English-Speaking Attorneys

Emma Spaeth

Palmdale, CA

Born in Washington State, Emma came to California when she was eighteen. Emma received her bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University before graduating from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. During her law school career, she spent most of her time volunteering for pro-bono clinics focused on education as well as children’s and parent’s rights. She has significant litigation experience and always prioritizes meeting client’s needs and forming effective relationships with her clients. Emma’s background and experience in public interest demonstrates her passion for helping people. Emma lives in Los Angeles with her nephew. In her spare time, she enjoys going to concerts and other local shows, taking her dog to the beach, and spending time with her family and friends.

Alejandro García Padilla obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics and a JD from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law. He was the 11th Governor of Puerto Rico, holding the position from 2013 to 2017. In addition to the governorship, Garcia Padilla’s other political endeavors include roles as the Secretary of Consumer Affairs, serving in the 24th Senate of Puerto Rico, and finally as President of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). After being elected to senate, he was also chosen to serve as the ranking member on the Governmental Affairs, Public Safety and Judicial Affairs committees. Outside of politics, Garcia Padilla has been a law professor at the Interamerican University, a legal officer in Court of Appeals of Puerto Rico, and formed part of several Bar Association committees. In 2017, Garcia Padilla teamed up with The Sanders Firm and senior partner Marc Grossman, joining efforts to fight the opioids crisis. Garcia Padilla adds his expertise to the team, having faced the challenges of the opioids crisis while in office.

Karola Castaneda-Garcia

Syracuse, NY

Karola Castaneda-Garcia is an Intern studying International Relations with a minor in Spanish at Syracuse University, specializing in International Law and Organizations. She plans to attend law school and is passionate about immigration law and human rights.

Maria Hernandez

Syracuse, NY

Maria Hernandez is an Administrative Assistant with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Puerto Rico. She provides translation and interpretation services and previously worked for Catholic Charities.

Taylor Christensen is a full partner at Berger & Christensen, bringing years of experience helping thousands of personal injury clients in both English and Spanish.

Levi Wilkes is a Partner in the Firm’s Property Damage Practice. Levi devotes his practice to helping homeowners, and those providing services on behalf of homeowners, in breach of contract and bad faith lawsuits against insurance companies. Before pursuing a legal career, Levi worked in a variety of industrial and construction roles which included pipefitting, rigging, land surveying, boiler-making and commercial diving. Following law school, Levi has served in a variety of legal roles, including general counsel for a privately held company. Levi received his B.A. in Political Science from Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. He completed his J.D. at St. Thomas University, graduating magna cum laude.

Anjali Thottassery

Hoover, AL

Anjali Thottassery, born and raised in Hoover, Alabama, is the daughter of Indian immigrants. She graduated with honors from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with degrees in Political Science and World Language and Literature, with a concentration in Spanish. She served on the Undergraduate Student Government Association and is passionate about cultural exchange and human rights. She started at ACL as an intern in Spring 2023 and became a full-time immigration legal assistant in Spring 2024. She has also been selected to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador.

Jazmin Muñoz

Hoover, AL

Jazmin Muñoz graduated Cum Laude from Spring Hill in 2023 with a Bachelor's in Political Science. She enjoys reading, running, and learning new skills, and has been exposed to the world of law through her work at the firm.

Tetyana Byelikova

Alpharetta, GA

Tetyana has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Ternopil National Economic University in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, which she received in 2006. She moved to the United States in 2008 and has worked in customer service and office administration in both the retail and medical industries. She joined Cheeley Law Group in 2021 as a receptionist and was soon promoted to legal assistant due to her proven organization, detail-oriented, and efficiency skills with document management, as well as her professionalism, hard-working, and respectful character. Inspired by working with the CLG team, she plans to pursue formal education in the legal field. In her spare time, Tetyana enjoys spending time with her family and friends, watching detective and historical movies, and practicing yoga. She is fluent in Ukrainian, Polish, and English.

Attorney Damoun Yazdi is described by clients as exceptionally knowledgeable, helpful, honest, and professional, consistently working in their best interest to secure favorable settlements.

Daniel S. Hurtes

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Attorney Daniel S. Hurtes relocated to South Florida from New York to pursue a career in law. He possesses extensive experience in litigation across state and federal courts, including motion practice, oral argument, discovery, mediation, trial, and appellate practice. Before joining Pelosi Injury Law, he worked for nearly a decade at an AmLaw 100 firm and also served as in-house counsel. Daniel is dedicated to achieving client satisfaction, litigating cases when settlement is not possible. He has been nominated multiple times as a rising star by Super Lawyers and holds an AV Preeminent® rating, the highest peer rating for legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards.

