He has helped veterans free of charge with issues ranging from landlord/tenant issues to VA claims to power of attorney, never accepting a single dollar. Our entire community looks to Marlin when they need help. A few particular examples come to mind that I think the Board should know about.

While at Legal Aid, a Vietnam veteran riddled with cancer and wheelchair bound due to Agent Orange exposure attempted to use the restroom. He suffered an unfortunate accident and was so embarrassed that he locked himself in and would not come out. Marlin identified with him as a veteran and was let into the restroom. Marlin came out, went to the store, bought cleaning supplies and new clothing, was let back into the restroom by the man, cleaned the entire restroom, cleaned the man, clothed the man, disposed of the trash, and brought the man out with his dignity. When his superior Andrea Macatangay, commended him for doing this, Marlin replied “That man spent year of his life fighting for us and having Agent Orange dumped on him, he deserves his dignity, we all owe it to him to do that”.

Another time, Marlin was told that a Navy Seal veteran named Demario Evans had suffered a bad motorcycle accident and was alone in the hospital basically in a body cast. The veteran was an orphan and had no family or friends as he had just recently been discharged from the Navy after being shot in Iraq. Marlin went to the hospital just about every day for 3 months and sat with the veteran for a few hours. That was a few years ago. Demario now calls Marlin often and has been adopted into Marlin’s family as a brother (not legally adopted). Demario goes to all family events and functions and introduces Marlin as his brother. Because of Marlin, the orphan. Purple Heart, Navy Seal now has a family.

After Marlin passed the Bar Exam, he came the Hollywood American Legion post’s biggest yearly event and gave a speech on the stage. He talked about veterans, services, and giving back to community. He continued by saying that as former service members we are all one and held together by a common bond that is bigger than any of us, that we are unique people because volunteered something that made understand how truly special and important our democracy is and that as one body of brothers and sisters we must do our part to give back to one another. He finished his speech saying that if every any veteran needs anything he can help with, including legal service, that they can always call on him free of charge because he loves them. The entire post was crying, clapping, and hugging him as he walked through the post.

Last of many examples of Marlin is what he did for a veteran who is a young single father from Brownsville, in Miami. This veteran, Leo Posada, was in the Army with Marlin. He and his two children lived in a trailer in Browns, which is one of the absolute worst neighborhoods in Miami. The trailer was nothing more than an aluminum shack, it had no walls inside, just a room with three mattresses on the floor and a fiberglass show unit. It had no kitchen inside, the kitchen was a propane camping grill and a refrigerator outside. The veteran was the son of a Cuban immigrant who was in prison in Cuba as a political dissenter until he was sent to Miami on the Mariel Boatlift. The veteran loved America and his dream was to become a police officer. The veteran had applied for hundreds of police officer jobs for years. Marlin set out to make his dream a reality. On February 9, 2018 that veteran graduated from the police academy in Petersburg, Virginia number one in his class. Marlin was able to the veteran the job with the police department there because Demario Evans (the Navy Seal discussed above) lives there and volunteers in the community and has come to know much of the police department their very well. Even more, Marlin set the veteran up with a free place to live for two months when he got to Petersburg. Now, the veteran rents a house from Demario Evans… the first house he or his children have ever lived in. He too now refers to Marlin as his brother and his children call Marlin their uncle.

These stories about Marlin giving back and helping our veteran community are endless. However, what is most striking is that Marlin never talks about his contributions, never accepts money for his services, and never seeks any kind of recognition. Marlin truly does what he does because he loves his state and feels that he owes it to Florida and our veterans to do what he does. Marlin does not view himself as doing anything above and beyond, he really believes that he is only doing what he (and everybody) should be doing. Marlin is the standard when it comes to humility and selfless service, and he asks for nothing in return. There is nobody that deserves this honor more than Marlin Muller.
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Finally, although Marlin does not realize it, our community views him as a sort of son. He is much younger (31) than pretty much all of our other veterans. Marlin comes from lower income, broken family. He saw horrible violence and combat while serving in Iraq (2009). He captured the #7 most wanted terrorist. He is very highly decorated. But most importantly, he came home and made himself successful with no help from anyone. He worked two jobs through law school and always made it a point to give back and never ask for anything in return.

