Born:  OCTOBER 3, 1960, Brooklyn, N.Y.

• Raised in Englishtown New Jersey.  Attended Public grade school and high school, graduated from Manalapan High School June 1978 with Honors, Scholar-Athlete Award.
• Attended Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 1978-1981.  Graduated in December, 1981 with a B.S. in Biology.  Dean’s List; Tennis Team, Crew Team.
• Attended Suffolk Law School, Boston, Mass. Fall 1982-May 1985.  Graduated J.D.  Staff member, Transnational Law Journal; Phi Delta Phi Honor Society; President Suffolk Law Chapter of the American Trial Lawyer’s Association-Lecture Series Chairperson.

Moved to Miami upon graduation---

• Gained employment at the law firm of Black & Furci, P.A. commencing the late summer of 1985.  Defense Criminal law practice.  Handled firm motion practice, appellate practice and other post-conviction practice in both State and Federal Courts. Became a partner in the firm.  Left the firm in March of 1993 to begin private practice. 
•  Opened own solo-practice, Marisa Tinkler Mendez, P.A. in April of 1993.  Practice concentrating in criminal defense work, trial, appellate and post-conviction in both State and Federal Courts, more concentrated in Federal Appellate practice. Special Assistant Public Defender for the 11^th Judicial Circuit, accepting appointments for indigent defendants; Federal Criminal Justice Act Attorney (CJA), accepting appellate and post-conviction appointments for indigent defendants.
• Elected as Circuit Court Judge, Miami-Dade County November, 2006.  Commenced service on the bench on January 1, 2007.  Assigned initially to Juvenile Dependency Division and served in that division from January 1, 2007 until March of 2008.  Moved to Criminal Felony Division, serving in this Division of the Courts since March of 2008.

Former and Current memberships include: 

• The Florida Bar;  
•  The Florida Supreme Court; 
• The United States Supreme Court; 
• The United States District Courts Southern and Middle Districts of Florida; 
• The United States Court of Appeals for the 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 7^th and 11^th Circuits.

Former and Current affiliations: 

• The American Bar Association; 
• The Cuban-American Bar Association; 
• The Dade County Bar Association; 
• The Florida Association of Women Lawyers;
• The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; 
• The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Assistant Professor of Law, St. Thomas University law School August 1993 through August 1995.  Legal Research and Writing Department-Instructor for First Year Law Students.

Community Activities and Services include:

• School Partner for Cypress Creek Elementary School—guest/volunteer speaker every year; also guest/volunteer speaker at other Dade County schools; presentation about being a Judge, the Judicial System, our Government and our Constitution.  Also worked with Varela High School Students in preparation for their County/State moot court competition.
• Teacher/mentor in Dade County Public School Program, KAPOW (Kids and the Power of Work)—assigned to 5^th grade class, Comstock elementary School.
• Involved in Big Brother/Big Sister school and mentoring program. 
• Recent keynote speaker at Coral Gables High School Elsa Glaser Academic Awards Ceremony to honor graduating Senior’s with GPA 3.5 and A average throughout all four (4) years of high school.
• Volunteer Coach at the Coral Gables Youth Center, 2003 to 2009—coached boys and girls basketball; baseball; girls softball (ages 9-12).
• Avid tennis player; loves all sports both as a spectator and participant.  Enjoys painting and travel.  

CABA MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION

I have been an active and enthusiastic member of CABA for approximately twenty (20) years.  Have thoroughly enjoyed all of the years in the organization.  For several years organized the CABA ski trip (actually, the first ever CABA ski trip) which was wonderful.  The organization has provided me a wonderful base of support and friendship throughout the years.