English-Speaking Attorneys

Ruy Mireles, born in Canada to Mexican parents, was inspired by his grandfather, a judge in Monterrey, Mexico, to pursue law and help people. He earned a bachelor's degree in International Business from St. Edwards University and later a law degree and a master's in Global Energy, International Arbitration, and Environmental Law from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Initially working for firms representing transport carriers, insurance companies, hospitals, and doctors, he realized his true mission was to defend and protect his community, particularly Hispanics, in personal injury cases. His greatest satisfaction comes from helping clients regain health and secure economic benefits. He has been a member of the Texas Bar Association since 2004.

Maria Mena

Silver Spring, MD

Attorney Maria Mena is a seasoned criminal defense attorney, who is licensed to practice law in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and in Federal Court. She was born in Cuba, and after entering the U.S., she devoted her life to helping those in need of competent and affordable legal services. Upon graduating from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. in 1987, Attorney Mena began her private law practice. For the last 25 years, she has acquired a record of success that is unmatched by many of her peers. She has represented and successfully vindicated numerous clients, who have been charged with crimes such as DWI, drug charges, and more. Attorney Mena is fluent in both English and Spanish and is zealously dedicated to helping anyone in need of legal help regardless of color, gender, national origin, or sexual orientation. She believes strongly that developing an honest and comfortable relationship with her clients is a key factor in achieving a successful case result. She does not judge her clients and anything you tell her is absolutely confidential. Despite her polite demeanor toward her clients, she fights fiercely with local prosecutors and judges, to ensure that her client's rights are not violated. Attorney Mena understands that her actions will determine whether her clients will retain their freedom, and therefore does whatever is necessary to win each case. Attorney Mena is also known for handling serious felony cases. Some of these include rape cases, child sex abuse cases, assault cases, and drug cases. Throughout Maryland, Attorney Mena is well-known and respected by law enforcement, district attorneys, and judges.

Frank Coumou

Las Vegas, NV

Frank Johan Coumou is a distinguished criminal defense attorney with over three decades of experience in criminal law, known for handling complex and high-stakes cases. He provides top-tier defense for clients facing serious criminal charges in state and federal courts. Prior to joining De Castroverde Law Group, Frank served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Violent Crimes and Strike Force Unit and dedicated 25 years to the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, where he was Chief of the Homicide Unit and Chief of the Gun Crimes Unit. His work has been featured on Dateline NBC, Investigation Discovery Channel, and Oxygen Media. Frank is fluent in Spanish and Dutch, and conversant in French, ensuring comprehensive support for his diverse clientele. He holds a BA from Loyola University (1988) and a JD from Loyola University (1991).

Ryan Jewell

Fayetteville, AR

Ryan Jewell defends Arkansans against criminal allegations and in divorce and child custody cases. His criminal practice includes misdemeanor and felony charges, tickets, and citations. Ryan's clients often come to him during difficult times, and he values their trust, working tirelessly for justice. He has experience defending against felony attempted capital murder, DWI/DUI, terroristic threatening, and traffic citations, representing clients in juvenile, district, and circuit courts. Ryan works skillfully with prosecutors and opposing counsel and takes cases to trial.

Melissa C. Ingrassia graduated from St. John’s University School of Law in 2002 where she was an Editor on the New York International Law Review. She worked as a law clerk with the firm for two years prior to her admission to the bar. Melissa is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, as well as Federal Court in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. She handles the nursing home negligence cases and motion practice for the firm.

Demetris Guzman

Houston, TX

Demetris “Mitch” Guzman is a proud first-generation college graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio and alumnus of South Texas College of Law Houston. Demetris was born and raised in the Houston and Harris County area where his family instilled the principles of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. As such, Demetris is now a trial attorney engaging primarily in personal injury and civil litigation matters. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2021 and has prior work experience in personal injury, business law, transactional matters, insurance defense, and estate and probate. During law school, Demetris had the honor of clerking for one of Harris County’s Judicial District Courts to which he gained invaluable experience. Throughout his undergraduate studies, Demetris had the privilege of being voted as the President for Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, minoring in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. Demetris believes that the principles he has learned and the experience he has gained will enable him to advocate zealously for clients. In his free time, Demetris enjoys watching sports, time with his church, reading, working out, distance running, and most importantly enjoying time with his family and loved ones.

Jorge Luis Colón

Ocala, FL

Jorge Luis Colón attended the University of Central Florida, graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then attended the University of Florida, where he obtained his Juris Doctorate degree in 2002. During his time in law school, he clerked for the Honorable Jonathan Ohlman, District B, in Gainesville, Florida. Additionally, he completed an internship at the State Attorney's office, under Bill Cervone, in Gainesville. Jorge L. Colón founded the firm of Jorge Luis Colón, P.A. and began serving the Ocala and Gainesville areas over 20 years ago.

R. Shane Seaton

Big Spring, TX

R. Shane Seaton was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and spent his early life in the Texas Panhandle and Kansas. He graduated from Friends University with dual degrees in Accounting and Business Administration, minoring in Marketing and Finance, achieving a 4.0 GPA. He then attended Washburn University School of Law, graduating in the top 10% of his class. Mr. Seaton is licensed to practice in Texas and is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He also served as president of the Howard County Bar Association for three years. He is dedicated to his family, community, and providing his best effort to his clients.

