St. Thomas School of Law Commencement Features Justice Jorge Labarga as Keynote Speaker

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May 10, 2010, 07:00 ET

MIAMI, May 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- St. Thomas University 2010 Commencement will take place Saturday, May 15 at the Fernandez Family Center for Leadership and Wellness, with undergraduate, graduate and law school students receiving their degrees in the recently opened sports arena.

This year's Law School commencement ceremony starts at 9:00 am. The event's keynote speaker is Cuban born, Florida Supreme Court Justice Jorge Labarga.

Justice Labarga began his illustrious legal career in 1979 as an Assistant Public Defender with the Public Defender's Office in West Palm Beach. In 1987, after leaving the West Palm Beach State Attorney Office, he joined the firm of Cone, Wagner, Nugent, Roth, Romano and Ericksen, P.A., specializing in personal injury litigation and criminal defense.

Governor Lawton Chiles appointed Justice Labarga to the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit for Palm Beach County in 1996. In December 2008 he was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to the Fourth District Court of Appeal and January 1, 2009 he was appointed by the Governor to the Florida Supreme Court, where he presently sits as the 84th Justice to take office at the Florida Supreme Court since statehood was granted in 1845.

"We have completed a successful academic year in which the law school has received numerous awards, said Dean Alfredo Garcia. For example, the Mock Trial Team won the Nova Closing Argument Competition and our clinics continued to produce skilled practitioners who argued as students before the Florida District Court of Appeals."

Immediately following the May 15 Commencement ceremony there will be an open house/reception at the law school building for graduates, family and friends, open to media members. Students and their families/guests are invited to join Law School Dean Al Garcia at the Moot Court Room for picture taking.

SOURCE St. Thomas University