as well as how to coordinate with your team the appropriate response.

What strikes me most about these mock negotiations is how they bridge the gap between classroom learning and practice. Reading about deal terms is one thing; advocating for them across the table is something else entirely. This mock transaction has taught me to think on my feet, to listen carefully to what the other side is really saying, and to approach negotiation not as a zero-sum game but as a collaborative problem-solving exercise—all skills that we are being taught throughout our time here at Bilzin Sumberg. The closing for this transaction is right around the corner, so I’ll be sure to keep the dedicated followers of this blog updated. We’ll see if Alex and Nate keep up their contentious approach, or if we’ll be able to get this deal done.

One of the great things about Summers at Bilzin Sumberg is the opportunity to spend time with the attorneys from each of the firm’s practice groups outside of the office. Last week, the Real Estate team treated the summer associates to a murder mystery night at Coral House Italian Restaurant. Upon arriving, each of the summers were split into groups with members of the Bilzin Real Estate team for the all-important task of investigating the mysterious death of Warren Peace, the reclusive Hollywood mogul.

In between bites of pizza and sips of red wine, each of the groups worked to uncover the clues we needed to solve the mystery. Due to my role as Jarvis Deedit, the long-time butler of Mr. Peace who was conspicuously absent from his will, I made the rounds during the investigation to answer questions about my whereabouts on the night of his death. All the while, my teammates Phil Sosnow and Salomé Bascuñan did their part by taking close notes and asking the kinds of incisive questions that would make any detective proud.

As the night wore on and the suspects multiplied, Phil and Salomé eye for kept us on the right path throughout. Every time I returned from my rounds as the suspiciously disinherited butler, they were waiting with another piece of the puzzle.

By the time the final round arrived and each team had to commit to an accusation, our group felt good about our answer—but you never really know until the answer is revealed. When the solution was finally revealed and our deductions proved correct, our table erupted. We had done it. Against a room full of seasoned attorneys and equally determined fellow summers, our team had cracked the case and emerged victorious.

I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t acknowledge the true architect of our triumph. While Phil and Salomé handled the actual detective work, and I did my best not to incriminate myself, James Shindell provided something far more valuable: moral support. From his seat at the table, James offered steady encouragement, the occasional knowing nod, and an unwavering belief that we would prevail. Put simply, James was the real MVP of our team’s winning performance. We simply could not have done it without his presence, his wisdom, and his willingness to let the rest of us do the heavy lifting.

For our efforts, each member of the winning team walked away with a $100 Amazon gift card. The possibilities feel endless. Do I invest in something practical, like a new pair of shoes? Something indulgent? Something for the dog? These are the kinds of questions that keep summers up at night. Suggestions are welcome!

One of the best parts of being a summer associate at Bilzin Sumberg has been getting to know attorneys and fellow summer associates outside the office. Between assignments, trainings, and learning the ins and outs of practicing law, the firm has created opportunities for us to connect in ways that have nothing to do with billable hours or legal research.

One of my favorite events so far was a murder mystery dinner with the Real Estate team and the rest of the summer associates.

The premise seemed simple enough: enjoy a great dinner, question suspects, gather clues, and solve a murder.

As it turns out, I may have been slightly overconfident about my detective skills.

From the moment we arrived, I was fully committed to the role. Professional witness interviews? Check. Cross-examinations? Absolutely. Drawing conclusions based on circumstantial evidence and questionable assumptions? Unfortunately, also check.

Throughout the evening, as various characters moved between tables while we collected clues and interrogated suspects. Between bites of pasta and rounds of questioning, our team worked to piece together what happened. I treated the entire thing like a trial strategy session.

By the end of the night, I was convinced we had solved it.

Not “I think we might be right” convinced.

I mean “I could write a closing argument on this” convinced.

I had an entire theory. I had motive. I had opportunity. I had supporting facts. I had convinced not only myself, but most of my table, that we had cracked the case. We were so certain of our conclusion that we barely entertained alternative theories.

The suspect? The doctor.

We were all in.

When the host finally gathered everyone together to announce the winners, I was already mentally preparing to celebrate our investigative brilliance.

Then came the announcement.

“The award for Dead Last Place goes to…”

Our table.

I genuinely thought I had misheard.

Not only had we not won—we had finished last.

Dead last.

