French-Speaking Attorneys

Aggeliki Psonis

Miami Beach, FL

A graduate of Boston University, with a JD from CUNY law school, Aggeliki focuses her practice on real estate transactions, estate planning and administration, business law and general litigation. She has extensive experience representing buyers, sellers, investors and business owners based in New York and internationally. Aggeliki is admitted in the states of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, as well as in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. She is also a licensed Real Estate broker. She is a proud member of the Inspiring Women in Law League (IWILL) and the Hellenic Lawyers Association. She speaks fluent Greek and conversational French and Spanish. Aside from lawyering, she enjoys being a radio producer and performing artist.

Anthony Valcke is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales, and a member of the Brussels bar in Belgium and the Palermo bar in Italy. He holds dual degrees in English and French law from King’s College London and Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, a Masters in EU law from Université Libre de Bruxelles, and a PhD in Comparative Law from Università di Palermo. He started his career with prestigious law firms in London and specializes in immigration law, social security, and private client matters. He also teaches law at the University of Kent and the Brussels School of Governance. He speaks English, French, and Italian.

Sarah L. Waddoups

Rogers, AR

Sarah L. Waddoups is an attorney whose practice focuses on estate planning (trusts, wills, powers of attorney, probate) and appeals to the Arkansas Supreme Court and Arkansas Court of Appeals.

Sylvia Cabrera

Seattle, WA

Sylvia Cabrera is fluent in Spanish, English, French, Italian and Portuguese. Sylvia currently heads the Hispanic department of Herrmann Law Group, leading our effort to better serve the largest and fastest growing minority in Washington State. Sylvia was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico. She received her J.D. from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. Later, she earned a Master of Arts in Diplomatic Studies from the Diplomatic Mexican Academy; a Global Master of Arts from Tufts University, in Boston, MA and, recently a LL.M. from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. She joined the Mexican Foreign Service in 1998 and served in different areas of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico and abroad. She has alternated her professional career between the public service and the academic sector. She was a professor in the areas of public international law, multilateral and bilateral negotiations, and world legal systems. Before joining our team, Sylvia served as Deputy Consul at the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle for 6 years where she was deeply engaged in providing better opportunities to the Mexican community in Washington State. Her work there has influenced her commitment to building alliances with numerous organizations and government agencies in the Pacific Northwest to advance the rights of the Hispanic community. Sylvia is the co-founder of the nonprofit organization La TribUne dedicated to make trustworthy resources readily available for the Hispanic community in Washington through a web-based platform. From legal assistance to business and wellness, the platform is designed to walk the user through different options to solve a particular issue. You can follow on Facebook. She is admitted to practice law in Mexico.

Stephanie Alvarez

Beverly Hills, CA

Stephanie Alvarez is a Litigation Attorney at Omega Law Group, advocating for clients in personal injury matters with a strategic, client-centered approach. She began her legal career as a Certified Law Clerk at the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and practiced consumer protection law. She earned her J.D. from Western State College of Law and her B.A. from UC Riverside. She is fluent in Spanish and has working knowledge of French. Stephanie is an active member of the Latina Lawyers Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Outside of work, she is an avid runner, violinist, and enjoys yoga, salsa dancing, and gastronomy.

Diego Matus

Baton Rouge, LA

Diego J. Matus is an Associate Attorney at The Scott Law Firm, focusing on Immigration and Personal Injury. Born in Mobile, AL, and raised in Baton Rouge, LA, he double-majored in Political Science and French at Louisiana State University. He received his Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center and was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 2024. As the son of an immigrant, he brings personal understanding to immigration matters and is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.

Shelby Osborne

Lexington, KY

Shelby Osborne, a Lexington native, pursued law after studying political science and biology at the University of Kentucky. She gained experience in real estate transactions and personal injury law before joining Hicks & Funfsinn, PLLC. She has represented individuals in various matters, including depositions, oral arguments, and mediations.

Valerie L. Lord

Naples, FL

Ms. Lord’s practice is focused on community association law, offering comprehensive legal services to condominiums, homeowners’ associations, and cooperatives. Her expertise encompasses drafting, amending, and interpreting governing documents and statutes, ensuring her clients are in full compliance with current laws. She also provides strategic advice to community association boards on governance, legal updates, contract administration and negotiations, and handling violations effectively. With a background as a community association manager, Ms. Lord brings a unique perspective to her legal practice. Her hands-on experience managing various community associations has equipped her with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by both members and directors. This insight into community governance allows her to develop practical, tailored solutions that address immediate concerns while promoting long-term stability and harmony within associations. “My greatest professional accomplishment occurred the day I took my oath as an attorney. I will always remember the awe I felt, and the sense of responsibility to others to become the best I could be and give my best at all times.”

Silvia Surdez, a member of the New York Bar since 1993, brings over 30 years of legal experience to her clients. She holds a Juris Doctor from Pace University School of Law and is fluent in Spanish and English, allowing her to serve a diverse clientele effectively.

