Julie O. Bru
City Attorney
 

     Ms.  Bru was appointed by the City of Miami Commission as City Attorney on March 13, 2008.  Ms. Bru brings to the position extensive experience, having practiced law for over 18 years, most of which has been with the City of Miami.  She was serving as Deputy City Attorney prior to her appointment overseeing the management and administration of the Office. Ms. Bru has litigated in areas of tort, civil rights, labor and employment. Among notable work she has done, Ms. Bru represented the City during its acquisition of the 200,000-square-foot Miami Riverside Center and headed the legal team representing the City's recovery task force in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.

     Ms. Bru is Board Certified, City, County and Local Government Law.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (1988), Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.

Warren Bittner
Deputy City Attorney
 

    As Deputy City Attorney, Mr. Bittner is the Chief Litigator for the City of Miami responsible for overseeing all litigation in which the City or its agencies is involved.  Mr. Bittner was recruited from a private practice to join the Office of the City Attorney in 1989.  In addition to his supervisory responsibilities, he maintains a litigation practice in both State and Federal Court, with an emphasis in Civil Rights and Police Misconduct cases.  

  Education:

LL.M in Admiralty (1986), Tulane University of Louisiana; Juris Doctor (1983), University of Miami; Bachelor of Science (major in Mathematics)(1980), University of Miami; Bachelor of Arts(major in Anthropology) (1980), University of Miami.

    Mr. Arango joined the Office of the City Attorney in March, 2008. He is presently assigned to the Quality of Life and Environmental Division where he handles Code Enforcement, foreclosure, municipal legislation, and other general land use matters. Mr. Arango also served as a civil litigator for the Office of the City Attorney, where he specialized in the areas of tort, subrogation, and commercial law.

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (2006), St. Thomas University School of Law.

Iliana Forte
Assistant City Attorney
 

     Ms. Forte joined the Office of the City Attorney in January, 2007. Prior to being hired as an Assistant City Attorney, Ms. Forte handled worker's compensation cases for 16 years in private practice, including appeals before the First and Third District Court of Appeals.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (1990), University of Miami School of Law.

John A. Greco
Assistant City Attorney
 

      Mr. Greco joined the Office of the City Attorney in June 2008 and is assigned to the Litigation Division as Chief Appellate Counsel where he handles all state and federal appellate court proceedings as well as governmental litigation. Previously, Mr. Greco worked in the public and private sector. In private practice, he handled appeals and tort, insurance and business litigation. He also worked as an Assistant Attorney for the Miami-Dade County School Board and held clerkships at the Florida Second District Court of Appeal and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He is the author of the articles titled "The Fourth Amendment and Mass Demonstrations: Does the Dispersal of Protestors by Law Enforcement Constitute a 'Seizure'?" and "Zoning and Internet Business: The Cases of Voyeur Dorm & Flava Works" both of which were published in the Municipal Lawyer Magazine. He has lectured on the topics of "The Top Ten Pitfalls for City Attorneys to Avoid in Dealing With Mass Demonstrations" and "Sex, Cyberspace and the City: Regulating Non-Traditional Adult Businesses."

  Education:

Juris Doctorate, cum laude (1993) University of Miami School of Law; Associate Editor, Inter-American Law Review.

Christopher A. Green
Assistant City Attorney
 

  
  Mr. Green joined the Office of the City Attorney in October 2000. His practice area is in Civil Litigation and Appeals.  He handles litigation in State and Federal Courts in the areas of Torts and Civil Rights. Before joining the Office of the City Attorney, Mr. Green was an associate at Cole, White & Billbrough. He has also served as an Assistant Public Defender in Miami-Dade County for more than six years. He is a member of the Florida Bar's Judicial Administration and Evaluation Committee and the Dade County Bar's Professionalism Committee. 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (1992), Nova Southeastern University.

Deanna Gross-Rasco
Assistant City Attorney
 

    Ms. Gross Rasco joined the Office of the City Attorney in 1994 to handle commercial litigation matters for the City, including foreclosures, code enforcement, quiet title action and lien litigation. Ms. Gross Rasco commenced her legal career as an associate at Blackwell & Walker, P.A. where she specialized in real estate and commercial litigation and transactions.

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (1988), University of Miami School of Law.

