Isis Carbajal de Garcia, serves as Compliance Counsel at MDO Partners. Ms. Carbajal is a Board-Certified attorney in Education Law with over 35 years of experience in the Florida State University System. 

 

Ms. Carbajal advises education clients on various legal and regulatory compliance issues, including academic matters (e.g. faculty governance, academic programs, residency, admissions, financial aid, student and faculty grievances, collective bargaining agreements, and contracts with foreign and national universities). She also advises clients on employment and administrative law.  Ms. Carbajal assists higher education clients to design and implement effective compliance programs.  She drafts policies and conducts trainings on various topics, including higher education law, public records, and Florida’s Code of Ethics.  She also conducts internal investigations for colleges and universities. She has also assisted universities with intellectual property and technology transfers.

 

Prior to joining MDO Partners, Ms. Carbajal was a founding member of the Florida International University (FIU) General Counsel’s Office where she served as a senior attorney for over 20 years. Prior to FIU, she was an attorney with the law firm of Gunster, and before that served as an Associate General Counsel at the University of Florida (UF) for 13 years. Preceding her service at UF, Ms. Carbajal served as a Staff Attorney with the United S­tates Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Philadelphia Regional Office. 

 

Ms. Carbajal is a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) and a recipient of its Distinguished Service Award in 2015.  She has presented on a myriad of legal issues at various national conferences, including the NACUA, the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Annual Stetson Conference on Law and Higher Education, the American Association for Affirmative Action, the Joint Conference on Disability Issues, and the American Dental Association.

 

Since 2013, Ms. Carbajal has served as a site evaluation team member of the American Bar Association.  She was also appointed by the Florida Bar President and has served on the Standing Committee on Diversity and Inclusion which was established in 2013. 

 

Ms. Carbajal is a member of the Bars of Pennsylvania (inactive) and Florida and is admitted to the United States Supreme Court.  She is also a Civil Law Notary and was selected in 2013 as a Fulbright Specialist. 

 

In the community, Ms. Carbajal serves on the Board of Directors of PACE Center for Girls, Miami. She is the former chairperson of the Center for Florida's Children, a statewide child advocate organization. She is also a member of the Junior League of Miami (former member of its executive committee) and served as co-leader of two Girl Scouts troops. Ms. Carbajal is also a member of the Cuban American Bar Association.

 

Ms. Carbajal is was born in Cuba and is fluent in English and Spanish.  She also has knowledge of French, and Portuguese.   

 

Education:

 

J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School

B.A., with high honors, University of Florida

Member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society