Helping Cuban citizens through difficult situations related to the U.S. Cuban embargo can be challenging, but very rewarding for an attorney.
St. Thomas Law student, Betsy Vázquez de Rincón, learned the reality of it, first-hand, while traveling to Cuba with Elder Law Adjunct professor and attorney Enrique Zamora recently.
The trip was coordinated in conjunction with the law school's Elder Law Society, of which Zamora serves as the faculty adviser. Through professor Zamora’s eyes and his 22 years of experience legally representing Cuban heirs with interests in the estates of decedents in the United States, Rincón described the trip as unforgettable.
The four-person legal team consisted of Cuban-American attorneys, Enrique Zamora, Manny Hillman, Yaniel Cantelar and Rincón. They were working with Bufete Internacional, a law firm authorized to work with foreign attorneys on legal matters including probate.
On the first day, at the break of dawn, the Cuban heirs were already scattered outside of the Bufete building. As these families lined up, they had a look on their faces as if they were searching for a glimmer of hope. That glimmer of hope was the experienced team of attorneys working in conjunction with the Bufete’s in-house staff and its team of legal professionals. Everyone was eager to find solutions to these cases. What started as a list of 18 cases, quickly broadened into 35 cases by the end of the day.
The cases typically involved money, estates, jewels, insurance policies and stocks that belong to Cubans who lived in the United States, and whose heirs in Cuba could not easily receive because of the embargo regulations. At times there were disappointments because nothing could be done legally. However, more often than not there were happy endings and sometimes even tears of joy.
"There are no words to express the happiness that I felt watching the client’s facial expressions when all the documents were properly explained and executed and they were ready to receive their rightful inheritance," stated Rincón.
The Cuban heirs would receive their money by way of periodic remittances made through Western Union. The Cuban Assets Control Regulations restricted remittances for Cuban nationals. However, in 2009, President Barack Obama softened the restrictions to Cuban nationals, including those with Cuban Blocked Accounts pursuant to an inheritance.
As the policy now stands, if a CBA owner is a Cuban national residing in Cuba and can demonstrate that they are a close relative of the decedent from whom they inherited funds, as defined under the regulations, then they qualify for an unlimited amount of remittance.
Rincón noted the professionalism displayed and extended to the clients and, as a law student, she was afforded the opportunity to interact with the clients on a personal level. Each client was afforded ample time to address their legal questions and needs.
“I glanced over to professor Zamora and saw a twinkle in his eyes as he spoke to the clients knowing how rewarding it is for him to help others in need," she said. "Right then and there I knew now what my mission in life was to be.”
The St. Thomas University Elder Law Society was established to create and promote opportunities for St. Thomas University law students through events and other activities aimed at training students to thoroughly address the complex legal needs of a growing elder population.