January 2020

January 2020
Joey Lee Miranda

(BBA, Marketing, '88)

Q & A:

• What was your favorite class, who was your favorite professor, or what is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
  Paula Uruburu. In high school, I did not enjoy English. Professor Uruburu was pivotal in developing my love of reading.
• What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing you learned there?
  I worked at an advertising firm that placed advertisements for clients in yellow pages throughout North America. At that position, I learned the importance of maintaining confidentiality of business matters.   
• What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
  I now practice law. My main area of focus is energy law. I graduated from law school just as electric restructuring (i.e., the ability for companies other than utilities to make and sell power) was gaining a foothold in New England and was tapped by the partner in charge of the practice at the time to learn this emerging area of law. 
• What advice would you give Hofstra students?
  It’s never too late to follow your passion. Since I was about 8 years old, I wanted to be a lawyer. When I first graduated from Hofstra, I was not ready to commit to the demands of law school. However, after several years, I finally took the plunge and went to law school at night while working full time.
• In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
  Foundational.
• What is a typical day like as energy partner at Robinson & Cole LLP?
  No two days are ever the same, which is what I love most about what I do. Although I focus on energy law, my practice is very diverse. I work with renewable and traditional energy project developers, retail sellers of energy, electric generators, and end-users. I handle administrative proceedings, which are like mini-trials before state agencies with cross examination, motion practice, and oral argument. I also provide compliance counseling, negotiate agreements, and handle administrative appeals to state court.
• What is the hardest part of your job?
  I’m very fortunate. I have a successful practice and a lot of great clients with whom I enjoy working. However, at times, it can be difficult to balance the competing demands of those clients. As a result, I frequently work a substantial number of hours to ensure my clients are receiving the quality service that they deserve.
• What is the single most rewarding/exciting experience in your career thus far?
  This year, one of my clients nominated me for a Client Choice Award, and I was selected as the exclusive 2019 winner in the Energy & Natural Resources category for Connecticut. Uniquely, law firms and partners can only be nominated by corporate counsel for this award, and the criteria for this recognition focus on the ability to add real value to clients' business above and beyond the other players in the market.