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Fernando S. Aran
Fernando was born in Havana, Cuba on July 25, 1957. He graduated from the University of Miami cum laude in 1978 with a bachelor of business administration, majoring in accounting. He attended the Georgetown University Law Center where he received his juris doctor degree in 1981. Upon graduation from Georgetown, he went to work as an associate with the law firm of Smathers & Thompson. Smathers & Thompson merged with the New York law firm of Kelley Drye & Warren in July of 1987 and Fernando stayed with the firm until the formation of ARAN CORREA & GUARCH, P.A. Mr. Aran is a member in good standing of the Florida Bar and served on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners from 1996 to 2001, and on the last year of his term he served as the Chair. Mr. Aran served on the Florida Bar’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services, and was the Chair of the Florida Bar’s Eleventh Judicial Grievance Committee “J” Section. He is a member of the American Bar Association, and served on the American Bar Association's Forum on the Construction Industry--Specialty Trade Contractors and Supplies Division. Mr. Aran is also a member of the Dade County Bar Association and the Maritime Law Association of the United States. He is past president of the Cuban American Bar Association, past president of the Southeast Region of the Hispanic National Bar Association, and past president of the United States Propeller Club, Port of Miami. Mr. Aran is an Eagle Scout and currently serves as President of the Executive Board of the South Florida Council--Boy Scouts of America and is a member of FACE (Facts About Cuban Exiles). He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Theodore R. Gibson Memorial Fund. His areas of practice are general and commercial litigation, maritime law, construction law and real estate matters.
Mr. Aran is also a member of the Dade County Bar Association and the Maritime Law Association of the United States. He is past president of the Cuban American Bar Association, past president of the Southeast Region of the Hispanic National Bar Association, and past president of the United States Propeller Club, Port of Miami. Mr. Aran is an Eagle Scout and currently serves as President of the Executive Board of the South Florida Council--Boy Scouts of America and is a member of FACE (Facts About Cuban Exiles). He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Theodore R. Gibson Memorial Fund. His areas of practice are general and commercial litigation, maritime law, construction law and real estate matters.
Danny Correa
Danny was born in Miami, Florida on February 18, 1963. He graduated from Florida International University in 1985 with a bachelor of business administration, majoring in business management. Mr. Correa is also a licensed Florida Realtor and licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent. While attending Florida International University, he operated an insurance agency specializing in property and casualty risk. He attended Florida State University School of Law where he received his juris doctor degree in December of 1987. He is a member in good standing of the Florida Bar, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Broward County, and the Cuban American Bar Association. Danny's primary area of practice is civil litigation with emphasis in insurance law and Florida condominium law.
J. M. Guarch, Jr.
J was born in Miami, Florida on September 22, 1959. He received a Bachelor of Science, majoring in business and marketing from Florida State University in 1981. After obtaining his undergraduate degree from Florida State University, he went to work for Raybestos-Manhattan in Stratford, Connecticut. Thereafter, he worked for Polaroid Corporation. In 1985, he went back to Florida State University to attend law school. He was an Article and Notes Editor of the Florida State University Law Review and he was also a law clerk for Dean Talbot D'Alemberte. J.M. Guarch, Jr. received his juris doctor degree with honors from Florida State University in 1988 and went to work for Kelley Drye & Warren's Miami office. He is a member in good standing of the Florida Bar, the Dade County Bar Association and the Cuban American Bar Association. J.M. Guarch, Jr. is a past member of the Board of Governors, Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar and the Board of Directors of the Florida State University Seminole Club of Greater Miami. He serves as a Florida Bar/American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division FEMA/Florida Disaster Legal Assistance Volunteer and is a member of the Florida Bar Scope Program. He is an active member of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables a member of the Emergency Management Division for the City of Coral Gables, a member of the Board of Directors of the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center Association and a member of Miami Council for International Visitors, Inc. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Miami Children’s Theater and is involved in volunteer coaching of numerous youth sports at the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center. His primary areas of practice are commercial litigation, maritime, real estate and construction law.
