Italian-Speaking Attorneys

Sam Darby

Roanoke, VA

Sam Darby has over 45 years of legal experience, focusing primarily on municipal and business law, including tax-exempt revenue bond financing and infrastructure financing. He is a nationally recognized bond counsel with a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating. He represents clients in complex business and finance matters, serving as legal counsel for various local and regional business and government entities. Fluent in French and conversant in Spanish and Italian, he has experience with multinational business ventures. He has been recognized as 'Legal Elite' by Virginia Business Magazine and a 'Virginia Super Lawyer'.

Charles C. Russo

Islandia, NY

Charlie Russo is the senior partner of the firm of Russo, Karl, Widmaier & Cordano, PLLC. Charlie is a graduate of the University of Vermont, received a Master’s Degree from C.W. Post in 1974 and his Juris Doctorate from Hofstra Law School in 1978. Following law school, Charlie spent several years as an assistant district attorney prosecuting major felonies in Suffolk County and he continues to be active in the practice of criminal law. Charlie has embraced a lifelong dedication to young people, especially those facing the crisis of addiction. For the past 38 years he has served as both Chairman of the Board of Directors and legal counsel to Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson which provides family services, counseling and residential facilities for young men, the homeless, and families in need. His roots in this area of service stem from his days at Melville House, a residential home for young men where he lived for six years. He credits that experience, combined with his employment as a social worker at the Nassau County Children's Shelter, as being a significant influence in shaping his sensitivity and commitment to the homeless and youth in crisis. For the past 34 years Charlie has been the founder, fundraiser, and "man in the red suit" for a project known as Christmas Magic, which seeks to enhance the holiday spirit for families in crisis and for children within those families who seek only to experience the magic of Christmas. During the Fall and early Winter each year, Charlie works incessantly, to raise the funds necessary to provide Christmas to thousands of underprivileged kids and their families living in various shelters and programs throughout Suffolk and Nassau Counties. He has touched the lives of so many children by etching in their memory, a positive and loving picture of Christmas despite the problems that plague them and their families during the holidays. Last year Christmas Magic reached over 12,000 deserving children. Charlie is proud to serve as Board Chair for the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless and enjoys the synergy between the Coalition, Hope House, and Christmas Magic which has been created and has helped to enhance the lives of so many. Through his charitable activities, Charlie has developed an area of legal expertise unique to Long Island. He has vast experience in New York State Not-For-Profit Corporate Law- guiding corporations through the legal and bureaucratic maze of complicated financing, which is necessary for providing millions of dollars in revenue to create housing for the disabled and homeless. He is also a Founder and Board Member of the Empire National Bank in Islandia, New York. As a result of his efforts, he has been recognized by numerous community service agencies and most recently was presented with the prestigious New York State Bar Association Root/Stimson Award.

Joe Costanza

Gillette, WY

Joe Costanza, originally from Pueblo, Colorado, earned his B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Italian Language from Colorado State University-Pueblo. While completing his studies, he interned at the Pueblo District Attorney’s Office. A trained paralegal, Joe began his legal career working at a private law firm in Colorado, focusing on criminal defense and personal injury law. Joe later moved to New England after being accepted to the University of Massachusetts School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor. Following law school, Joe lived in Rome, Italy, where he worked at a law firm specializing in international aviation and maritime law. Fluent in Italian and well-versed in the Italian legal system, he became qualified to sit for the Italian Bar Exam. Joe holds dual citizenship in both the United States and Italy. Upon returning from Europe, Joe served as an Assistant District Attorney in Massachusetts, eventually becoming a District Court Supervising Attorney, a role he held for several years. He later relocated to Wyoming to join his longtime friend Steven Titus at Steven Titus & Associates, P.C., where he is continuing his commitment to the law.

Samir Hadeed

Pittsburgh, PA

Samir Hadeed is a Pittsburgh criminal and injury lawyer with over 15 years of experience, practicing since 2008. He is a multilingual advocate, fluent in English, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, and Italian, ensuring clear communication and personalized legal guidance for his clients. Known for his compassionate, client-focused service and calculated legal strategies, he is dedicated to fighting for fair treatment and achieving results in criminal defense, personal injury, auto accidents, and traffic ticket cases.

