Ailen Cruz

Ailen Cruz joined the firm in 2016 and focuses her practice on litigation and arbitration of business disputes and representation of clients in regulatory matters, with a focus on the financial services industry.  Ailen represents brokerage firms, financial institutions, and their associated persons in the federal and state courts, in arbitration, and before the various agencies that regulate the securities industry, including FINRA, the SEC, and state regulatory agencies.

Ailen earned her law degree cum laude from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she was a member of the Jessup Moot Court, was a teaching assistant for Legal Research and Writing and Appellate Advocacy, served as an ambassador for the Introduction to Law School and the Profession, was an officer in the Law Association for Women, and mentored underprivileged children through the Law Mentoring Program.  She received the Book Award in the Human Side of Lawyering class and was inducted into Phi Delta Phi, an international legal honor society.  Ailen interned with the Honorable Samantha Ward of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit and worked as an extern for Three Rivers Legal Services, serving the indigent population in Gainesville, Florida. Prior to attending law school, Ailen graduated cum laude from the University of Florida with a degree in English and a minor in Business Administration.

Ailen has been very involved in the community, serving as President of the Board of Directors of Tampa Crossroads, Inc., a local nonprofit, from 2018-2020. She also previously served on the Board of Directors for the Carrollwood Area Business Association. She is fluent in written and spoken Spanish. Ailen was selected to the 2018-2019 Tampa Connection class.