Carmen Manrara Cartaya is an experienced trial attorney who focuses her practice on employment matters, commercial litigation, and international arbitration. She also leads the firm’s Labor & Employment practice group representing both employees and employers.

Prior to joining the firm, Carmen was a trial attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Miami District Office. At the EEOC, Carmen’s successful high-profile cases include winning summary judgment against UPS in a disability discrimination case; negotiating a $2.5 million settlement for 17 black Haitian dishwashers against SLS Hotel South Beach (sbe) in a discrimination lawsuit; and securing a $2.85 million settlement in a nationwide class age discrimination lawsuit against Seasons 52, part of the Darden family of restaurants.

Carmen’s experience includes working for a global law firm, where she focused on international arbitration matters, with the ICC, JAMS, and the AAA in construction and telecommunications disputes. She also served as a Judicial Law Clerk for Judge Federico A. Moreno, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.

Carmen serves as Chair of the Alumnae Networking Committee of her alma mater, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. Serving on the board of directors of The Underline Conservancy, Carmen contributes to the mission of maintaining Miami’s 10-mile urban park. Carmen also serves in a judicial capacity as a hearing magistrate for the City of Coral Gables’ red light camera program and traffic violations.

Carmen is an active member of the Federal Bar Association’s South Florida Chapter. She leads FBA programs including the “Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions” program and the FBA Law Day program, which allow high school students to visit a federal courthouse and learn to debate and have civil discourse.

Carmen is fluent in Spanish.