On the forefront of emerging markets around the world and across multiple jurisdictions, Miami-based attorney, Michael Diaz, Jr. has over twenty five years of private practice experience in international transactions, litigation, arbitration, and investigations including, asset recovery techniques, recovering millions of dollars of stolen proceeds as special counsel on behalf of U.S. Receivers, financial institutions and victims of financial fraud. He is known for representing high-profile individuals, foreign governments and their officials, and for defending corporations including, Fortune 1000 multinational corporations and financial institutions in sophisticated and high stakes intellectual property disputes, regulatory, civil, arbitration, and criminal matters. Mr. Diaz earned his stripes as a prosecutor for the State of Florida in the 1980's under former State Attorney, Janet Reno, investigating and prosecuting corruption, economic, and major felony crimes. His cases included the highly publicized Julia Tuttle Causeway Lovers Lane double murders and the murder of rookie Miami police officer, Nathaniel Broom. Leaving the State's Attorney Office in 1990 for private practice, he ultimately opened an AV-rated litigation and arbitration firm and subsequently founded Diaz Reus, a noted full service global law firm with offices in the U.S., Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Mr. Diaz's areas of expertise include; trade, finance, FACTA, OFAC, BSA, SOX, FCPA, customs, and other regulatory matters; preparing preventative litigation strategies, conducting parallel investigations, representing clients before administrative and governmental agencies, arbitral bodies, state and federal trial and appellate courts, investigative and charging grand juries, and acting as advisory co-counsel outside the United States in international litigation and arbitration matters, regulatory investigations and complex commercial and financial fraud. He has defended and investigated well known Latin American money laundering and public corruption cases from Montesinos to Aleman/Jerez-Casablanca to Rosemont/Illarramendi, and Ponzi schemes from Madoff to Stanford.

Achieving the highest rating for legal ability by Martindale-Hubbell, Mr. Diaz is highly sought after by journalists for media interviews on a variety of international legal and business matters and is frequently featured or quoted in the mainstream media for his work on behalf of victims of financial fraud. Often a guest lecturer and contributor at global legal and banking seminars, Mr. Diaz was selected among the top international experts in the anti-money laundering field to join the faculty of the first graduate course on "Money Laundering Prevention" at the University of Salamanca, sponsored by the Latin-American Banking Federation. He is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, registered with the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists. He is published in legal periodicals and trade journals including contributing chapters in the books "Aspatore Special Report: Understanding Anti-Corruption Issues in Latin America," Thomson Reuters, and "Violencia, Criminalidad y Terrorismo" (Violence, Criminality and Terrorism), Foundation for a Positive Venezuela. He serves on Inter-American Dialogue's Board of Advisors, Latin America Advisor/Financial Services publication and blogs on international asset hunting at www.michaeldiazjr.com; on business, financial, UAE, Iraq, and surrounding regions and those related to Latin America at www.EmiratesLat.com; and on business and legal issues affecting China and Latin American and the U.S. at www.ChinaLatLaw.com.

The Latin Business Chronicle recognized Mr. Diaz as one of the Top 30 Lawyers in Latin America. He has been repeatedly recognized as a "Florida SuperLawyer" for his work in international law, as a "High Impact Leader" by Florida Trend Magazine for Global Affairs, and as a nominee for the Key Partner Award presented by the South Florida Business Journal. He was Business Leader of the Year for legal services and was selected a "Power Player" by South Florida Business Leader Magazine for his work on representing victims of fraud, pyramid and "Ponzi" schemes. Under Mr. Diaz's leadership, the ALB China Watch List Special Report named Diaz Reus in the Top 10 Firms to Watch List. The firm was honored in "Business Leader Top 100 Companies" by Business Leader Media and was presented with a "Top 100 Minority Business Award" by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, Mr. Diaz and his firm have received the Attorney and Entrepreneur of the year awards by local publications, Banco y Finanzas and Hispanic Target Magazine.

In 2011, Mr. Diaz was designated in the "Most Effective Lawyers," International Law Category by the South Florida Daily Business Review. He was also selected for "100 Latinos Miami" in 2012, a project that identifies and recognizes a group of individuals from a variety of professional backgrounds and age groups in the South Florida area, and who by virtue of their talent and success contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of the region. Latin Business Chronicle again selected Mr. Diaz as a 2012 "Top 50 Latin America's Legal All Stars," selection based on a number of criteria, including involvement in recent prominent deals in Latin America.

Mr. Diaz is an active board member of numerous professional bar associations and civic and philanthropic organizations. He is regularly recognized for the many charitable contributions that he and his firm make to support youth, health, community and social causes. Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.