English-Speaking Attorneys

Louis Lyons was admitted to the California Bar Association in May 2012 after graduating from the University of Oregon School of Law. He focuses his practice on Bankruptcy Law, debt relief, and Family Law. A native of Visalia, he works with his father, Scott Lyons, in their Visalia office.

Alexander W. Hansen

San Francisco, CA

Alexander W. Hansen is a certified specialist in workers’ compensation law, practicing since 2005 and having served as San Francisco Chapter President of the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association.

Melissa Jean Phillipe

Boca Raton, FL

Melissa was born in Montreal, Canada, and moved to Miami at age 15. She graduated from Miami Killian Senior High School at 16. She obtained a paralegal position at an Immigration law firm in Sunrise, then earned an Associates degree in Pre-law from Miami Dade College and a degree in Criminal Justice from Florida International University (F.I.U.) in December 2008. She joined Drucker Law Offices in July 2009 as a paralegal, focusing on file preparation, case readiness for demand, and client preparation for statements and depositions, while learning personal injury litigation aspects. She is fluent in French, English, and Creole, and hopes to become an attorney one day.

Stephanie M. Davis started practicing juvenile dependency law in January 1989. She has represented parents, relatives, children, and foster parents in juvenile dependency courts. She also spent many years as a juvenile dependency appellate attorney and served as a judicial officer in the Los Angeles Juvenile Court for over 16 years before rejoining the firm.

Jacob Larsen

Santa Ana, CA

Jacob Larsen is a trial attorney at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo, focusing on workers’ compensation cases and advocating for injured workers in California. He has experience representing workers in civil court for employment-related issues like harassment, discrimination, and wage & hour issues. Jacob holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from California State University and graduated from Whittier Law School in May 2013, passing the California State Bar Exam shortly thereafter. He has litigated cases across various Workers’ Compensation Appeals Boards in California and is dedicated to securing all entitled benefits for his clients.

Darcy Arriola Kindschy

Baker City, OR

Ms Arriola Kindschy provides a variety of transactional legal services including business, real estate, contracts, and estate matters through eastern Oregon and western Idaho. She is an eastern Oregon native; still presiding on her family's 5 generation farm and ranch yet. She has significant experience and ties to agriculture, yet has provided services to a variety of businesses and families during her career.

Rebekah Bunch

Monroe, LA

Rebekah Bunch was born and raised in Bastrop, Louisiana. She graduated magna cum laude from Louisiana Tech University in 2019 and earned her Juris Doctorate from Regent University School of Law in 2022. She joined Hudson, Potts & Bernstein in 2024 after serving as a judicial law clerk. During law school, Rebekah was executive editor for the Journal of Global Justice & Public Policy, founding vice-president for the Women’s Law Association, and a member of the 2021-2022 Ms. JD Fellowship class. She was also the first-place winner in the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section First Annual Writing Competition and recipient of the Family Law Book Award.

Attorney Vincent Van Deventer grew up in Bloomfield, Indiana, and now resides in Birmingham, Alabama. He earned a BA in political science and history from the University of Alabama in 2019 and a JD from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in 2024. He was admitted to practice in Alabama in 2024 and is an active member of the Birmingham Bar Association. He specializes in personal injury cases and other civil matters.

Jessica Ayala

Denver, CO

Jessica brings a diverse background and a compassionate approach to her role as an Intake Specialist. With a degree in Music and experience as a classical musician and English teacher, she made a bold shift into the legal field driven by a desire to explore new and challenging paths. Prior to joining Dormer Harpring, she worked at one of Florida’s leading personal injury law firms, handling cases involving medical and dental malpractice, criminal defense, funeral home neglect, and motor vehicle accidents. Fluent in English and Spanish, and with a working knowledge of several other languages, Jessica prioritizes clear, empathetic communication with every client. Her ability to connect across cultures and her commitment to honesty and loyalty guide her approach to intake.

Karla Gutierrez

Louisville, KY

Karla was born in California but spent her childhood in Nayarit, Mexico. Growing up, she actively assisted her parents with their family business. Her grandfather served as the mayor of her hometown, and her father was involved in politics. Karla’s mother frequently engaged in charity activities, often involving Karla and her sister. While their visits to the USA were initially for vacations, in 2007, her mother decided it was time for Karla and her sister to move to Kentucky to learn a second language. Karla attended and graduated from Waggener High School. In 2013, Karla began working in the healthcare field, starting from doctors’ offices to nursing homes due to her passion for helping others and her enjoyment of interacting with people. In 2023, Karla embarked on her legal journey with Bolus Law Offices, where she continued to expand her knowledge about the legal field. Fluent in both Spanish and English and her duties as a law clerk include retrieving information for potential clients, maintaining office files, and requesting and following up on medical records.

Mr. Weiss joined Price, Meese, Shulman & D’Arminio in 2021 and practices in the area of land use, planning, and zoning. He holds experience in the outdoor advertising permitting process on the state and local levels and in eminent domain litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Weiss was a Deputy Attorney General of the State of New Jersey in the Division of Law’s Transportation, Construction, and Condemnation practice section. He also served as the judicial law clerk to the Honorable Pamela D’Arcy, J.S.C. in Atlantic County, where he assisted Judge D’Arcy on a variety of family law matters. Mr. Weiss graduated from The College of New Jersey with a B.S. in Finance and from the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. He is a member of the New Jersey State Bar.

