Attorney's Division Judge Bios
Milton Hirsch is a judge of the Eleventh Circuit of Florida. Formerly, he was a Florida Criminal Defense Attorney with Milton Hirsch, P.L.L.C. Prior to that he was with the Office of the State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, where he rose to Assistant Chief of Narcotics Prosecution.
Judge Hirsch has a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. He is a past president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Miami chapter and was named in “The Best Lawyers in America.” In 2004, Hirsch’s novel, The Shadow of Justice, won first place in the mystery/suspense category presented by the Midwest Independent Publishers Association. Hirsch teaches Florida Criminal Procedure and the Law of Exoneration of the Innocent.
The Honorable Bertila Soto received the 2016 Honorable Theodore “Ted” Klein Award from the Attorneys’ Division of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Her legal career began with three years in the Dade County State Attorney’s Office and four years in private practice before becoming a County Court Judge in 1997. In 2013, Judge Soto became the first woman and first Hispanic to be elected Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. She is greatly admired for her leadership in the judicial community, and for her commitment to positively influencing the next generation of legal professionals. Among her many accomplishments, Judge Soto established CourtCare in Criminal Court, a child-care program for parents who need to appear in court, but do not have a babysitter.
Robert N. Scola, Jr. has served as United States District Court Judge in the Southern District of Florida since 2011. Prior to his appointment to the federal bench, he served as a Circuit Judge in the Eleventh Circuit of Florida from 1995 to 2011, where he sat in the General Jurisdiction Division, Family Division and Criminal Division. He began his legal career as a prosecutor for Janet Reno in the Dade County State Attorney’s Office, where he rose to the position of Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney and Major Crimes Prosecutor.
Judge Scola has received numerous awards including the Honorable William Hoeveler Professionalism Award from the Florida Bar, Judge of the Year Award from the Florida Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, League of Prosecutors Justice Award and many others. He was also one of three honorees chosen for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation 2020 Judicial Reception.
Judge Scola taught at a variety of law programs throughout the state as well as led dozens of courses at the Florida New Judges’ College, Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies, Florida Conference of Circuit Court Judges and Florida Conference of County Court Judges.
Judge Scola received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Boston College Law School.
Mycki Ratzan is a founding partner at Ratzan & Faccidomo with over 20 years of experience in Florida criminal defense in Miami. Prior to co-founding the law firm of Ratzan & Faccidomo, Mycki worked for 17 years as a partner in a Miami law firm defending individuals and corporations accused of crime. Mycki brings a wealth of experience and trial skills to Ratzan & Faccidomo, where she takes a particular interest in the defense of college students accused of crimes such as DUI, shoplifting, possession of drugs, assault and other offenses. Mycki’s passion and compassion compel her to provide the best representation possible for her clients, always striving to win for them that second chance she knows they deserve.
Ratzan completed her undergraduate and advance degrees at the University of Florida, including earning her Juris Doctor law degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1991. She has been selected to Miami SuperLawyers every year since 2006, and has also been honored in the South Florida Legal Guide as a Top Lawyer in South Florida. She is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell, denoting the highest level of ethics, professionalism and legal ability as recognized by her peers in the legal profession.
Ratzan is an active member of the Florida Bar, The Dade County Bar Association, and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She is married to lawyer Stuart Ratzan of the Ratzan Law Group and has two children. She is involved in many community activities and is a founding member of the Women of Tomorrow Mentoring Program.
