Our Team of Professionals

Bios

Mike Abrams
Leading the Miami Office team is Michael I. Abrams, a Governmental Consultant with Akerman Senterfitt. Mr. Abrams served in the Florida House of Representatives for 12 years representing the North Miami Beach-Aventura area. During his tenure in the Legislature, he served as Chair of the Finance and Tax Committee and as Chair of Health and Human Services Appropriations. Through his Chairmanships, he was able to secure millions of dollars for South Florida. After retiring from the House, Mr. Abrams returned to Miami and a career in the private sector advocating for a number of Florida clients. In addition to his strong relationships with the Florida Legislature and local Miami officials, Mr. Abrams understands the local area’s issues. Michael I. Abrams brings significant experience representing the Miami area first as a state legislator and later as a lobbyist for local interests on the state and federal level. As a successful lobbyist, he has obtained millions of dollars in state support for a variety of programs, including the City of Miami, the State Wide Guardian Ad Litem, the Public Health Trust, Hospice Foundation of America, Camillus House, Voices for Children, and Miami Children’s Hospital.

Monica Rodriguez
Monica L. Rodriguez, is a former aide to Speaker of the House of Representatives Marco Rubio. She is an Attorney and was admitted to the Florida Bar and the U.S. Southern District of Florida in 2000. She currently works out of the Miami office, but will be relocating to the Tallahassee Office since her husband has been named as the Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives. Ms. Rodriguez will commute back and forth between the Miami and Tallahassee offices on a regular basis. She is a member of the Dade County Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. She received her Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude from the University of Miami. Ms. Rodriguez also has a Masters Degree in Education with Honors and a Bachelors degree in psychology from the University of Miami. Additionally, Ms. Rodriguez was an officer of the Republican Party of Dade County. She was a delegate to the 2000 Republican National Convention and was the National Committeewoman for the Republican National Hispanic Assembly. She has been involved in a variety of campaigns at all levels of government. She currently serves on the Board of Kristi House and on the University of Miami Law School Alumni Board. Monica L. Rodriguez has been successfully lobbying for the past six years and has a keen awareness of the legislative process.

Jose Diaz
Jose F. Diaz, an associate with the Litigation and Policy practice groups, earned his Bachelor's degree in English and Political Science from the University of Miami where he graduated with honors, was Student Body President, lobbied in front of and gained a seat in the UM Board of Trustees, and was named 2002 State of Florida College Student of the Year. He has been recognized by both the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County for his extensive involvement in local, state, and national endeavors. He is a 2005 graduate of Columbia University School of Law where he was a member of the Harlan Fiske Stone Honors Moot Court Program. He spent significant time lobbying the American Bar Association advocating law student rights and currently serves as a member of the ABA House of Delegates. Mr. Diaz sat on the Community Relations Board for the City of Coral Gables and served as a staff aide to Senator Bob Graham in 2001. He is a member of the Cuban-American Bar Association and the Board of Directors of CHARLEE’s Homes for Children.