Eric L. Toscano

San Francisco, CA

Eric brings over twenty years of entrepreneurial and legal experience to his role as Chief Executive Officer of Tenant Law Group, a firm recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in the Bay Area in 2024; by Law Firm 500 for the past six years as one of the 100 fastest growing law firms in the United States; by Inc. 5000 in 2022, 2024, and 2025 as one of the fastest growing private companies in the country; and by Great Place to Work® every year since 2021 as a Great Place to Work. In less than ten years, Eric has grown Tenant Law Group from a de facto solo practice to the largest law firm in California (and arguably the United States) dedicated exclusively to tenant representation. Named Super Lawyers® Rising Star every year from 2015 to 2019, and Northern California Super Lawyer® every year since 2021, Eric is passionate about entrepreneurship, litigation, and social justice. Although he practiced as an attorney at the firm from 2016 to 2020, he now dedicates 100% of his time to running it. As Chief Executive Officer, his primary focus is on leading a team of nearly forty legal professionals, recruiting and retaining top-tier legal talent from around the world, attracting and onboarding new clients, building the firm’s technology infrastructure, overseeing all finances, and continuing to scale the firm to serve approximately 17 million tenants in California. Born in the South Bay and raised in the Central Valley and Wine Country, Eric earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Stanford University, where he was actively involved in Stanford Student Enterprises (an organization of student entrepreneurs); studied abroad in Florence, Italy for a quarter; and played on the Stanford Rugby Team. Before attending law school, Eric spent three years living in Italy. There, he founded an English language school (The English Language Institute of Montebelluna) in Montebelluna, Italy, and launched an online company that helps people with Italian ancestry be recognized as Italian citizens (Italian Citizenship & Genealogy Services). He earned his law degree from UC Davis School of Law, where he was President of the Student Bar Association, a member of the Moot Court Board, and one of ten students in his class selected to be a member of The Order of Barristers, a national honor society dedicated to excellence in oral advocacy. During law school, Eric also worked as an intern in the Government Division of the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, and as a judicial extern for the Honorable Morrison C. England, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. After law school, he spent two and a half years working on behalf of large technology companies as a patent litigator for an international law firm. Although he found the work interesting, he was frustrated by the lack of skilled management and clear expectations (beyond billable hours) and by a culture he felt was driven by organizational hierarchy and office politics. When he founded Tenant Law Group (originally, Toscano Law Group) in January 2016, his goal was to build a different kind of law firm: one that fostered critical thinking and innovation; one focused on the personal, professional, and economic growth of its team members; one operated by clearly documented policies, systems, and procedures; one that offered a positive and supportive environment and took no team member for granted; and one that was committed to growing rapidly to serve an expanding and underserved clientele-in this case, tenants. While an attorney at Tenant Law Group, Eric dedicated 100% of his practice to tenant rights. He defended tenants in unlawful detainer (eviction) proceedings and pursued cases against landlords on behalf of tenants arising from illegal rent-controlled apartment evictions, harassment, unsafe conditions and repair issues, rodent and other pest infestations, and floods and fires. Eric has given back to the legal community through his involvement with his alma mater, UC Davis School of Law (King Hall), the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF), and the San Francisco Eviction Defense Collaborative. In July 2025, he was elected President of the UC Davis School of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors. As President, Eric will work with the Board to strengthen connections among the Law School’s approximately 8,800 alumni worldwide; support current students through mentorship, networking, and professional development; and celebrate and amplify the achievements of the UC Davis Law School alumni community. He regularly returns to King Hall as an alumni panelist in the school’s Legal Research and Writing and Lawyering Process courses. He served on the Barristers Club of the BASF Board of Directors for two years (and was Vice President of the Board for one of those years), and was named Barrister of the Year in 2014. From 2015 to 2019, he served on the Board of Directors of the Eviction Defense Collaborative, a San Francisco nonprofit that helps low-income tenants defend themselves in unlawful detainer lawsuits. He has also given talks to UC College of the Law (formerly UC Hastings) students on entrepreneurship and tenant law.

Thomas M. Federman

North Wales, PA

Thomas M. Federman is a principal in Hladik, Onorato & Federman, LLP, with a career in the residential mortgage default industry spanning since the early-1980s. He has represented virtually every major mortgage investor and servicer in the country. He served on the USFN’s Board of Directors and is a frequent speaker at industry events. In addition to his legal practice, he is an experienced real estate developer and is active in various philanthropic and community interests.

Abraham Fernando Carpio

Hyattsville, MD

Abraham Fernando Carpio has worked in public service at state and federal levels since 1997. He began his legal career clerking for Judge Gary I. Strausberg and then joined the Office of the Public Defender. He served as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army JAG Corps, where he was a Legal Assistance attorney, Trial Defense Counsel, Government Appellate Attorney, and Contract Trial Attorney. In private practice, he focuses on immigrant rights, criminal defense, and providing high-quality legal representation. He is fluent in Spanish and conversant in Italian, and an active member of the Hispanic Bar Association for the District of Columbia and Maryland. He is licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals of Maryland, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the Army Court of Appeals, and the Federal District Court for the District of Maryland.

