Overview
Danielle Perez has been an associate in Walton Lantaff’s Miami office since joining the firm in 2024. Her academic path began following an Advanced Placement Government course in high school that piqued her initial interest in the law and its procedures. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Florida Atlantic University (2018), with minors in Political Science and Criminal Justice, before receiving her Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law (2021). In law school, Ms. Perez developed her reputation for discipline and courtroom prowess through her role as Student Articles Editor for the Intercultural Human Rights Law Review and her competitions with the Trial Team, where she garnered national recognition by the Order of Barristers for excellence in mock trial advocacy. She gained substantial judicial experience through her internship under Circuit Judge William Altfield, and her prior work representing homeowners and businesses across Florida in first- and third-party property damage and insurance coverage disputes. Her current practice centers on insurance defense, automobile negligence, and subrogation matters, with budding experience in guardianship proceedings.
Ms. Perez’s professional focus is deeply impacted by a lifelong interest in storms and disaster responses. Born to Puerto Rican parents who relocated to Miami shortly before Hurricane Andrew, she grew up acutely attuned to the legal and human consequences of catastrophic events, especially due her parents’ learned vigilance and service-oriented professions (a nurse and a police officer). In law school, she wrote a paper examining the United States’ obligation to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and completed a fellowship in disaster lawyering at Equal Justice Works’ Disaster Resilience Clinic in Washington, D.C., aiding storm victims in navigating the legal process in the thick of loss and disaster. After graduating, she worked on the plaintiff’s side of insurance litigation, gaining invaluable perspective that now informs her approach to defense matters.
Ms. Perez brings intensity, discipline, and rigor to every case she handles. She views the practice of law as a synthesis of her greatest strengths and intrigues — fact finding, legal analysis, precise articulation, strategy and performance — and exhibits a deep, genuine passion for her profession. She operates by a simple professional maxim — trust but verify — which closely parallels her concurrent interpersonal warmth and intimidating legal mind.
Outside of her practice, Ms. Perez is an active trial team alumnus, acting as the alumna judge for competition teams on weekends. She is recently married to her husband, Rowland Martinez, a real estate attorney she met in law school.
As your attorney, Ms. Perez delivers focus, energy and a competitive edge. Her work ethic, commitment to results and bright personality define her professional practice, making her a powerful advocate and welcome, steady presence for clients.
Practice Areas
- Insurance Defense
- Automobile Negligence
Admitted to Practice
- The Florida Bar, 2022
Education
- St. Thomas University School of Law — Juris Docto, 2021
- Florida Atlantic University — Bachelor of Arts (Sociology)
- Minors: Political Science and Criminal Justice
