Baker Donelson attorney Aldo M. Leiva has been recognized by the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA) as the CABA Human Rights Member of the Year.
Mr. Leiva, who was recognized along with CABA's other annual award honorees during a virtual ceremony on December 1, received the award in recognition of his work with human rights groups and political dissidents in Cuba.
Mr. Leiva has advocated for the Rule of Law in Cuba, serving as counsel for Cuban political prisoners and pro-democracy activists before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, resulting in a ruling against the Cuban government by an international committee for human rights violations. As a Cuba law/policy analyst, Mr. Leiva has briefed the U.S. State Department, Representatives and Senators, and Presidential candidates on Cuba law and policy. He has also analyzed Cuba trends for trade and media organizations and academic institutions, including the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences, American University, University of Miami, Indiana University, and St. Thomas University.
Of counsel in Baker Donelson's Fort Lauderdale office, Mr. Leiva advises clients on compliance with rapidly evolving federal, state and international data security and privacy laws. He also handles complex business litigation matters. Mr. Leiva is a board member of the South Florida Chapter of InfraGard, a leading public-private partnership between U.S. businesses and the FBI that focuses on critical infrastructure protection. In 2017, he was recognized by the FBI for exceptional service in the public interest for his role with InfraGard. Mr. Leiva is a member of the U.S. Secret Service Miami Economic Crimes Task Force, the board of directors for the University of Miami's Amigos of the Cuban Heritage Collection, and serves as an advisor for the University of South Florida's Cybersecurity for Executives Program.