Diego Bernal Ríos

Diego A. Bernal Ríos is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group at ADSUAR. He earned a B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Puerto Rico in Political Science with a minor in American History. He obtained his J.D., cum laude, from the InterAmerican School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review’s Editors Board and published an article on conflicts of law between Puerto Rico and the state of Florida. During his last year of law school, he won first prize at the XXI Don Miguel Velázquez National Moot Court Competition. Since then, Mr. Bernal-Ríos has been part of the moot court coaching team for the InterAmerican School of Law. Expanding his interest in trial work, Diego also participated in the Puerto Rico Trial Advocacy Competition against other top U.S. Law Schools. Since then, he has been invited to act as a Judge in said moot trial competition. Before joining AMG, Diego served as a Judicial Clerk at San Juan’s Trial Court to multiple Judges, among them Judge Aileen Navas Auger; at Puerto Rico’s Court of Appeals to Judge Félix R. Figueroa Cabán; and at Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court to Justice Luis F. Estrella Martínez.

He developed a keen vision to identify practical, effective, and cost-efficient litigation strategies for our clients through his clerkships. Given his extensive experience, Mr. Bernal-Ríos also teaches legal research, analysis, and writing as an adjunct professor at the InterAmerican School of Law. Diego is admitted to the Puerto Rico Bar, the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, and a Notary Public. Currently, his practice focuses on complex civil and commercial issues at both trial and appellate levels.

Focus Areas

Litigation of complex civil and commercial issues at both trial and appellate levels, including tort claims, contractual disputes, government bids, title insurance matters, trusts and estates issues, among others.

Education

• J.D., cum laude, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, School of Law (2016).
• B.A. in Political Science with minor in American History, magna cum laude, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (2011).

Experience

• Crocs as co-counsel in lease agreement dispute.
• UBS Trust as co-cousel in litigation regarding letter of credit.
• Abengoa as co-counsel in contractual dispute against PREPA.
• Abraham Linkewer Estate as co-counsel in option contract litigation.
• Stewart Title Guaranty Company as co-cousel in bad faith denial claims.
• Skalar Pharma LLC as co-counsel in breach of contract claim from numerous plaintiffs.
• Tidal Basin Caribe, LLC as co-counsel against challange to request for proposal award.
• Aspire Consulting Solutions, LLC as co-counsel in purchase and sale agreement dispute.
• BP as local co-counsel in climate change litigation filed by various Puerto Rico municipalities.

Published works

• Diego A. Bernal Ríos, La aplicación de la cláusula de entera fe y crédito: conflicto de leyes entre Puerto Rico y el Estado de Florida a la luz del caso Roselló Puig v. Rodríguez Cruz, 48 Rev. Jurídica U. Inter. P.R. 727 (2014).

Honors

• J.D., Cum laude:
• First prize at the XXI Don Miguel Velázquez National Moot Court Competition.
• Selected to represent Puerto Rico in the Puerto Rico Federal Trial Advocacy Competition.
• Published law review article on conflicts of law between Puerto Rico and the state of Florida.
• Member of the Law Review’s Editors Board.
• Candidate to represent the InterAmerican School of Law at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford Program.
• B.A., Magna cum laude:
• Dean’s List.
• Campus Honor Program.

Past experiences

• Internship at Puerto Rico’s Trademark and Trade Name Office (2015).

Clerkships

• Judicial Pool Clerk at San Juan’s Trial Court. (2020-2021).
• Judicial Clerk to Justice Luis F. Estrella Martínez at Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court (2019-2020).
• Judicial Clerk to Judge Félix Figueroa Cabán at Puerto Rico’s Court of Appeals    (2018-2019).
• Judicial Clerk to (Chief) Judge Figueroa Cabán, Judge Ortiz Flores and Judge Birriel Cardona at Puerto Rico’s Court of Appeals (2017-2018).