Young MIAS Member Spotlight: Alain M. Acanda
- MIAS
- Sep 17
- 3 min read

Young MIAS Member Spotlight: Alain M. Acanda!
This month, we’re excited to feature Alain M. Acanda, an Associate at Sequor Law, where he focuses on asset recovery, creditors’ rights, and secured transactions. A Miami native and proud FIU Panther, Alain holds a J.D. from Florida International University School of Law, graduating cum laude. A fixture on the young Miami arbitration circuit, Alain was recently featured as the introductory speaker at the June Young MIAS event “The Florida Advantage: Successfully Using Section 1782 Discovery in International Disputes.”

Alain has represented individuals and companies, both domestic and foreign, in a broad range of actions before both state and federal courts. He frequently represents clients in applications under section 1782, foreign judgment recognition and enforcement actions, and cross-border insolvency actions. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Alain’s language skills allow him to communicate effectively with clients and local counsel across Latin America.
In addition to having a vibrant practice, Alain is deeply engaged in the arbitration and international law community. Indeed, Alain has been a member of both MIAS and Young MIAS since his time in law school at FIU and serves on the Florida Bar International Law Section committee responsible for organizing the 2026 Richard Dewitt Memorial Vis Pre-Moot Competition.
Outside of work, Alain enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, and bundling up with his two dogs.
Fun facts about Alain:
Favorite Artist:
Romeo Santos, the King of Bachata and a Dominican icon.

Favorite Restaurant in Miami:
Amara at Paraiso is one of my favorite spots to eat at, it has a beautiful water-front location in the Edgewater neighborhood. The combination of fresh food and water-side seating keeps Amara on my restaurant rotation.
Favorite Thing About Practicing International Dispute Resolution in Miami:
My favorite thing is the ability to meet people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. I often find myself learning new perspectives on things, whether it is how to approach a legal issue or how to best communicate with clients. Miami offers a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, and legal systems that are a great resource for those seeking to build meaningful relationships.
Favorite Book:
It’s not a traditional book, but one of my favorite books is Cocina al Minuto by Nitza Villapol Andiarena. It was an extremely influential cookbook in Cuba during the pre-revolutionary period that contains all the staples of Cuban cuisine. Reading through it and making food the same way my family has for generations allows me to feel closer to my heritage.

A few pages to give you a flavor of the book (available on amazon)
About the author: Nitza Villapol would later be known as the "Julia Child" of Cuban television, although one must consider Nitza's TV show preceded Julia's by thirteen years and lasted longer by seven. That's right, Nitza remained on National TV for 45 years as the host of her own TV cooking show - "Cocina al minuto" (Cooking in a minute). During the several decades she produced the TV show, Nitza guided her Cuban audience through the shortages of daily life with the determination to make something delicious from whatever was at hand. Villapol (1923-1998) was born in New York City to Cuban parents who moved back to the island when she was nine. Check out a rare first edition here
Alain is one of many stellar practitioners in the Miami market. To learn more about our amazing community, stay tuned for future Young MIAS Member Spotlight posts!
Young MIAS is MIAS
If you’re a young practitioner, law student, or early in your arbitration journey, you’re not on the sidelines—you’re already part of the action. MIAS is a unified community where every member, regardless of experience or location, has full access to our programming, events, and networking opportunities. Young MIAS is simply how we stay intentional about empowering the next generation of arbitration leaders.
Ready to plug into a global arbitration network with a strong presence in the Americas? Join us. Become a Member today ➝
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