DIEGO M. PESTANA
DIEGO M. PESTANA
Diego Pestana is an attorney with the Suarez Law Firm. Before joining the firm, he gained extensive experience as a judicial law clerk at different levels of the federal judiciary—from the discovery phase at trial to the appellate process. While clerking, Diego worked on a wide range of matters in civil and criminal cases, including discovery disputes, dispositive motions, jury trials, motions to suppress, Garcia hearings, and Social Security appeals. The legal areas he worked on included veterans appeals, class actions, trade secrets, antitrust, civil RICO, False Claims Act, and bankruptcy appeals.
Since joining the Suarez Law Firm, Diego has worked on a variety of complex and civil matters. He has tried cases in state and federal courts. His successes include obtaining dismissals of criminal charges, negotiating favorable outcomes for criminal defendants, obtaining favorable settlements in commercial litigation cases, and success in federal appeals.
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He has worked on various white-collar criminal cases involving government and internal investigations, financial fraud, healthcare fraud, public corruption, money laundering, racketeering (criminal RICO), and obstruction. His other criminal-defense cases have involved murder, vehicular homicide, DUI, theft, drug possession, burglary, and Stand Your Ground.
Diego maintains a robust civil practice, including commercial and business litigation, civil RICO litigation, securities litigation, False Claims Act litigation, and constitutional litigation. He has also experience in administrative law, including matters before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Florida Department of Education, and Florida Public Employees Relation Commission. He has successfully handled appeals, including appeals at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, appeals in administrative agencies, and student-disciplinary appeals. Diego is also a volunteer attorney for the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program and the Institute for Justice.
Diego is a native of the greater Tampa Bay area, having grown up in Spring Hill. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Saint Leo University, where he was a member of the men’s soccer team that won the 2013 Sunshine State Conference. Diego graduated cum laude from Stetson University College of Law, where he concentrated on advocacy. He was awarded the Victor O. Wehle Award for excellence in trial advocacy. He was awarded the E. Harris Drew Memorial Award for his dedication to the law and his ability to express thoughts orally and in writing. He earned highest-grade designations in Trial Advocacy, Negotiation & Mediation, and Federal Courts. He also excelled in White Collar Crime taught by Professor Ellen S. Podgor. Diego participated in a Study Abroad course entitled Comparative Trial Advocacy at the University of Oxford in England. Diego was an associate of Stetson Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Board.
Fax :(813) 229-0040
Professional and Civic Activities
Tampa Hispanic Bar Association
- Board of Directors, 2020-present
- Young Lawyers Division Co-Chair, 2021-present
Judicial Nominating Commission, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (Governor appointee)
- Member, 2022-present
Eleventh Circuit Historical Society
- Member, 2022-present
Hillsborough County Bar Association
- Criminal Law Section Co-Chair, 2022-present
- Bar Leadership Institute, 2021-2022
Knights of Columbus
- Deputy Grand Knight, Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church Council
Ancient Order of Hibernians
- President, Pinellas Division 2
- State Legal Counsel
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Advisory Board, The Champion, 2022-present
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Presentations and Publications
06.2022
Moderator, Getting Hired in Tampa Bay, Tampa Hispanic Bar Association (June 2022)
11.2021
Moderator, Solo but Not Alone, Tampa Hispanic Bar Association (November 2021)
07.2021
07.2021
Moderator, Judicial Panel, HCBA State Court Trial Webinar (June 2021)