Sara Alvarez

Sara Alvarez was born and raised in Miami. She attended Florida State University, graduating early with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Minor in Family and Child Sciences. Sara went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City. During her third year at Cardozo School of Law, Sara was accepted into the Criminal Defense Clinic where she worked with the Legal Aid Society, representing indigent individuals charged with crimes in Manhattan Criminal Court. In addition to her clinical work at Cardozo, Sara authored several publications on topics including international human rights law and the constitutional implications of COVID-19 on pre-trial detention; she received the Criminal Justice Writing Award at graduation.

After graduating from Cardozo Law and passing the Florida Bar, Sara accepted a position with the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office where she spent two and a half years aggressively advocating on behalf of her clients. During most of her time as a public defender, Sara represented indigent individuals facing felony charges and litigated a wide range of legal issues, oftentimes obtaining pretrial suppression of evidence or dismissal of charges, as well as acquittals through trial by jury.

When she left the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office, Sara joined Rier Jordan P.A., where she continued to fight for her clients in the courtroom on a daily basis and develop her skills as a trial lawyer. At Rier Jordan, Sara handled complex cases involving serious felony charges such as murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, and drug trafficking. across the state of Florida, primarily in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. She pushed many of her cases to trial, ultimately obtaining  favorable results for her clients.

Sara has represented thousands of clients at all stages of proceedings, from arraignment through final disposition. Her dedication to advancing reform in the criminal legal system and advocating for the human rights of the accused is also evident in her legal scholarship. Sara’s publications include “The Universal Periodic Review: Strengths & Shortcomings” and “Strategies for Emergency Release of Incarcerated People during COVID-19 Outbreak.”

Sara is committed to fighting for the rights and respecting the dignity of each individual she represents. She brings her aggressive, client-centered approach to the talented team of lawyers, paralegals, and staff at Piotrowski Law.