Kira L. Grossman
Assistant City Attorney
 

   Ms. Grossman joined the Office of the City Attorney in December 2010. Currently, she practices in the Transactional Division where she handles contracts, legislation, municipal bonds and other general business matters for the City. Prior to joining the City, Ms. Grossman was in private practice where she specialed in commercial and family litigation.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctor (2008), St. Thomas University School of Law.

Henry J. Hunnefeld
Assistant City Attorney
 

    Mr. Hunnefeld is the supervisor of the Litigation Division handling litigation in State and Federal Courts in the areas of Government, Commercial, Civil Rights and Negligence. He has had an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell since 1990 and is the only lawyer Board Certified by The Florida Bar in both Civil Trial and City, County and Local Government Law. He is a member of the Code and Rules of Evidence Committee of The Florida Bar. Mr. Hunnefeld was Associate Editor of the International Law Journal at the University of Miami School of Law and was selected for membership in the Law School’s Bar and Gavel honorary society. He has also been an adjunct professor of International Business Law at the University of Miami Graduate School of Business.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (1982), cum laude, University of Miami School of Law.

Robin Jones Jackson
Assistant City Attorney
 

     Ms. Jackson joined the Office of the City Attorney in July 2004. Ms. Jackson was an associate with the law firm of Willkie, Farr & Gallagher in New York City immediately after law school and moved to Miami in 1990 to work with the law firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey. In addition to her experience as a public finance attorney, Ms. Jackson has worked with governmental, foundation and corporate grants programs, community service programs, public and not-for-profit boards, and has been an adjunct professor for Nova Southeastern University and Miami Dade College.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (1984) Washington & Lee University School of Law.

Kevin R. Jones
Assistant City Attorney
 

 
    Mr. Jones joined the Office of the City Attorney in June 2006. He is assigned to the Litigation Division and Labor Division where he handles litigation in state court in the areas of torts and represents the City before the Civil Service Board. Before joining the Office of the City Attorney, Mr. Jones was in private practice and handled both civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts. Prior to private practice, Mr. Jones was an Assistant State Attorney for the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office where he served as a member of the Violent Career Criminal Unit specializing in the prosecution of violent repeat offenders.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (1997), University of Florida School of Law.

William A. Juliachs
Assistant City Attorney
 

      Mr. Juliachs joined the Office of the City Attorney in January, 2007. Prior to being hired as an Assistant City Attorney, Mr. Juliachs handled worker's compensation cases for 15 years in private practice.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate with honors (1990), University of Florida College of Law.

Victoria Méndez
Assistant City Attorney
 

      Ms. Méndez, is the Supervising Assistant City Attorney for the General Government, Quality of Life, and Administration Division. She joined the Office in 2004. Ms. Méndez's main areas of practice are land use and environmental law, concentrating in the areas of platting, building, code enforcement, eminent domain, planning and zoning, and handling the litigation thereof. She is also the Internship and Recruitment Coordinator for the Office. Prior to joining the City of Miami, Ms. Méndez was a Prosecutor with the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office.

     Ms. Méndez was admitted to practice in The Florida Bar and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Ms. Méndez is the President of the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA), the largest minority bar association in the state, with close to 2,000 members. She is also on the Board of the CABA Foundation and the League of Prosecutors. She is a Trustee for the Miami-Dade County Law Library and former Chair for a Florida Bar Grievance Committee. Ms. Méndez is a member of the American Bar Association; Dade County Bar Association; Florida Association for Women Lawyers; National Association of Women Lawyers; Spellman-Hoeveler American Inn of Courts; National Association for Professional Women and a Florida Bar Foundation Fellow.

    Ms. Méndez has spoken at various conferences regarding her expertise in the area of zoning and code enforcement, including the International Municipal Lawyers Association Annual Conference and the American Bar Association's State and Local Government Section Seminar. Recently she spoke before the American Bar Association's Commission on Hispanic Rights and Responsibilities Forum and at the National Association of Women Lawyer's Conference in Miami. She has been featured every year as a Top Government Attorney in Florida Trend's Legal Elite since 2008 and in South Florida Legal Guide in 2010 and 2011. Ms. Méndez was also recognized as Miami-Dade's "40 under 40" by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 2010 and received recognition by the City of Miami Mayor and City Commission in 2011 for her achievements in the legal profession.

  Education:

Juris Doctor (1999), University of Miami School of Law.

