Name: Zeina N. Salam
Age: 34
Family: Married to Naval man Emenson Exilus and we have an 18-month-old daughter, Zara.
Pets: One cat, Rudy, who believes he is a dog. The friendliest cat you’ll ever meet.
Education: University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, 2003, J.D., Cum Laude; University of Kentucky, 1998, B.S., Summa Cum Laude, double major: Mathematics, Psychology.
Admitted to the Bar: 2003
Employed by: Law Offices of Zeina N. Salam, P.A.
Field of practice: General litigation, with an emphasis on complex civil litigation and civil rights.
Professional Organizations: BBB Certified Arbitrator; DBE Certified by the JTA; The Jacksonville Bar Association; Middle District of Florida; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of Florida; Florida Bar Association; District of Columbia Bar; Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association; Federal Bar Association; Public Interest Law Section (PILS) Florida Bar Civil Rights Committee; Florida Association of Women Lawyers.
Community Involvement: Participant, “Ask-A-Lawyer,” Jacksonville Bar Association and JALA; Lawyers Roundtable; co-organizer with the Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL) Immigrants Rights Clinic, “Know Your Rights” Immigration Workshop at FCSL; moderator, FCSL Immigration Debate; panelist, UNF Women’s Center Conference Plenary Discussion; distinguished speaker, Citizen with Criminal Background; keynote speaker, closing ceremonies, Black Law Student Association of FCSL to honor Black History Month; panelist, “Ghost of Abu Ghraib” panel discussion, San Marco Theatre; lecturer, Homeless Advocates of St. Petersburg, “Police practices with the homeless and civil rights”; facilitator/moderator, “Working Hands: Immigrant Workers and Human Rights” workshop in Fort Myers; keynote speaker, annual meeting, Humanists of Sarasota Bay in Sarasota; lecturer, “Police and Immigration Know Your Rights” workshop, Florida Immigration Coalition Annual Statewide Congress in Orlando; lecturer, University of Central Florida, “Student Rights and the First Amendment of the Constitution.”
How did you get involved?
I owe my involvement to my constitutional law professor at Miami who was the first to introduce me to the satisfaction gained by helping others through pro bono work, and once I got involved I could not stop.
How can someone else get involved?
Find a passion and go for it! There is a symposium, a clinic, a law section and an association in every field of practice. The Florida Bar or the Federal Bar websites are always a good place to start if you want to get involved on a state or federal level.
What have you learned/achieved through the experience?
The rewards gained from my involvement on both a personal and professional level far outweigh the time commitment.
What was the last book you read or are reading?
I am a huge David Baldacci fan, so anything he writes that I can get my hands on. I am currently reading “The Winner” for the third time.