FIU Law is pleased to announce Career Coaches, a new professional development resource. Career Coaches provides students with direct access to personalized career mentorship from FIU Law alumni. Offering one-on-one coaching sessions with structured group workshops, Career Coaches equips students with the soft skills and professional connections they need to successfully launch their careers.
Through the Career Coaches program, students can schedule private virtual meetings with alumni mentors. Coaches offer candid, experience-based guidance to help students understand professional expectations, identify networking opportunities and navigate the transition from law school to law practice.
Coaches also lead group workshops throughout the academic year, delivering structured learning opportunities in practitioner-driven topics such as networking strategy, understanding office environments and delivering value to law firms as junior associates.
The Career Coaches program reflects FIU Law's commitment to fostering graduate success and to training lawyers who are prepared to make a meaningful difference for the clients and communities they serve.
Meet Your Coaches
Kelly Cuba ‘25
After graduating from FIU Law, Kelly joined a large full-service litigation firm where she practices in the areas of general civil litigation, catastrophic injury litigation, medical and nursing malpractice, construction, and professional negligence. While in law school, she interned for a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District Court of Florida, served as President of FIU Law’s chapter of the Cuban American Bar Association, and was Vice-President of the Sports, Entertainment, Fashion, and Art Society. Ms. Cuba was also a competing member of FIU Law’s moot court and negotiation and mediation teams.
Joseph “Joe” J. Goldberg ‘11
Joe is a Partner in a large full-service litigation firm, where he is the managing partner of the firm's transportation litigation and retail, restaurant and hospitality practice groups. He represents clients in complex litigation matters arising from serious personal injury claims, including transportation-related incidents, premises and negligent security matters, and disputes in the retail, restaurant, and hospitality industries. During law school, he served as a comments editor on the Florida International University Law Review, was a member of FIU Law’s moot court team, and was elected President of the Student Bar Association. Mr. Goldberg is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges.
Denise Lambert ‘07
Denise is a member of the Bars of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the Bankruptcy Division of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the State of Florida. She practices in a broad range of areas, including chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy, and represents condominium and homeowner association’s board of directors as well as unit owners against their associations. Denise is a member of the Cuban American Bar Association and the FIU Law Alumni Association Dean’s Circle. She is fluent in Spanish and French, and is conversational in Portuguese and Haitian Creole.
Dominique Pierre ‘24
Dominique graduated magna cum laude from FIU Law before joining an Am Law 100 full-service national law firm. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and corporate law. He also serves as a member of the City of North Miami Planning and Zoning Commission. While at FIU Law, he interned for a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and served as executive alumni editor on the Florida International University Law Review.
David H. Snider ‘17
David is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Division of Finance and Administration at Florida International University, where he is responsible for the management and administration of the university’s financial, facility, and business service operations. His depth of experience spans leadership in managing public-private partnerships, strategic modeling, budget systems design, debt analysis, and enterprise reporting. In addition to his administrative role, David teaches finance, law, and graduate-level hospitality courses in FIU’s College of Business and Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. He also operates a private legal practice focused on real estate, contracts, and estate planning, and is an active contributor to the legal and academic communities through the Dade County and American Bar Associations.
Upcoming Workshops
What No One Tells You About Your First Year — candid, unfiltered discussion on the gap between law school expectations and day-to-day practice
How Law Firms Actually Make Money — business structure, origination, client development, and why it matters even as a first-year associate
Legal Tech & the Changing Practice Landscape — what AI and automation are actually doing to legal work right now, from practitioners' POV
Mental Health, Burnout & Sustainability — honest conversation about the pressures of legal practice and how working attorneys actually cope
Pro Bono as a Practice Strategy — how public service work builds skills and reputation, not just goodwill
Getting Involved: Bar Associations, Committees & Community — how young attorneys build a profile and find community outside their offices