Catalina M. Avalos is a director with the law firm of Tripp Scott, PA and focuses her practice in the areas of labor and employment, and complex commercial litigation.   AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell, Avalos has experience representing both plaintiff and defendants in employment matters and often serves as quasi in-house counsel for various corporate clients providing advice for their employment needs. Avalos handles cases involving harassment, race discrimination in the workplace, enforcement of non-compete agreements, business partnership disputes, tortious interference, wrongful death actions, violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, contractual disputes and claims brought under Florida’s Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Florida Whistle-blower’s Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.   Avalos has tried numerous jury trials involving both civil and criminal matters.   Her extensive experience in the courtroom and practicing law have given Avalos invaluable skills, including successfully  obtaining  a $1 million dollar plus judgment against the defendant/former owner (in a breach of a non-compete and fraudulent misrepresentation case after proving that the defendant violated his non-compete agreement by soliciting customers of the company shortly after he sold the company; she  successfully obtained a full defense judgment in a commercial litigation matter; and she has obtained injunctions on behalf of her clients in federal courts.

A former county court judge appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush, Avalos has extensive experience in both civil and criminal court matters.  While serving as a judge, she was assigned to the Education Committee for the Conference of County Court Judges.  She presided over county and circuit jury and non-jury trials.

Prior to her role as a judge, Avalos was an assistant state attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where she was the Deputy Chief of the County Court Division and also prosecuted serious cases involving the use of firearms, sexual batteries and second degree murder.  She began her legal career as an associate with a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm handling insurance defense matters.

Avalos holds a law degree from Nova Southeastern University where she was on the Dean’s List, was elected vice president and president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and received recognition for her trial skills.

She is the Chair of the Broward County Bar Association Labor & Employment Section, is a certified Florida Supreme Court circuit civil mediator and has served as a special master and as an arbitrator in numerous cases.   She has been nominated for the “Leaders in Law Award” and maintains an active trial practice.

Avalos has been recognized for her professionalism by the Broward County Bar's Young Lawyer's Division and received the Broward County Bar Association's President's Award while serving as judge.   In addition, she was recognized as one of the “100 Outstanding Women of Broward County for 2014.”  Avalos was recently selected to serve on the Nova Southeastern University Law School Board of Governors and volunteers as General Counsel for Hispanic Unity of Florida.  She is a past member of the board of directors of Child Net and a member of the Broward Women Alliance Group. She has served on the boards of various legal bar associations including the Broward County Bar, Broward County Women’s Lawyers Association and the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association.