Celi S. Aguilar is the founder of CSA Law Firm based in Miami. With more than two decades of hands-on, in-the-trenches experience, Celi is a strong client advocate with a diverse legal background that includes experience in consumer and non-consumer debt, financial restructuring, insolvency, asset protection, business disputes, fraud and complex litigation, and corporate law.

 

Over the years, Celi has provided legal guidance, crisis management, and consultation services to a wide-range of clients from individuals to small businesses to multi-national corporations.  Consistently commended for the quality and thoroughness of her work product, Celi regularly represents debtors, trustees, secured and unsecured creditors, statutory committees, distressed asset purchasers and sellers, debtor-in-possession lenders, and clawback targets in avoidance actions.

 

Celi also draws on her experience in regulatory counseling, government investigations, enforcement actions, and litigation to protect consumers and help clients understand the laws and regulations that govern the mortgage, credit card, and banking industries.

 

Celi regularly represents clients in consumer protection cases and has served as counsel in matters involving mortgage loan pricing and origination practices, fair lending, mortgage servicing and loan modification, default servicing and consumer bankruptcy, lender-placed insurance, and captive reinsurance arrangements.

 

Admissions

  ♦  Florida

  ♦  U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

  ♦  U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida

  ♦  U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

  ♦  U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida

  ♦  U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida

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Professional Associations and Memberships

  ♦  Federal Bar Association

  ♦  American Bankruptcy Institute

  ♦  American Bar Association

  ♦  Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida

  ♦  Dade County Bar Association

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Presentations & Publications

  ♦  Recognized, Dade County Bar Association, Pro Bono Volunteer, 2018

  ♦  Finalist, Daily Business Review, “Top Dealmakers of the Year – Bankruptcy Category,” 2016

  ♦  Panelist and Contributing Author, Stopping Fraud, Theft and Corruption Before It Starts, 2016

  ♦  Contributing Author, Privacy Tracker Commentary (International Association of Privacy Professionals), Weekly Dashboard, 2012

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Education

  ♦  St. Thomas University School of Law, J. D.

  ♦  Florida International University, B.A., Economics

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​Honors & Awards

  ♦  Member, Intercultural Human Rights Law Review

  ♦  Member, International Moot Court

  ♦  Recipient, Student Achievement (Book) Award: Advanced Legal Research and Writing

  ♦  Recipient, CALI Award: Debtor-Creditor Rights

  ♦  Recipient, American Bankruptcy Institute, 2010 Medal of Excellence

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Community Involvement

Put Something Back Pro Bono Project of Miami-Dade County

  ♦  Successfully represented clients in chapter 7 proceedings, securing discharges of significant non- consumer and consumer debt

  ♦  Successfully represented clients in dischargeability actions, securing student loan hardship discharges

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Languages

  ♦  English

  ♦  Spanish (Conversational)