In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Jackson Walker Fast Takes host ⁠Courtney White⁠ welcomes Dallas associate Miguel Ortiz for a conversation about family, heritage, service, and professional growth. Miguel shares how his Puerto Rican roots and Central Florida upbringing shaped his journey, from serving in the military and working with the JAG Corps to attending The University of Texas School of Law and building a real estate practice at Jackson Walker. He also reflects on the meaning of Hispanic Heritage Month and the importance of honoring the experiences, traditions, and community ties that enrich the American story.

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Our Host:		Episode Guest:
Courtney White Research Attorney, Dallas & Houston Follow on LinkedIn » Instagram: @courthousecouture		Miguel Ortiz Real Estate Associate, Dallas Follow on LinkedIn »

Episode Transcription

Courtney White: Hi everyone, I am Courtney White, and this is Jackson Walker Fast Takes. September 15th through October 15th is Hispanic Heritage Month. Here at Jackson Walker, we are extremely proud of our Hispanic attorneys and allied professionals who have provided leadership and helped shape our firm into what it is today. I asked Miguel Ortiz, an associate in our Dallas office, to join the podcast.

Miguel Ortiz: Hey Courtney, thanks for having me.

Courtney White: Miguel, I’d love it if you could please share your story with our listeners.

Miguel Ortiz: Sure, happy too. So, I am one of six kids. There are three boys, three girls. Big family. Both of my parents are Puerto Rican. I was raised in Central Florida in a small town called Avon Park. That’s where I went to high school and met my future wife. When we graduated, shortly thereafter we got married, and I joined the military. That kind of took me to various places.

I was in Nebraska for four years and in Mississippi. I did a tour in the Middle East for a little bit. While I was in the military, I was part of the JAG Corps, which is military law, essentially. So, I did military criminal law for the majority of my time in the military and, of course, worked very closely with attorneys. So, when my enlistment was coming up, I had to make a decision whether I re-enlisted or whether I should get out and go to law school. Ultimately, I chose the latter and ended up at the University of Texas. That’s how I ended up in Texas. I finished my studies there, ended up in Dallas, and have been here ever since 2019.

Courtney White: Awesome. And I think you came to Jackson Walker the same year that I did.

Miguel Ortiz: Yeah. I actually summered with Jackson Walker in 2018. Obviously, I loved every minute of it, and the people especially, so it was a pretty easy decision to come back after law school. Again, I’ve been here ever since. I work in the real estate group. My practice is primarily acquisition and disposition of real estate assets. That can range from raw land deals that are being sold or purchased for future development, whether that’s single-family, office buildings, shopping centers, things like that.

I also do a lot of hospitality work, which, again, is acquisition and disposition of hotels. As a subset of that, I also handle negotiating hotel management agreements. That’s working directly with brands like Marriott and Hyatt and some independent hotel management companies to negotiate the hotel management agreement. Usually, those are always part and parcel of hotel transactions. You negotiate the sale or the disposition, and then you also negotiate the management agreement. So, I’ve been spending a lot of my time doing that lately. Of course, I also do other real estate matters like retail leasing, office leasing, and things like that.

Courtney White: Well, that is awesome, Miguel. I loved hearing a little bit more about you and your family and your upbringing. I’d love for you to share with our listeners before we go, what does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

Miguel Ortiz: Hispanic Heritage Month, I think, means looking back with gratitude for the path that our families paved. I think it means celebrating our heritage and how it enriches the community. I think it adds so much flavor and strength to the American melting pot, and I think that unity is something to be proud of.

Courtney White: Thank you so much, Miguel, for joining the podcast and sharing your story with our listeners.

Miguel Ortiz: Yeah, thanks for having me. This has been great.

Courtney White: We hope to have you back sometime.

Miguel Ortiz: I’d be happy too. Just let me know.

Courtney White: For more information and additional JW Fast Takes podcasts and webinars, please visit jw.com/fast.

The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm, its clients, or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

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