Mario R. Giommoni is an attorney at Ratzan Weissman & Boldt. He focuses his practice on catastrophic negligence, medical malpractice, products liability, wrongful death, and commercial disputes. He is fluent in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.

Cassandra L. Block (formerly Dulepski)

Hartford, CT

Attorney Cassandra L. Block is a graduate of Quinnipiac University and the University of Connecticut School of Law. Her practice is focused on the areas of personal injury and workers' compensation, as well as housing and animal law matters. Attorney Block handles all aspects of the firm's cases from intake to filing suit in court, mediation, arbitration, trial and settlement. She is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, including the Young Lawyers Section, Women in the Law Section, LGBT Section, and Chair of the Animal Law Section, as well as the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association. Attorney Block is committed to pro bono work in several areas including eviction defense. She and her wife have three dogs - Everest, Logan and Ro - all of whom love coming into the office, and three cats - Bernice, Cocoa Puff and Grayson! They also welcomed their son Reilly on September 25, 2024.

Paul A. Bargellini

Melville, NY

Paul A. Bargellini is lead trial counsel in The Odierno Law Firm, P.C.’s no-fault litigation department. Born in Florence, Italy, he graduated from Hofstra University Law School in 2002 and has extensive experience in civil courts across New York, securing thousands of plaintiff's verdicts and settling over five thousand cases.

David S. Vogel

Seattle, WA

David Vogel is of counsel at Oshan & Associates, assisting with personal injury cases in California and litigation. David Vogel was a former King County Prosecutor with history of negotiating large settlements and founder of Law Office of David S Vogel.

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.

Gail Jean Hann Mitchell

Union, NJ

Gail Jean Hann Mitchell is a Spanish-speaking attorney specializing in matrimonial and real estate law. She was admitted to practice in New Jersey and U.S. Federal Courts in 1983. She is also fluent in French, German, Russian, and Italian.

Julian Bellenghi

El Segundo, CA

Mr. Bellenghi specializes in trial and appellate law. He has tried and pursued appeals of various cases in local and federal courts in California, the District of Columbia, New York, and Connecticut. His areas of expertise include labor and employment, union-management relations, probate, contract interpretation, torts, specifically catastrophic personal injury, libel and slander, and intra-church disputes. Mr. Bellenghi also has represented clients in labor arbitrations, contract negotiations, and before federal and state regulatory agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, United States Department of Labor, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

Daniel J. Di Matteo is a Partner at Ferraro Law, focusing on representing victims against manufacturers of dangerous products. An experienced litigator, he has successfully handled numerous complex motions and trials, leading the firm's Roundup practice. Prior to joining Ferraro Law in 2019, he served three years as an Assistant County Attorney. He earned his J.D. from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, and is recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Giorgio is an experienced Civil Litigator with a demonstrated history of effectiveness inside and out of the courtroom. A native of Los Angeles, he attended undergraduate school at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he served two years as Chief Justice of the student body, ruling on matters ranging from academic and social violations to bribery, fraud, and larceny between or amongst the student body. After undergraduate school, Giorgio started his career in the financial industry, becoming the youngest Chief Financial Officer of a nationally-recognized commodities firm at the age of 21. Despite brokering multi-million dollar transactions, he knew that it was not his calling, and attended Southwestern University School of Law, where he graduated in the well known SCALE program, the first accelerated two-year program in the United States, graduating in 2014. In 2015, Giorgio was admitted to the State Bar of California, serving as In House Counsel for an entertainment production company, negotiating and drafting contracts between musicians and artists against corporate industry giants. Again, something was missing. As a automobile accident victim when he was just a young boy, Giorgio found his purpose by helping clients seek justice and the pursuit of their rights against those who have left them physically, emotionally and financially injured. He knows all too well how someone else’s intentional or negligent conduct can change the lives of the victim and loved ones. Giorgio is a firm believer that every case is unique because every person is different and has had their life changed in their own unique way. His experiences have shaped him into an aggressive but in-control advocate for his clients, representing them in all areas of personal injury, including automobile accidents, premises liability cases, wrongful death cases, boating accidents, and more. His thoughtful approach to each case found him selected to the Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers, a distinction only few achieve. As a personal injury victim who had no representation, Giorgio knows how important it is to have an attorney by one’s side that can relate to the human element of the experience.

