English-Speaking Attorneys

Demetria D. Frank

Houston, TX

Demetria D. Frank is a civil litigator, legal scholar, and advocate for justice, equity, and systemic reform, serving as Of Counsel at Roberts Markland LLP. With nearly two decades of experience in complex litigation and civil rights, she previously litigated toxic tort and personal injury cases and served as an Associate Municipal Court Judge and Assistant City Prosecutor for Dallas. Demetria is a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Houston Law Center and a former Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Memphis School of Law. She earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Houston.

Nicholas M. Sarta was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He holds a B.A. in English from City University of New York, Brooklyn College, and a J.D. from New York Law School. He gained experience working at personal injury and criminal defense firms before establishing his own firm. Over an 8-year period, he successfully resolved and litigated hundreds of cases in New York and New Jersey, including automobile accidents, premises liability, construction accidents, toxic torts, and civil rights violations. He received awards such as VerdictSearch’s Top New York Settlements of 2015, Verdicts and Settlements Hall of Fame of 2015, and Schnepps Communications’ 'Rising Stars of 2015'. Nicholas relocated to Florida in 2019 and was admitted to the Florida Bar in September of that year. He is fluent in Spanish.

J. Anthony "Tony" Alvarez

Houston, TX

J. Anthony "Tony" Alvarez is the founder of Alvarez Law, PLLC. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a minor in Spanish, and earned his law degree from South Texas College of Law in 1994. Admitted to practice in Texas in 1995, he has extensive experience in litigation and transactional matters, including Divorce and Family Law, Probate, Employment Law, Corporate and Business Law, Commercial and Construction Litigation. Mr. Alvarez is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is fluent in Spanish.

Michael J. Costello has chosen to devote his entire practice to workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and personal injury cases. He became a partner in The Walthew Law Firm after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Gonzaga Law School in 1996. Prior to joining the firm, he was Associate Editor of the prestigious Gonzaga Law Review and interned with the Coeur d’Alene firm of Sims, Liesche, Newell, Reagan, Wallace and Wallace, P.A. He is a member of the Washington State Association for Justice, American Bar Association, and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives.

Courtney Isop

Sarasota, FL

Courtney Isop has been a trial attorney for over fifteen years, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury cases throughout Southwest Florida. Earlier in her career, Courtney served as senior staff attorney for one of the largest insurance companies in the state of Florida, and represented hundreds of defendants in automobile negligence cases. She became a Plaintiff’s attorney in 2017 and now exclusively advocates for the wrongfully injured in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Known for providing exceptional service to her clients, Courtney applies the knowledge she gained as a defense attorney together with extensive trial experience to help those who have been hurt due to the negligence of another. She is dedicated to providing personalized, effective legal representation to her clients. She leverages her knowledge and experience to maximize settlements for her clients and win difficult trials against large insurance companies. Courtney was excited to join Mallard Perez over the summer of 2021, where she will continue to represent the injured and hold wrongdoers accountable. She is here to help you if you have been injured in an automobile accident, as the result of unsafe conditions at a store or restaurant, or due to medical malpractice. She will also provide conscientious and compassionate representation to our most vulnerable clients, including those injured as the result of child abuse or neglect, or mistreatment in a nursing home. Courtney graduated from Albany Law School of Union University in New York in 2004 and joined the New York Bar in 2005. She then moved to Florida and gained admission to the Florida Bar in 2006. Courtney received her undergraduate degree from Roanoke College in Virginia, where she majored in International Relations and Spanish - an education that has helped her effectively serve clients from a variety of backgrounds. She now resides in Northwest Bradenton with her three children. If you see the Mallard Perez jerseys on the soccer field, you know she is around, as she and the firm are proud supporters of MAYSO.

Justin Alvarez-Herman

Lake Worth, FL

Justin Alvarez-Herman is an Associate in GFM’s Class Action Practice Group, resident in the New York Office. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from SUNY New Paltz and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, where he received multiple scholarships. His experience includes class actions, consumer protection, civil rights, and commercial litigation, with notable work on wrongful death lawsuits and discrimination cases.

Timothy J. Ryan

Walnut Creek, CA

Tim Ryan’s practice is focused on the representation and defense of public entities. Over a career spanning more than 30 years he has successfully handled a variety of lawsuits ranging from real property matters to wrongful death and personal injury roadway design and dangerous condition cases. Mr. Ryan specializes in inverse condemnation cases, including both physical damage and regulatory taking claims. He is recognized as an expert in earth movement and water damage claims and has participated, at both the trial and appellate levels, in many significant court cases dealing with inverse condemnation law, culminating in a handful of published opinions, most notably including Locklin v. City of Lafayette (1994) 7 Cal.4th 327 [California Supreme Court seminal opinion on modern watercourse drainage law] and more recently, Contra Costa County v. Pinole Point Properties, LLC (2015) 235 C.A.4th 914 [Appellate opinion holding, in a case of first impression, that a downstream riparian owner may be liable for upstream flooding based solely on unreasonable failure to maintain its property]. Mr. Ryan, a life-long resident of Contra Costa County, has spent his entire career practicing in this community representing a mix of local public entities and special districts, including the County of Contra Costa, many local cities and the Blackhawk Geologic Hazard Abatement District. He has lectured to groups on developments in inverse condemnation law and given seminars on relevant legal issues to staff engineers at Contra Costa Public Works Department. Mr. Ryan received his undergraduate education at Santa Clara University (B.S., 1974) and performed his legal studies at Lincoln Law School (J.D., 1978). He is admitted to practice before all California state and federal courts (Northern District) and a member of the Contra Costa Bar Association.

