Carla A. Lopera joined the Office of General Counsel in August 2022. Prior to joining the Office of General Counsel, Ms. Lopera was an Associate at St. Augustine Law Group, PA, from 2015-2022. She assisted clients with a variety of legal issues, but primarily worked in the areas of Social Security Disability appeals and estate planning matters.

Prior to working at St. Augustine Law Group, Ms. Lopera was a prosecutor for the Florida Department of Health, where she successfully prosecuted dozens of “pill mills” (illegal pain clinics) and other high-profile cases involving over-prescribing controlled substances, impaired practitioners, and sexual misconduct. She also represented the Department of Health at administrative hearings and quasi-judicial board meetings of various state healthcare boards (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, etc.).

Ms. Lopera earned her law degree from Florida State University in 2007. During law school, she was a law clerk for the Florida Office of the Attorney General, where she conducted legal research and assisted attorneys at large Administrative Hearings in five counties. Ms. Lopera received her Bachelor of Science Degree with honors from the University of Florida in 2002.

Ms. Lopera is a member of the Florida Bar.