Spanish-Speaking Attorneys

Veronica Garcia

Miami, FL

Veronica Garcia has been a Law Clerk at Jimenez Mazzitelli Mordes since 2022. Born and raised in Miami to a Cuban family, Veronica’s passion for advocating for injured victims stems from a personal experience with medical malpractice that affected her uncle. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Florida International University in 2021 and her Juris Doctorate degree from St. Thomas University College of Law in 2024. During law school, Veronica served as Secretary for the Student Bar Association and was an active member of the Cuban American Student Bar Association. During the Summer of 2022, Veronica gained valuable experience as an intern for the Honorable Barbara Areces in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, which provided her with invaluable insights into the judicial process. Veronica approaches her work with compassion, understanding, and trustworthiness, striving to be the kind of legal professional her own family would have relied on in their time of need.

Sanford Baddin

Montebello, CA

Sanford S. Baddin has been a litigation attorney in the Southern California area for many years whose practice has emphasized automobile collision and other type accidents where there has been injuries due to someone else's negligent behavior.

Emil J. Sanchez

Brooklyn, NY

Mr. Sanchez first practiced as an associate attorney at Tellerman, Paticoff & Greenberg. He then joined the insurance defense firm of Michael Pressman where he was engaged as senior trial attorney. Mr. Sanchez entered private practice as a member of Friedman & Sanchez, LLP. He is fully bilingual in English and Spanish.

Jorge Gomez Jr.

Davenport, IA

Jorge Gomez Jr. is a seasoned attorney and founding partner of the firm, specializing in real estate, banking, business associations, and personal injury law. He holds a B.A. from Central College, in Pella, Iowa where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1972, and earned his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1975. Admitted to the Iowa and Illinois State Bar and the United States Federal Court for the Southern District of Iowa in, Jorge has built a career marked by dedication and expertise. Jorge is also a founding member of Gomez Title and Closing company located in Moline, Illinois. Jorge is also a certified abstractor for the state of Iowa and Iowa Title Guarantee. Beyond his legal practice, Jorge is deeply involved in his community, serving as a past board member and president of the University of Iowa National I-Club as well as the Quad City I-Club, board member of the Crow Valley Golf Club, as well as a proud supporter of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. His professional credentials include the Scott County Bar Association and the Iowa and Illinois State Bar Associations. Jorge's contributions extend to education as a former State of Iowa Bar Examiner and a presenter for Continuing Legal Education for Lawyers, and Iowa Title Guarantee. Additionally, he is a certified instructor for Continuing Education for Realtors and Brokers in the states of Iowa and Illinois. In the firm, he has personally been involved in more more than 40,000 closings throughout his career. Fluent in Spanish and the first Spanish speaking attorney in Scott County, Jorge Gomez Jr. is committed to serving a diverse clientele, leveraging his extensive experience and community involvement to provide exceptional legal services.

Angeles Maldonado, Ph.D.

Phoenix, AZ

Angeles Maldonado, Ph.D., is the CEO of Ybarra Maldonado Law Group. A human rights scholar-activist and author, born in Salvatierra, GTO, Mexico, she was brought to the U.S. at eight, inspiring her advocacy for social justice and migrant rights. She oversees the firm's business and ensures its mission of holistic representation for Spanish-speaking communities in Criminal, Immigration, and Personal Injury Law. She is the founder of The Border Crit Institute and has over 18 years of experience in community organizing. She served on the Community Advisory Board (CAB) in the racial profiling lawsuit against Sheriff Joe Arpaio and is currently on the Board of Directors for ALAC and Semillas Arizona.

Christina M. Coello

Coral Gables, FL

Attorney Christina M. Coello was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Florida International University and continued on to Florida International University College of Law where she graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2014. Prior to joining Gonzalez & Associates, Mrs. Coello served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Don S. Cohn. Christina was also a legal intern for Florida International University's Carlos A. Costa Immigration and Human Rights Clinic, where she helped the most vulnerable populations in the U.S. with their pending immigration cases. After law school, Mrs. Coello joined The Law offices of Gonzalez & Associates and is currently an associate in our Miami office. As an associate for our firm, she focuses on practicing personal injury, bankruptcy, civil litigation, and immigration. Mrs. Coello has attended various immigration and civil trials and has attained numerous successes in both areas through her vigorous advocacy for her client's rights. Attorney Christina M. Coello is currently a member of the Florida Bar Association and has been admitted to the U.S. Southern District of Florida.

Gary A. Porter

Mesa, AZ

Gary Porter has been practicing law for over 27 years and his practice focus is Personal Injury. He has represented thousands of individuals who have been injured in a variety of accidents and incidents including automobile accidents, semi-tractor trailer accidents, product liability cases, premises liability cases including defective construction, slip and fall, trip and fall, work injuries, bicycle accidents, dog bite cases, horse incidents, and other accidents and incidents that have injured individuals and families. Gary obtained his legal training from Pepperdine University and his undergraduate degree in accounting from Arizona State University. He is admitted to practice law in both State and Federal Courts. Gary speaks fluent Spanish and is a third generation Arizona Native. In his youth, Gary was an avid weight lifter and an accomplished football player. He continues to dedicate time to his love for weight lifting. He is married to Carol Porter and they have six children and eight grandchildren. The Porters have dedicated many hours of service volunteering in the community, building houses in Mexico as well as teaching at medical and dental clinics throughout Central and South America. Gary has a passion for helping people when they are faced with difficult challenges. Gary has spent many hours camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, paddle boarding, swimming and generally enjoying the great outdoors. He considers himself very fortunate to have been raised in Arizona and though he has traveled to many beautiful and interesting places around the country and the world, he loves the desert heat and the lush desert landscape in the Valley of the Sun.

Ivan Rueda is an approachable, ethical, and experienced litigation lawyer in Chicago, easily accessible by public transportation and with street parking available. He has more than 30 years of experience in litigating cases, specializing in personal injury and criminal defense.

Carlos E. Gonzalez

Miami, FL

Carlos E. Gonzalez is a Partner at Ferrer & Gonzalez, focusing exclusively on criminal and traffic matters. He received his J.D. from Barry University School of Law and his B.A. from Florida State University. He is admitted to practice before the Florida Supreme Court, all Florida courts, and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Carolyn Friedman Frank, Esq.

Miami, FL

Carolyn Friedman Frank is a Partner in Friedman Rodman Frank & Estrada, P.A., carrying on a family tradition. Her work in personal injury includes workers' compensation, medical malpractice, products liability and nursing home negligence. Carolyn Friedman Frank was admitted to the Florida State Bar in 1996, after earning her Juris Doctorate at the University of Miami in 1996. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1993. She is fluent in Spanish.

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.