Robert J. "Bob" Becerra - Lawyer in Miami, FL

Robert J. Becerra is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in International Law, one of approximately 50 lawyers in Florida with such a certification. He concentrates his practice in the areas of litigation and arbitration, white collar criminal defense, grand jury investigations, corporate compliance and internal investigations, and administrative and judicial proceedings related to international trade matters. Prior to opening his own firm, Becerra practiced at the Miami law firms of Devine Goodman Rasco Watts-FitzGerald Wells for 2 years and Fuerst Ittleman for 3 years. Before that, he spent 5 years at Sandler, Travis Rosenberg, an international trade law firm, where he headed the firm's white collar defense practice. His early career started at Raskin Raskin, PA, a white-collar criminal defense and litigation boutique, where he practiced for 14 years, the last seven as a partner. He has been counsel of record in a number of reported decisions, some of which resulted in changes in the law, and he has tried a number of cases, mostly jury trials, in both civil and criminal cases.

He consistently receives the highest «AV Preeminent» rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory for legal skills and professional ethics and is rated «Superb, 10.0» in the lawyer rating website www.AVVO.com. He is listed as a «Super Lawyer» in Super Lawyers Magazine and a «Top Lawyer» in the South Florida Legal Guide. He is listed in the publication «The Best Lawyers in America» 2015-2022 editions under «Criminal Defense: White Collar». He is a member of the Miami-Dade Bar Association, the American Bar Association, where he is a member of the Criminal Justice and International Law Sections, and trade organizations involved in international trade. Becerra is the Immediate Past-Chair of the International Law Section of the Florida Bar. He served on the Executive Council of the International Law Section of the Florida Bar. Becerra also was the Co-Chair of the International Law Section's «iLaw2017: The ILS Global Forum on International Law».

Becerra has been lead counsel in a large number of criminal cases in various federal districts and states involving diverse areas of the criminal law and has tried many of those cases to verdict. He has also been lead counsel in a variety of federal and state appeals and has engaged in numerous appellate oral arguments. He has also been lead counsel in internal investigations conducted by corporations alleged to have violated various regulations and laws, including those involving the seafood industry and the importation of food and drug products. In addition, Becerra has on many occasions prevented criminal charges against clients suspected of wrongdoing by preparing persuasive presentations that convince law enforcement authorities that criminal changes are unwarranted.

Becerra is very experienced handling civil litigation involving international trade issues, such as trademark infringement, gray marketing, cargo loss, errors and omissions by logistics providers and disputes that arise between exporters and importers.

He also has handled many U.S. Customs seizures of goods, liquidated damages and penalty cases, along with civil forfeitures of monies in corporate bank accounts which are alleged by the government to be tainted due to tracings to financial transactions in unregulated foreign exchange markets and trade-based money laundering. He has drafted and implemented anti-money laundering policies and procedures for exporters to mitigate the risk of money seizures. He has litigated civil forfeiture cases against federal and state governments involving the export of luxury automobiles. Becerra also advises clients on the due diligence required to avoid civil or criminal liability for violations of export laws regarding shipments to embargoed countries of controlled goods, and defends clients in export enforcement cases.

Becerra was author of «Gold at the End of the Rainbow: Money Laundering Through the Precious Metals Markets» published in the Florida Bar International Law Section's publication «International Law Quarterly» Winter 2022 issue. In that same publication, he authored «When the Gray Market Turns Black», in the Fall 2020 issue and «Trade Based Money Laundering-South Florida Is in the Bull's Eye» published in the Daily Business Review, July 25, 2018 issue. He also authored «Crack in the Carmack: Florida Supreme Court holds Carmack Amendment Preemption Not Absolute in all Claims involving Inland Shipments» published in the Florida Bar International Law Section's publication «International Law Quarterly», Winter 2018 issue. Becerra also authored, «The Black Market Peso Exchange and the Small Exporter» published in the Florida Bar International Law Section's publication «International Law Quarterly», Winter 2015 issue. He was a co-author of «Criminal Liability for Corporate Officers-The Resurrection of the Park Doctrine in Food and Drug Cases,» in Practical Trade Customs Strategies, a Thomsen Reuters publication in April, 2013. He also authored «A Review of the Adequate Forum Factor in Forum Non Conveniens Analysis in Florida's State and Federal Courts» in the Florida Bar International Law Section's publication «International Law Quarterly», Summer 2014 edition. Becerra authored a chapter in the Florida Bar International Law Section's «International Law Deskbook 2020» entitled «International Criminal Law». He has been published as well in the Journal of Commerce, in web based newsletters and blogs and has been a speaker on a variety of panels and seminars regarding areas of his practice.

Becerra is a 1990 cum laude graduate of the University of Miami School of Law.