Biography
Professor Maria Desiree Suarez teaches Legal Skills and Values I and II, Human Trafficking, and Judicial Process. She brings to the classroom a distinctive perspective shaped by her experience as both a former federal attorney and an immigration litigation attorney. Drawing on her work with the U.S. Department of Justice and her leadership in private practice, Professor Suarez teaches students to think critically, write with precision and purpose, and approach legal problems with rigor, professionalism, and integrity.
Before joining FIU College of Law, Professor Suarez served as Attorney Supervisor of the Appeals and Removal Defense Department at GFI Immigration Law, where she led a team handling complex immigration matters, helped develop and expand the firm’s removal defense practice, and trained junior attorneys and recent law school graduates.
Professor Suarez began her legal career through the prestigious U.S. Department of Justice Honors Program, serving as a Judicial Law Clerk and later as an Attorney Advisor with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. During her tenure at DOJ, she worked in three immigration courts in San Antonio, Texas, New York, New York, and Miami, Florida, gaining broad experience in immigration law across multiple federal circuits.
She earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. During law school, she served as Managing Editor of the Law Review and received the Dean’s Fellow distinction in recognition of her outstanding academic and professional contributions. She also holds an MBA from St. Thomas University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University.
A native of Nicaragua who was raised in Miami, Professor Suarez is proud of her roots as a first generation college and law graduate. She is active in a number of professional organizations, including the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Miami Dade Bar, the Florida Bar, the Legal Writing Institute, and the Association of American Law Schools. Beyond her teaching and practice, Professor Suarez is deeply committed to mentorship and promoting access to legal education.
In her free time, Professor Suarez enjoys running, hiking, playing tennis, traveling, listening to audiobooks, crocheting, baking, and trying new recipes.
Education
- JD, magna cum laude, University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law
- MBA, St. Thomas University
- BA, Florida International University