Perez & Rodriguez » Meet the Attorneys

Luis N. Perez - Founder & Managing Partner

Mr. Perez received his B.S. in 1981, with a major in Political Science from the University of Miami. He went on to the University Of Miami School Of Law graduating in 1984 and was admitted to the Florida Bar that same year. Mr. Perez is an AV rated attorney by Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating allowed.

Mr. Perez has practiced exclusively civil litigation, focusing on insurance defense (premises liability, auto negligence, PIP, and products liability), contract disputes, and defending employers in workers’ compensation, overtime claims, as well as wage and hour disputes. He has tried over 75 jury trials and over 45 workers compensation trials, in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe County.

Mr. Perez is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and all local courts within the State of Florida. Mr. Perez is a member of the Cuban-American Bar Association and served as its President in 1996. Mr. Perez also served as General Counsel of the Hispanic National Bar Association from 1998-2000 and was appointed by the Florida Supreme Court to the Florida Bar Foundation in 1997.

Javier J. Rodriguez - Founder & Managing Partner

Mr. Rodriguez is a founding member and managing partner in litigation firm with a general civil trial practice. Mr. Rodriguez particular areas of practice include creditor’s rights and bank litigation, real estate litigation, with particular expertise on complex title issues, and commercial litigation.

Significant and longstanding clients include: KLP Industries and West Indies Petroleum Company (multinational companies with operations throughout the Americas and Europe); Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund, Inc. (the largest title insurer in Florida); TotalBank; NAFH National Bank (successor to MetroBank, Turnberry Bank and TIB Bank); Terrabank, Sedano ’s Supermarkets; Boat/US Marine Insurance Company. The Continental Insurance Company CNA); State Farm, and the Liberty Mutual Group of Companies. Mr. Rodriguez has significant experience as lead counsel include the handling and trial of multi-million dollar commercial, wrongful death, medical malpractice and negligence cases, including successfully representing a community health center in the trial of a medical malpractice case televised nationally on Court TV.

Mr. Rodriguez is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, their highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards, and which is based on a confidential peer review by members of the Florida Bar. Mr. Rodriguez is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Cristina Diaz-Padron - Associate

Ms. Diaz-Padron received her B.A., cum laude, in Political Science with a double minor in Business Law and International Studies from the University of Miami. She also received her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law where she was a member of the Hispanic Law Students Association.

Ms. Diaz-Padron is currently practicing in the areas of Insurance Defense and General Civil Litigation. She is admitted to practice before the United States District for the Southern District of Florida and all state courts within the State of Florida. Ms. Diaz-Padron is a member of the Cuban-American Bar Association and is a Member of Project: New Born of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. In addition, she is advocate for the March of Dimes.

Johanna Castellon-Vega - Associate

Ms. Castellon-Vega received her B.S. in Special Education and an M.S. in Teaching English as a Second Language from Florida International University. As a certified teacher, she taught students with special needs at Ruth Owens Kruse Educational Center. She went on to receive her law degree from Stetson University College of Law, where she was Treasurer of the Hispanic Bar Association and a member of Stetson’s Nationally Ranked Trial Team.

As a member of the Stetson Trial Team, Ms. Castellon-Vega’s team won a Championship at the Chester Bedell Memorial Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the Florida Bar and was a finalist at the Honorable Earle Zehmer Mock Trial Competition. In addition, she was an advocate at the Tournament of Champions Mock Trial Competition. Prior to working at Perez & Rodriguez, P.A., Ms. Castellon-Vega worked as an Assistant Public Defender at the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, where she represented indigent clients from the time of arrest to arraignment. Ms. Castellon-Vega also completed two Certified Legal Internships at the Broward County State Attorney’s Office and at the Pinellas County Public Defender’s Office.

Ms. Castellon-Vega is currently practicing in the areas of Commercial Litigation and General Civil Litigation. She is admitted to practice before the United States District for the Southern District of Florida and all state courts within the State of Florida. Ms. Castellon-Vega is also a member of the Cuban-American Bar Association.

Angelica M. Torrents- Associate

Ms. Torrents received her B.S., with distinction, with a double major in Psychology and Communication Studies from the University of Miami. She went on to receive her law degree from Stetson University College of Law, where she was the President of the Hispanic Bar Association and a member of Stetson's Nationally Ranked Trial Team. As a member of the Stetson Trial Team, Ms. Torrents' teams won a Championship at the Chester Bedell Memorial Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the Florida Bar and was a finalist at the Cathy Bennett National Criminal Trial Competition sponsored by National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer's.

Prior to working at Perez & Rodriguez, P.A., Ms. Torrents worked as an Assistant State Attorney of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit in Monroe County Florida, where she prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases. Ms. Torrents was also previously employed at Alvarez & Barbara, LLP, where she practiced in the areas of Workers' Compensation, general civil litigation and commercial litigation. Ms. Torrents is currently practicing in the areas of Insurance Litigation, Workers' Compensation and general civil litigation. She is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and all local courts within the State of Florida. Ms. Torrents is also a member of the Cuban-American Bar Association.

Carlos H. Gamez - Of Counsel

Mr. Gamez received his undergraduate degree in 1994 from The Ohio State University in Business Administration, with a specialization in Finance. He went on to work for 9 years as a Registered Investment Advisor counseling high net-worth individuals and corporations in their investment needs. Mr. Gamez then went on to receive his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 2007.

Mr. Gamez serves as Of Counsel for Perez & Rodriguez, P.A in the firm’s Coral Gables office. He focuses his litigation practice on construction law, commercial and banking litigation, contract disputes, insurance defense, negligence, toxic torts, product/premises liability, labor-related disputes, securities (FINRA) arbitration disputes and appeals.

Mr. Gamez is licensed to practice in the State of Florida and in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Mr. Gamez serves in the firm ’s representation of various commercial builders and drywall installers in the IN RE: CHINESE DRYWALL LITIGATION , in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Mr. Gamez is a member of the American Bar Association, Section of Litigation and Tort Trial and Insurance Practice; Cuban American Bar Association; Dade County Bar Association; The Florida Bar; and Florida Defense Lawyers Association.