M. Thérèse (“Terry”) Vento, who had been with Shutts & Bowen and a related firm for 35 years, has joined Pérez Art Museum Miami (“PAMM”) as Deputy Director for Legal and Government Affairs and General Counsel.
She had served 26 years on the board of trustees for PAMM and its predecessors, the Miami Art Museum (“MAM”) and the Center for Fine Arts. During much of that time, she was also the museum’s pro bono general counsel, while working full-time as a Shutts & Bowen business litigation partner, with an emphasis on representation of financial institutions.
Both Vento and the firm were major contributors to the museum in time and treasure. In honor of Vento’s volunteer work, PAMM created the M. Thérèse Vento Café Lounge when it opened in December 2013. Shutts & Bowen, founded in 1910, celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1985 at the museum, then next to the Miami Public Library on Flagler Street, by co-sponsoring the Picasso in Miami exhibit.
Bowman Brown, chair of Shutts & Bowen’s executive committee, said: “We’re delighted to see Terry pursue her passion on a full-time, in-house basis after working for more than a quarter century as the museum’s outside general counsel and legal adviser as part of her pro bono duties with our firm, in addition to her distinguished work on behalf of our clients. It has been a privilege to have made this contribution, and we look forward to working with the museum, and with Terry Vento, for years to come.”
She has been listed as a Florida Super Lawyer in Business Litigation, a Leading American Attorney in Florida in Commercial Litigation, has been elected a lifetime Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell law directory. She is profiled in the book "Beyond Julia's Daughters", which celebrates women of vision who have made exceptional contributions to Miami-Dade County's history. She is an ex officio president of The Miami Forum, and served for nine years on The Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Executive Council.