MAURICIO J. TAMARGO is a founding partner of Poblete Tamargo, LLP – a Washington, DC-based national security law and public policy practice. The firm offers a wide range of services in unique practice areas, concentrating on providing regulatory and international litigation counsel.
With over 25 years of government affairs and public policy experience, Tamargo has advised and counseled winning strategies for individual clients, law firms, corporations, trade associations, and government agencies on matters involving international law, congressional affairs, export controls, and trade issues. Tamargo has also been named among the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” by Hispanic Business Magazine.
From 2002 to 2010, Tamargo served as Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States at the Department of Justice (“FCSC”), and prior to that, he held several senior congressional positions. During his employment by Congress, Tamargo was Staff Director and Legal Counsel to three House Committee on International Relations Subcommittees, including the International Operations and Human Rights, the International Economic Policy and Trade, and the Africa Subcommittees. During that time, he also served as Chief of Staff and General Counsel to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL).
While working in Congress, Tamargo assisted in the drafting and participated in the bi-cameral conference for the
Cuban Liberty and Solidarity Act of 1997 (“Libertad”), commonly known as the Helms-Burton Act. While Chairman of the FCSC, Tamargo was re-nominated via Presidential appointment as Chairman and confirmed by the US Senate three times (under both Democratic and Republican Senate majorities) serving more than eight years at the Department of Justice.
During his tenure as Chairman, Tamargo administered and implemented three claims programs; the Albania Claims Program, the Second Cuba Claims Program and the Libya Claims Program, adjudicating hundreds of property and personal injury claims which resulted in over $400 million in compensation for US citizens. He also modernized much of the claims process and digitized records of past claims programs. During that time, he also served as Chairman of the Guam War Claims Review Commission and as an Advisor to the U.S. Commission on Assistance to a Free Cuba.
Tamargo is a recognized international law authority with expertise in international claims law and claims against foreign sovereigns. He has testified before several congressional committees, such as the House Committee on Natural Resources, the House Armed Services Committee, and the Senate Judiciary Committees, regarding claims and other legislative issues.
Born in Cuba, Tamargo is a fluent Spanish speaker who earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Miami and a Juris Doctorate from Cumberland School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Virginia, Florida, Texas, and the District of Columbia Bars and was also a member of the US Court of Federal Claims, Supreme Court of the United States, American Bar Association, Cuban American Bar Association, and District of Columbia Hispanic Bar Association.
Bar Admissions
- Virginia
- Florida
- District of Columbia
- Texas
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Education
- J.D., Cumberland School of Law
- B.A., University of Miami
Languages
- English
- Spanish
For additional information, please download Mauricio’s full resume here.