Spanish-Speaking Attorneys

Fredy Merida

Seattle, WA

Fredy Merida is the senior paralegal at Emerald City Law Group, bringing extensive experience in civil and personal injury law. He is detail-oriented, possesses strong multitasking skills, and provides exceptional customer service. Fredy supports attorneys and clients throughout the entire case process, managing document production and preparing for hearings and trials. He is personally involved from initial consultation to resolution.

Izzak Banda

Houston, TX

Izzak is a first-generation college graduate. He was born and raised in Austin, Texas. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas State University and his Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law Houston. He is the proud son of two immigrant parents who instilled the values of hard work, perseverance, and faith in God. He is the proud father of Noah and Ava and works every day to instill those same values in them. While in college, Izzak worked for a prominent Austin law firm where he assisted with litigation concerning Texas Workers’ Compensation claims and lawsuits, some of which were heard before the Supreme Court of Texas. In addition, Izzak participated in multiple Texas State University student organizations and served as the president of Omega Delta Phi Fraternity his junior year. During law school, Izzak gained invaluable experience clerking for Houston law firms on a range of matters from commercial contract drafting to insurance bad faith litigation. He also had the privilege of being inducted into the national legal honor society of Phi Delta Phi. Prior to joining Abbott, Clay & Bedoy, Izzak represented injured employees in the Texas Workers’ Compensation dispute process. In addition, he assisted Texas businesses in transactional matters involving formation, securities, and contract drafting. At Abbott, Clay & Bedoy, Izzak continues to advocate on behalf of injured Texan Workers. He is passionate about helping others and will fight zealously to protect his client’s rights. Izzak is licensed to practice law in Texas. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and family, walking his bulldog, studying theology, and collecting sneakers.

Natalia S. Cortes-Hidalgo

Kansas City, MO

With an LL.M in Health Law, Natalia S. Cortes-Hidalgo possesses specialized knowledge in matters related to medical malpractice torts, personal injuries, defective medical devices, corporate and medical liability in healthcare settings, fraud, and abuse under Federal healthcare programs, and public health and governance. During her tenure with Krause & Kinsman, Natalia has drafted complaints in the Hernia Mesh Litigation for the Covidien and Bard medical devices featured in multidistrict litigations (MDLs) and multicounty litigations (MCLs). Her work includes a thorough and detailed evaluation of each of the Plaintiff’s medical records, their medical device (mesh), the injuries related to their medical device, and its long-lasting side effects.

Veroly Calderone

Chicago, IL

Veroly Calderone is an associate attorney at Newland & Newland, LLP, focusing on tort litigation, personal injury, and workers’ compensation cases. She is dedicated to advocating for individuals who have been harmed. Veroly is fluent in Spanish.

Isabel R. Jolicoeur

Miami, FL

Isabel Jolicoeur is an associate attorney at Isicoff Ragatz. Isabel concentrates her practice in civil litigation matters involving employment law, higher education law, premises liability and commercial disputes. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Jolicoeur practiced in various civil litigation matters, including personal injury and insurance defense. During law school, Isabel was an Article and Comments Editor on the Inter-American Law Review, where her article, Custody Rights of Same-Sex Couples in the United States v. Chile: More Progress Needed was published. Isabel also served as a clinic intern and then as a clinic fellow in the University of Miami Children and Youth Law Clinic. During her time in the Children and Youth Law Clinic, Isabel served as a mentor of Florida Youth Shine, a non-profit charity advocacy organization that works with former foster youths, ages 13-24, to identify challenges and successes and educate the public to create a better child welfare system in Florida. She also interned with the Honorable Meenu Sasser in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit and United States Judge William Matthewman in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Ms. Jolicoeur was a Division 1 Athlete at the University of Georgia on the equestrian team, where she helped lead her team to the 2014 National Championship.