Donna Fendon

Phoenix, AZ

Attorney Donna Fendon is the founder and Managing Attorney of Fendon Injury Law, PLLC. She focuses her practice on workers’ compensation claims and helping the workforce in Phoenix, Arizona have protection when injured on the job. She is admitted to practice in Arizona and is a member of the State Bar of Arizona. Donna Fendon navigates her cases following a strict set of principles that put her clients first. She instills in her team members the importance of the quality of work provided to clients. She makes it a point to spend more time in hearings, keeping a strong network of doctors to help with case reviews and most importantly listens to clients carefully to understand all of the unique details in their situation. Donna Fendon comes from a strong background in workers’ compensation disputes with her family being in the industry for over 40 years. She has the experience and knowledge of a 40 year firm that helps get favorable results for her clients. Attorney Fendon is an active member of the Arizona State Bar. She is also an active member of the Workers’ Compensation section of the Arizona State Bar along with the Arizona Association of Lawyers for Injured Workers. Donna received her degree from the Arizona Summit Law School.

D. Ranger Jackson is a talented lawyer in Denver personal injury. He is bilingual in Spanish and English and has handled virtually all types of accident cases in his career. He is a member of the Colorado Bar, California Bar, and Florida Bar.

Joe Baker

Charlotte, NC

Joe Baker has been working with the Law Office of Theodore A. Maloney, PLLC for more than ten years, where he specializes in personal injury cases. He earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and his Juris Doctor from Elon School of Law. When asked about his motivation to become a lawyer, Mr. Baker often recounts an incident from his college days. He was riding his motorcycle when another vehicle suddenly pulled out in front of him, causing a severe accident. Instead of focusing on his recovery, he had to fight a for-profit insurance company that was more interested in protecting its profits than compensating the injured party. The injustice he experienced left him frustrated and determined to make a difference. He believed that insurance companies were perpetuating this injustice because they had more knowledge and power than the injured parties. This motivated him to go to law school. When Joe isn't fighting for injured clients he is spending time with his wife and daughter. On rare occasions he subjects himself to a round of golf.

Liisa A. Hancock

Provo, UT

Having clerked for two years with the Fourth District Court, Liisa approaches cases with an innovative and thoughtful perspective. Primarily a litigator, she represents clients in domestic cases including child custody, divorce, property settlements, adjudicative, probate and real property litigation, and appellate proceedings at municipal, state and federal levels.

Rick Krause

Richardson, TX

Rick Krause is a senior attorney at Modjarrad Abusaad Said Law Firm (MAS Law). He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court - Northern District of Texas, U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Texas, and U.S. District Court - Southern District of Texas. He practices primarily in the area of Social Security Disability. Mr. Krause attended Texas Tech University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He obtained a Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law. Mr. Krause has more than 31 years of experience, and his practice is limited to helping his clients apply and receive Social Security and Disability benefits.

Trevor Rose is a senior litigation associate at Greenblatt & Veliev, specializing in personal injury, automobile accidents, workers’ compensation, premises liability, and dog bites. He is a talented courtroom advocate with 21 years of experience, and a graduate of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s Trial Skills Program.

Mariella Diaz

Nampa, ID

Mariella Diaz is the humanitarian-based immigration lead attorney at Ramirez Smith Law, specializing in humanitarian-based immigration, family-based immigration, and removal defense. She has represented families before EOIR, BIA, and the Ninth Circuit of Appeals, and USCIS. Fluent in Spanish, she is deeply committed to community service and actively volunteers with legal and local initiatives.

Ricardo N. Gonzalez

Houston, TX

Ricardo N. Gonzalez is a founding attorney with over 40 years of experience, specializing in criminal defense. A former teacher, he is known for his ability to explain complex legal matters clearly. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, the Harris County Criminal Lawyer’s Association, and the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston, and is deeply connected to the Houston community. He is licensed in Texas and is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Amit Sondhi helps people recover from injuries sustained in motor vehicle, construction, premises, and workplace accidents. He has obtained several awards and verdicts, including one of the top 35 automobile accident verdicts in 2017 (Westchester County). He earned his J.D. degree from Touro Law School with special honors. He is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey and is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the South Asian Bar Association.

Juan Pecina is a founding partner of Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, where he leads with dedication, integrity, and an unrelenting pursuit of justice. A proud native of the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, Juan brings deep local roots, strong values, and an exceptional work ethic to every case he takes on. A seasoned Texas trial attorney, Juan has a proven track record in high-stakes litigation. He has recovered over a million dollars for clients in cases involving car and trucking accidents, slip and falls, and other serious personal injury matters. Known for his sharp litigation skills and extensive courtroom experience, Juan is a formidable advocate against insurance companies and large corporate defendants. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Juan is committed to serving a diverse community. He ensures every client feels heard, understood, and powerfully represented-whether at the negotiation table or before a jury. Juan earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and went on to complete law school in an accelerated two-year program at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. While in law school, he excelled academically, earning Certificates of Merit in Products Liability and Federal Administrative Law. From the outset of his legal career, Juan demonstrated bold initiative by opening his own practice. Before becoming an attorney, he gained invaluable hands-on experience as a legal assistant and paralegal, giving him a strong foundation in the legal system. Over the course of his career, he has worked on thousands of cases personally as an attorney. His broad legal background spans in Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, Federal Immigration, and Insurance Law, giving him a comprehensive understanding of multiple practice areas. Becoming a lawyer was Juan’s lifelong dream-and today, that dream fuels his unwavering co.