Jon Winter

Los Angeles, CA

Jon Winter is a dedicated Trial Attorney at The Dominguez Firm, known for his unwavering commitment to justice and passion for helping those in need. With over 14 years of experience, he exclusively represents plaintiffs against powerful corporations and insurance companies.

Kurt O. Hawes

Draper, UT

Kurt Hawes brings 12 years of experience in tax, government relations and corporate matters to K. Hawes Associates, PLLC. He has been involved in litigation of state and local tax matters at both the administrative and judicial levels, as well as general corporate litigation. Additionally, he has helped clients with tax disputes in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and California. He has also represented clients before the IRS in income, gift, estate and fuel tax disputes. As general counsel for a large biodiesel production company, Mr. Hawes represented his client in various audits and controversies before the IRS related to fuel tax credits and general fuel tax reporting. Mr. Hawes expertise also goes beyond tax to include property disputes, employment litigation, and general contract litigation. From 2004-2005, he served as a federal judicial law clerk for the Honorable Dee Benson, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah.

Carolina A. Collado

Miami, FL

Carolina A. Collado is an experienced attorney, with a focus in Immigration law. Before joining the firm, Carolina was most recently an Assistant Chief Counsel who spent several years as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Carolina joins the firm with a vast knowledge of Immigration and Nationality law and has represented individuals across the country and internationally. Prior to her work with the government, Carolina worked with a prestigious immigration law firm in Miami. Carolina successfully represented individuals in immigration-related matters involving removal defense, waivers of criminal convictions, asylum, family-based petition, residence, citizenship and employment-based petitions. Carolina has also appeared on behalf of clients in the U.S. District Court and Court of Appeals. Early in her career, Carolina worked as a real estate attorney, a title agent and represented individuals in Bankruptcy. Carolina graduated from The George Washington University Law School in 2009, where she worked in the Immigration Law Clinic and completed a federal internship program with the Department of Homeland Security. Carolina graduated cum laude from the University of Florida in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science. It was during her years at university where Carolina discovered her love of traveling, while she spent a semester abroad in Paris, France. Carolina is fluent in Spanish and can speak basic French. Carolina is a Miami native and proud alumna of Our Lady of Lourdes Academy and Saint Theresa School, where she met Carlos Jimenez when they were children.

Anna Batanero

Irvine, CA

Ms. Batanero has been a practicing attorney since 1998. She has exclusively represented injured workers during her 25-year career and is sensitive to the needs and concerns of the injured worker. She considers herself a zealous advocate, and believes that every one of her clients deserves fierce representation in the complicated workers’ compensation system. She has volunteered at the Legal Aid in Orange County, the office of the Orange County Public Defender, and the Los Angeles Superior Court in Pomona. For two years, Ms. Batanero served as the Chair of the Workers’ Compensation section of the Long Beach Bar Association. She has also represented her clients in Social Security Disability appeals. Ms. Batanero speaks Spanish and French. She was born and raised in Southern California and enjoys cycling, reading, cooking, yoga, kickboxing, and traveling. She is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation law since 2009.

Chloe M. Boudazin primarily practices family law, including divorce, custody, and support, as well as civil litigation. She was a Lead Editor for the Drexel Law Review and is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish.

Rachel Wilber

Santa Rosa, CA

Rachel Wilber is a Sonoma County native who graduated from Ursuline High school in 1994. Prior to studying law, she attended Santa Rosa Junior College and Humboldt State University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in French after spending a year in the south of France. Rachel went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Education and a teaching credential from Mills College in Oakland. She taught English and Social studies to eighth graders for a year in the East Bay before returning to Sonoma County and enrolling at Empire College School of Law in 2005. Rachel has dedicated her practice to criminal defense. While studying law at Empire and working two other jobs, she began clerking at the Sonoma County Public Defender’s Office. She graduated from Empire College Cum Laude in 2009, having contributed to both the Moot Court team competition and the Law Review. Since her first days in the Public Defender’s Office, Rachel knew she was where she belonged. She began practicing full time as a Deputy Public Defender as soon as she passed the Bar in 2009. During her time as a public defender, Rachel handled thousands of cases from misdemeanors to felonies with successful results, including everything from DUIs to gang related assaults to medical marijuana. Clients have consistently expressed gratitude for her ability to empathize, her compassion, her willingness to listen, and her strength in the courtroom. Having worked closely with judges and prosecutors on a daily basis, Rachel is skilled at anticipating the judge’s view of a case, what the likely outcome will be at sentencing, negotiating the best disposition with prosecutors, and seeing the case from the eyes of potential jurors. Rachel is licensed to practice law in the State of California and is a member of the Sonoma County Bar Association and California Attorneys for Criminal Justice. When outside the courtroom, she can be found practicing yoga or jogging with her great dane.