Steven H. Fine is an Illinois attorney with over 30 years of experience in criminal defense and civil law. As a former assistant State's attorney, he possesses unique insight into legal strategies. He has been recognized by Expertise as a Top DUI Lawyer in Chicago and holds an Avvo Rating of 9.7 'Superb'.

Fatima Hassan-Salam is licensed in Texas and New Mexico with over 30 years of experience in personal injury and criminal law. She earned her Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University in 1991, and also holds degrees in Sociology, Journalism, and Criminal Justice from the same university. She previously worked with Hughes & Luce and Hal Monk & Associates before establishing her own firm in 1992, handling significant personal injury and celebrity cases.

Jonathan K. Joyner

San Antonio, TX

Mr. Jonathan K. Joyner was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas with a B.A. in Business. While at Southwestern University, Jonathan obtained a summer internship in San Antonio working for a San Antonio criminal defense firm. During those summers, Jonathan learned how to be an effective criminal defense attorney, how to aggressively advocate on behalf of his clients and how to deliver quality legal services. Jonathan also learned how important it was to have open lines of communication with his clients and to this day, all of his clients have direct access to him. Upon completing his undergraduate studies, Jonathan moved to East Lansing, Michigan where he attended Michigan State University College of Law. Anyone facing an allegation that they have violated a criminal law needs a strong and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney they can respect and trust. Money, jail time and even someone’s life may be on the line and a criminal lawyer has to be trusted to fight hard for his client’s best interests. Since moving back to San Antonio, Jonathan has represented thousands of individuals charged with various criminal offenses. Jonathan wants to be the criminal defense attorney who advocates on your behalf.

Justinian C. Lane

Redmond, WA

Justinian C. Lane is the founder of The Law Offices of Justinian C. Lane, Esq. - PLLC, a firm dedicated exclusively to asbestos claims law. His personal experience with family members dying from asbestos-related cancers drives his commitment to helping victims secure compensation, often without needing to file a lawsuit. He is licensed in Washington State and various federal courts.

Erica Inzina is an attorney and part of the husband-and-wife legal team at Inzina Law. She brings meticulous attention to detail and client care, ensuring every legal document, argument, and communication is perfectly executed. She works seamlessly with her husband, Blase Inzina, to provide a unified and compassionate approach to personal injury cases, treating every client like family.

Michael J. Carmona

Coral Gables, FL

Michael J. Carmona is a partner at Friedland | Carmona. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 2010. Prior to joining Friedland | Carmona, he gained unique insight into insurance company practices while working as a law clerk for an insurance defense firm. He primarily represents victims of personal injury accidents against insurance companies and is licensed to practice in all Florida circuit and county courts, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Nick Stiver

Albuquerque, NM

Nick grew up in southern New Mexico. He received his undergraduate degree from University of New Mexico. Nick received his law degree from University of New Mexico, School of Law. Nick started his law career practicing in the areas of personal injury, workers' compensation and social security disability. He knows the interplay between these cases and always tries to get the most compensation for his clients. Since joining Stiver Law, Nick specializes in Workers' Compensation and personal injury. Nick has taken multiple Worker's Compensation cases to trial and won. He has achieved great results for his clients throughout New Mexico. Work injuries can be very serious and life changing. When Nick gets involved, priority one is to get medical and money benefits started. Nick takes pride in making sure that the insurance companies treat his clients fairly. Nick has a close, one-on-one partnership with his clients. He is responsive and communicates quickly and efficiently. When not working, Nick likes to play tennis, go on hikes and spend time with his wife and son. Nick is a sports fan and follows boxing and tennis closely. "I like to take an aggressive approach to my cases - I believe it is best to move my client's cases forward quickly in order to get a resolution as soon as possible. I want my clients to call, text, or email me if they have any questions. I am happy to help."

Susan C. Odess

Miami, FL

Susan C. Odess leads the firm’s insurance and construction litigation practice, representing homeowners, commercial property owners, community associations, and businesses against large insurance and construction companies. She received her B.A. from Catholic University of America and her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law. She has over 15 years of experience in first-party property insurance claims and is recognized in Best Lawyers in America (2023-2024) and Florida Super Lawyers (2022-2023). She is active in her community, serving as a mentor with Women of Tomorrow and advocating for juvenile and animal rights.