Education/Accomplishments:

• Mr. Muller graduated from basic and advanced infantry training in 2006 at Ft. Benning, Georgia.
• Mr. Muller’s military training accomplishments include advanced school for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. Combat Life Saver Course, and MOS school Small Land Warfare UAV’s.
• Mr. Muller attended Florida State University where he achieved a Bachelor of Science in Geography with a Minor in Economics in the spring of 2012. While at FSU, Mr. Muller interned at a Tallahassee based lobbying firm as an advocate for military and veterans legislation. Mr. Muller worked extensively on the Florida G.I. Bill which was eventually passed by the Florida Legislature.
• Mr. Muller also spent his spare time in the state capitol building volunteering at Florida Department of Veterans Affairs office. Mr. Muller’s hard work on behalf of veterans was greatly honored by then Representative Jimmy Smith who selected Mr. Muller to be one of the veterans granted the honor of opening the 2012 Legislative Session.
• Thereafter, Mr. Muller graduated from St. Thomas University School of Law with a Juris Doctor in spring of 2017. While in law school Mr. Muller won the prestigious 2014 Legal Aid Mission United NEXT Fellowship which awards a selected law student to choose an area of law to work in for the summer providing free legal services to the needy in that field. Mr. Muller chose veterans law. Mr. Muller also completed the very difficult CLI program. The CLI program requires that the law student complete certain classes early and obtain full Bar Association approval for character and fitness before their last semester of law school. If the student successfully enters the program, the student may then apply for any State of Florida or non-profit attorney position and practice law before graduating or taking the bar (participants are unpaid). Mr. Muller applied for and was accepted with the Broward County State Attorney’s Office. Mr. Muller tried 4 criminal trials, argued dozens of hearings, and negotiated dozens of plea agreements before successfully completing the program.
• Mr. Muller passed the Florida Bar Exam and was admitted to the Bar in the fall of 2017.

Employment History;

• U.S. Army Infantry; July 2006 to March 2015.

​Awards:

• Good Conduct Medal
• Army Commendation Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Global War on Tenor Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal with Star Device
• Army Service Ribbon
• Overseas Service Ribbon
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device
• Combat Infantry Badge

Recognitions:

• Mr. Muller was recognized at the battalion level and was awarded the Battalion Commander’s coin during the ceremony. Mr. Muller was recognized because while on a dismount patrol in an active combat zone, he pursued and detained the #3 most wanted insurgent in Iraq (#7 in the Middle East).
• Republican Party of Florida Contracted Campaign Manager; June 2012 – November 2012.
• Mr. Muller put himself through law school by working two jobs during the day time and weekends while attending class at night until his final year of law school.
• Normandy Shores Golf Club.
• During the weekdays Mr. Muller cleaned golf clubs, clean golf carts, and carried golf bags before going to class at night.

Miami Dolphins.

• On weekends Mr. Muller would check tickets and manage fan seating at sports and entertainment events.
• In 2016, the CEO of the Miami Dolphins, Tom Garfinkel selected Mr. Muller to speak at a company event about the military his background.

Phillips, Cantor & Shalek; October 2017 to Present.

• Mr. Muller is an associate practicing in corporate, business, commercial, and complex business litigation. Mr. Muller was a hand selected for the associate position by the Gary Phillips. Gary Phillips is currently included on the list of “Super Lawyers” (has made the list 2006 to present).
• Phillips, Cantor & Shalek is ranked on U.S. News and World Report’s Best Law Firms list.

Advocacy on Behalf of Veterans:

• Mr. Muller has volunteered as an advocate for pro-veteran legislation in the Florida Legislature, most notably the Florida G.I. Bill.
• Mr. Muller spent the summer of 2014 volunteering free legal help for poverty stricken veterans.
• Mr. Muller has continued to volunteer at Legal Aid in Broward helping veterans when possible. (40 hours of volunteer work there in 2017).
• Mr. Muller was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars before his local post was closed. During that time Mr. Muller volunteered consistently for five years helping needy veterans, caring for the post itself, and charitable events.
• Mr. Muller has been a member of the American Legion since 2013 and volunteers consistently here as well. Mr. currently serves as the Judge Advocate of the American Legion post in Hollywood, FL.
• Mr. Muller actively provides free legal services for needy veterans in Florida through the American Legion. Mr. Muller has given free legal advice, drafted documents, and helped VA claims for dozens of veterans.
• Mr. Muller actively speaks at American Legion events offering free legal counsel for any veteran that needs it.
• Mr. Muller also volunteers to mentor student veterans at FSU.
• Mr. Muller is held in the highest regard in the veteran community and is largely viewed as the future of the American Legion in Florida.

Awards and Honors:

• Good Conduct Medal
• Army Commendation Medal
• National Defense Service Medal Global War on Terror Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal with Star Device Army Service Ribbon
• Overseas Service Ribbon
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device
• Combat Infantry Badge
• Awarded Battalion Commander’s deployment coin
• 2014 Legal Aid Mission United NEXT Fellowship Recipient
• Granted the honor of opening the 2012 Legislative Session
• Elected Judge Advocate of American Legion Post 92, Hollywood, FL.