Helen C. Costa
Hi! My name is Helen and I was born and raised in Miami and consider myself a true Miamian. I have been a lawyer practicing in Florida since 1994. I am often found in either Miami-Dade or Broward County courthouses. I have been known to assist clients from as north as Tallahassee and as south as Key West. I am fully bilingual in the languages of English and Spanish. I have assisted clients who speak Portuguese, Italian, Creole, Russian and Albanian, as well as those who communicate in sign language. Oh, and I am fluent in Spanglish as well.
I have 26 years of experience and my strengths are in the following areas of Legal Practice: Family Law, Real Estate Law, and Landlord Tenant matters. In the last 10 years, my primary concentration has been assisting clients with their Family Law matters such as divorces and paternity and all that entails.
Education
J.D., Saint Thomas University School of Law, 1994
Top 20% of class; Dean’s List; Book Award – Interviewing, Counseling, & Negotiations; Who’s Who Among Law School; ATLA St. Thomas Law School Chapter; St. Thomas Law School Mock Trial Court; Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society; and Hispanic American Lawyers Society
Master in Health Services Administration, Florida International University, 1993
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society
B.S., University of Miami, 1986
President’s Honor Roll x2; Dean’s List x 5; Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society
Paralegal Studies Certificate, Barry University, 1985
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Florida Bar, 1994
United States District Courts, Southern District of Florida, 1995
United States Supreme Court, 2013
Professional & Bar Association Memberships
Florida Bar
Member Since: 1994
Family Law Section Member
ABA – American Bar Association
Miami-Dade County Bar Association
Miami Lakes Bar Association
Broward County Bar Association
United States Supreme Court Bar Association
National LGBT Bar Association
Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Legal Specialties and Certifications
Fund Certified in Real Estate Closing Procedures, by Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund, 2006
Non-Legal Certifications and Licensures
Registered Nurse , Board of Nursing, State of Florida since 1986
Featured Pro Bono Activities
Something Back Program of Miami-Dade County – Active Participant and Recipient of Pro Bono Service Award
Miami-Dade College – Professor
I have a passion for education. I have been an adjunct professor of the Law Center of Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus in Downtown Miami since 2007. In that capacity I am just one peg of a bulletin board in the formation and education of legal assistants and paralegals of tomorrow. I was an integral director of a community education project to educate the youth together with co-faculty Mercedes Medina, J.D. called Striving for Success Youth Day, in December of 2010. The excitement in the eyes of the middle school and high school attendees and participants as well as the MDC law department students was more than rewarding. Nevertheless, I was honored to have received an official acknowledgment by the Center for Community Involvement and was named Service-Learning Faculty Rookie of the Year by the college.
Non-Legal Activities
I have in addition to my legal practice, maintained an active Florida Registered Nurse license since 1986. I have a compassion for the health related industry, although my legal practice is not concentrated in the health care law related areas of practice. I have been actively involved and have since 1986 worked in hospitals such as Jackson Memorial Hospital and have worked in the home health care industry, as a field nurse, supervisor nurse, case manager, director of nurses, and administrator. My most recent involvement was a mission trip to provide health care to the underprivileged and underserved communities in Ecuador in connection with a program called IMOC / International Medical Outreach Club of Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU COM). See the attached article.
Accomplishments
2020, 2019 & 2018 Excellence in Family & Divorce Law, Lawyers of Distinction
2018 Top 100 Family Lawyer in the State of Florida, The American Society of Legal Advocates
2017 10 Best Attorneys in Client Satisfaction practicing Matrimonial Law, The American
2016 Small Business Excellence Award in Divorce and Family Law, the Town of Miami Lakes
2015 & 2016 Top 100 Family Law Attorneys, The National Advocates