As if that wasn’t humbling enough, the actual murderer turned out to be someone sitting at our very own table the entire time. Looking back, the clues were there, but we had become so attached to our theory that we completely overlooked other possibilities.

The resulting photo of our “Dead Last Place” certificate may be one of my favorite summer memories so far.

The experience turned out to be a funny reminder that confidence and being correct are not always the same thing. In law school and in practice, it’s easy to become attached to a theory once you’ve invested time developing it. Sometimes the best answer is the one you haven’t considered yet.

More importantly, the evening was a great opportunity to spend time with people across the firm in a relaxed setting. One of the things I’ve appreciated most about Bilzin Sumberg is how welcoming everyone has been. Events like this make it easy to build relationships, share a few laughs, and get to know colleagues beyond their practice groups.

Although I still maintain that my theory was excellent, I have reluctantly accepted the official results.

Mostly.

My first two weeks at Bilzin Sumberg have been nothing short of amazing. Between orientation, training sessions, meeting my mentor, and diving into my first assignments, the days have flown by in the best possible way. One highlight so far was last Thursday’s cooking class at Two Chefs, where past and present summer associates came together to do something you don’t typically associate with lawyers: cook.

The concept was simple. Bilzin Sumberg summer associates representing generations of the program gathered after work to prepare a meal together, share stories, and get to know one another outside the office. The execution, however, was a bit more complex, at least for some of us.

Luckily for everyone who had to eat the food, I was assigned the relatively simple task of preparing flatbread topped with mozzarella, goat cheese, mushrooms, and onions. Thanks to the guidance of the professional chefs on hand, my flatbread turned out to be a genuine success: golden, crispy, and gone within minutes. I’d like to say it was all natural talent, but I’ll give credit where it’s due.

Not everyone in my summer associate class had it so easy. Aaron Batista manned the grill, turning out savory hamburgers for the group. Michael Rosen took on the challenge of preparing a churrasco served with chimichurri sauce, and he did not disappoint. Nicole Shaked was tasked with a risotto, a dish notorious for requiring substantial time and attention, and pulled it off beautifully. And then there was Alex Spillis, who prepared a chocolate soufflé with crème anglaise that was absolutely divine. Between the summer associates and the attorneys, we managed to put together an entire spread: tuna tartare with hand-fried chips, stuffed mushroom caps, baked salmon, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and more.

Once the cooking was done and the aprons came off, we sat down together for a family-style dinner. This is where the evening truly came to life. I had the opportunity to speak with attorneys across practice areas, learning not just about their work at Bilzin Sumberg but about their experiences as summer associates. The conversations were relaxed, genuine, and offered a glimpse into the relationships and traditions that define the firm. I heard about attorneys’ paths to partnership, their favorite memories from their own summers, and even learned about firm traditions like the famed Bilzin Sumberg Halloween contest that takes place each year. By the end of the evening, I left with a deeper appreciation for the firm’s culture and the people who make Bilzin Sumberg such a special place to work.

Two weeks in, and I already feel like I’m part of something special here. If the rest of the summer is anything like these first two weeks, full of great people, meaningful work, and the occasional soufflé, I think I’m in for a pretty incredible ride.

Before I set foot in the office for my first day, Bilzin Sumberg was already making sure to include the incoming summer associate class in firm events. A few days before the summer program officially began, I attended Bilzin Sumberg’s yearly firm dinner, where I met the rest of this year’s summer associate class for the first time. I also met my mentor, Sarah Carraher, who introduced me to other attorneys so that I’d have some familiar faces to look forward to seeing throughout the summer.

On that first day, the firm set up the summer associates for lunch (the first of many lunches over the next nine weeks) with Isabella Durand, Crystal Singh, and Ethan Schwab, all of whom are new associates who recently completed Bilzin Sumberg’s summer associate program. They gave us advice on how to navigate the rest of the summer and offered to be resources for us going forward. It was really nice to speak with attorneys who were in our shoes not that long ago.

From there, we dove into all sorts of trainings, including general technology trainings and a technical legal writing workshop that involved Matthew McConaughey and Barbie dolls. Who knew legal writing could be so laugh-out-loud funny? But my favorite trainings were for the AI platforms Harvey and CoCounsel. Bilzin Sumberg really encourages attorneys and summer associates to use both AI tools, and proper AI use is a skill I’m excited to develop throughout the summer, the rest of my law school journey, and beyond.

