As counsel at Ares Management, Juan Gonzalez leverages his diverse background and immigrant roots to drive success in the alternative investment space
uan Gonzalez spent the first year of his life in Cuba before he and his family immigrated to south Florida. His family and community inspired him to excel at every opportunity presented to him—including baseball, an early passion. Gonzalez’s Cuban roots helped plant the seed that would eventually blossom into his successful legal career.
“As someone proud of his Cuban heritage and who experienced the law in the US from the perspective of an immigrant and political refugee, I always had an above average curiosity about how legal systems could be so different from one country to the next,” says Gonzalez, counsel at leading global alternative investment manager Ares Management. “I think that curiosity is a big part of why I decided to pursue law in the first place.”
Gonzalez’s interests started to pique as he met various legal professionals growing up. The first was a lawyer who counseled his family through the asylum-seeking process. Later, he was drawn to the knowledge and work corporate attorneys and advisors performed, as his parents sought legal support when they started their own business.
“Representation matters, and seeing it inspired my career. Any opportunity we have to create space for others to see themselves in a certain career or in senior positions is very important,” Gonzalez says. “I’ve seen this career change my life for the better. So, if there’s any way that I can pay it forward, I am committed to doing so.”
uan Gonzalez spent the first year of his life in Cuba before he and his family immigrated to south Florida. His family and community inspired him to excel at every opportunity presented to him—including baseball, an early passion. Gonzalez’s Cuban roots helped plant the seed that would eventually blossom into his successful legal career.
“As someone proud of his Cuban heritage and who experienced the law in the US from the perspective of an immigrant and political refugee, I always had an above average curiosity about how legal systems could be so different from one country to the next,” says Gonzalez, counsel at leading global alternative investment manager Ares Management. “I think that curiosity is a big part of why I decided to pursue law in the first place.”
Gonzalez’s interests started to pique as he met various legal professionals growing up. The first was a lawyer who counseled his family through the asylum-seeking process. Later, he was drawn to the knowledge and work corporate attorneys and advisors performed, as his parents sought legal support when they started their own business.
“Representation matters, and seeing it inspired my career. Any opportunity we have to create space for others to see themselves in a certain career or in senior positions is very important,” Gonzalez says. “I’ve seen this career change my life for the better. So, if there’s any way that I can pay it forward, I am committed to doing so.”