G. Adam Cossey

Monroe, LA

G. Adam Cossey is a litigator with extensive courtroom experience, having tried over 35 cases to verdict as lead counsel. He graduated cum laude from the University of Louisiana-Monroe in 2005 and magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2008. Adam has an active appellate practice, representing clients before the United States Supreme Court, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Arkansas Supreme Court, and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, insurance litigation, serious personal injury, and class actions.

Jacqueline D. Byrd

Bowie, MD

Jacqueline D. Byrd is a partner at Byrd & Byrd, LLC, who launched the firm’s Elder Law practice in 1999. She received her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and a BA in Speech and Drama from the University of North Texas. Jackie is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and has been recognized multiple times as a Top Washington Elder Law Attorney by Washingtonian magazine. She is actively involved in community service, serving on the Advisory Commission on Aging for Prince George’s County and the Boards of Directors for Bowie Health Center and Prince George’s County Senior Providers Network.

Richard C. Weinbaum

Newark, NJ

Richard C. Weinbaum graduated from Grinnell College in 1981 and New York Law School in 1985. Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York in 1986, he began his career focusing on plaintiff's personal injury and medical malpractice. He was instrumental in multi-million dollar settlements for children with cerebral palsy and in establishing early Supplemental Needs Trusts. Since joining the firm in 2003, he has been an integral member, handling a wide range of personal injury cases including automobile accidents, premises liability, medical malpractice, products liability, and wrongful death, known for his strong research and writing skills.

Raquel A. Guzman

Wyoming, MI

Raquel Guzman (formerly Salas) is the founding partner and managing member of Avanti Law Group, head of its criminal defense practice, and has nearly two decades of experience. She is fluent in English and Spanish and serves as a legal commentator for Univision. She is licensed in Michigan and California and earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from Michigan State University College of Law. Her honors include Michigan Weekly’s Women in the Law, Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Star, West Michigan’s 40 Under 40 Business Leaders, and Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan. She also received presidential invitations to the White House.

Samuel Paul Ruyle

Santa Fe, NM

Sam Ruyle is a lifelong resident of Santa Fe, NM. Sam attended and graduated from Saint Michaels High School here in Santa Fe. After graduating, Sam attended and graduated from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Post undergrad Sam traveled the world extensively and eventually graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law. After passing the New Mexico bar exam Sam worked as prosecutor for a time and then transitioned into working with his father David Ruyle as an attorney focusing primarily on estate planning, criminal cases and personal injury matters. Sam’s father retired and Sam opened his own practice focusing on estate matters, criminal matters and personal injury cases. Sam joined Tom Clark in early 2022 and their practice remains committed to helping individuals and groups who have been injured or had their rights violated. Sam and Tom also help folks who have been charged in the criminal arena. Sam also maintains a sharpened knowledge of estate planning and attendant issues therein.

Frank Hernandez, Jr., Esq.

Miami, FL

As founder and president of The Hernandez Legal Group, Mr. Hernandez has dedicated his practice to representing individuals, businesses, policyholders, and community associations in residential and commercial property insurance claims, personal injury cases, real estate litigation, and community association matters. During law school, Mr. Hernandez served as a judicial intern at the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida for the Honorable Judge Ronald Dresnick, Circuit Court Judge, and at the Legal Services of Greater Miami assisting individuals and families in real estate matters. Upon graduation, he gained invaluable experience as a litigation attorney representing business owners, condominium associations, and homeowners in property damage disputes against insurance companies. Mr. Hernandez earned his Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, from St. Thomas University School of Law and graduated fifth in his class (J.D. 2010). He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Florida International University (BBA, 2006). Mr. Hernandez is a zealous advocate and prides himself on working most litigation cases on contingency (at no cost to the client unless a recovery is made). This way, Mr. Hernandez is able to represent clients that are not able to afford the astronomical hourly rates that most attorneys charge. He believes that “the little guy” should always have access to our court system and have an opportunity to hold others accountable for their actions.

Gorkhmaz M. Asgarov is an associate at Greenblatt & Veliev, LLC, focusing on civil litigation, personal injury, contract disputes, and business law. He also provides immigration law services to clients from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, and other former Soviet Union countries. He is licensed in Maryland and Virginia and speaks English, Russian, Azerbaijani, and Turkish.

Samuel A. Block

Vero Beach, FL

Samuel A. Block is an attorney who has practiced in Vero Beach since 1979, focusing on real estate law, estate planning, and business transactions. He received his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in 1972.

Taylor Stone

Dallas, TX

Taylor Stone spent the first few years of her legal career defending companies and individuals in high-stakes personal injury litigation. This experience gave her a better understanding of how insurance companies operate and also allowed her to hone her skills as a litigation attorney. These skills now allow Taylor to fiercely advocate for clients that have been injured due to the negligence of another individual or company.