Paul Batta

San Diego, CA

Paul grew up in Los Angeles, California and completed his Juris Doctor degree at California Western School of Law. Paul Batta has handled thousands of personal injury cases giving him a wide variety of exposure to various personal injury type cases in San Diego and surrounding Southern California counties. Paul connects very well with clients providing them the security and care they need during their legal experience. Outside of work, Paul loves spending time with his wife Natalie, and his family and friends. He enjoys traveling, the outdoors, and giving back to the community. Paul is fluent in Arabic and caters to the Arabic community across the state of California. He is currently learning Spanish as his third language.

Judith Denham

Memphis, TN

Judith focuses her practice primarily in the areas of estate planning and post-death administration, as well as asset protection planning, charitable planned giving and business formation. During law school, Judith served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Bernice B. Donald, Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and Justice Holly Kirby of the Tennessee Supreme Court. In her final years of law school, Judith was a Staff Member of The University of Memphis Law Review, an experience that afforded immeasurable opportunities to enhance her legal writing capabilities, develop efficient research practices and engage with issues meaningful to her role as a legal practitioner.

William Albee

Dallas, TX

Mr. Albee has been a civil litigator and transactional attorney since 2017. His civil practice focuses on probate and estate planning, real estate transactions and disputes, and construction litigation. Mr. Albee is licensed to practice in Texas and Illinois, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of Texas. Before joining GKBK, Mr. Albee practiced law in both northern and southern Illinois, assisting clients in general civil litigation, criminal defense, family law, probate, estate planning, and real estate transactions. Mr. Albee also served as a Hearing Officer for one of the largest school districts in the state of Illinois. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Albee served as an Assistant Coach and Director of Baseball Operations at Western Illinois University for the Fighting Leathernecks Baseball program. He also obtained his commercial pilot’s certificate in 2010. Mr. Albee earned his J.D. at Southern Illinois University, M.S. at Western Illinois University, and B.S. at the University of Dubuque. While not serving his clients, Mr. Albee enjoys spending time with his family and friends, watching the Chicago Cubs, playing guitar, and traveling. Mr. Albee is also conversational in Spanish.

Erin Sandoval

San Diego, CA

Erin Sandoval has worked with The Law Office of Thomas DeBenedetto since 2007. She graduated in 2010 from the University of San Diego majoring in Paralegal Studies. Erin is fluent in Spanish and has solid knowledge of Workers Compensation Legal Terminology and State Law Procedures. Erin assists in all aspects of each case from inception to completion. On her time off, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children.

Gabrielle Thurin

Woodland Park, NJ

Gabrielle Thurin Esq. joined Bastarrika, Soto, Gonzalez and Somohano LLP as an associate in October of 2018. Ms. Thurin is a member of the firm’s family department, where she handles a variety of family-related matters such as child support and custody cases, divorce proceedings, and temporary restraining orders. She previously worked with the firm’s immigration department, handling both detained and non-detained removal proceedings before the Executive Office of Immigration Review, and immigrant visa petitions before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Ms. Thurin is a member of the New Jersey and Puerto Rico bars. She earned her juris doctor from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she served as an editor for the law review. She did her summer internship at Fiddler, Gonzalez & Rodriguez, P.S.C., gaining experience in litigation, corporate, and labor law. She graduated with high honors and earned her B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras. During her time in college, she worked as a clerk for the foreclosures department of Fiddler, Gonzalez & Rodriguez, P.S.C. and interned with the professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP. Ms. Thurin is fluent in both Spanish and English.

Louis Gimbert

Bryan, TX

Louis A. Gimbert is a Texas A&M graduate (Class of 1992) and a 1995 graduate of the University of Houston Law School. He has been practicing law in the Brazos Valley since 1996, focusing on criminal defense and family law, with extensive trial experience. He co-founded Rodriguez & Gimbert P.L.L.C. in 2001.

