Learn More About Miami - Springboard to Your Career

There is no place for law students like Miami.

It is well known that the city is vibrant and abounds with culture and outdoor advantages. It is also a dynamic metropolis for job growth and provides a wealth of professional prospects for networking, internships, and externships that are incredible opportunities to turn your professional aspirations into practice. As a Miami Law student, you will benefit from being at the doorstep to strong ties to institutions and organizations, and close to the 23,000+ Miami Law alumni network, for hands-on legal training.

Quick Links:  Major Corporate Presence  -  Legal Community Powerhouse  -  International Business Gateway  -  Technology Hub and Startup Sector  -  Health Care Industry  - Military in Miami  -  Nonprofit Sector  -  Government Presence

Major Corporate Presence

Did you know, beyond the beaches, Miami is the 11^th largest economy in the U.S. and the 21^st largest in the world - plus there are 1400+ businesses headquartered here? Miami is the #6 business hot spot for new business applications per 1,000 residents per an Axios analysis of U.S. Census Bureau and IRS data with new applications being a key measure of an area's economic health. In early 2023, the Financial Times ranked Miami as the best city in the U.S. for foreign multinationals to do business. 

Legal Community Powerhouse

Miami is home to thousands of law firms covering a breadth of industries. According to the FL Bar, as of Jan 1, 2020, Florida was the third fastest-growing state in the nation for lawyers since 2011.

According to Bloomberglaw.com and Cooley, recent Big Law firm moves to Miami include:

• King & Spalding
• Kirkland & Ellis
• Polsinelli
• Reed Smith
• Sidley Austin
• Winston & Strawn
• Quinn & Emanuel 
• Vedder Price
• Cooley

Miami-Dade County had the largest number of attorneys in the state of Florida – 16,237. Also, Miami is a top 10 metropolitan area with the highest average wage for lawyers according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

International Business Gateway 

As the second largest global banking center in the U.S., it is no surprise that worldwide business flows through Miami.

We have #2 most foreign consulates, trade offices and binational Chambers of commerce (100+) of U.S. cities, and Miami is the #1 market in the nation for international real estate buyers. In 2022, Miami was #1 in the Financial Times-Nikkei ranking of best U.S. cities for foreign businesses. 

PortMiami is the busiest cruise port in the world in both passenger traffic and cruise lines and FL seaports account for the largest tonnage of cargo than any other state.

Technology Hub and Startup Sector

Miami earned its nickname 'The Magic City' for its rapid urban growth in the late 19th century. Over the last years, the city has emerged as a growing international tech and startup hub. In terms of innovation, Miami shines in Florida – the state considered #1 for eCommerce. In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the South Florida Climate Resilience Tech Hub as one of 31 in the country.

With a reputation for embracing emerging technologies, Miami has also become a hotbed for FinTech and AI startups with almost 500 FinTech companies based in the area. According to the Kauffman Index and Kauffman Foundation, Miami is:

#1 for highest startup density in the U.S. with 247.6 startups per 100,000 people
#2 most entrepreneurial city
#6 for U.S. small business activity

Health Care Industry

Miami’s entrepreneurial climate has nurtured successful biomedical, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies, and today, it is home to industry leaders. A major asset for the region is the University of Miami’s Life Science Park, a catalyst that brings faculty, scientists, students, and entrepreneurs together to encourage collaboration and innovation. Apotex, the largest pharmaceutical company in Canada and the seventh largest general pharmaceutical company in the world, is developing a new research and development center and an advanced manufacturing and packaging facility in Miami. In 2021, the leading industry in Miami-Dade County was Health Care.

• Pharma Hub
• Hospitals
• Pharmaceutical & Biotech Companies

Military in Miami 

The military has a presence in South Florida and offers opportunities to understand the interface between the armed forces and the law and how the miliitary, the government, and the legal system interconnect.

Nonprofit Sector 

According to the “2020: Economic Impact of the Nonprofit Sector in Miami-Dade County” report, there are over 10,000 nonprofits in Miami-Dade County with a total economic impact of $23.7 billion. Also 94% of charitable nonprofits are local and 32% of all non-profits in FL are in the Southeast. These organizations provide comprehensive solutions and crucial services to the myriad issues in Miami’s growing community. Per the IRS Business Master File, September 2019, the largest number of charities are in the areas of health care, the arts, the environment, and community foundations. Miami Law’s clinical programs are based on partnerships with major public-interest offices around Miami that allow you to work alongside seasoned practitioners. 

Government Presence 

As the most connected metropolitan city in Florida, Miami boasts many local, state, and federal agencies and offices. You have opportunities to put deep theoretical knowledge into practice through externships at government offices or with federal and state courts. (Pictured: Coral Gables City Hall)

• Department of Justice, Southern District of Florida
• Federal Aviation Administration
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Federal Detention Center
• Florida Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division
• Internal Revenue Service
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration-NASA
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-NOAA
• Office of the Federal Public Defender of the Southern District of Florida
• Office of the State Attorney
• U.S. Animal Plant Health Inspection
• U.S. Commerce Department
• U.S. Customs Service and Border Protection Office
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Dept. of Labor - Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• U.S. Health & Human Services Dept
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Broward Transitional Center
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Glades County Detention Center
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Krome North Service Processing Center
• U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission
• U.S. State Department - Bureau of Diplomatic Security
• U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

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