Marcio W. Valladares
Mr. Valladares provides extensive experience in civil litigation, federal practice and procedure, appellate advocacy, privacy and consumer class actions, commercial disputes, and personal injury defense. His career includes service as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and as in-house counsel at Mayo Clinic, along with federal judicial clerkships at the district and appellate court levels. He also served as Acting Executive Director of Florida Lawyers Assistance, a nonprofit organization established and funded by The Florida Bar to support, monitor, and assist law students, attorneys, and judges facing mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and cognitive decline.
Mr. Valladares served two terms as a law clerk to the Honorable Steven D. Merryday of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and one extended term as a law clerk to the Honorable Susan H. Black of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
As an AUSA in the Civil Divisions of the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of Georgia, Mr. Valladares represented the United States in civil litigation involving medical malpractice, premises liability, employment discrimination, and bankruptcy. He also worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate allegations of fraud against the federal government and litigate related whistleblower claims. As an AUSA in the Appellate Division of the Middle District of Florida, he prepared appellate briefs and presented oral argument on behalf of the United States before the Eleventh Circuit.
As Legal Counsel at Mayo Clinic, Mr. Valladares advised leadership on litigation, risk management, compliance, and employment matters; supervised outside counsel; and coordinated responses to government inquiries. As Senior Counsel in the Class Action Department at Morgan & Morgan, he represented putative plaintiffs in privacy and consumer class actions nationwide and pursued whistleblower claims on behalf of state and federal governments. As a Litigation Associate at Holland & Knight, he represented insurers in high-value personal injury cases and large corporations and governmental entities in commercial disputes.
Mr. Valladares earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Florida State University College of Law. He received book awards in Legal Research and Writing and Advanced Writing Skills. As a member of the law school’s moot court team, he received the Best Written Brief award in the school’s moot court selection competition and was inducted into the Order of Barristers. He also served as a member, editor, and author of the Journal of Transnational Law & Policy. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida.
Born in Managua, Nicaragua, Mr. Valladares is fluent in Spanish.
