Miranda L. Soto

How Miranda Helps Clients

Miranda Soto is Florida Bar Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and has tried approximately 70 cases to verdict. She specializes in high-stakes litigation and complex commercial cases on behalf of private equity, hedge funds, high-end insurance companies, law firms and other sophisticated businesses in cases involving commercial and business disputes, professional and legal malpractice claims, product liability, complex fraud matters, public policy matters, cases of first impression, high-stakes personal injury cases, franchisee/franchisor litigation, trust and estate litigation and premises liability at the state and federal levels. Miranda also handles tobacco, addiction and smoking-related injury litigation. Additionally, she has a strong reputation as a lawyers’ lawyer and often serves as a consultant on legal and accounting malpractice claims.

Understanding her clients’ business is at the core of Miranda’s solution-based approach. She knows that learning the ins and outs of her clients’ business is crucial in order to provide the best legal advice possible. As legal issues often extend to the company as a whole, Miranda focuses on minimizing disruptions to the business that can and do arise from legal challenges. Her goal is to leverage all possible opportunities for a quick resolution.

Miranda began her career as an Assistant State Attorney in the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's office. She also served as Lead Counsel for Allstate's Miami and Ft. Myers legal offices.

I take a solution-based approach that is highly focused on efficiently, effectively, and strategically meeting my client’s needs and goals. 

What Clients Can Expect

Miranda’s client philosophy is centered on personalization and responsiveness, and providing her clients with concierge service. She is known for her atypical approach to litigation using her experience as an Assistant State Attorney to prosecute her own case instead of litigating it, thus increasing the chances of winning. Unlike most defense lawyers, Miranda doesn’t wait until discovery to develop her strategy, instead she takes the time to thoroughly think through every possible outcome, takes the offensive approach and forces plaintiffs to go to trial. As a specialist in civil trials, Miranda is frequently brought on as a special trial counsel for Fortune 100 companies.

Outside the Office

In addition to her work as a trial lawyer, Miranda enjoys mentoring young lawyers and aspiring judges. Miranda is active in assisting organizations like the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC), and the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL) with their trial advocacy programs. 

When Miranda is not practicing law, she enjoys hand building pottery, watching Alabama football games, reading, traveling and spending time with her daughters, husband, and friends. 

Awards

• Board Certified in Civil Trial, The Florida Bar
• Technology Master Advocate, FDCC (2018)
• Women of Distinction, "Legal Maverick Award for 10-30 Years in Practice Group," Dade County Bar Association (2018)
• The Best Lawyers in America (2017 - 2024)
• AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell®
• AV Preeminent, Judicial Edition
• Top Up & Comer, South Florida Legal Guide (2015-2018)
• Rising Star, Florida Super Lawyers (2010, 2012-2016); Florida Super Lawyers (each year since 2021)
• "Legal Lion," Law360 (2015)
• The Legal 500 (2015)
• Nominated Finalist, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance for Outside Counsel of the Year Award (2014)
• Miami's Top 10 Litigators, Dade County Bar Association (2013)
• Recognition by American Registry (2011-2018)
• American 's Most Honored Professionals (2015-2018)
• Florida Trend, Florida Legal Elite, Civil Trial (2011, 2016-2019, 2021)
• Legal Luminary Award, "Top Legal Malpractice Attorney," Dade County Bar Association (2017)
• Meritorious Public Service Award, The Florida Bar (2019)

Proof Points

• Served as trial counsel in six Engle-Progeny trials:
  • Johnson v. Philip Morris USA Inc., et al., No. 14-CA-00019 (Fla. 13th Cir. Ct. 2017) (mistrial);
  • Oshinsky v. Philip Morris USA Inc., et al., No. 2008-CV-025841 (Fla. 17th Cir. Ct. 2016);
  • Russo v. Philip Morris USA Inc., et al., No. 2007-44469-CA-01 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. 2015) (defense verdict affirmed on appeal);
  • Vila v. Philip Morris USA Inc., No. 2013-12833-CA (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. 2015) (defense verdict affirmed on appeal);
  • Merino v. Philip Morris USA Inc., No. No. 08-1287-CA-25 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. 2015);
  • Russo v. Philip Morris USA Inc., et al., No. 2007-44469-CA-01 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. 2014) (mistrial).
• Appointed as special trial counsel in a 21-plaintiff franchisee/franchisor case involving issues of below-cost pricing, unfair competition, the Florida Motor Fuel Marketing Practices Act, the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act, open-term pricing and other alleged bad acts against a major oil and gasoline corporation.
• Served as member of a trial team that won a complete defense verdict in a multimillion-dollar professional malpractice lawsuit involving a complex Dominican Republic real estate development transaction.