Spanish-Speaking Attorneys

Tamara has a broad civil defense practice. Tamara has over 20 years of experience defending personal injury and fatality cases involving commercial carriers (bus and truck companies) and businesses (hotels, pool service companies, commercial garage door service companies, restaurants, movie theatre, warehouses, food packing company, ambulance, courier, crane, and construction subcontractors) under commercial general liability policies. Tamara also represents doctors in Texas Medical Board investigations, OIG/AG/QIC/ZPIC overpayment audits, hospital peer review and credentialing matters and malpractice cases. Because of her experience in the insurance industry, Tamara provides insurance coverage opinions as well as handle first party litigation and dec actions involving coverage disputes. Tamara defends Mexican and US trucking companies operating in the US/Mexican border zone, an area she calls home. She develops a rapport with her clients early in the ligation process. Communication and contact with her clients are key factors to her success in obtaining no negligence/zero verdicts for her clients in federal and state courts along the border. She and her staff are bilingual. She has the resources and experience to safely travel into the Mexican border when the need arises to better understand her client’s operations to best represent her client. As a result, she and her team of experienced lawyers and paralegals have represented the largest trucking companies from Brownsville/Matamoros, McAllen/Reynosa, Rio Grande City/Rio Bravo, Laredo/Nuevo Laredo to Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras. In addition to representing FMCSR governed carriers, Tamara also defends cases involving non-tractor trailer commercial vehicles for a wide range of businesses that operate in South Texas. Tamara understands and appreciates the importance of addressing damages early and aggressively in personal injury lawsuits. She is uniquely suited to use her Master of Law in healthcare and 25+ years of medical litigation background in all of her personal injury cases, particularly now that medical expenses are egregiously inflated and financial relationships between physicians providing care and the lawyers who refer patients to them are an aberration from traditional payment methods in medical practices.

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.

Craig Johnson

Aliso Viejo, CA

Craig Johnson, Of Counsel, is a seasoned personal injury attorney with over 36 years of experience, having started his career in 1988. A graduate of Brigham Young University and BYU Law School, he established his own personal injury practice in Bakersfield, California. He is known for exceptional negotiation skills and has recovered tens of millions for clients. Fluent in Spanish, he connects personally with his Hispanic clients. His professionalism has earned him respect in Kern County courts and the Bakersfield community.

Sara Stapleton Barrera

Harlingen, TX

Sara Stapleton Barrera is a graduate of the prestigious Trial Lawyers College and has apprenticed under one of the most formidable trial attorneys in Texas for over 10 years. She was recognized with the Brenda Tso Rising Young Lawyer Recipient and is the former President of the Cameron County Bar Association. Ms. Barrera also served on the Texas State Bar Disciplinary Committee for her region. She has practiced in Constitutional Law, Criminal Defense, and Complex Civil Litigation and Wrongful Death.

Thomas O. O’Connor

Yonkers, NY

Tom has extensive experience in civil litigation practice with a particular concentration in the insurance, commercial litigation, government protests and product liability and personal injury tort areas. Tom has tried jury cases and argued appeals on behalf of Fortune 100 companies. His insurance and business litigation practice is nationwide and he personally handles dozens of personal injury defense actions in the New York state courts.

Brad Trexler

Raleigh, NC

Bradley received his bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While completing a double major in political science and economics, Brad’s passion for criminal justice was sparked through a minor in PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics). He also continued to dedicate himself to learning about Hispanic culture and the Spanish language by studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain. Brad went on to graduate from Campbell Law School where he pursued a future in criminal law by interning with both the Wake County Public Defender’s Office and District Attorney’s Office. Before joining Matheson & Associates, Brad worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Wake County DA’s Office. Brad handled thousands of cases ranging from traffic tickets to assaults, to DWIs, and anything in-between. Brad was recently honored to be elected President of the Wake County Academy of Criminal Trial Lawyers. A Wake County native born and raised, Brad strives to use his legal knowledge to give back to his community. At Matheson & Associates Brad will achieve this goal through zealous representation of his clients in District and Superior Criminal Court. Recently married, Brad enjoys spending time with his wife and their dog, Raleigh. They love spending time outdoors, traveling, and going to concerts. Brad is a huge sports fan, particularly invested in the Philadelphia Eagles and UNC Basketball.

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.

