FIU has established itself as one of South Florida’s defining institutions of higher education, and increasingly through its College of Law, a force in the national and international legal landscape.
Founded on a mission of academic excellence and economic mobility, FIU Law consistently produces graduates who outperform even their own lofty expectations. The College ranks among the national leaders in bar passage rates, delivering on a belief that its faculty have long held to be true: that rigorous preparation and genuine investment in students’ professional development produces lawyers who are ready to make an impact from the outset of their careers.
That institutional commitment pays dividends well beyond the classroom. FIU Law graduates launch careers across the full spectrum of legal practice, carrying with them a distinctive sense of civic responsibility. For those who make that civic responsibility a core tenet of their work, shaping policy and addressing critical legal issues in the public’s interest makes for a deeply rewarding career rooted in service.
Jason A. Reding Quiñones, ’08, Leads as U.S. Attorney in One of Nation’s Busiest Districts
As the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason A. Reding Quiñones serves as the region’s chief federal law enforcement officer, overseeing the prosecution of federal crimes and defending the interests of the United States in civil matters. In one of the country’s most dynamic and globally connected regions, his work spans everything from violent crime and transnational criminal organizations to immigration enforcement and complex financial fraud.
“My job is to make sure this office is focused on the crimes that most threaten the American people and that we deliver results,” he said. That focus has led to major prosecutions across South Florida, including cases involving human trafficking, large-scale healthcare fraud, and international criminal networks. Under his leadership, the Office remains committed to what he describes as a clear mission: “Protect Americans. Restore Impartial Justice. Defend the Rule of Law.”
A member of FIU Law’s fourth graduating class, Reding Quiñones said the College of Law played a defining role in shaping both his career and his perspective. Drawn back to Miami for law school, he saw FIU as an opportunity to receive a high-quality legal education while maintaining the flexibility to pursue public service.
“Keeping debt lower gives you freedom,” he said. “It gives you more flexibility to pursue public service and choose mission over money.”
He also credits FIU with providing a rigorous yet collaborative environment that prepared him for the realities of legal practice and leadership. Just as important were the mentors and relationships he built along the way, connections that helped him navigate a profession that once felt out of reach.
“At every stage, people who took the time to invest in me made a real difference,” he said. “I don’t think that can be overstated."
Bryan Calvo, ’22, Leads Hialeah as Youngest Mayor in City History
When Bryan Calvo sees a problem, he doesn’t wait for someone else to step in — he starts crafting a solution. Even while still a student at FIU Law, he ran a successful campaign for a seat on the Hialeah City Council while taking courses at night and working during the day.
“That’s just how I’m wired,” said Bryan, who grew up in Hialeah. “I really believe that government can be good and impactful in people’s lives.”
That genuine belief in the value of public service is what fueled Bryan’s path to his latest role: the newly elected mayor of Hialeah.
“It’s my plan to work tirelessly for the residents,” he said. “We want to spur economic development. There is enormous untapped potential in Hialeah.”
Bryan is confident that the education and training he received at FIU position him to lead his hometown with confidence.
“The rigor and level of professionalism, in terms of the faculty, mirrored the experience I had at Harvard,” he said. “It makes me ask the right questions, certainly. All the rethinking you do in law school — you just analyze problems.”
He credits FIU Law with helping him develop robust advocacy skills, which he uses every day when tackling municipal issues.
“Bringing people together is very important, but when the time is necessary, you have to hold your ground,” he said. Bryan also acknowledges the role FIU faculty played in his solid understanding of the law.
“All the professors really wanted us to succeed, and they would go out of their way to make that happen,” he said. “I’m just thankful for the education I received at FIU.”
Jeanelle Ferril, ’08, Keeps Focus on Fairness, Safety at BOP
Jeanelle Ferril has always known she wanted to work in the legal system.
“At 5 years old, I was like, I’m going to be a lawyer,” she said. “The law is really important to me.”
That early certainty led her to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where she works for the Office of General Counsel as a supervisory attorney.
“I actually work at the federal prison in Atlanta,” said Jeanelle, who represents the BOP and its many workers. “I really have touched on quite a vast area of legal practice within the bureau.”
On a daily basis, the stakes are high, and she applies the law to help keep the BOP operating fairly and safely for inmates and employees alike.
“I don’t wake up serving Jeanelle,” she said. “I wake up to serve my clients, and it means everything to me.”
Jeanelle said her commitment to public service started at FIU, where the faculty taught her to develop her legal mind and also strive to be a caring person.
“They were the people who were making sure I had what I needed to get to the next level all the time,” she said. The support of her FIU professors and advisors extended beyond coursework, particularly as she and her fellow students prepared for the future.
“It was very hands-on bar prep work, hands-on legal analysis and hands-on support,” Jeanelle said. “They were in it for us. They made sure we had every tool, every resource we needed.”
Ultimately, she added, FIU was a place where students enjoyed diverse and open dialogue and the freedom to entertain a wide range of ideas.
“FIU Law has truly been essential to my legal career,” she said. “I’m grateful that I was able to join those ranks.”
Joe Gillespie, ’16, Fosters Dialogue on Nuclear Power across the Globe
As a legal advisor at the Nuclear Energy Agency outside Paris, France, Joe Gillespie works daily to identify effective legal frameworks for nuclear energy among the organization’s 38 member countries.
“Our goal is to increase dialogue,” Joe said. “Part of that is maintaining high safety standards and to try and have a common language of speaking about these things, because increasingly businesses are relying on the idea of standard designs across multiple countries.”
Joe’s staunch commitment to global safety and the environment has shaped his legal career.
“One of the things I thought about when graduating was climate change,” he said. “Nuclear power provides reliable energy at all times — and with very little environmental impact. To me, it’s a net positive for the world.”
At the NEA, Joe works alongside team members from Canada, France, Russia, Japan, Korea and the United Kingdom.
“Just getting to know people and hear about their experiences and the perspectives they bring to the different problems we have is just very enriching,” he said. In fact, he credits FIU with preparing him to thrive in such a globalized field.
“The coursework was fantastic, and when I was there, most classes had some sort of an international area,” Joe said. “And I think the fact that FIU draws a student body from many different backgrounds really helped me in being able to interact with people from different parts of the world.”
Cristina Rivera Correa,’09, Fulfills Civic Duty from the Bench
For Cristina Rivera Correa, serving as a county court judge in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami is far more than a job.
“I have personally felt called to do this,” she said. “As a young child, I was always interested in the study of law.”
While growing up — even when playing board games — she was the one family and friends relied on to identify and explain the rules. When she landed at FIU, Cristina knew she was in the right place.
“I always say going to FIU Law was one of the best decisions I have made in my life,” she said. “It really put me on this path. I think FIU takes very good care of its students. They really prepare their students.”
Cristina was appointed to the bench in 2020 by Gov. Ron DeSantis and elected in 2022 without opposition. Prior to her appointment, she was an assistant school board attorney at Miami-Dade County Public Schools for seven years. Before that, she worked as a prosecutor in the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
And while Cristina enjoyed pursuing justice as a litigator, she views her time in the judiciary as a way to serve her local community. She said she especially likes being part of the process that keeps the country’s government accountable to the law and to its citizens.
“Every day I am cognizant of that,” she said. “I am so grateful for where I am now. I recommend public service for everyone.”