ABOUT MARLON
Born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in South Miami Heights, Marlon is a first generation American lawyer. Marlon is a partner with the law firm of Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman in the Coral Gables office. Marlon is an experienced corporate, intellectual property and government transactions lawyer of over 28 years. Marlon serves as outside general corporate counsel to a number of entrepreneurs, artist and media talent, corporations, sovereign governments and related agencies, and not-for-profit organizations, especially in the tourism, hospitality, and media/entertainment industries. Marlon is passionate about helping to build the legacy of small businesses, family-owned companies, and entrepreneurs from brand conceptualization to generational transfer.
ADVOCATE
Marlon has been featured in the Daily Business Review as one of the “outstanding members of the emerging generation of South Florida business and professional leaders.” He is a past recipient of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Bill Colson Leadership Award (2016), M. Athalie Range Foundation, Bridge Builder Award (2012) and the inaugural Miami Foundation Ruth Shack Community Leadership Award (2010). Marlon is one of the Inaugural Fellows in the Miami Foundation’s Miami Fellows Initiative; a model of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation National leadership Program. Marlon is a past president of the Caribbean Bar Association (2001-2003) and currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Orange Bowl Committee, BMe Community and Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation. Mr. Hill is a weekly civic commentator, “The Peoples Politics”, on Caribbean Riddims, CaneRadio.com, every Saturday at 4 pm, a frequent op-ed writer for the Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel covering issues of civic interest, legal concern, and social or cultural impact, and a past contributor to WPLG Local 10 “This Week in South Florida” Roundtable.
Known for his entrepreneurial acumen as a business lawyer, Marlon is also known for his local activism in support of issues such as civic engagement, voter education, breast cancer awareness and youth mentorship. As a past president of the Caribbean Bar Association and trustee of the Miami Foundation, Marlon has also served as an avid advocate for issues impacting communities of color.
In addition to building and refining his practice of law, Mr. Hill is an MC/DJ host for local bar associations and special events in South Florida. He also volunteers in his Emmaus Ministry of St. Louis Catholic Church and a past candidate for the Miami-Dade County Commission, District 9.
STRATEGIST
As a lawyer and advocate, Marlon has served as lead counsel or advisor to a number of client transactions or community initiatives. In recent years, Marlon has represented a Caribbean multinational food manufacturing company in an equity acquisition transaction to expand its ethnic food product manufacturing and distribution footprint in the United States and an international aviation parts broker in the drafting of corporate governance and financing transaction documents in multiple purchase, sale and financing transactions. He has also advised a regional governmental tourism agency in connection with various multinational joint ventures, intellectual property transactions, and other general corporate agreements and various tourism, entertainment, and technology industry companies in their formation and governance development, and corporate transactions.
In the non-profit arena, as vice chair of the Board of Trustees of The Miami Foundation, Marlon contributed to the restructuring of the Foundation’s strategic direction and as past chair of the City of Miami’s Parking Authority advanced strategic plans for the over $25 million operational budget in creating innovative approaches to parking and economic development. As a member of the board of Orange Bowl Committee, Marlon inspired the establishment of a Youth Leadership Academy for middle school students. Likewise, from 2012-2017, Marlon served as an initial board member of the Good Government Initiative in managing a leadership development program for local elected officials and developing community conversations around issues of ethics, public service, and other socio-economic issues.
In last two decades, through his weekly radio commentary and other media platforms, Marlon has played instrumental role in elevating the issues of civic and philanthropic engagement in the dynamic multicultural community of South Florida
RECOGNITION
- Miami Foundation, Community Leadership Award, 2023
- Black Professionals Network, Black Men in Excellence, 2023
- Florida Panthers, 28 Days of Black Men in Excellence, 2022
- Caribbean Media Exchange #CMEx Leadership Award, 2019
- Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, Community Champion Award, 2018
- Florida Super Lawyer, Law & Politics, 2015-2018
- Catholic Legal Services, New Americans Award for Pro-Bono Service, 2016
- American Friends of Jamaica, Vanguard Leadership Award for Service, 2016
- Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Bill Colson Leadership Award, 2016
- Caribbean Bar Association, President’s Award for Service, 2013
- Athalie Range Foundation, Bridge Builder Award, 2012
- Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Young Leader Award, 2010
- Leave A Legacy/Miami Foundation, Ruth Shack Community Leadership Award, 2010
- Miami Herald Top 20 Under 40 Business Leaders, 2010
- ICABA Most Accomplished Blacks in Law, 2009
- SUCCESS South Florida Magazine, 50 Most Influential Black Professionals, 2005
- Miami Herald’s Black History Profiles, 2002
- Daily Business Review’s “Leaders 2000 – Faces to Watch” Issue Miami Foundation’s Miami Fellows Initiative, 1999-2001
- National Philanthropy Day Outstanding Young Leader Award, 2000 United Way Essie Silva Community Builder Award, 1999
- United Way Essie Silva Community Builder Award, 1999
AFFILIATIONS
- Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Board of Directors, 2022- present
- Miami Dade County Charter Review Task Force, District 9 Appointee, 2017-2018
- Miami Parking Authority, Board member, 2003-2023
- Orange Bowl Committee, Active Member, 2009-present, Board Member 2022-present
- BMe Community, Board member, 2019-present
- Florida Caribbean Student Association, Advisor, 1995-present
- The Miami Foundation, Board of Trustees, 2010-2016
- Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, Active member, 1995- present
- Kappa Alpha Psi Richmond-Perrine Alumni Chapter
- Caribbean Bar Association, President, 2001-2003
- Jay Malina International Trade Consortium, (Past) Board member
- Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board Member, Southern United States, 2006-2011