Jane M. France

Cheyenne, WY

Jane was born and raised in Rawlins, Wyoming. She graduated from the University of Wyoming with a BA degree in History and minor in Spanish. She obtained her JD degree from the University of Wyoming College of Law. She joined the firm almost 15 years ago and became a partner in 2017. She is admitted to practice before all Wyoming state courts, the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Jane has been involved in a broad array of litigation matters throughout her career. She currently practices primarily in the areas of medical malpractice defense and personal injury defense. She enjoys representing professionals in licensing matters and has represented numerous clients before the following administrative boards: Board of Medicine, Board of Nursing, Board of Veterinary Medicine, Board of Occupational Therapists, and Board of Pharmacists. She also appears regularly before the Wyoming Public Service Commission on behalf of her public utility clients. She maintains a simple estate planning practice and is well versed in the areas of construction and oil and gas lien law. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outside with her husband Ross Hinschberger. They are avid whitewater enthusiasts and hunters. She is a licensed pilot and also tries to find time to golf and cook.

Juan R. Fuentes

Spring, TX

Mr. Juan Roberto Fuentes is the founder of The Fuentes Firm P.C. He dedicates his practice to the representation of motor carriers. He has practiced civil litigation in Texas since 1999 and is admitted to practice in all state and federal jurisdictions in Texas. Mr. Fuentes has been selected as a 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Super Lawyer. Each year, only 5% of Texas attorneys are nominated to join this prestigious list. In addition, Texas Super Lawyers has honored Mr. Fuentes as a Rising Star in the area of Transportation law for 2012, 2013 and 2014.

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.

Alex Brian Wallach

Forest Park, GA

Alex Brian Wallach is a partner at George & Wallach, L.L.L.P., focusing on Workers' Compensation and Social Security cases. A 1987 graduate of Emory University School of Law, he has been named a Super Lawyer annually since 2008 and was inducted as a Fellow of the ABA's College of Workers' Compensation Attorneys in 2016. He has held leadership roles in various legal associations, including Chairperson of the WCCL and President of the Georgia Legal Foundation.

Monika B. Barrett

Naperville, IL

Monika B. Barrett is a trial attorney at Chute O’Malley Knobloch & Turcy. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Minor in Spanish, and a Master of Arts in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio) in 2018. In 2021, she graduated Cum Laude with her Juris Doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. While in law school, she was a member of Loyola’s Civitas Child Law Center and worked as a law clerk at a Chicago personal injury and medical malpractice firm. She received a Certificate in Advocacy, a Certificate in Child and Family Law, and the CALI Award for earning the highest grade in her First Amendment course at Loyola. She also served as a Teaching Assistant for Constitutional Law. Monika grew up in Chicagoland and played competitive ice hockey, and still enjoys coaching, playing, and watching the sport.

Shannon M. Henson

West Des Moines, IA

Shannon Henson primarily practices in personal injury and insurance claims. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Iowa in 2008 and her law degree from Drake University Law School in 2011, where she also earned a Legislative Practice Certificate. She was admitted to practice law in Iowa in 2011 and is also admitted to the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa.

Marisa Ayala

Houston, TX

Marisa Ayala is a trial attorney at the Gonzalez Law Group. Her practice focuses on representing individuals in matters of criminal defense. Marisa is a native of the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Ms. Ayala attended Texas A&M University where she was a member of the Texas A&M Moot Court Team for two years. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in English from Texas A&M University, Ms. Ayala moved to Houston, Texas to attend South Texas College of Law Houston. During law school, she served as a student attorney for the Randall O. Sorrels Family Law Clinic and earned her mediation certification. Prior to joining the Gonzalez Law Group, Ms. Ayala gained valuable experience working as a law clerk for a general practitioner. While Ms. Ayala assisted primarily on matters of federal criminal defense, she also worked on cases dealing in different areas of the law.

Karl A. Rupp

Longview, TX

Karl Rupp joined Sorey & Hoover LLP in 2022 and focuses his nationwide practice on all manner of complex civil litigation. Equally adept before juries and appellate courts, Karl has tried more than 50 cases to verdict in venues across the United States and prevailed in numerous important appellate matters, resulting in published opinions in favor of his clients in the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth, Ninth and Federal Circuits. As a trial lawyer, Karl was an integral part of a multi-firm team which litigated the DataTreasury cases against the financial industry in the United States and Canada over the course of more than a decade, in the process securing hundreds of millions of dollars in royalty payments from infringing banks. His wide-ranging experience has also encompassed the successful representation of scores of plaintiffs in patent and securities class action litigation, merger and acquisition disputes, catastrophic injury cases, whistleblower suits and product liability matters. The first decade of Karl’s practice was spent honing his trial skills before federal juries and judges in California and Texas as a federal public defender.

