Michelle Austin Pamies, Esq.
Michelle Austin Pamies, Esq. was born in Port-au-Prince Haiti and migrated to Queens, New York at a young age. Michelle’s love for Haiti, can be traced back to her frequent trips there as a young adult. Her attachment to her homeland, its culture, its languages and history, have inspired her drive to excel and lead. Michelle is a 1996 Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Miami School of Law where she served on the University of Miami Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Coif.
She is currently a founding partner of Austin Pamies Norris Weeks Powell, LLC and her practice primarily involves representing municipalities and businesses, handling their transactional and litigation needs, as well as providing legal advice and counsel. Prior to joining the Firm, Michelle worked for 8 years as Senior Corporate Counsel – Commercial Law in Union Pacific Railroad Company’s Law Department. Her responsibilities included being the lead attorney for the procurement of goods and services, procurement and management of intellectual property and development of new business ventures.
Michelle’s past experience also includes being General Counsel of Planet Automotive Group, Inc; General Counsel of the Agency for Workforce Innovation, an agency of the State of Florida, Corporate Counsel for AutoNation, Inc.; and Corporate attorney in private practice at Holland & Knight LLP’s Miami office.
Michelle is a former member of the Public Health Trust of Miami-Dade County, and Miami- Dade County Ad Hoc Committee for the Creation of an Airport Authority. She has served on numerous non-profit boards, including, Girls Inc. (Omaha) and SantLa (Haitian Neighborhood Center).
She is a founding member and former Vice President of the Haitian Lawyers Association, Inc. and is Co-Chair of the Women of Color Empowerment Institute, Inc. She serves on the boards of the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce, the University of Miami Law Alumni Association. She also serves on the Executive Board of the Greater Miami Chapter, Links Incorporated and is a board member and co-chair of the Grants Committee for the Women’s Fund.
Her love for Haiti and her deep concerns about her beloved homeland’s future, have compelled her to become a founding member of the Haitian American Foundation for Democracy (HAFFD). She hopes that through HAFFD’s efforts Haitian Americans will mobilize their resources and collective power to make profound and impactful change in Haiti.
Michelle has received numerous awards, including, among others, the Nostalgia in Gold Caribbean Woman of Excellence Award, the Women of Distinction Award from the Lauderhill Chamber of Commerce, the Women who Inspire Award from the City of North Miami and one for being one of South Florida’s 50 Most Powerful and Influential Black Leaders of 2018 from Legacy Magazine.