In this episode of the Goldberg & Rosen Podcast, we sit down with Peter Sotolongo, a powerhouse in maritime and personal injury law. Peter’s story is the absolute definition of the American Dream, but it starts in a place you would never expect.

Peter recounts his arrival in the U.S. during the Mariel Boatlift and his time being processed at a refugee camp in the middle of the Arkansas woods. One night, the KKK arrived in white robes and hoods to intimidate the refugees. But instead of fear, the Cubans reacted with confusion and amusement.

As Peter tells it: "The Cubans got excited... hey, they brought us clowns!".

Peter shares the incredible true story of how that night ended not with violence against the refugees, but with the Klan abandoning their golf carts and running into the woods to escape a crowd of Cubans armed with sticks.

Beyond this legendary story, we dive deep into Peter’s legal career and his philosophy on justice, including:

The "Sun and Moon" Strategy: How he blindsides the defense with arguments they can't predict.
The Unwinnable Cases: Why he bet it all on the Engle tobacco cases and complex maritime injuries.
The "Chicken Wire" Surgery: The medical malpractice case that defined his commitment to his clients.
Caring for the Client: The story of Mr. Tirtayasa and the fight for an injured crew member’s dignity.

In this episode:

00:00 - Introduction: The Legend of Peter Sotolongo
05:30 - The Mariel Boatlift & Arriving in America
12:15 - Fort Chaffee, Arkansas: "Bored to death" in the woods
15:00 - The KKK Arrives: "They're dressed in white outfits with the hood"
18:45 - "Nos trajeron los payasos": Mistaking the Klan for a circus
22:00 - The Counter-Attack: Chasing the KKK into the woods
30:00 - Becoming a Lawyer: From picking oranges to law school
45:00 - Trial Strategy & The "Ambush"

Quotes from the Episode:

"The clown showed up in the circus, riding around in circus... doing stupid stuff."

"Kill us? We want to kill them."

"They literally left the golf carts behind and ran into the woods and disappeared."

About the Guest: Peter Sotolongo is the founder of Sotolongo Law, specializing in Admiralty and Maritime Law, Personal Injury, and Medical Malpractice. He is known for his relentless trial advocacy and his ability to win complex cases against major corporations.

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