Lawyer Brings State and Federal Court Experience

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 30, 2008

CONTACT:
ACLU of Florida Communications Office, (786) 363-2737 or media@aclufl.org

MIAMI – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida announces Maria Kayanan has joined the organization as its first Associate Legal Director. Kayanan, who has a broad range of experience in both state and federal court, will work closely with ACLU staff and volunteer lawyers throughout the state to further the ACLU’s litigation strategies in Florida.

From 1988 through 2003 Kayanan clerked for the late Honorable James R. Jorgenson of the Third District Court of Appeal.  With over five years experience in private practice she specialized in appeals and trial support in complex litigation. She also taught legal research and writing at Nova Southeastern University in Broward County. Before attending law school she worked as a paralegal, providing legal services to migrant farm workers in Apopka, Florida.

“Maria Kayanan brings a deep breadth of legal experience and we welcome her to the ACLU of Florida. She will be an invaluable part of the ACLU’s legal team in Florida and we are thrilled to bring her on board,” said Randall Marshall, Legal Director, ACLU of Florida.

Maria is a member of the Florida Bar, the United States District Courts for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

A native of Santurce, Puerto Rico Kayanan is bi-lingual.  She earned her bachelor’s degree from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and received her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. 

About the ACLU of Florida
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida is freedom's watchdog, working daily in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend individual rights and personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For additional information, visit our Web site at: www.aclufl.org.

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2008 Press Releases