Angel Taveras focuses his practice on complex commercial and government litigation, municipal restructuring, public finance, pensions, and public infrastructure. His most recent experience includes successful federal litigation defending the Rhode Island Secretary of State and post-pandemic changes to Rhode Island mail ballot procedures; defending the United States Virgin Islands in a $1.5 billion pension litigation; and representing a majority of Rhode Island cities and towns in challenging the constitutionality of a state law that allows the wage and benefits provisions of collective bargaining agreements to continue indefinitely. Angel also has experience with a wide range of commercial litigation, including matters arising under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Truth in Lending Act, and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act.
Angel served as the 37th Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, from 2011 to 2015. As mayor, he led a city government with 5,700 employees and a budget of $678 million and is credited with saving the city from the brink of bankruptcy. Under his leadership, Providence was recognized with the All-America City Award from the National Civic League, was the recipient of a $3 million award from the Carnegie Foundation to create innovative high schools, and received the City Livability Award at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2014. In addition, Common Cause Rhode Island honored Angel with their Excellence in Public Service Award in 2012.
Angel is the Vice Chair of the Firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, and also serves as an adjunct professor for Providence College.
Professional & Civic Engagement
- Board Member, LatinoJustice PRLDEF
- Board Chair, Alliance for Early Success
- Board Member, National Civic League
- Board Member, National Grid Foundation
Honors & Awards
- Grade-Level Reading Council of Champions, Recognition Award and Induction as Charter Member, 2017
- Women’s Resource Center: Men Who Make A Difference, Honoree, 2016
- La Cámara Americana de Comercio de La República Dominicana and La Universidad Acción Pro-Educación, Semana Dominicana Award, 2015
- USA Today, "Rising Latino Star," 2014
- National Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Pacesetter Award, 2012 and 2014
- Bloomberg Philanthropies, Mayor’s Challenge for $5 Million Grand Prize, Recipient, 2013
- Metropolis Magazine, "One of 5 Innovative Mayors in the Country," 2013
- Common Cause Rhode Island, Excellence in Public Service Award, 2012
- Urban Land Institute, Rose Fellowship, 2011
Presentations
- BARNA Business Management School, Public Management Leadership Program, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Guest Lecturer, 2017-Present
- National League of Cities, Early Childhood Roundtable, Keynote Speaker, 2017
- Phillips Academy, 40th Reunion Weekend (MS2), Panelist, 2017
- Babson College, 11th National Dominican Students Conference, Speaker, 2017
- Boston College Law School on Restructuring, Panelist, 2017
- Northeastern Law Symposium, Accessing Democracy: How Law Shapes and Influences Our Elections, Speaker, 2016
- Providence College, Honor Society Awards, Speaker, 2016
- The Mayors Resource Network, Panelist, 2016
- National Federation of Municipal Analysts 33rd Annual Conference “Democracy in Peril, What to Do When Elected Officials Haven’t, Won’t or Can’t”, Panelist, 2016
- Rhode Island Public Pension and OPEB Crisis Seminar, Gathering Storm Panel, Panelist, 2016
- National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation, Bridging the Divide Panel, Panelist, 2016
- National League of Cities Summit, Politics of Public Sector Retirement Panel, Panelist, 2016
- New England Head Start Association Conference, Keynote Speaker, 2016
- Harvard University, 18th Harvard Latino Law, Policy and Business Conference, Panelist, 2015
- Boston University-Initiative on Cities, Fiscal Leadership Conference "Fiscal Health of the American City," Panelist, 2015
- Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Annual event, Keynote Speaker, 2015
- CITI | Pension, Foundation and Endowment Conference, Panelist, 2015
- Puerto Rico Department of Economic Commerce & Development, Investment Summit, Panelist, 2015
- Napa Valley Community Foundation Forum, Speaker, 2015
- Harvard Graduate School of Education Class, Speaker, 2015
- Brown University, Crisis Management Course, Speaker, 2015
- Alliance for Early Success, Partner Summit, Panelist, 2015
- Yale School of Management Education Leadership Conference, Keynote Speaker, 2013
