Spanish-Speaking Attorneys

Carolina

Indio, CA

Carolina has proudly called the Coachella Valley home since 1983 and brings nearly 20 years of experience in the field of Workers’ Compensation. As the daughter of immigrant farm workers, she witnessed firsthand how members of the Hispanic community-including her own family-were often taken advantage of by insurance companies when navigating the Workers’ Compensation system without representation. This inspired her passion for advocating on behalf of injured workers. She is committed to ensure each and every client’s rights are protected and they take full advantage of all benefits they are entitled to. She is dedicated to giving personal service to clients, making sure they are all fully informed each step along the way throughout the entire Workers’ Compensation process. For the past five years, she has served as Office Manager at the David Gray Law Group. Over the course of her career, she has held a variety of positions in law firms specializing in Workers’ Compensation Law; including being a Receptionist, Legal Secretary, Intake Specialist, Case Manager and current Office Manager. With every position, her focus has remained the same: treating each client with dignity, respect, and the highest level of care. She is proud to be part of the David Gray Law Group team and truly enjoys working here. It brings her great satisfaction to belong to such a dedicated office and to assist as many people as possible through the complicated world of Workers’ Compensation.

Alicia Hernandez

Dallas, TX

Alicia Hernandez is a Criminal Case Manager at Ward + White. She brings several years of customer service and project management experience, assisting with complex projects in criminal defense and personal injury sections, and serving as front office coordinator. She is fluent in Spanish.

Don DeLaMare

South Jordan, UT

Don grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. He learned Spanish as a missionary. He graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Computer Engineering. He then attended Creighton law school, graduating in 2018. He worked at the U.S. Patent Office before returning to Utah in 2019. He is a member of the Utah State Bar and practices Business Immigration and Asylum Law, with interests in Patent and Intellectual Property, Estate Planning, Real Estate, and the intersection between Criminal and Immigration Law.

Richard Ramos, originally from Colombia, relocated to the U.S. in 1980. He worked as a Mortgage Broker (1994-1998) and held supervisory roles in collections at Chrysler Financial and Ocwen Federal Bank until 2012. He holds a Theology Degree (Asbury Theological Seminary, 2001), a Psychology Degree (Barry University, 2012), and a Masters’ Degree in Public Administration (Barry University). Mr. Ramos joined Gonzalez Law Firm in 2018 as a Paralegal and Case Manager, primarily supporting the Social Security Disability Department with intakes, client communications, medical updates, and appeals. He also assists the personal injury, immigration, and bankruptcy departments.

Marlene Ramirez

Los Angeles, CA

Marlene Ramirez is an Associate Attorney at The Dominguez Firm, dedicated to helping accident injury victims. She handles each case with compassion, efficiency, and integrity, driven by her personal experience growing up in an immigrant community.

Iliana Dobrev was born in Bulgaria. After high school, she immigrated to the United States to study law. She graduated magna cum laude from Georgia State University with a Bachelor’s in political science concentrating on pre-law and minoring in Spanish. In 2015, she graduated from Georgia State University College of Law. While in law school, Iliana completed a Graduate Research Assistantship in Labor and Employment Law and Employment Discrimination and two externships in Immigration Law. As an immigrant herself, Iliana is passionate about advocating for and defending immigrants. She is delighted to help families stay together and pursue the American dream. Iliana is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and worked in both a fellowship and a firm specializing in immigration law. Iliana is fluent in Bulgarian and Spanish

Michael Winchester

Meridian, ID

Michael Winchester is Murray, Ziel, and Johnston’s primary criminal defense attorney for Eastern Idaho. His areas of practice include criminal law, administrative agency law, military law, government contracts, and land use. A fourth-generation Idahoan, Mike grew up working in his family’s agricultural business before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on September 11, 2001. He is a graduate of Ricks College (Ag Business), Brigham Young University-Provo (BS-Economics), and the University of Idaho College of Law (Juris Doctorate). Mike began his legal career in 2013 as a judicial law clerk. Following his clerkship, he served as a prosecutor for Bonneville and Jefferson Counties, handling a wide range of misdemeanor and felony cases. In 2020, Mike transitioned to a full-time defense attorney role at the National Guard Bureau, representing Soldiers across the United States. After his release from active duty in 2023, he returned to civilian courts as a full-time defense attorney in the region. He is proficient in Brazilian Portuguese and is learning Spanish.