Craig B. Shapiro
Craig was born in ¬Miami Beach, Florida on April 24, 1965. He graduated from the University of Miami in 1987, with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting, and received his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley School of Law in 1996. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Shapiro was instrumental in the development, construction, sales and management of numerous commercial/industrial, retail and residential real estate developments in the South Florida area. Mr. Shapiro is a member of the Florida Bar and United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida Bars, the American Bar Association and is also a licensed Florida Real Estate Salesperson. Before becoming associated with Aran Correa & Guarch, P.A. his practice was in the areas of complex commercial litigation and transactional matters with an emphasis in the areas of real estate and construction. Mr. Shapiro was also a legal assistant and Bar Counsel for The Florida Bar.
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEYS
Richard Bec
Richard was born in Miami, Florida on March 22, 1973. Mr. Bec graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in May of 2003 and is a member of the Florida Bar and United States District Court, Southern District of Florida. Mr. Bec received his undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree from Florida International University, with honors in 2000. Mr. Bec is also a licensed Florida Real Estate Salesperson.
Edgar Beleval
Edgar was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico on May 20, 1971. He graduated from Florida State University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science having majored in economics. While at Florida State University, Edgar played free safety and wide receiver on the football team and in his senior year was a member of the 1993 National Championship team. Prior to attending law school he worked for the lobbying firm of Blank, Rigsby & Meenan. He attended The University of Bridgeport Quinnipiac School of Law from which he received his juris doctor degree in 1998. Upon graduation from law school, he attended the University of London where he studied international commercial litigation and international arbitration. Mr. Beleval has extensive trial experience throughout the state of Florida, as well as the federal courts, and has successfully argued before the Third District Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Florida Bar, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Sasha Cohen
Sasha was born in Boston Massachusetts on January 25, 1979 and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2004. Ms Cohen received her law degree from the University of Miami and her undergraduate degree also from the University of Miami, with honors, in December 2000, with a triple major in political science, sociology, and psychology.
Erik A. Muelle
Erik was born Miami, Florida on July 30, 1977 and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2003. Mr. Muelle received his law degree the University of Florida where he also received his undergraduate degree with honors, in 1999, with a double major in finance and real estate.
OF COUNSEL
Christian D. Keedy
Christian was born in Worchester, Massachusetts on January 9, 1945. He graduated from Tulane University School of Business Administration in 1967 with a bachelor of business administration having majored in economics. He was a commissioned officer in the United States Navy and served aboard vessels in the Pacific, primarily in Southeast Asia, from 1967 to 1971. He attended Tulane University School of Law from which he received his juris doctor degree in 1972. Upon graduation from Tulane, he went to work as an associate with the law firm of Smathers and Thompson, and became a partner of that law firm in 1977. Smathers and Thompson merged with Kelley Drye & Warren in 1987, and Chris remained with that firm as a partner until joining Aran Correa & Guarch, P.A. in 1996. Chris is a member in good standing of The Florida Bar, and serves on its Admiralty Law Committee. He is a past chairman and vice-chairman of The Florida Bar Admiralty Law Committee and has since 1980 been a contributing author to The Florida Bar Maritime Law Practice Manual concerning Carriage of Goods and Chartering. Chris is also a member of The American Bar Association, Dade County Bar Association, Maritime Law Association of the United States and Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute. He is a director of the Miami Maritime Arbitration Council and is a frequent lecturer at seminars on maritime law subjects. His primary areas of practice are maritime, commercial litigation, and construction law. However, he has extensive experience defending personal injury and wrongful death cases which concern products liability issues.
Oscar A. Garcia
Oscar was born in Miami, Florida on January 10, 1975 and was admitted to Florida Bar in 2001. Mr. Garcia received his law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Florida State University, in 1997. Mr. Garcia is also a licensed Florida Real Estate Salesperson and a Certified General Contractor in Florida.