Sheryl Magerer Tropin appointed Chair of 
MCCJ Board of Directors

MIAMI – June 22, 2016 – MCCJ today announced the appointment of Sheryl “Sherry” Magerer Tropin as chair of its board of directors. MCCJ was founded in 1935 as the Miami branch of the National Conference of Christians and Jews to promote creating safe havens for dialog, training inclusive leaders, and highlighting the benefits of diversity through education, advocacy, dialog and conflict resolution.

Tropin, an avid community advocate and philanthropist who has been deeply involved with the organization for several years, began her one-year term on June 2. As chair, Tropin plans to focus the efforts of the board on this year’s capital campaign which will grow the organization’s programming and events outreach, as well as increase awareness of the organization and its mission in the community.

“Although Miami is an incredibly diverse city, there is a clear need to bring together people from all walks of life to stimulate dialogues in schools, religious organizations and the community to show that despite our differences, our concerns and needs are the same,” Tropin said. “Our mission is to create these dialogues and address the issues that all of us face, together as a community.”

Tropin’s active community involvement also includes serving on the external advisory board for the University of Miami School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, assisting with raising funds for the Department and conducting outreach to combat the stigma associated with mental illness.

“We are delighted to welcome Sherry Tropin as our new chair of our board of directors, said Roberta Shevin, executive director of MCCJ. “Her dedication to our mission and to our community – all indicative of her drive towards inclusiveness in the community – makes her a perfect leader for MCCJ.”

This year’s board of directors is comprised of a cross-section of Miami community leaders, philanthropists and clergy, including:

  • Nelson Adams, M.D.
  • Alejandro Aguirre
  • Johann Ali
  • Georgina A. Angones
  • Olivia Benson
  • Donald Bierman
  • Brian Dervishi
  • Edward Gannon
  • Michael Goldner
  • Kenneth C. Hoffman
  • Sumner Hutcheson III
  • Shirlyon J. McWhorter
  • Gepsie Metellus
  • Rev. Dr. Patrick O’Neill
  • Michelle Ramirez Patricios
  • Iman Khalid Salahuddin
  • Wali Salahuddin
  • Rabbi Solomon Schiff
  • Patricia A. Thorp
  • Sheryl Magerer Tropin
  • Khurrum B. Wahid
  • Reverend Priscilla Felisky Whitehead

About MCCJ
MCCJ was founded in Miami in 1935 as the Miami Coalition of Christians & Jews.  It creates a safe haven for dialogue, trains inclusive leaders and promotes understanding for all faiths, races and cultures through education, advocacy and conflict resolution. It hosts the oldest interfaith clergy dialog in the United States and presents prejudice reducing programs in local high schools, among other activities.  For more information, please visit www.miamiccj.org.

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Travel Between the United States and the Republic of Cuba: Lesson Learned from Carnival Cruise Lines

By Stephanie Moncada Gomez

In the last four months, two historic trips marked a step toward normalizing relations between the United States and the Republic of Cuba. On May 1, 2016, the first cruise traveled to Cuba in nearly 40 years. On Aug. 31, 2016, the first regularly scheduled flight flew from the United States to Cuba in more than 50 years.

As the relations between the United States and the Republic of Cuba continue to develop, American companies must not ignore the laws of this nation that apply to them. For instance, federal law prohibits discrimination and segregation in places of accommodation. Regardless of an American company’s relationship or dealings with a foreign country, “[a]ll persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation…without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion or national origin.”2

A recent example of the application of American law that binds an American company doing business with Cuba are the recent class action lawsuits against Carnival Corporation (“Carnival”) and Fathom Travel Ltd. Corporation (“Fathom”). Earlier this year, Carnival began to market itself as the first cruise that would travel to Cuba in nearly 40 years. At first glance, this was a great accomplishment in the eyes of frequent Carnival travelers, especially those residing in Miami, Florida, where Carnival’s headquarters are located.

Click here to read the full publication.

Streamlining and Modernizing Florida’s Pre-litigation Preservation Standard: Modern Technology Demands a Modern Solution

By Stephanie Moncada Gomez

“Streamlining and Modernizing Florida’s Pre-litigation Preservation Standard: Modern Technology Demands a Modern Solution,” 88 Fla. B.J. 5 (2014).

KTT Ranks Among Top Florida Law Firms in Chambers USA for 13th Consecutive Year

June 2016  |  Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, LLP is pleased to announce that it has once again been ranked among the top Florida law firms in Chambers USA 2016 America’s Leading Business Lawyers for Business annual publication.

For the second consecutive year, Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton is the only firm in Florida to achieve the highest Band 1 rankings for both its commercial litigation and bankruptcy practice groups. The firm is one of four law firms to achieve the highest Band 1 ranking in Florida for general commercial litigation and one of six Florida firms to achieve the Band 1 ranking for bankruptcy/restructuring.  Eight of the firm’s attorneys are recognized, including Band 1 rankings for Harley Tropin, Charles Throckmorton and Corali Lopez-Castro. John Kozyak is once again listed as a Senior Statesman.  This marks the 13th consecutive year that we have been included in the rankings.

GENERAL COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
Tucker Ronzetti
Harley S. Tropin

BANKRUPTCY/RESTRUCTURING/RECEIVERSHIPS
Corali Lopez-Castro
John W. Kozyak
David L. Rosendorf
David A. Samole
Charles W. Throckmorton