Miami native Araly Herrera-Borgen, is a multidimensional bilingual attorney, educated in both business and law, who has established herself as a respected and powerful force in the South Florida legal community. Ms. Herrera-Borgen has devoted her legal career to representing victims of catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, automobile, trucking and wrongful death cases. Today, Ms. Herrera-Borgen is a partner at Gamba & Lombana, P.A., a well-respected firm in the community.
“The most rewarding part of being a lawyer is ensuring justice is served for the injured and bereaved clients,” stated Ms. Herrera-Borgen. “Unfortunately, when clients come to me they have suffered a tragedy in their lives. It is my mission to help my clients with the extraordinary challenges that follow when someone else’s carelessness or mistakes results in injury or loss to a loved one.”
Over the course of her impressive career, Ms. Herrera-Borgen has earned many accolades including a glowing profile in the South Florida Legal Guide attesting to her ethical and sound practices. Additionally, that same guide, after gathering input from other top attorneys in the community, listed Ms. Herrera- Borgen under the category of “Top Up and Comers” – the next generation of leaders in the South Florida legal community.
As a testament to her professional prowess, she was once asked by a doctor to represent a family member. In and of itself, that is not an unusual request, but the circumstances under which this occurred were quite incredible.
“A few years ago, I represented a client in a medical malpractice case,” explained Ms. Herrera-Borgen. “After lengthy and contentious litigation, I obtained a substantial settlement on behalf of my client and against a doctor. Several months later, I received a call from the defendant doctor in that case. I advised the doctor that she should not be speaking to me directly, but through her attorney. The doctor then explained that her inquiry had nothing to do with that case. She stated that she was so impressed by my tenacity toward resolving the case and my ability to maintain a professional manner throughout the proceedings that she thought of me when her family needed an advocate. That was one of the biggest compliments of my career thus far.”
Working on emotionally-charged cases, as she does on a daily basis, has given Ms. Herrera-Borgen a new perspective on life. “When I am not practicing law, I treasure every moment with my family,” said Ms. Herrera-Borgen. “When you work with clients who have lost their health or loved ones, you realize that it can happen to anybody, anytime, and anywhere. I am thankful to my partners, Tomas F. Gamba & Hector J. Lombana, who have mentored me and have been instrumental in my success as a trial attorney.”
Ms. Herrera-Borgen is currently serving as the vice president of student affairs at the University of Miami Law Alumni Association and she previously served as a member on the Board of Directors for the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA) and the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. She also served as vice chair of a grievance committee for the Florida Bar.
Ms. Herrera-Borgen concluded her interview by stating the following: “If there was one piece of advice I could impart to future attorneys, it would be that expanding your knowledge of the law and developing relationships within your community is imperative to career advancement. Mix that with a strong work ethic and positive attitude, and you have the recipe for success.”
