Cranston, RI

Paul d’Oliveira

Founding Attorney Paul d’Oliveira has over 30 years of experience in personal injury law in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He founded the firm, expanding it to 19 offices. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Creighton University and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University. His pre-med and psychology backgrounds provide a strong foundation for understanding injuries and counseling clients. Mentored by Robert T. Karns, he focuses on marketing and website development to ensure clients can easily find answers and receive top-notch service and settlements. His primary challenge involves managing a large team across numerous locations.

V. Edward Formisano

As one of Rhode Island’s foremost practitioners representing employees in employment law disputes, Attorney Ed Formisano has recovered tens of millions of dollars for his clients. With an unswerving commitment to prompt communication and efficient case management, Ed understands how to work with his clients to get to the heart of their legal matters. His deep understanding of the contemporary workplace and legal landscape often results in a strategy which explores and exhausts all non-trial options - including arbitration and mediation - to preserve clients’ privacy, avoid risk and minimize distress. However, when needed, Ed aggressively - and successfully - advocates for his clients in court. In fact, knowing the essential role that employment plays in the daily livelihood of Rhode Island and Massachusetts residents, Ed fiercely protects, preserves and upholds the legal rights of each employee-client. His expertise includes wage-and-hour disputes, contract and severance negotiation, discrimination and harassment claims, medical leave issues, whistleblower cases, and other employment law matters. Over the years, he has also successfully handled an array of civil rights, medical malpractice and personal injury cases as well as general civil litigation matters. Ed and his team at Formisano & Company operate in a client-focused manner, fully dedicated to achieving favorable results and sensible resolutions that benefit the best interest of firm clients.

Evan M. Kirshenbaum

Rhode Island attorney Evan M. Kirshenbaum is currently Managing Partner of Kirshenbaum Law Associates, Inc. He has been practicing law at Kirshenbaum Law Associates since his graduation from law school in 1994 and has been a senior partner of the firm since 1999. Mr. Kirshenbaum provides representation in all aspects of family law and personal injury law. Mr. Kirshenbaum, an experienced trial lawyer, has submitted numerous briefs to the Rhode Island Supreme Court. He has argued successfully before the state’s highest court as well as before juries in the Superior Court.

Paul L. Tetzel

Paul Tetzel is a trial lawyer, representing individuals in serious and catastrophic injury cases, construction site accidents, medical malpractice, and nursing home negligence cases. He has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by the Massachusetts Super Lawyers Magazine and has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. Paul’s recent successes include a $4,875,000 motor vehicle settlement, $7,000,000 construction site accident settlement, and $2,000,000 medical malpractice settlement. He has tried many personal injury cases to verdict as lead counsel with favorable results. Paul founded Tetzel Law in 2014 and is a managing partner. The firm’s principles include efficiency, attention to detail, active communication with clients, and aggressive representation through litigation or trial. The firm only represents individuals or small businesses and takes pride in holding insurance companies and corporations accountable when necessary. In addition to Paul’s litigation and trial work, he also co-manages Tetzel Law’s practice. Paul represents clients in both State and Federal courts in a broad range of civil litigation cases, including construction site accidents, nursing home negligence, medical malpractice, product liability, automobile collisions, wrongful death, and bad-faith insurance claims. He has successfully resolved thousands of cases through trial, mediation, or settlement, many of which resulted in six and seven figure recoveries.

Paul F. Leavis

Paul Leavis is a trial lawyer with over forty years of courtroom experience representing individuals in legal matters with a focus on catastrophic personal injury, construction site accidents, product liability, motor vehicle and general liability cases. Paul has successfully represented thousands of clients and tried well-over a hundred civil cases to a jury. He has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” annually by the Massachusetts Super Lawyers Magazine and has been listed in the publication “The Best Lawyers in America” for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Law for more than twenty years. In 1998, Paul was elected as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Fellowship is limited to the top 1% of the total lawyer population of any state and limited to “only those trial lawyers who are unquestionably qualified, in addition to being regarded as the best in their state.” Qualifications required for admission “must include high ethical and moral standards as well as excellent character.” Paul joined Tetzel Law in February 2020 after practicing law at his own boutique personal injury law firm in Boston. Between 1985 and his joining Tetzel Law, Paul consistently delivered elite service and results for his clients. Some of his most notable achievements during that time occurred in the courtroom where he obtained multiple verdicts greater than $1,000,000 including a $5,072,000 truck accident verdict, $2,500,000 construction accident verdict, and $2,000,000 industrial accident verdict. In one year alone, Paul tried twelve plaintiff personal injury cases, eleven of which resulted in plaintiff’s verdicts and one that settled during trial. Paul has been a member of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA) since 1979 which is the state’s largest professional association of attorneys dedicated to the representation of persons injured by the negligence of others. He has held every elected position within the organization, including President. Paul has served on MATA’s Executive Committee and is currently a member of MATA’s Board of Governors. Over the years, Paul has also been a frequent lecturer at MATA’s legal seminars on topics related to personal injury and trial practice. In addition to Paul’s trial and litigation practice, he recently became a certified conciliator and mediator to help parties negotiate and resolve cases.

D. Robin Gouveia

Attorney D. Robin Gouveia has over 27 years of experience practicing personal injury law, exclusively representing plaintiffs. Prior to her legal career, she spent 8 years as a claims adjuster for Trust Insurance Company, providing her with invaluable insight into insurance company operations and negotiation tactics. She works with clients across numerous offices in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She earned her law degree from the University of Massachusetts School of Law in 1997 and a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1989. Her daily responsibilities include client communication, medical record review, negotiation with insurance adjusters, and preparing for legal proceedings. She enjoys helping clients cope with trauma, connecting them with medical providers, and effectively negotiating settlements. Her biggest challenge is addressing property damage in the early stages of a case.

Kayla O'Connor

Kayla S. O'Connor, Esq. is an experienced litigation attorney with nearly a decade of experience representing individuals and businesses in high-stakes litigation, including bench and jury trials. She focuses her practice on complex personal injury, bad faith insurance actions, and multi-million dollar property and construction-related disputes. Passionate about fighting for injured parties whether they are personally injured or suffering from significant property loss, Attorney O'Connor has built a reputation for being a fierce and compassionate advocate-especially when going up against powerful insurance companies. A native New Englander, Kayla is proud to represent clients across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, and she brings unmatched dedication to every matter she handles. Whether in a courtroom or at the negotiating table, Kayla's focus is simple: hold insurers accountable and make her clients whole.