Oscar J. Cabanas Office: Miami Direct: (305) 461-8710 ocabanas@wickersmith.com Practice Areas: Admitted to Practice:
Havana, Cuba |
Oscar CabanasOscar Cabanas Oscar J. Cabanas is a Shareholder in the Miami office, and one of the firm’s four Managing Partners. He has worked in many practice areas throughout his career, but today his practice is focused mostly on the defense of high exposure cases in the areas of medical malpractice and general liability. He has represented all of the major hospital systems in South Florida, as well as many of the major primary and excess insurance carriers. An academic who grew up playing chess with his grandfather, Oscar applies that same strategic thinking to his legal practice. He enjoys the strategy of litigation, and has a unique ability to look at the whole picture of a case and develop an early strategy to obtain success. Chess has taught him that every move, whether a pawn or a bishop, is important to a successful end result. Oscar was born in Havana, Cuba, to parents who were both lawyers. He moved to Miami with his mother as a child, and pursued a career in law as a way to honor his parents. A fluent Spanish speaker, Oscar has been serving the diverse jurisdictions of South Florida as a trial lawyer for forty years, and has tried cases in every courthouse from West Palm Beach to Key West. Oscar enjoys representing clients during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Whether he is representing a doctor, a truck driver, or a small business owner, he places a high priority on developing relationships with the individuals that he represents. Many times over the course of his career, former clients have stopped Oscar at the grocery store or at social events to thank him for the counsel he provided in helping to save their business or their professional license. It is those moments that he cherishes and that re-affirm his commitment to the practice of law. In addition to his work as a trial lawyer, Oscar is a leader in the legal community in South Florida and beyond. He is currently serving as Chair of the USLAW NETWORK, Inc., a national legal organization. He has held various leadership positions in the American Board of Trial Advocates, including as a member of the national Board of Directors, and as past president and executive committee member of the Miami chapter. Oscar has also held section-chair and vice-chair positions within the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. From 2019 to 2022, he served as Chair of the Trial Tactics and Procedure Section for the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and now serves as Chair Emeritus. Oscar has been honored by Best Lawyers in America© as the Miami Lawyer of the Year in Medical Malpractice Law-Defendants in 2018, 2022, and 2024, and as the Lawyer of the Year in Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants in 2023. He also holds an AV Preeminentrating from Martindale-Hubbel. Professional & Civic Affiliations
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Oscar J. Cabanas - Partner
- Profile
- Practice Areas
- Professional Credentials
- Perspectives
Profile
Oscar J. Cabanas is a Shareholder in the Miami office, and one of the firm’s four Managing Partners. He has worked in many practice areas throughout his career, but today his practice is focused mostly on the defense of high exposure cases in the areas of medical malpractice and general liability. He has represented all of the major hospital systems in South Florida, as well as many of the major primary and excess insurance carriers.
An academic who grew up playing chess with his grandfather, Oscar applies that same strategic thinking to his legal practice. He enjoys the strategy of litigation, and has a unique ability to look at the whole picture of a case and develop an early strategy to obtain success. Chess has taught him that every move, whether a pawn or a bishop, is important to a successful end result. Oscar was born in Havana, Cuba, to parents who were both lawyers. He moved to Miami with his mother as a child, and pursued a career in law as a way to honor his parents. A fluent Spanish speaker, Oscar has been serving the diverse jurisdictions of South Florida as a trial lawyer for forty years, and has tried cases in every courthouse from West Palm Beach to Key West.
Oscar enjoys representing clients during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Whether he is representing a doctor, a truck driver, or a small business owner, he places a high priority on developing relationships with the individuals that he represents. Many times over the course of his career, former clients have stopped Oscar at the grocery store or at social events to thank him for the counsel he provided in helping to save their business or their professional license. It is those moments that he cherishes and that re-affirm his commitment to the practice of law.
In addition to his work as a trial lawyer, Oscar is a leader in the legal community in South Florida and beyond. He is currently serving as Chair of the USLAW NETWORK, Inc., a national legal organization. He has held various leadership positions in the American Board of Trial Advocates, including as a member of the national Board of Directors, and as past president and executive committee member of the Miami chapter. Oscar has also held section-chair and vice-chair positions within the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. From 2019 to 2022, he served as Chair of the Trial Tactics and Procedure Section for the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and now serves as Chair Emeritus.
Oscar has been honored by Best Lawyers in America© as the Miami Lawyer of the Year in Medical Malpractice Law-Defendants in 2018, 2022, and 2024, and as the Lawyer of the Year in Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants in 2023. He also holds an AV Preeminentrating from Martindale-Hubbel.
