January 2008

Martin Zilber, JD ’88, is a jack-of-all-trades.  In any given day, he can be found practicing law, brokering mortgages, serving as an elected official, voluntarily managing the budget of the state’s largest public healthcare facility, or coaching his daughter’s basketball team.  Born and raised in Miami, Zilber is committed to making his community a better place.  He graduated from Miami Beach Senior High and earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Florida.  His interests in political science and government made law school an easy choice, and the School of Law was a perfect fit.  “I always wanted to return to the community where I grew up,” he explained.  “As a kid, I remember going to UM football games.  I feel like I’ve been a part of UM forever.”

After graduation, Zilber worked in Miami at the Office of the State Attorney.  He was then general counsel and eventually president of his father’s business, Metro Transportation Services.  The business went public in 1996 and became Coach USA, a company based in Houston.  Zilber was the vice president of corporate development for the southeastern region.  He is past president of the Taxicab, Limousine, and Paratransit Association (T.L.P.A), the largest diversified transportation association in America.  “My father’s company gave me the opportunity, at a pretty young age, to be able to get in to a fairly good position in the community,” he said. 

Currently, Zilber is partner and general counsel of Avatar Real Estate Services and Lansdowne Mortgage LLC, a firm specializing in real estate development and hard equity mortgages.  He is also Of Counsel at Rafferty, Stolzenberg, and Gelles P.A., a firm his former partners worked to form over five years ago.  Keeping the ties to his alma mater strong, Zilber’s firm tries to hire at least one UM summer law clerk every year.  He is also a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Circle.

Throughout his diverse employment history, a common theme has been his interest in politics.  His political aspirations came as no surprise to him or the rest of his family.  His mother, Linda Zilber, served on the Bay Harbor Council for eight years and was the city’s mayor from 1998-2000.  Following his mother’s lead, Zilber was elected as a councilman to the Coconut Grove Village Council three years ago.  Recognizing Zilber as a concerned and involved citizen, the Miami-Dade County Commission appointed him to the Cultural Affairs Council where he serves as the first vice chairman.

Zilber is also on the board of the Miami-Dade County Public Health Trust, an appointment that is achieved only after a rigorous selection process.  As the governing board for Jackson Memorial Hospital, the thirteen-member Public Health Trust works to manage the hospital’s 12,000 employees and two billion dollar budget.  Zilber often works as a liason between UM and the Trust, and he finds himself spending up to ten hours a week in this volunteer position.  To him, it is worth it.  “The position is intellectually challenging and rewarding,” he explained.  “There are very few positions that give you the chance to make such a difference in a community.  When you think about life in general, you think of health and happiness.  Health comes first.”