Robert W. Rust II earned his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 2019, continuing a family tradition that began when his grandfather, Robert W. Rust—a trial attorney, former state legislator, and U.S. Attorney—graduated from Miami Law in 1954.
While at Miami Law, Rust served on the editorial board of the University of Miami Inter-American Law Review and published an article examining financial technology, cryptocurrency, and blockchain compliance.
After graduation, he began his legal career as a state prosecutor, where he tried more than 25 cases to verdict. In 2023, he founded Rust Injury Law, PLLC, after leaving public service to build his own trial practice. Since founding the firm, Rust has focused on representing individuals in serious personal injury matters throughout Florida, with an emphasis on premises liability, negligent security, motor vehicle accidents, and wrongful death cases.
In 2025, Rust was recognized by the Miami-Dade Bar as a “40 Under 40” honoree. In 2026, he established the Colonel Robert Warren Rust, J.D. ‘54 Law Scholarship at the University of Miami School of Law, honoring his grandfather’s legacy and supporting future generations of Miami Law students.
What aspects of the curriculum or faculty had the most significant impact on your legal education and career trajectory?
My favorite professor at Miami Law was Annette Torres, who taught my Legal Communication & Research Skills course during my first year. She challenged us to become better writers and, more importantly, better advocates. She demanded precision, preparation, and clear thinking, and she expected every assignment to reflect those standards.
Looking back, I don’t think I appreciated just how valuable that class would become. Whether I’m drafting a motion, preparing a demand package, or writing an appellate brief, I still rely on many of the lessons she taught. Strong legal writing has been one of the most valuable skills in my career, and Professor Torres deserves a great deal of credit for helping me build that foundation.
How did your education at the University of Miami School of Law prepare you for your career?
The Litigation Skills Program had the biggest impact on preparing me to become a trial lawyer. It gave me my first opportunity to conduct voir dire, deliver opening statements, examine witnesses, and think through a case from the perspective of a jury rather than simply a legal issue.
The program concluded with a mock trial at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, and I still remember walking out afterward knowing that I wanted to spend my career in the courtroom. That experience confirmed that trial work was where I belonged. It also taught me to evaluate every case with a trial in mind – a perspective that has stayed with me through my years as a prosecutor and now as the founder of my own practice.
What opportunities or connections did you gain at the law school, and how did they influence your career?
One of the most meaningful opportunities I had at Miami Law came during my first year, when I attended Breakfast with the Bench and met Judge Edwin Scales III, who now serves as Chief Judge of the Third District Court of Appeal. That conversation led to a summer internship in his chambers, where I observed appellate oral arguments and gained a much deeper appreciation for how trial advocacy and appellate practice are connected.
Just as important were the friendships I formed. Many of the classmates from my 1L section remain among my closest friends today, and we still talk almost every day. Those relationships have become an invaluable professional network, but more importantly, they have enriched my life well beyond law school. Miami Law gave me not only the foundation for my career, but friendships that I expect will last a lifetime.