Taimí Pabón

Kansas City, MO

Taimí Pabón Rodríguez serves as an Associate Attorney at Krause & Kinsman, working on the Boy Scouts of America case. She also works as an Immigration, Family and Torts Attorney in the courts of Puerto Rico. During her years in law school, Taimí served as a Legal Officer and Administrative Assistant at Estudio Legal 401, Inc., handling civil cases, and legislative matters. She worked pro bono at Sociedad para Asistencia Legal, best known as SAL, drafting legal memoranda for criminal legislation proposals. Taimí holds a master’s degree in International Protection of Human Rights from the University of Alcala de Henares in Spain.

Mr. Goff is an associate in the firm’s litigation department. His practice is focused on municipal law, as well as general civil and commercial litigation, including contract, employment, real property, and construction disputes. Mr. Goff also has experience in administrative practice, personal injury, and appellate work.

James Winings

Phoenix, AZ

James Winings has been an Immigration Attorney at the Maria Jones Law Firm for several years. He became licensed to practice law in December of 2011, and he later joined Maria Jones Law Firm in April of 2012. Since then, he has appeared before every immigration judge in Arizona in over 500 separate hearings, including Master Calendar Hearings, Bond Hearings, Removability Hearings, and Merit Hearings on Cancellation of Removal, Adjustment of Status, and Asylum. Besides appearing in immigration courts, James Winings has attended over 90 interviews before the Immigration Service (“USCIS”) between the Phoenix and Tucson offices. Mr. Winings has also represented immigrants before the Board of Immigration Appeals. Mr. Winings defends his clients and their families to the best of his knowledge and experience and attacks their problems to reach the best outcome possible. He also is frank and honest with his clients regarding the outcome of each individual case. Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Winings lived in Mexico near Monterrey, Mexico for two years, and then later in Mexico City for several weeks, first as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and then as a summer intern for the international law firm of Baker & Mckenzie. Due to his high achievements in the immigration field, in 2014 Mr. Winings was offered a position of the managing attorney at Maria Jones Law Firm - Tucson Office, where he vigorously defended immigrants in southern Arizona. As an attorney of high integrity, with extensive knowledge in various aspects of the immigration law and great experience in the field, at the beginning of 2016, James was offered by President Maria Jones a position of leading attorney for all court cases at the Maria Jones Law Firm - Phoenix Office.

John R. Antia

Chicago, IL

John R. Antia earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 2013. Prior to becoming an attorney, he earned his Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his Bachelor of Arts in Teaching of History from the University of Illinois at Chicago. John continued to finetune his professional and personal skillsets, and developed meaningful relationships with non-profits, churches, and other local-area legal aid organizations that helped to provide equal access to our legal system.

Porter Solomon

Apache Junction, AZ

Porter Solomon is an Arizona native who grew up in Queen Creek. After a two-year mission in southern Chile where he learned Spanish fluently, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Arizona State University. He then attended Lincoln Memorial University’s Duncan School of Law, receiving a Juris Doctor and a master’s degree in public administration. He was awarded the President Abraham Lincoln Pro Bono Award for over 250 pro bono hours. He represents Arizonans in various areas of law.

Johanna Idrovo-Sarmiento is an experienced Immigration Paralegal at the Law Offices of James A. Welcome, where she advocates for immigrants with empathy, precision, and a commitment to justice. Since 2020, Johanna has helped hundreds of individuals and families navigate complex immigration matters, combining deep legal knowledge with a personal understanding of the immigrant experience. Originally from Ecuador, she holds a B.A. in Political Science from Quinnipiac University, graduating with honors, and an A.A. from Northwestern Connecticut Community College. She is fluent in Spanish and English, and her leadership and advocacy have earned her recognitions like the Litchfield County Leaders Under 40 Award.

