Wifredo Ferrer Recognized by Cuban American Bar Association with Osvaldo N. Soto Legacy Award
MIAMI (May 12, 2022) – Wifredo Ferrer, executive partner of Holland & Knight’s Miami office, was presented with the Osvaldo N. Soto Legacy Award by the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA) at its annual Presidential Awards Reception on May 11. The award was established in 2015 to honor Mr. Soto, a CABA founding member and 1977-78 president, in recognition of his vision, tenacity and achievements in overcoming adversity and helping others overcome adversity.
Previous winners of this prestigious award include John Kozyak, Jose Felix Diaz, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Ariana Fajardo Orshan, State Attorney for Miami-Dade County Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Judge Bertila Soto and CABA's 10 female presidents through 2020.
"The first time I heard Willy speak, many years ago, his kindness, humility and sincerity struck me," said Miriam Soler Ramos, president of CABA. "Willy told his immigrant story and, in it, recounted how knowing Spanish allowed him a special opportunity during his work at the Department of Justice. His pride for his heritage was palpable, and his ongoing commitment to public service and to helping others is an inspiration."
Mr. Ferrer, a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, is the current chair of Holland & Knight's Global Compliance and Investigations Team. Before becoming the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ferrer served in various roles with the federal government. He gained experience as a White House Fellow and Special Assistant to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and later as Deputy Chief of Staff and Counsel to the late Attorney General Janet Reno.
Mr. Ferrer recently received the Lawyer of the Americas Award from the University of Miami School of Law, and in 2019, he was honored with the Anti-Defamation League Jurisprudence Award. He is consistently recognized by Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America as a leading attorney in the areas of white collar defense, internal investigations and corporate compliance law.