Viviana Varela has been with the Firm since 2018. Viviana focuses her practice in the following fields of law: Defense of medical malpractice claims against healthcare providers, and General Liability.
As an associate in the Litigation group of our Miami office, share with us your journey into law and your inspiration for pursuing this career path.
My parents always instilled a strong sense of justice and fairness in me as a child and throughout my life. As the child of Cuban exiles, I was constantly reminded that my family fled their homeland because of a dictator who suppressed freedom of expression and religion and who severely punished any sort of dissension. When I saw To Kill a Mockingbird in the third grade, I knew it was my calling to be a lawyer and I never looked back.
How has your practice changed throughout the pandemic and how have you personally pivoted to remain successful despite the global setbacks?
Thankfully the pandemic has only changed how I do the job, but the work is really the same. It has required me to be a more flexible and to improvise frequently and I have been surprised by how efficient I can be despite a substantial change in the process.
As a Hispanic American in the legal profession, what advice would you give to other Hispanic American attorneys pursuing a similar path? Any memorable life lessons you have learned along the way?
Your unique perspective will help you provide insights that other lawyers may not have considered. If you are bilingual, you have another tool in your skill set that many other of your peers will not have. Use them to your advantage and find ways to incorporate them into your daily practice or even to develop a special niche.
How do you celebrate or keep your Hispanic roots alive in your daily life?
We eat typical Cuban food at least once a week. It’s the food my husband and I grew up on and readily available here in Miami if I do not feel like cooking. We speak Spanish at home and my husband and I watch a lot of Spanish-language movies and television from Spain and Latin America.