Natalia M. Salas is a Partner at Ferraro Law, leading high-stakes litigation including multi-district litigation (MDL), mass torts, complex commercial disputes, and class actions. She has held leadership roles in federal MDLs, including Lead Counsel in the Robinhood trading restrictions litigation and on the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in the Insulin Pricing Litigation MDL. Fluent in Spanish and conversational in Italian, Ms. Salas is recognized for her strategic judgment and commitment to clients.

David S. Pallai is a partner with over twenty years of extensive trial and litigation experience in State Supreme Court and Federal District Court. He defends complex litigation cases with catastrophic exposure, including medical, hospital, dental, and nursing home malpractice, school and municipal law, product liability, labor law, construction, automobile and premises liability, and insurance coverage issues. He is admitted to the New Jersey and New York Bar, and U.S. District Courts in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian.

Aimee E. Sportini

Hartford, CT

Attorney Aimee E. Sportini is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University School of Law. During her time at Quinnipiac, she was an associate editor of the Probate Law Journal and was an active member in the Human Trafficking Prevention Project. Her practice is focused on the areas of personal injury and workers' compensation. Attorney Sportini is involved in all aspects of the firm's cases from intake to resolution, including negotiating settlements and through litigation. She is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, including the Litigation Section, Young Lawyer's Section and Workers’ Compensation Section. She is also involved in the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. Attorney Sportini loves spending time in the gym and trying new restaurants and enjoys returning to her hometown of Stratford, CT to spend time with her family.

Armen Kiramijyan

Glendale, CA

Armen Kiramijyan serves as lead counsel at KAASS Law, licensed in California, New York, Texas, Utah, and Washington, D.C. He holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Economics from USC and a JD from California Western School of Law. He has over a decade of experience and is admitted to practice before various courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Alexander Guttieres

Miami, FL

Alexander Guttieres is Of Counsel at Perkins Law Offices, with over thirty years of experience as a litigator and transactional attorney. He is licensed to practice in Florida and Italy, handling a broad range of civil and criminal matters in the United States and throughout the European Union. His extensive professional experience in common law and civil law systems, international background, and proficiency in multiple languages make him uniquely qualified for complex litigation, commercial transactions, and family disputes across varied jurisdictions.

Yafresie Feliz

Passaic, NJ

Yafresie Feliz is an Associate in the firm’s Personal Injury and Worker’s Compensation Practices. Mrs. Feliz graduated from Drew University in May 2010.Then proceeded to obtain her Master’s Degree with a concentration in Conflict Management & Peace Studies from Montclair State University in May 2012 with Honors. Ms. Feliz graduated from Rutgers School of Law-Newark in May 2015, and has worked in law firm environments ever since, practicing in New Jersey. After graduating law school, Mrs. Feliz began her legal career in general litigation, which now focuses on personal injury and worker’s compensation. Mrs. Feliz strives each and everyday to advance her client’s interest through the arts of persuasive legal writing and research, file management and analysis, and oral advocacy. Mrs. Feliz is bilingual in Spanish and fluent in Italian.

Rudy Pacheco

Santa Ana, CA

Rudy Pacheco is a trial attorney dedicated to representing victims of personal injury, including those injured by reckless drivers, defective products, vicious animals, and medical malpractice. He is known for securing high-value settlements and holding culprits accountable, even in complex cases involving children and vulnerable adults. A native Spanish speaker, also conversant in French and Italian, Rudy effectively communicates with diverse clients. He has trial experience in Orange, San Diego, and San Francisco Counties, notably trying a civil case during the COVID-19 shutdown. Rudy graduated Magna Cum Laude from Whittier Law School and was admitted to the California State Bar in 2014. Prior to his legal career, he was an interpreter and taught Spanish at California State University Long Beach.

Claire Crowson

Wasilla, AK

Anchorage personal injury attorney Claire Crowson is deeply committed to using her legal education and experience to help level the playing field between insurance companies and injured Alaskans. Claire is a Swiss American citizen who is fluent in French, German, Italian and English. She graduated from St. Lawrence University and leveraged her language skills for the US Army prior to going back to school to get a master’s degree in business. Although Claire was happy using her languages and business experience for large, multinational companies, her desire to help ensure that everyone receives fair and equal treatment led her to pursue a law degree and to focus on serving injured Alaskans. Claire has been part of Crowson Law Group for over 20 years and has helped with all facets of the business. In her free time, Claire enjoys spending time with her family, running on the Anchorage trails, and playing with her English Bulldog, Jack.