Jaime is a Florida Bar-certified Intellectual Property attorney and focuses her practice on trademarks and copyrights. Jaime serves on the Pro Bono Committee of the International Trademark Association and chairs the Dade County Bar Association’s IP Committee. She is also an Adjunct Professor at UM Law teaching trademark law.
Favorite quote: “And though she be but little, she is fierce.”
Fun fact: I’m a published author. Along with my sisters Amanda and Brittany and my brother Zachary, I wrote “Off the Bus and On the Record,” a compilation of music interviews with bands like Maroon 5, My Chemical Romance, Cobra Starship and more, along with poignant anecdotes about our experiences as teen rock journalists. The book was published by Zest Books in 2009.
How do you unwind after a long day of work? I’m a runner! Running eases the anxiety and stress from work. I think I do my best thinking while sweating.
What challenges have you faced in your career, and how did you overcome them? “Imposter syndrome” is a phrase thrown around, often to describe how professional women feel when they advance to a job they do not necessarily think they are qualified to do. It is part of the reason women frequently do not negotiate their salary at the start of a job, which becomes part of the cyclical problem of underpaying women for the same job as their male counterparts. I struggled with imposter syndrome early in my career. In 2011, as a fifth year attorney, my partner and I launched our firm, which pushed me out of my associate comfort zone. I was uncomfortable with self-promotion and often downplayed my successes. With time, experience and mentorship, I pushed past the imposter syndrome and found the confidence I feel today.
What has been the most monumental moment of your career thus far? In 2019, I was awarded the Pro Bono Award for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit from the Florida Bar. It was one of the professional highlights of my career. Established in 1981, The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Awards are intended to encourage lawyers to volunteer free legal services to the poor by recognizing those who make public service commitments and to raise public awareness of the substantial volunteer services provided by Florida lawyers to those who cannot afford legal fees. Pro bono work is extremely important to me and has always been part of my career path. I have been volunteering with arts organizations since before I was an attorney. I believe our communities as a whole are substantially improved when we foster entrepreneurship and invention, and provide representation (and voices) to our underserved segments of society, particularly non-profit organizations. Entrepreneurship offers an alternative route to economic success and an increasingly promising pathway out of poverty, which benefits our community.
Who are your role models? RBG, Kamala Harris and my mom
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? “Always be the person in the room with the answer.” In other words, never stop learning, reading and refining your skills.
What advice would you give a young woman at the start of her career? Network! My practice is built on referrals. Seize opportunities to start building your own network from the beginning of your career. Join organizations and take leadership roles that will help your visibility.
How does being a woman has impacted your career? Another phrase I often hear in the context of working women is the elusive “work/life balance.” While speaking on female empowerment panels, moderators will ask me, “how do you find the work/life balance?” But, to be very transparent, I think achieving the “work/life balance” can be pretty unattainable with a busy schedule. As a woman, I juggle a lot of different roles. Women are often the default chore-doers and child-tenders. I am a lawyer, a professor, a wife and a mother (to two young children). I see my ability to juggle, however, as a strength that has helped my career growth.
