Gulf Breeze, FL

Lacie Bowden

Lacie Bowden is a Florida-licensed attorney specializing in Family Law, including Divorce and Adoptions. She grew up in Gulf Breeze, Florida, and her personal experience as a child of divorce deeply influences her compassionate approach to family law. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Florida State University and a law degree from Barry University School of Law, where she earned an honors certificate in children and family law. Prior to opening her own firm, she gained experience as a Public Defender handling criminal defense cases and later practiced Family Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Wills at a small law firm. She is committed to providing personal and reliable legal representation to her community.

Marlene Goldenberg, a Founding Partner at Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn, grew up working in her family’s law firm. Her practice focuses on advocating for those impacted by defective medical devices, dangerous pharmaceutical drugs, or sexual abuse, as well as individual personal injury, product liability, and medical malpractice claims. She has been chosen by judges and special masters to serve on Plaintiff Steering Committees and Plaintiff Executive Committees in national litigations, including Valsartan, Paraquat, Uber, and Phenylephrine lawsuits. Marlene believes the law should be a vehicle for making the world a better and safer place.

Timothy L. James

Timothy L. James is a personal injury and medical malpractice lawyer with over 30 years of litigation experience. He is a Sterling Honor Graduate of the University of South Dakota School of Law, a Law Review author and editor, and served as a federal law clerk. He focuses on representing individuals against insurance companies, doctors, and hospitals.

Ashleigh Raso is a founding partner at Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn, focusing on product liability litigation involving defective medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. Based in Minneapolis, she represents individuals harmed by corporate negligence. Ashleigh's passion for advocacy is rooted in personal experiences, and she earned dual degrees from Winona State University and a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law in 2012. She has held key leadership roles in major mass tort litigations and federal multidistrict litigations. Her leadership and service have been recognized with numerous honors, including the AAJ Above and Beyond Award and the Widemann & Wysocki Award. An active member of the legal community, Ashleigh has chaired the New Lawyers Division and LGBT Caucus for the American Association for Justice, and the New Lawyers Division for the Minnesota Association for Justice. She volunteers with organizations supporting access to justice and mentorship. Outside work, she enjoys hiking, volleyball, powerlifting, and spending time with her dog.

Kathryn L. Avila is an experienced litigator dedicated to seeking justice for injured clients. Before NGRV, she advocated for plaintiffs in mass tort litigations and specialized in representing sex trafficking survivors, holding corporate actors responsible. Her expertise led her to speak at national conferences on litigating these cases. Kathryn is an active member of the American Association for Justice’s Minority Caucus, New Lawyers Division, and Women Trial Lawyers Caucus. She serves as Chair-Elect of the Florida Justice Association’s Minority Caucus, a Board Member for its Women’s Caucus, and a member of its human trafficking prevention committee. She is on the Board of Directors for the Florida Justice Association and Legal Services of North Florida. Her advocacy has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 - Civil Plaintiff. Kathryn is licensed in Florida, Colorado, and Oregon, and admitted to several U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, travel, and food.

Ava Cavaco specializes in complex multi-district and class action litigation, representing individuals affected by defective medical devices, pharmaceuticals, environmental toxic exposure, dangerous consumer products, medical malpractice, and personal injury. She is judicially appointed to Plaintiffs’ leadership and elected Chair of the Leadership Development Committee in MDL 3014, In Re: Philips Recalled CPAP, Bi-Level Pap, and Mechanical Ventilator Products Litigation. In 2025, Ava was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee and Science & Experts Subcommittee on MDL 3140 In Re: Depo Provera Products Liability Litgation. Ava is admitted to practice in Minnesota and several U.S. District Courts. Her legal experience includes clerkships at Planned Parenthood and the Dept. of Justice, and she previously worked as an associate attorney specializing in personal injury, medical malpractice, mass torts, and medical device litigation. She teaches Torts as an adjunct professor and serves as Supervising Faculty for the Externship Program at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. From Hawai’i, Ava's background as an Indigenous and Asian first-generation college student shaped her perception of equity and justice. She competed as an NCAA Division 1 athlete at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa and served as a healthcare committee clerk in the Hawai’i State Legislature, which inspired her to pursue law as a second career.

Brett Vaughn, a Founding Partner, grew up in Mount Vernon, Missouri, and was heavily involved in sports. He graduated with honors from Missouri Southern State University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. After obtaining his nursing degree, Brett worked as an RN at St. Johns Mercy Hospital in Joplin, MO, where he supervised the implementation of the EPIC computer charting system. His last day as a nurse was May 22, 2011, when an F5 tornado destroyed the hospital, and he organized mass triage, earning the Community Leader Award. He then attended the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law, graduating in 2014. Brett quickly became a lead litigation attorney, developing theories of liability for hernia meshes. He was appointed by federal judges to Plaintiffs’ Executive Committees and to lead Science and Expert Committees for Bard hernia mesh, Ethicon/Johnson & Johnson hernia mesh, and Valsartan litigations. He lives in the Kansas City metro area with his wife and daughter.