Richard S. Otruba
Assistant City Attorney
 

     Mr. Otruba joined the Office of the City Attorney in 1999. He is presently assigned to the Litigation Division, where he handles litigation in State and Federal Courts in the areas of Negligence, Civil Rights and Commercial law. He has also handled the litigation defense of Workers' Compensation claims. In private practice prior to joining the City, Mr. Otruba represented plaintiffs and claimants in personal injury and Workers’ Compensation litigation, and represented a broad range of clients in commercial litigation and corporate and transactional matters.

  Education:

Juris Doctor (1988), St. Thomas University School of Law.

Ninoshka Reyes
Assistant City Attorney
 

   Ms. Reyes joined the Office of the City Attorney in September of 2009. She is presently assigned to the Litigation Division where she handles litigation in state court in the areas of Torts, Subrogation and Commercial law. Prior to becoming an Assistant City Attorney, Ms. Reyes worked as a Legal Consultant within the Environmental and Quality of Life Division where she provided litigation support services in the areas of Land Use, Environmental Law, Code Enforcement and general municipal law matters.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctor (2006), St. Thomas University School of Law

Janeen L. Richard
Assistant City Attorney
 

   
     Ms. Richard joined the Labor Division in the Office of the City Attorney in November 2010. Previously, Ms. Richard worked in the private and public sector. In private practice, she specialized in employment defense, commercial litigation, and personal injury defense. She also worked as an Assistant School Board Attorney for the Miami-Dade County School Board and clerked for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

  Education:

Juris Doctorate, cum laude (1996), University of Miami School of Law; Associate Editor, Inter-American Law Review; Moot Court Board.

Tarin A. Smithline
Assistant City Attorney
 

     Ms. Smithline joined the Litigation Division in the Office of the City Attorney in January 2011.  She will be handling litigation in State Court in the areas of Torts and Subrogation.  Prior to joining this Office, Ms. Smithline served as an Assistant Public Defender in Miami-Dade County for approximately six years.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctor (2004), University of Miami School of Law.

Rafael Suarez-Rivas
Assistant City Attorney
 

     Mr. Suarez-Rivas rejoined the Office of the City Attorney in 2002, after having served as Miramar City Attorney, Assistant Broward County Attorney, and General Counsel for the Broward Performing Arts Center Authority, and Senior Assistant City Attorney for the City of Hollywood. He is Board Certified in City, County and Local Government Law. His practice includes Land Use and Environmental Law, representing the Historic and Environmental Preservation Board, the Urban Development Design Review Board, and land use appeals and litigation for the City of Miami.. He has lectured on Sunshine Law, Public Records and procurement matters, and has served as a Broward County Hearing Officer, deciding bid protests.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (1979), Nova Southeastern Law School.

Diana Vizcaino
Assistant City Attorney
 

         Ms. Vizcaino joined the Office of the City Attorney in June 2008.  She is currently assigned to work in the area of Labor\Employment where she handles employment litigation matters, arbitrations and represents the City before the Civil Service Board.  Prior to joining the Office of the City Attorney, Ms. Vizcaino litigated in Federal Court on behalf of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as well as in private practice.  Ms. Vizcaino also served as an Assistant State Attorney for Miami-Dade County prosecuting violent career criminals.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctorate (2000), St. Thomas University School of Law.

George K. Wysong
Assistant City Attorney
 

     Mr. Wysong serves as the Police Legal Advisor for the City of Miami Police Department. In that capacity, he handles matters which affect the Police Department, and provides counsel and advice to the Chief of Police and his staff, litigates contraband forfeiture cases, prepares legal bulletins for dissemination to the sworn police officers, provides advices and counsel to the City's Emergency Operations Center in times of emergency. In addition to those duties, Mr. Wysong also reviews contracts and agreements relating to the Police Department and drafts legislation relating to quality of life issues.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctor (1993), St. Thomas University School of Law.

Veronica A. Xiques
Assistant City Attorney

    Ms. Xiques joined the Office of the City Attorney in March 2007. Presently, she practices in the Transactional Division where she handles contracts, public-private partnership transactions and other general business matters for the City. She also serves as counsel to the Miami Downtown Development Authority and the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District.  Ms Xiques began her legal career in private practice as an associate at Diaz, O'Naghten & Borgognoni, LLP and later with the firm of Piedra & Associates, P.A. where she specialized in commercial and real estate litigation.
 

  Education:

Juris Doctor (2002), University of Florida Levin College of Law.