Carlos F. Gonzalez

Partner

Concentrates on appellate litigation, with an emphasis on international civil and commercial disputes and white collar criminal defense.  Regularly appears before state and federal courts of appeal on behalf of individual and corporate clients from Central America, South America, the Caribbean and the U.S.

Fluent in Spanish, Arabic, and English, aiding in transnational client communication.

Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS).

Experience arguing cases before state and federal appellate courts, researching and drafting motions at all litigation stages, and serving as issue-preservation counsel at trial and arbitration hearings.

Prior to joining Diaz Reus, served as Assistant Public Defender, appellate division, Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, litigating dozens of appeals of complex felony offenses; and litigation associate in Miami offices of major New York, and Chicago firms, White & Case, LLP, and Arnstein & Lehr, LLP respectively.

Recent Published Opinions:

• Canon Latin America, Inc. v. Lantech.  Obtained anti-suit injunction for DRRT client Canon Latin America, Inc., prohibiting Costa Rican distributor from prosecuting $6.3 million claim for allegedly violating Costa Rica’s Representatives of Foreign Companies Act.  A case of first impression and legal significance regarding foreign anti-suit injunctions.
• José Guevara v. Republic of Peru.  In a precedent decision, successfully pierced the Republic of Peru’s attempt to insulate itself, using the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), as a defense to avoid payment of a $5 million bounty for the capture of international fugitive and spymaster Vladimir Montesino.
• Gary Lamar Polite v. State of Florida. Challenged in Florida Supreme Court scope of criminal statute making it a felony to resist a law enforcement officer with violence, even where no evidence existed that accused knew of officer’s official status.  Click here for media coverage on the case.  Read the Supreme Court Opinion.

Representative cases and experience:

• Successfully appealed trial court order dismissing, pursuant to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, complaint against foreign government and two of its ministers for failing to pay a $5 million reward offered for information leading to capture and arrest of international fugitive.
• Represented Venezuelan financial institution in successful appeal of trial court order denying additional time extension to serve U.S. and foreign-based defendants with summons and complaint in an action to collect on defaulted loan. 
• Defended major U.S. corporation against foreign distributor’s appeal of an order granting an anti-suit injunction.
• Represented Miami-based auto parts wholesaler convicted of conspiring to launder proceeds of criminal acts occurring in United States and Suriname.
• Defended an orchid importer convicted of violating Convention On International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna before U.S. Court of Appeals in novel challenge to application of U.S. sentencing guidelines.
• Reversed default judgment on behalf of foreign client not properly served with summons and complaint in real-estate dispute.
• Successfully appealed, in conjunction with Nova University’s Innocence Project, order denying motion for post-conviction DNA testing of evidence recovered from decades-old crime scene.
• Recovered on appeal multi-million dollar property on behalf of client whose former wife violated terms of the parties’ marital settlement agreement.
• Obtained confession of error from Florida prosecutors after arguing on appeal that trial court erred in denying motion for post-conviction relief where the trial lawyer failed to disclose his client’s legal use of prescription medication prior to pleading guilty. 

Noteworthy:

• Long-term interest in juvenile justice issues, representing children challenging the violation of their due process rights.  Successfully petitioned Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal three times for habeas corpus relief on behalf of illegally detained children.  The decisions are reported at S.C. v. State, 860 So. 2d 1018 ( Fla. 3d DCA 2003), D.B. v. State, 848 So. 2d 1219 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003), and A.M.V. v. State, 840 So. 2d 1071 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003). 
• Designated a "Most Effective Lawyers," International Law Category, 2011 by the South Florida, Daily Business Review for successful efforts as legal counsel for Venezuela's Banco Latino.