Marcos Jimenez

NAFUSA board member Marcos Jimenez has left McDermott, Will & Emery to strike out on his own. Jimenez served as the United States Attorney for the SD of Florida (2002-2005).

As reported by the daliybusinessreview.com, “Jimenez’s current high-profile cases include his representation of ex-Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli in his fight to avoid extradition to Panama. He is also representing former Florida Rep. Erik Fresen, who is accused of failing to file tax returns. Jimenez said he left McDermott in May, formed his own practice and has been sharing office space and collaborating with lawyers at the Miami firm Leon Cosgrove.”

“I’m in their office, but I practice as my own P.A., not as a partner in their firm,” Jimenez said. “I wanted to join friends at a litigation practice and be in a smaller firm that is exclusively dedicated to litigation.”

Jimenez has significant experience litigating high-profile matters, including class action, health care, financial institution, real estate, entertainment, professional liability and white-collar criminal cases.

His long list of current notable clients includes Martinelli, Panama’s former president who was arrested in June and is fighting extradition to Panama, where he stands accused of recording private conversations of political allies, opponents, journalists, businesspeople, and even his mistress, according to reports. In 2011, Martinelli fired Juan Carlos Varela, who is now the sitting president, for allegedly receiving kickbacks from foreign consulates. Martinelli, who faces charges in other cases in Panama as well, argues the charges are politically motivated due to his firing of Varela.

On Monday, Jimenez and his legal team filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court that asserts Martinelli’s constitutional rights have been violated because his bid for bond was denied.

Jimenez’s other notable current litigation clients include the rapper Pitbull, who is involved in a personal injury action filed by a former bodyguard in New York. He is also representing a former director in a shareholder class action involving public company Patriot National Inc. And along with McGuireWoods, he is representing Wells Fargo in some of the civil cases involving the alleged Forrest Capital fraud scheme.

Jimenez is also the attorney for the French government-owned entity CDR in actions relating to the former real estate of Maurice and Leon Cohen, and the former manager of the Regalia, a luxury condo project in Sunny Isles Beach.

After leaving the U.S. Attorney’s office post, Jimenez worked in complex commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense at Kenny Nachwalter, and then at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman, before joining McDermott five years ago.

“Having my own firm and more flexibility to work on a variety of both white-collar criminal and complex business litigation matters has always been a dream of mine, so I am grateful to have the opportunity to do so at this stage in my career,” Jimenez said.