Luisa Rivera is an Associate Attorney in the Immigration Department at Latorre Law Firm. She handles Adjustment of Status based on U Visas, and requests U Visa certifications on behalf of victims of qualifying crimes. Ms. Rivera is fully bilingual in English and Spanish and became licensed to practice law in the State of New York after attending law school in the northeast United States. While in law school, Ms. Rivera worked as a congressional staffer and later as a clerk at the disciplinary board for lawyers. Before joining the Firm in 2021, she worked in the private sector as legal counsel handling regulatory appeals. She is passionate about helping undocumented individuals who are victims of crime and bravely cooperated with authorities to make our streets safer and secure justice.

Luis Loyo

Albany, CA

Luis is an Intake Case Manager at California Trial Law Group, facilitating client intake and communication in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases. With a background in software development and quality assurance, he applies analytical skills to streamline case management. Bilingual in English and Spanish, he supports a diverse client base. Outside of work, he enjoys music production and exploring new technology.

Michael J. Wise

Dallas, TX

Michael began his legal career in 1994 near Los Angeles, California when he was asked to help an attorney move storage boxes the week before the Northridge earthquake. From picking up scattered papers and learning how to put files back together after the earthquake to answering phones, typing, learning to take dictation, drafting pleadings and declarations, understanding legal concepts, and meeting with clients, Michael was able to gain experience in all levels and aspects of legal assistance. He was certified as a paralegal in 1998 with a specialty in civil litigation. He has been able to use his skills and experience to help clients with wide-ranging needs. These include; catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, aviation disasters, family law, and other cases. His abilities have been honed through assisting with multiple jury trials taken to verdict as well as positioning cases for settlement - some for multiple millions of dollars. Michael spent over 6 years at Salt Lake City’s premier plaintiff’s trial firm - which has the most million-dollar verdicts of any firm in the state - where he assisted in the courtroom at numerous jury trials. He also spent some time at one of Utah’s oldest law firms - which handles defense for insurance companies - giving him unique insight and perspective from both sides of injury litigation. Michael has never lost sight of his enthusiasm for helping people. His varied experience helps him to empathize with and offer emotional support to people whom he frequently meets during the worst times of their lives. Whether they are dealing with significant and permanent injuries from a serious crash, a child with a birth injury, a life-altering instance of medical malpractice, the death of a loved one, or a divorce with children. Michael has the understanding and tools to help people move forward with their lives. After a break from his legal career to work at the headquarters of his church (which is what brought him from California to Salt Lake City) and a too-short time as a businessman with his own retail store, he has been able to spend the past ten years working with some of the most respected attorneys in Utah’s legal community. He realizes that the community is a small one and he maintains and enjoys good working relationships with opposing staff and attorneys as well as court clerks, interpreters, court reporters, and experts in various fields. He was once honored by a nomination to the Utah State Bar as Paralegal of the Year. Michael is married with 4 children and a grandson and lives in Pleasant Grove with a dachshund and a chihuahua. He speaks fluent Spanish and has professional experience as a translator and interpreter.

Amardeep Bains

San Francisco, CA

Amardeep Kaur Bains is an Associate at Tobener Ravenscroft and an alum of UC San Diego and UC Law SF (formerly Hastings College of the Law). She has been working in housing rights since 2020. Her background also includes helping victims of domestic violence and fighting for workers rights. Amardeep’s personal interests include poetry, literature, music, and languages. She is fluent in Spanish.

Marissa V. Singleton is a Litigation Attorney at Campbell & Associates, a personal injury firm serving North and South Carolina.

Sesia N. Cruz

Falls Church, VA

Attorney Sesia N. Cruz was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC) in Washington, DC, after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland, College Park. Sesia’s dedication to immigrant advocacy began at the age of fifteen and deepened throughout her legal education. During her first year of law school, she volunteered with UDC’s Immigration and Human Rights Clinic, assisting in pro se asylum workshops and working with detained asylum-seeking families at a family detention center in Berks County, Pennsylvania. As a second-year student attorney in the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic, Sesia and her partner successfully represented a young Honduran man fleeing violence in Arlington Immigration Court. She also gained valuable experience interning with Catholic Charities Archdiocese in Washington, D.C., and the New York Legal Assistance Group. Beyond her academic and professional commitments, Sesia contributes by translating for immigration attorneys during trial preparation and mentoring youth at her church. At UDC, Sesia was an active member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity (Cahn Chapter) and the Latino Law Student Association, participating in pro bono initiatives to support underserved communities.