Jennifer Rodriguez

Deerfield Beach, FL

Jennifer is a highly experienced paralegal with over 20 years of dedicated service at Goldman Daszkal, committed to delivering exceptional results for personal injury clients. She brings expertise in handling personal injury claims, meticulously evaluating medical records, preparing compelling demands, monitoring treatment progress, and advocating tirelessly to secure justice. Jennifer leaves no stone unturned in her fight to protect clients’ rights and maximize case outcomes, providing invaluable support during settlement discussions. Her compassionate and client-focused approach ensures that every individual feels valued and confident throughout the recovery process. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, Jennifer builds strong connections with a diverse clientele, further enhancing the firm’s ability to serve its community effectively.

Rigel Ariza

Painesville, OH

Rigel Ariza has almost 20 years of experience in workers’ compensation. His Juris Doctorate is from Cleveland Marshall, where he was the treasurer of the Hispanic Law Students Association. Rigel is bi-lingual, fluent in both Spanish and English. For that reason, he is frequently selected to handle cases for Spanish speaking individuals and companies.

Jonathan Beissinger

Chicago, IL

Jonathan Beissinger is an Associate Attorney at Cary J. Wintroub & Associates, concentrating in litigating various types of personal injury claims. He earned his Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2020 and his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University. He also speaks Spanish.

Bill Kendall has represented insureds for more than 20 years in the area of insurance law. He has focused his practice on helping residential and commercial policyholders who have disputes with their insurance companies. He also advises and represents clients involved in construction defect litigation. He is licensed to practice law in Texas, Oklahoma and Florida.

Russell R. Hodges

Baton Rouge, LA

Russell Hodges founded Hodges Law Firm in 1996. He graduated from LSU Law School in 1987 and has over 37 years of litigation experience. He is a passionate family and criminal law attorney, handling matters such as divorce, child custody, and criminal defense. A former prosecutor, he is admitted to practice in Louisiana state courts and several federal courts, including the U.S. District Courts for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Louisiana and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. He is bilingual, speaking English and Spanish.

Jacqueline Boyzo

Peachtree Corners, GA

Jacqueline Boyzo is a Case Manager at The Scott Pryor Law Group. Fully bilingual in Spanish and English, she graduated with an associate’s degree in Political Science and Paralegal Studies, earning her Paralegal Certification concurrently. With 7 years of experience, Jacqueline manages personal injury cases from intake to settlement and is adept at handling complex cases, treating each client as family.

Rachel Beard

Houston, TX

Rachel Beard is a Litigation Attorney at The Alfred Firm, focusing on personal injury law. She earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from Smith College in 2017 and her J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2021. She represents clients against insurance companies, fighting for compensation for negligence.

Diana Castrillon

Fort Myers, FL

Diana Castrillon is a dedicated, bilingual attorney with over 19 years of experience in Florida. She started her career representing insurance companies but has spent the last 17 years representing injured workers in Workers’ Compensation cases. She graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 1997 and with high honors from Nova Southeastern University in 2001. She is an active member of the Florida Bar since 2001 and has received recognition as an Outstanding Female Lawyer.

Jeff Cochran joined Coontz Cochran in 1999, specializing in Family Law litigation. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Brigham Young University and his law degree from Texas Tech University. He is fluent in Spanish and is a member of several bar associations.

Yosef “Joe” Arviv graduated from The John Marshall Law School. Before joining Dworkin & Maciariello, Joe began his practice at a workers’ compensation firm handling a wide array of cases and has since dedicated his career to representing people suffering from work-related injuries. Joe views himself as the first line of defense for a client and feels it’s rewarding to go to court and fight for a worker’s rights to achieve positive outcomes. Joe also has the distinct honor of being an editor for The Review of Intellectual Property Law. He is known for being a tough litigator and strives to get large settlements for his clients. When representing a client Joe is zealous and persistent in pursuing every benefit his client deserves. Aside from representing the hard workers of Illinois Joe enjoys cooking, boxing, comic book collecting, and spending time with his family. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Hebrew.

Christopher Tsitos

Miami, FL

Christopher Tsitos is a personal injury attorney specializing in Cruise Ship Accidents and Car Accidents. He has settled hundreds of personal injury cases totaling millions of dollars and has extensive experience in litigation, including Federal Court. He is known for his client-focused approach, treating clients like family and providing his personal phone number.