Louis L. D’Arminio graduated Harvard College with Honors and earned his law degree at Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Managing Editor of the Journal of Law and Social Problems. Following law school, Mr. D’Arminio served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Alan B. Handler, Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. He has served as Redevelopment and Planning Board Attorney for the City of Hackensack, and has been involved in several substantial private mixed use redevelopment projects, which included residential, office, retail, hotel and recreational components. Mr. D’Arminio has appeared before planning and zoning boards in more than 130 New Jersey and New York municipalities representing a variety of clients including outdoor advertising, service station, restaurant, telecommunications, banking and affordable housing interests. He has also represented major retail, corporate and real estate clients in the leasing of space in numerous shopping centers and office complexes. Mr. D’Arminio is a member of the American, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Bergen County Bar Associations. Mr. D’Arminio was recently appointed Commissioner to the Bergen County Improvement Authority and is a member of the NJSBA Renewable Energy, Cleantech and Climate Change Committee. He served on the Affordable Housing Section of the ABA and the Land Use Law Sections of the New Jersey and Bergen County Bar Associations. He was a former managing editor of The Bergen Barrister, the official periodical of the Bergen Bar Association and a former member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Attorney Ethics Committee for District II-A (Northern Bergen County). Mr. D’Arminio has been active with various not-for-profit organizations, including the Bergen County Bar Foundation for which he is the immediate past President, the Bergen Community College Foundation, the Hackensack Blue and Gold Scholarship Fund, Bergen County Community Action Partnership, Inc. and Bergen County Community Housing in Partnership, Inc. Mr. D’Arminio is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and before the Federal District Court of the District of New Jersey, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Stacy M. Emas

Miami, FL

Stacy Mateu Emas is a Cuban American attorney with close ties to South Florida. Born and raised in Miami, she prides herself on being able to represent her community in their time of need. Stacy graduated with honors from Florida International University before graduating Cum Laude from the University of Miami School of Law. After law school, Stacy spent several years working as a litigator for the largest and premier defense law firm in Florida. She used that time to sharpen her litigation skills and to gain a comprehensive understanding as to how large corporations analyze and value cases. Stacy also spent years working at a nationally recognized insurance coverage firm. As a result, she has extensive knowledge of how to defend against an insurance company’s claims that there is no insurance coverage. Stacy brought these skills and knowledge with her to Amanda Demanda where she has dedicated her career to helping those who have been injured due to the negligence of others. Stacy is passionate about helping people of all walks of life who have been wrongfully harmed by others. Her practice focuses on personal injury litigation involving motor vehicle accidents, trucking collisions, slip/trip and falls, construction accidents, premises liability injuries, wrongful death, catastrophic injury, medical malpractice, and complex products liability. In her free time, Stacy enjoys spending time with her family and true crime podcasts.

John P. Bays

Mattoon, IL

John P. Bays is an attorney at Heller, Holmes & Associates, P.C. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master's degree in History from Eastern Illinois University. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in May 2021, graduating first in his class. He was admitted to the Bar of the State of Illinois on November 10, 2021. His practice areas include workers’ compensation, criminal defense, family law, personal injury, and general litigation. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Coles-Cumberland Bar Association, and the Mattoon Kiwanis Club.

Lorgia Carbonaro

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Lorgia Carbonaro has worked in the personal injury field since 1986, pursuing her passion for helping people. She is bilingual and joined Chalik & Chalik in 2011.

Scott Ufford

Wichita, KS

Scott Ufford is a Kansas native specializing in personal injury and Social Security law, licensed in Kansas and Missouri. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2016, where he was a member of the Student Bar Association. He holds a Bachelor's in Secondary Education with an English emphasis from Wichita State University, where he was also a track and cross country athlete. Scott remains involved with these programs and enjoys running, singing, playing harmonica, and supporting the arts. He is dedicated to helping people in Wichita and the broader Kansas community.

Mikell West

Corpus Christi, TX

Mikell is a skilled and experienced trial and appellate practitioner, having represented clients all across the state of Texas before trial courts, various courts of appeals, and the Supreme Court of Texas. Mikell graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law, where he clerked for Judge Barbara Nellermoe at the 45th District Court in Bexar County and for Judge Emilio Garza at the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Before joining the Bandas Law Firm, Mikell was a partner for many years at a highly respected defense firms in South Texas, where he learned the ins and outs of litigation and honed his skills as a fierce advocate for his clients. Mikell uses this experience and drive to help plaintiffs who have been injured or mistreated by corporations or individuals seek justice.