Kyle O’Malley is an attorney at Phillips, Erlewine, Given & Carlin. He will join UC Law SF faculty to teach Legal Research and Writing. His practice focuses on employment, civil rights, consumer, privacy, commercial, and intellectual property law. He secured a landmark unanimous opinion from the California Supreme Court in Raines v. US Healthworks Medical Group. He also serves on the California Lawyers Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and has published articles on copyright termination and royalty rights.

Anthony Morales

Calabasas, CA

Anthony Morales is a civil litigation attorney and Assistant Professor of Law with extensive experience in case management, litigation, and client advocacy. He began his legal journey at 19 as a file clerk. He earned his B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, Northridge, and his Juris Doctor from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law, where he now teaches. He is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Charles 'Chase' Holbrooks III is an attorney at Finklea, Hendrick & Blake, LLC, specializing in probate, estate planning, and general litigation. He earned his J.D. from the Charleston School of Law and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 2022. With three years of legal experience across two states, including Lexington, SC, and Salida, Colorado, he brings a dedicated, client-focused approach to his practice in Florence.

David Given is a partner at Phillips, Erlewine, Given & Carlin. He was appointed to lead the prosecution of a data privacy class action against TikTok. He also published an article in the Daily Journal discussing copyright infringement damages.

Jamie L. Griffin

Granger, IN

Jamie L. Griffin is a Paralegal who received her Associates of Applied Science degree from ITT Technical Institute with a Paralegal degree. She assists attorneys in preparing for depositions, hearings, mediations, and trials, and handles discovery requests, client interaction, witness interviews, and medical record management. She is a member of the Michiana Paralegal Association.

Rashel Crey Prieto

Santa Ana, CA

Rashel Crey Prieto joined the team in January 2024 from Colombia, known for her caring and thoughtful approach. From a young age, she has had a strong sense of helping others, enhancing her communication and listening skills. Her commitment drives her to continually improve and build strong client connections. Her passion and unwavering commitment ensure high-quality service. Fluent in Spanish and English, she is studying Business Administration at Universidad del Atlántico. Outside work, she enjoys cooking with her mom, hiking, swimming, and studying personal marketing. She is also a member of 'Florecer en el Desierto,' supporting women with breast cancer.

Tatyana Kats-Kirichenko joined Rosenberg & Rodriguez, PLLC in 2017 as a paralegal and later became office manager and bookkeeper. She obtained her Paralegal Certificate from Queensborough Community College in 2008 and her Associate’s Degree in 2013. She is fluent in Russian and conversant in Hebrew and Uzbek.

Jennifer Montgomery

Granger, IN

Jennifer Montgomery is the Billing Administrator for Gardner & Rans P.C. She grew up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and moved to Berrien Springs, Michigan. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Coastal Carolina University with a major in Political Science and a minor in Philosophy, and a Paralegal Certificate from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). She previously worked as a full-time paralegal for the firm.

Sandra T. Parga

Aurora, IL

Sandra T. Parga came to the law firm from the Kane County Public Defender's Office. While at the Public Defender's Office, Ms. Parga represented persons charged in both criminal and civil proceedings. Ms. Parga spent a substantial amount of time dealing with both pre-trial felonies and domestic violence cases. In addition, Ms. Parga is very familiar with the juvenile court system in both delinquency and dependency cases. Ms Parga was also part of the defense team in serious felony and murder cases. Prior to her service with the Public Defender's Office, Ms Parga worked for Prairie State Legal Services. At Prairie State, Ms. Parga became familiar with civil litigation including all phases of divorce and family law. Ms. Parga also represented persons in claims for social security benefits and landlord/tenant disputes. Ms. Parga came to the practice of law from Cornell Law School, a nationally ranked law school, considered one of the top 10 law schools in the nation. At Cornell University, she served as secretary of the Latin American Law Student Association. Ms. Parga's practice is concentrated in criminal and civil litigation including family law. Ms. Parga is fluent in English, Spanish, and speaks some French and Italian.

Ahmad L. Desoky

Jersey City, NJ

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Dayana Pinto

Albany, CA

Dayana is a proactive and strategic Business Development Case Manager with a strong background in strategic planning, financial analysis, and organizational management. She specializes in identifying growth opportunities, optimizing processes, and building strong relationships to drive business success. With dual degrees in Business and Social Work, Dayana combines analytical expertise with a deep understanding of human behavior, allowing her to develop tailored solutions that enhance efficiency and impact. Her ability to bridge business strategy with social insights makes her a dynamic professional in case management and business development. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Dutch, she seamlessly navigates international markets and diverse professional environments. Beyond her career, Dayana values quality time with family and enjoys sports.