Patricia M. Montes de Oca brings more than 20 years of legal experience, practicing in commercial and civil litigation. Fluent in English, Spanish and French, she represents clients across a broad range of industries and around the world, including multinational and domestic businesses in the United States, Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, and Turkey, among other countries.
In her practice, Patricia handles matters involving breach of contract disputes, employment law, intellectual property, civil fraud, violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, tortious interference with contracts and business relationships, defamation, among others. She has extensive experience appearing before state and federal courts, and at the appellate level she has argued before the Third District Court of Appeal.
She frequently counsels her clients on proactive strategies to mitigate and avoid liability. She supports businesses with legal issues dealing with competitors, customers, vendors, and others with whom they conduct business. In the area of employment law, she has defended employers faced with employment law disputes such as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower actions, and wage and hour claims. Patricia also has significant experience litigating misappropriation of trade secrets claims and breaches of restrictive covenants.
Patricia received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Political Science and French from Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She spent a visiting undergraduate year at Harvard University and a year at L’Institut d’Études Politiques & L’Université d’Aix-Marseille in France. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
Patricia was judicial intern for the Honorable Donald M. Middlebrooks, United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. She is admitted to practice law in the State of Florida and to appear before the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.
Admissions
The Florida Bar
United States District Court, Northern District of Florida
United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
Education
J.D., University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
B.S.C., French and Political Science, Wellesley College
Professional Associations & Memberships
Chair, The Florida Bar, Eleventh Circuit Grievance Committee 11K
Member, Miami-Dade County Bar Association
Member, Cuban American Bar Association