Vincent W. Davis is the founder of the firm and has been practicing juvenile dependency law since January 1989. He is an experienced trial lawyer specializing in CPS defense, family law, and juvenile dependency cases across Southern California.

Lou Pendas

Orlando, FL

Lou Pendas was raised and educated in Central Florida, earning a B.S.B.A. from the University of Central Florida (1988) and a J.D. from St. Thomas University (1996). Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1997, he is a member of several bar associations. Mr. Pendas founded his firm to serve accident victims, emphasizing communication and understanding their struggles. His experience representing insurance companies provides a unique advantage in achieving favorable client results. He has practiced law for over twenty years in Florida.

Anieska J. Garcia

White Plains, NY

Anieska J. Garcia is an invaluable member of Marvin A. Cooper, P.C., bringing her legal background and bilingual fluency in English and Spanish to effectively represent a diverse client base in personal injury cases.

Madalene Sabino

New York, NY

Madalene Sabino is a passionate and diligent attorney at Frekhtman & Associates. She practices at the trial level of the New York State Supreme Court, handling motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, construction accidents, and medical malpractice. She holds a B.A. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a J.D. from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and speaks Spanish.

Sydney Montanaro

Portland, OR

Sydney Montanaro represents injured workers in all aspects their Oregon workers’ compensation claim as well as any related personal injury action. She also represents Oregonians in premises liability and motor vehicle collision cases. Sydney graduated cum laude from Lewis and Clark Law School and joined TCNF in 2014. Before law school, she taught in Mexico, studied in Bolivia and Chile and traveled extensively through Latin America. Fluent in Spanish, she represents both English and Spanish speakers. Sydney was born and raised in Northeast Portland. She obtained her bachelors degree at the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies at the University of Redlands outside of Los Angeles, California. At the Johnston Center she studied political science and economics with a focus on Latin America and Spanish. During college and thereafter she studied and traveled extensively through Latin America. After college, Sydney returned to Portland and worked as a legal assistant before going to law school and receiving her law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School in 2014. During law school she focused on public interest law and clerked for various non-profit organizations and offices dedicated to representing low income people, protecting civil rights, and advocating for the rights of workers. Sydney’s practice largely focuses on representing injured workers in all aspects of Workers’ Compensation claims from denied claims to helping clients access needed benefits for accepted claims. She also handles cases involving on-the-job injuries with third parties and other injury claims. She is honored to help her clients through a complicated claims process. Sydney is an active member of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) and the Workers’ Compensation section of the Oregon State bar where she helps plan an annual CLE for workers’ compensation practitioners and works on access to justice issues for injured workers. Outside of work, Sydney enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children.

Duane E. Thomas is an attorney with over 45 years of experience, specializing in personal injury, auto accidents, workers’ compensation, and social security disability. He graduated with High Honors from the University of Florida College of Law in 1975 and was admitted to the Florida Bar. He previously served as County Attorney of Columbia County, Florida.

Anna Lozoya

Rolling Meadows, IL

Anna Lozoya, JD, RN, joined Michael V. Favia & Associates, P.C. as an of counsel attorney to work on health related matters including personal injuries, medical malpractice, IDFPR, and Illinois Department of Health matters. She is also bi-lingual and has extensive experience in real estate law.

Ethan Copeland

Miami, FL

Ethan Copeland is an associate attorney with a focus on civil litigation, including maritime and serious personal injury cases. A son of an educator, Ethan grew up in the Midwest before moving to Florida to attend the University of Miami School of Law and become a part of Miami’s vibrant community. He began clerking with the firm in the summer of 2024. After passing the July 2025 Florida Bar Exam, he joined the firm as an associate. Ethan earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame in 2020, where he played varsity baseball and was named to the ACC Honor Roll. He is also a member of the University of Notre Dame Monogram Club. Throughout his undergraduate experience, Ethan was active with community service organizations, including Notre Dame Fight for Life and 'Our Bucks.' At the University of Miami School of Law, he graduated cum laude, served as a staff editor for the Race and Social Justice Law Review, and received honors in the Litigation Skills Pretrial Program. He was also an active member of the First Generation Law Student Association, as well as its mentorship program. Outside of work, he enjoys playing chess, watching sports, learning Spanish, and spending time with friends.

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.