As I write this blog post from my window office overlooking Brickell, I’m confident that I have all the tools I need to succeed in my substantive assignments. Bilzin Sumberg has built a strong foundation for summer associates—through inclusion, training, and community—that makes me excited for everything the rest of the summer has in store.

When people think of a major Miami law firm, they likely picture polished conference rooms, complex transactions, and high-stakes negotiations. And while Bilzin Sumberg certainly delivers on all of those fronts, what has surprised me most as a summer associate is what happens outside the office. The firm’s dedication to and connection with Miami runs deep, and it shows in how the attorneys and staff roll up their sleeves (literally) for the community.

During the spring, Bilzin Sumberg hosted two major community service events, both of which I was fortunately in town for and attended (though Crystal Singh would insist I say I drove down from Gainesville just for these causes, which is partially true).

Bilzin Sumberg Cares Project Day

My first glimpse into Bilzin Sumberg’s impact on the community came through the Bilzin Sumberg Cares Project Day, a firm-wide volunteer event held at Norland Elementary School. Attorneys and staff arrived together with one goal: to help improve and beautify the school for the students who learn there every day. Armed with our shared sense of purpose and matching t-shirts, we got to work building cabinets, repainting classrooms, and reorganizing school supplies.

What struck me the most wasn’t the work itself, but the conversations that grew out of it. There’s something about working side by side, sweating and problem-solving together, that breaks down the formality that may have existed in a different setting. I found myself easily engaging in conversations with attorneys and staff I’d only met a few minutes before. I quickly learned that the people at Bilzin Sumberg don’t just provide great legal work and support great causes, but are simply great people as well.

Earth Day Beach Cleanup

The second event I attended that left a similarly lasting impression was Bilzin Sumberg’s Earth Day Beach Cleanup at the John C. Farina Mangrove Preserve, where we spent the morning clearing trash and litter from one of Miami’s most vital ecosystems. Other volunteers at the event shared their knowledge about the critical role mangroves play in filtering water and supporting local wildlife. Once again, I found myself naturally engaging with many of Bilzin Sumberg’s attorneys and staff as we worked together.

The conversations I had and relationships I formed at these events not only furthered my excitement to begin my time as a summer associate, but also helped me learn so much about what it means to be a part of a community. Bilzin Sumberg doesn’t just work in Miami; it invests in it and shows up for it, and I’m excited to be part of that impact.

L to R: Pressly Pratt, Sarah Carraher, Aaron Batista

L to R: Pressly Pratt, Sarah Carraher, Aaron Batista

With yet another year of law school now completed, there was something particularly sweet about walking back onto the 23rd floor of the office of Bilzin Sumberg on my first day back. Since last August, my morning routine consisted of a couple cups of coffee, a quick breakfast, and a day spent under fluorescent lighting at my law school library. As such, you can imagine my relief when, upon exiting the elevator and walking into the lobby, I was greeted by a wonderful view of the sunlit sky and Biscayne Bay. Sometimes it really is the simple things in life.

After getting reacquainted with natural light, I began to think about all the things I missed from my last summer at Bilzin Sumberg. The most obvious, of course, being the free lunches. While it is true that my first summer at Bilzin afforded me the opportunity to interact and work with a number of incredibly helpful, brilliant attorneys, it was the knowledge that I would never go hungry that made accepting my offer for a second summer a no-brainer.

But the free lunches, great as they are, would be nothing without the company. One of the genuine joys of summering here is the chance to wander into conversations with attorneys across totally different practice groups. You sit down expecting small talk and leave having learned something about a deal, a case, or a corner of the law you’d never have encountered in a classroom. Everyone is generous with their time in a way that still surprises me.

The real reason I’m here, of course, is the work. Getting to dig into projects with the Land Use and Government Affairs team has been everything I hoped for. The work is substantive, the stakes are real, and you can actually see how it shapes the city around you. For someone who cares about public service and how communities get built, it doesn’t get much better.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to Rafael Paz, who, out of the pure goodness of his heart and with absolutely no ulterior motives whatsoever, has graciously allowed me to occupy his remarkably spacious office this summer. Rafael, your selflessness knows no bounds, and I will treasure this office as if it were my own — because, for now, it basically is. But don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your plant.  

Here’s to a summer well spent. The library will still be there in the fall, but I’ll come to terms with that later.