Professor Michael Vastine joined the faculty of St. Thomas University School of Law in 2004, where he is a tenured professor of law and Director of the Immigration Clinic. A frequent conference speaker and author, he is also a leader of the immigration bar, with extensive service within the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). From 2011-20, he was elected to serve on the AILA South Florida Chapter Board of Directors, including a term as Chair of the Chapter. Professor Vastine’s AILA national-level service includes multiple terms on the Federal Litigation Section Steering Committee, Annual Conference Planning Committee, and Amicus Curiae Committee. His impact litigation principally relates to immigration and crimes, including the lead case at the Florida Supreme Court establishing the constitutional rights of immigrant defendants to effective representation by their criminal counsel, and multiple cases at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit delineating the immigration consequences of Florida convictions involving controlled substances. Additionally, he has represented AILA and other community-based organizations, as amicus curiae counsel, in forums ranging from the Board of Immigration Appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, in matters including the constitutional limits of indefinite detention of immigrants, the due process rights of the physically deported, and the immigration consequences of state crimes. In 2013, Professor Vastine received the AILA (National) Elmer Fried Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Meet our Team

Professor Dr. Roza Pati
Founder & Director
Professor of Law & Executive Director
LL.M./J.S.D. Program in Intercultural Human Rights
305.474.2447
rpati@stu.edu
Administration & Staff


Graduate Fellows

Donovan A. McFarlane, LL.M.
Graduate Fellow
J.S.D. Candidate, 2024
LL.M./J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights
St. Thomas University School of Law

Minglu Michele Guo, M.P.A.
Graduate Fellow
Juris Doctor Candidate, 2022
St. Thomas University School of Law

Jakerrian M. McGruder
Graduate Fellow
LL.M. Candidate, 2021
LL.M./J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights
St. Thomas University School of Law