Diana J. Kaufman

Glenwood Springs, CO

Diana J. Kaufman is the Office Manager at Donald J. Kaufman, Attorney at Law, having joined in 2008. She holds a B.A. in International Relations and Chinese Language from the University of Colorado and is fluent in English, French, Mandarin, and Taiwanese. She is also involved in several community organizations.

Katherine O’Donnell

Philadelphia, PA

Kate O’Donnell is committed to advocating for injured people, focusing on medical malpractice and nursing home cases. She graduated from Rutgers Law School in 2024 and was an active member of the Rutgers Law community, serving as Associate Managing Editor for the Rutgers International Law and Human Rights Journal.

Luis Alvidrez

Shoreline, WA

Luis Alvidrez was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and raised in Arizona. He earned his degree in Business Law from Arizona State University, where he developed an interest in helping people through the legal system. Before going to law school, he worked as a case manager, which gave him early, hands-on experience with personal injury cases. Luis attended Seattle University School of Law, where he received the Presidential Scholarship. While in school, he clerked at a respected Arizona law firm, gaining practical experience and building the foundation for what’s now nearly a decade of work in personal injury law. He’s fluent in Spanish and is proud to serve clients from diverse backgrounds. And while he spends most of his time focused on his clients, he’s also been keeping a surprisingly long Duolingo streak in French, and he can easily bench 315 lbs. for reps.

Jessica Davis Triebe

Coon Rapids, MN

Attorney Jessica D. Triebe was raised in Peoria, IL and later moved to the Chicago area to attend Benedictine University as an undergraduate. She earned a B.A. in International Studies from Benedictine, which included a semester studying abroad in France to complete her French Language minor. After graduation, Jessica worked for two years as a paralegal in a Chicago metro area bankruptcy and foreclosure law firm. She then decided to pursue her legal degree and spent one year at Gonzaga School of Law in Washington State before transferring to and graduating from DePaul College of Law. During her law school career, Jessica was an active participant in school volunteer organizations. She interned at the Washington State Department of Social and Human Services in the Adult Protective Services division pursuing elder abuse violations and at the Cook County Public Guardian's Office in the Adult Guardianship division maintaining guardianship estates. She also volunteered at the Domestic Violence Project in Chicago as a Supervising Attorney responsible for dozens of law students aiding individuals in obtaining Orders or Protection. Outside of the law, Jessica enjoys spending time with family and friends, riding horses, watching foreign films, and traveling. In recent years, with support of Midwest Disability, she has worked with several pro bono clients on Social Security Disability overpayment cases. Jessica has remained focused on using her legal knowledge and skill to help those that are disabled, elderly, or abused. This focus and motivation keep her firmly committed to Midwest Disability's clients in their pursuit of much-needed benefits.

Kate Gagutlova

Seattle, WA

Kate Gagutlova moved to the U.S. from Russia and earned a master’s degree in linguistics and interpreting, then a bachelor’s degree in Business and Innovation in Technology from the University of Washington. She attended Seattle University School of Law, where she worked as a research assistant and in the Defenders Clinic. She is fluent in Russian, English, and French, and studied Arabic, Spanish, Italian, and Turkish.

Sonja L. Cajuste

Hollywood, FL

Sonja Cajuste is a seasoned and multilingual attorney who brings over a decade of experience in litigation, real estate, and legal consulting to Levin Litigation. She holds a Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center and a B.A. from Howard University.

Josh Davis

Ardmore, PA

Joshua Davis specializes in Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income benefits. He has practiced disability law at Silver & Silver since 2022, and he has worked in the field since 2016. Mr. Davis received a Juris Doctorate Magna Cum Laude from Temple University and a Bachelor of Arts Cum Laude from Dickinson College, where he studied International Relations with a specialization in Sub-Saharan Africa studies and French.

Bonnie Spaccarelli Hannon

Barrington, IL

Bonnie Spaccarelli Hannon (In Memoriam) was an attorney who focused on probate, guardianship, elder law, estate planning, and real estate. She was licensed in Illinois and Massachusetts.

Rachel Wilber

Santa Rosa, CA

Rachel Wilber is a Sonoma County native who graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in French, and Mills College with a Master’s Degree in Education. She earned her law degree Cum Laude from Empire College School of Law in 2009. While studying law, she clerked at the Sonoma County Public Defender’s Office. She began practicing full time as a Deputy Public Defender as soon as she passed the Bar in 2009. During her time as a public defender, Rachel handled thousands of cases from misdemeanors to felonies, including DUIs, gang related assaults, and medical marijuana. Clients have consistently expressed gratitude for her ability to empathize, her compassion, her willingness to listen, and her strength in the courtroom. She is skilled at anticipating the judge’s view of a case, negotiating the best disposition with prosecutors, and seeing the case from the eyes of potential jurors.