St. Thomas University Law School Names the Nation’s First Cuban-Born Dean

February 7, 2007 by Michael Law
Filed under: Law School

St. Thomas University has named a leader it said will be the nation’s only Cuban-born dean of an American Bar Association-approved law school and one of only seven Hispanic law school deans in the United States.

The Miami Shores university said Alfredo Garcia has served as interim dean since Bob Butterworth resigned last month.

"Some weeks ago faculty, by an overwhelming majority, recommended to me that in lieu of a national search, Al be appointed permanent dean," said Rev. Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale, St. Thomas University president. "Al is a consummate scholar, an excellent teacher and well regarded by his colleagues, members of the university family and most especially his students."

”I decided he was the right man for the job,” said Casale, who also consulted students and alumni. “I have a lot of confidence in him.”

During his 18 years at the St. Thomas University School of Law, Garcia’s posts have included associate dean for academic affairs, interim associate dean and faculty member teaching criminal law, criminal procedure, evidence, torts, a Sixth Amendment seminar and clinics.

Garcia, 55, moved from Cuba when he was 10 years old and went to Catholic schools in Jacksonville on scholarship. He earned a law degree and a master’s degree in Latin American history at the University of Florida.

The humanitarian teaching mission of Catholic schools has always been his passion. After a few years as a prosecutor and defense attorney, he started teaching. He has been with St. Thomas since 1989. The law school in Miami Gardens has one of the largest Hispanic enrollments in the country.

”We’re a unique law school. Obviously, our Catholic identity fosters that human rights emphasis,” Garcia said.

"My appointment shows that you can come to this nation not knowing a word of English and through opportunity and hard work rise to unimaginable heights," Garcia said. "I also believe this announcement is a reflection of St. Thomas University School of Law’s unique mission to give opportunities to underserved populations and will inevitably provide our students with a firsthand example of where their education can lead them."

One of Garcia’s biggest goals will be raising the percentage of students who pass the Florida Bar Exam on their first try. Last summer, 63.1 percent of students who took the test passed — ranking ninth among 10 Florida law schools but better than its passage rate in two previous tests.

St. Thomas University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, which means it is a nonprofit institution that has at least 25 percent Hispanic full-time equivalent enrollment and, of the Hispanic student enrollment, at least half are low income.

Before entering academia, Garcia was an assistant state attorney in Miami, trying felony and narcotics-related cases including attempted murder, solicitation to commit murder, burglary, kidnapping, trafficking and white-collar crimes.

He also served as a criminal defense attorney in private practice in Miami.