Hungarian-Speaking Attorneys

Holly Ostrov Ronai

New York, NY

Holly Ostrov Ronai, Esq. received her Juris Doctor Degree, Cum Laude, from Yeshiva University, Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in New York City. She is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum® and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, The Top Trial Lawyers in America®, and has been selected for New York Metro Super Lawyers. She co-founded Ronai & Ronai, LLP, in 1996.

Jeffrey M. Adams is a New York State Injury Attorney who has dedicated his legal practice to protecting and promoting the rights of injured individuals. With over 25 years of experience, he represents victims of nursing home abuse and neglect, personal injury accidents, and families of wrongful death victims. He is known for his honest case appraisals and for educating clients to make informed decisions. Mr. Adams also handled pro bono cases for 9/11 victims and their families.

George P. Roland, Esq.

Sherman Oaks, CA

George P. Roland, is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation has been in practice for over 45 years. Mr. Roland is a pillar of the Workers’ Compensation community and is additionally well seasoned in all Personal Injuries (P.I.), and has also represented individuals in Social Security, and Discrimination cases. After graduating from U.C. Berkeley with a B.S. in Philosophy in 1970 and a short writing career, George Roland was admitted to the University of Denver College Of Law, where he was active in the Public Defender’s office both as an investigator as well as a “student attorney,” also practicing civilly with the Denver Legal Aid Clinic. Mr. Roland was admitted to the California State Bar in 1975, practicing criminal, civil, and Workers’ Compensation law, becoming a “Certified Specialist” in Workers’ Compensation. Mr. Roland is admitted to practice in California before the Federal and State Courts, is a member in good standing of the California Applicant’s Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), Consumer Trial Lawyers’ Association (CTLA), Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association (LATLA), formerly Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association (AAA), and was a Judge Pro-Tempore and Arbitrator in Workers’ Compensation. Mr. Roland was born in Paris, France, and speaks French, Hungarian, as well as Spanish. Mr. Roland was the founder of his own law office previously and has now joined the MB&A team in his final quest to obtain justice for injured workers in need.

Elliot J. Sokoloff

Royal Palm Beach, FL

Elliot J. Sokoloff, Esq., is Co-Director of Sokoloff & Weinstein, P.A.-Attorneys at Law since 1993. Mr. Sokoloff is originally from New York and has been a Florida resident since 1989. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University with a degree in Applied Economics and Business Management from what is now the Dyson School of Business. He then went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law.

Peter I. Ronai

New York, NY

Peter I. Ronai, Esq. received his Juris Doctor Degree from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He co-founded Ronai & Ronai, LLP in 1996.

Christopher L. Blakesley II

Las Vegas, NV

Christopher L. Blakesley II is an attorney and co-founder of Blakesley Courtney, P.C. He was inspired to become an attorney by his father, a law professor. As a helicopter crash and burn survivor, he focuses on personal injury law to help others. He also handles business law and criminal defense. He served a two-year volunteer mission in Hungary, learning fluent Hungarian. He graduated with honors from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in psychology and earned his J.D. from UNLV Boyd School of Law. He worked as an extern for Senator Harry Reid and for a prominent personal injury attorney. He is recognized as one of Nevada's top personal injury lawyers by Nevada Business Magazine and has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star.

Vivien Smatko

Boca Raton, FL

Vivien Smatko is a personal injury attorney committed to advocating for individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of others. As a first-generation college and law school graduate, Vivien brings a strong work ethic, deep empathy, and unwavering dedication to every case she handles. Her family’s journey from Hungary in search of the American dream continues to inspire her pursuit of justice and her commitment to helping others through challenging times. Originally from Connecticut, Vivien earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations and Marketing from Nova Southeastern University. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in mock trial, which sparked her passion for advocacy and led her to pursue her J.D. at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law. Vivien began her legal career in personal injury while still in law school, working as a law clerk on both litigation and pre-litigation matters. After earning her degree, she further honed her skills as a case manager, gaining comprehensive experience with every stage of a personal injury case, from intake through resolution. Today, Vivien focuses her practice on pre-litigation personal injury matters. She is a proud member of The Florida Bar and the Florida Justice Association. Fluent in Hungarian, she values her ability to connect with clients from diverse backgrounds and provide personalized, accessible representation.

Lawrence Rosenberg

Woodland Hills, CA

Lawrence Rosenberg is a Partner specializing in workers' compensation. He graduated from UCLA and Loyola University School of Law in 1973. He was certified by the State Bar of California as a specialist in workers' compensation in 1984 and is an active member of the California Applicants Association.

Emil Lax is a partner of Segal & Lax and a capable Manhattan personal injury attorney. He concentrates his practice in the area of civil tort litigation. He is a member of the New York and New Jersey State Bar Associations and admitted to practice in Federal Court. He is also a member of the New York Trial Lawyers Association. In 1975, he graduated from Brooklyn College, with honors, and later completed his legal studies at Touro School of law, where he was a member of the Law Review. Endeavoring to assist injury victims from all walks of life, he speaks French, Hungarian, Italian, and Romanian. After taking a case, Emil takes time to explain to his clients how things usually proceed. The legal process can be very overwhelming to victims of injury who never expected to be in this situation, and Emil’s guidance provides them a point of reference that is very reassuring. Clients are so appreciative of his service that much of his business comes from references alone. A defining moment in his career was when he became connected with the idea of how helpful he can be to people through his profession, making a real difference in people's lives through personal injury law. He can represent individuals who suffered injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence, equally whether they could afford a lawyer or not. In the field of immigration, having been an immigrant himself, he can really identify with the struggles and challenges facing them and help them overcome such difficulties, including representing accident victims without legal status. He relates and connects on a human level with people, to build a trust and holistic approach to his clients issues. He is respectful and polite. Because of his knowledge of several languages he tries to interact with his clients in a very open and warm manner. Having been in practice for almost thirty years, he gained the knowledge and skills to pursue his client's rights to the maximum. The field of negligence law requires skills in advocacy, negotiation and a willingness to challenge the status quo. He feels that the years of experience and continuing legal education has instilled in him a willingness to think out of the box, find alternatives and be creative to obtain the best possible results for his clients. His elementary education was in Romania. Then he was two years in Italy where he worked for an immigration agency. While there he acquired fluency in Italian and studied English. His college and graduate education were in New York City. His hobbies include reading, cooking, baking, and travel. He participated as a soccer coach in youth leagues sponsored by his town and on various committees of his house of worship.

Csilla E. Smith

Middleburg Hts, OH

Csilla E. Smith joined Phillips & Mille in 2023. Csilla’s practice includes the following areas: estate planning, estate administration, long term care planning, financial powers of attorney, healthcare powers of attorney, living wills, wills, guardianships, asset protection planning, and trust administration. Csilla is experienced and sensitive in assisting, advising, and walking alongside those going through the process of administering a loved one’s estate. Csilla enjoys getting to know clients and advising clients regarding their specific and unique circumstances. Estate planning is not a one size fits all situation. In her immediate family Csilla has experienced firsthand the unexpected loss of loved ones, intestate estate administration, long term care needs, and lack of estate planning.

Ferenc Karoly

Providence, RI

Ferenc Karoly is a former public servant with 22 years of experience, including being a U.S. Navy veteran and Acting Chief of the Middletown Police Department. He is a police procedures expert and well-versed in Criminal Law, having served as a police prosecutor for Middletown for four years. He has extensive experience in employment and labor negotiations, having drafted and lobbied for legislation. He conducts training on criminal procedure and police misconduct and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Suffolk University Law School and is admitted to the RI and MA Bar. He is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational Hungarian.