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Credentials
Education
- University of Miami (J.D., 1984)
- Northwestern University (B.A., 1981)
Professional Credentials
Admitted to Bar
- 1984, Illinois; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- 1985, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
- 2004, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
Honors
- Recipient, Best Lawyers in America®, Miami Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year”, 2018, 2022, 2024
- Recipient, Best Lawyers in America®, Miami Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year”, 2023
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America®, Medical Malpractice Law, 2015-Present
- Listed, Florida Super Lawyers, Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense, 2021 – Present
- Recipient, American Board of Trial Advocates, Defense Lawyer of the Year, 2020
- Listed, 10 Best Attorneys, American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2017
- Faculty, Dade County Bar Association, Superstars at Trial, 2015-2016
- Listed, America’s Top 100 Attorneys®, Florida (Southern), Lifetime
- Listed, Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite, Civil Trial, 2010-2011, 2013, 2015
- Invited Faculty, Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies, 2013
- Invited Faculty, Masters in Trial, American Board of Trial Advocates, 2013
- Listed, Super Lawyers Business Edition, 2011-2012
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- American Society for Healthcare Risk Management
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
- Defense Lawyer of the Year, 2020
- Representative, National Board, 2016-Present
- Executive Committee, Member
- Past President, 2010
- American Hospital Association
- Cuban American Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC), 2006-Present
- Chair Emeritus, 2022- present
- Section-Chair, The Trial Tactics Section, 2019-2022
- Vice-Chair, The Trial Tactics Section, 2016-2019
- Florida Defense Lawyers Association
- Florida Hospital Association
- Litigation Counsel of America
- Senior Fellow, 2017
- Miami-Dade County Bar Association
- Transportation Lawyers Association
- USLAW Network, Inc.
- Chair, 2024
- Executive Committee, Membership Management Director, 2021
- Board of Directors, Member, 2019-Present
- Vice Program Chair, Professional Liability, 2019 Fall Conference
Speeches
- Panelist for USLaw Roundtable, “Resolution Strategies in the Covid-19 World” (June 12, 2020)
- Presenter, “Ethics for Claims Professionals”, The Doctors Company, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (November 7, 2018)
- Speaker, “Dissecting and Understanding the Tripartite Relationship”, 2018 USLAW Network Professional Liability Exchange In Cooperation With The Insurance And Risk Management Practice Group, May 2018
- Presenter, “Defending Negligent Premises Security Claims”, Orlando PLRB Conference, April 2018
- Presenter, Baptist Health South Florida, “The Importance of Documentation In The Electronic Medical Record”, October 2017
- Presenter, “Trends in Negligent Security Defense: A Trial Lawyer’s Guide to Winning The Case”, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) Winter Meeting, Charleston, North Carolina, 2017
Publications
- Author, “What’s So Special About Special Damages”, FDCC Trial Tactic Blog, June 2017
- Co-author, “Attacking ‘Fake Bills’ In Personal Injury Cases”, FDCC Insights, September 2017
- Co-presenter, “The Good Fight Against Bad Medical Expenses”, FDCC Summer Meeting, Montreux, Switzerland, 2017
Perspectives
- LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Pending Legislation to Reinstate Caps On Noneconomic Damages In Florida Medical Malpractice Cases
- WICKER SMITH ATTORNEYS RECOGNIZED BY BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA® 2024: 17 NEW HONOREES
- WICKER SMITH ATTORNEYS NAMED TO 2023 FLORIDA SUPER LAWYERS LIST
- WICKER SMITH FEATURED IN ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE: 70 YEARS OF UNPARALLELED SERVICE
- WICKER SMITH ATTORNEYS RECOGNIZED BY BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA® 2023
- WICKER SMITH O’HARA MCCOY & FORD P.A. CELEBRATES MILESTONE 70TH ANNIVERSARY
- Oscar Cabanas Named 2021-2022 Secretary/Treasurer for USLAW NETWORK
- 16 Wicker Smith Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America® 2022
- Managing Partner Receives “Lawyer Of The Year” Distinction in the 2022 Edition Of Best Lawyers In America®
- 11 Wicker Smith Attorneys Named Among 2021 Florida Super Lawyers And Rising Star Lists
- Wicker Smith Video Discussions Featured in USLAW NETWORK’s Worldwide Virtual Retreat Lightning Round: 5-Minute Drill
- 13 Wicker Smith Attorneys Recognized By Best Lawyers In America© 2021
- Twelve Wicker Smith Attorneys Recognized by 2020 Florida Super Lawyers
- Update: Wicker Smith’s ‘A Slice for a Life’ Effort to Aid Local Pizzerias and Healthcare Workers Continues
- Wicker Smith Launches ‘A Slice for a Life’ Effort to Aid Local Pizzerias and Healthcare Workers
- Wicker Smith Partners Nominated for FLABOTA’s 2020 “Trial Lawyer of the Year”
- Wicker Smith Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020
- 12 Wicker Smith Attorneys Named 2019 Florida Super Lawyers
- Eight Wicker Smith Partners Listed in the Best Lawyers In America© 2017