Darius Biddings

Winter Park, FL

Darius Biddings was born in California and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended the University of Mount Olive where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He then attended Florida A&M University College of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate degree. Since then, with a fierce commitment to client advocacy, Darius Biddings has been a dedicated personal injury attorney with years of experience helping Floridians who have been injured in auto accidents, commercial motor vehicle collisions, rideshare accidents, and wrongful death cases. Whether negotiating a settlement or fighting for justice in the courtroom, Darius brings an aggressive, results-driven approach to every case. Having represented countless clients in complex personal injury matters, Darius is known for a strategic approach to claims handling and litigation, ensuring that each client receives the highest level of legal care and attention. Above all, Darius values client satisfaction and strives to make sure that each person he represents is treated with respect, compassion, and the relentless pursuit of the compensation they deserve. If you’ve been injured in an accident, Darius is ready to fight for your rights and secure the best possible outcome for your case.

Karl E. Kolkmann

Rochester, NY

Karl concentrates his practice on creditors’ rights law and civil litigation. He represents banks, credit unions, and other creditors in the collection of retail and commercial debts throughout New York State. Prior to joining Lacy Katzen, Karl was an associate in a creditors’ rights and real property firm where he focused his practice on the recovery of loan collateral and the restructuring of mortgage loans.

Jennifer Corbalan

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, FL

Jennifer Corbalan specializes in Defense Base Act claims, passionate about helping those in need. She previously practiced First Party Property insurance litigation, representing homeowners against insurance companies. She is a native of Queens, New York, fluent in Spanish, and earned her J.D. from Touro College School of Law and B.S. from St. John’s University.

Alexandria K. Castaldo

Boston, MA

Alexandria Castaldo joined Phillips & Angley as an associate in September 2017. In January 2023, Alexandria became one of the shareholders of Phillips & Angley. Alexandria is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts. Her areas of practice are Zoning, Land Use and Real Estate Litigation. Alexandria has trial experience in the courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including jury-waived cases in the Superior Court, Land Court and Housing Court. Alexandria also has practiced before municipal zoning boards, planning boards, conservation commissions and boards of selectmen, and have represented persons in zoning and subdivision appeals in the Land Court and Superior Court.

Benjamin P. Nigro

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Benjamin P. Nigro is a partner at Stok Kon + Braverman, focusing on real estate and business transactions, as well as real estate litigation. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law and has extensive experience in both litigation and transactional real estate matters.

Joanne Nwaogu

Houston, TX

Joanne Nwaogu, a Houston native, is a passionate family law attorney dedicated to child advocacy and ensuring family stability. She earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Houston and her Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 2017. With over 12 years of experience, including three years at the Department of Family and Protective Services and four years as an Advocate Coordinator at Child Advocates in Houston, she focuses her practice on child custody, CPS matters, and divorce. Her legal career began at Houston’s Lone Star Legal Aid, where she represented clients in various family law cases. Joanne is an active member of professional organizations and the Houston community, participating in charity events and mentorship programs. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and her passion for makeup and styling.

Johnatan D’Alcantara

Libertyville, IL

Johnatan D'Alcantara is an Associate attorney at Salvi & Maher, LLP. Originally from Brazil, he earned his LL.B. from Faculdade Baiana de Direito in 2020 and his LL.M. from the University of Illinois College of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Brazil (2020) and Wisconsin (2025). He is fluent in English and Portuguese.

Gustavo Ponce was born in Mexico and grew up in Concord, California. He attended Holy Names University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. He earned his law degree from the University of Pacific McGeorge School of Law in 2018. He began as an intern at Kazerouni Law Group in 2017 and became an Associate Attorney in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is dedicated to protecting the rights of Nevadans in consumer protection cases and is fully fluent in Spanish.

Gianluca Marra graduated in Law from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano in 2009 and has been a member of the Italian Bar of Milan since 2012. He provides judicial assistance in all areas of criminal law, specializing in tax crimes, crimes against property, and Italian Legislative Decree no. 231/2001. He also attended a Specializing Master in Law at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. He speaks Italian and English.

Ashley N. Ervin

Louisville, KY

Ashley N. Ervin is an Associate Attorney at Cooper & Friedman, PLLC. She graduated from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law in 2015. While in law school, she served as Secretary of the Kentucky Student Justice Association and was a member of the Journal of Law and Education. She worked as a legal assistant at Cooper & Friedman from July 2013 before becoming an associate attorney. Her practice areas include civil litigation, automobile accidents, individual civil rights, workers’ compensation, and employment law. She is also a board member for C.H.O.I.C.E., Inc. and provides pro bono legal services.

Macarena Ortiz

McAllen, TX

Macarena Ortiz, a native of Madrid, Spain, was admitted to practice in the State of Texas in 2014 and is also licensed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. She holds a BA in Political Science, an MBA, and a J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law.

Bill Wirkus has been licensed to practice law since 2011 with a background in business, real estate, civil litigation, insurance, and elections law on behalf of businesses, individuals, and governmental entities. He has zealously represented clients in state and federal court and provided confidential, trusted counsel to clients in numerous, often sensitive, matters. Bill is committed to providing cost-effective and skilled representation to clients for all their business and real estate needs, including but not limited to setting up LLCs and corporations, reviewing and drafting contracts, and assisting with buying and selling business, real estate, and personal property. Bill offers free initial consultations and would be happy to meet with you to discuss your legal needs. Bill is married with four children and lives in Menomonee Falls, WI. He enjoys traveling, being outdoors, and spending time with family on Big Cedar Lake.