Spanish-Speaking Attorneys

Thomas DeBenedetto

San Diego, CA

Thomas DeBenedetto has over 33 years of experience as a workers’ compensation attorney in San Diego, CA. His law firm has successfully litigated over 500 cases, represented over 10,000 clients and has recovered over 1 billion in benefits for his clients. Thomas firmly believes that the current workers compensation laws are unfair and provide great profit to insurance carriers at the expense of the hard working people of The State of California. He is a graduate of Rutgers University and the University of San Diego School Of Law. For outstanding scholastic achievement, he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award in the field of Comparative Law. Upon graduation and passing the State Bar of California, Thomas DeBenedetto immediately put out his “shingle” and began representing Injured Workers.

Robert L. Wegman

Chesapeake, VA

Robert L. Wegman is the founder of Wegman Law, bringing nearly three decades of legal experience. He is a former military officer, having served 12 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he handled environmental and operational law, and later served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Legal Division, prosecuting federal offenses and defending service members. He graduated cum laude from New York Law School, where he was Notes & Comments Editor for the Law Review. After transitioning to civilian practice in 2000, he worked as an environmental attorney in Manhattan before founding Wegman Law in 2003, focusing on criminal defense, traffic violations, family law, estate planning, civil litigation, military law, and personal injury. He is licensed in Virginia, New York, and New Jersey.

Arif Abrar

El Paso, TX

Arif Abrar is a dedicated injury attorney licensed in Texas and New Mexico, with a unique journey that fuels his unwavering commitment to fighting for the underdog. As an immigrant who came to the United States with a college scholarship, Arif became the first lawyer in his family, a testament to the American dream and the power of education. While attending the University of Texas at Arlington, where he also pursued flight training, his path to law was sparked by an unexpected moment: a pre-law department dean, intrigued by a paper he had written, encouraged him to consider law school. That conversation ignited a passion that would define his career. At SMU Dedman School of Law, Arif discovered his true calling during a summer clerkship with a District Judge in Dallas. Witnessing firsthand the importance of standing up for individuals against powerful corporations, he realized his purpose: to be a champion for those seeking justice. After earning his JD, Arif quickly rose through the ranks as a prosecutor in El Paso, later serving as Deputy District Attorney in New Mexico. After briefly working for a civil defense firm, he shifted his focus to representing plaintiffs, fighting for people, not corporations. Today, alongside his law partner Linzui Vergara, Arif has secured numerous trial victories across Texas and New Mexico. His deep passion for protecting victims of sexual abuse and pursuing complex personal injury and civil rights cases drives his work. Fluent in Bengali, Hindi, and Urdu, Arif serves diverse communities across the region, ensuring that language is never a barrier to justice. Beyond the courtroom, Arif enjoys time with his wife, an ICU nurse, and their golden retrievers, Sohana and Story. When not fighting for clients, he relaxes with a good spy novel. For Arif, the practice of law is deeply personal - it’s about giving a voice to those who need one and fighting for justice with heart.

Daniel J. Rafii

Beverly Hills, CA

Daniel J. Rafii is a founder at Rafii & Associates, P.C., where he devotes his practice to personal injury and employment matters. After working at the San Diego Superior Court and a boutique litigation firm in Los Angeles, Mr. Rafii founded Rafii & Associates in 2007. After a friend’s younger sister was kidnapped in a yellow cab taxi, and a nearly 4 year battle with multiple insurance companies all of whom vehemently disputed liability, Mr. Rafii vowed to devote all his energy and resources to helping individuals in need and taking on the ‘goliaths’. Mr. Rafii has been recognized as a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization comprised of individuals who have secured verdicts or settlements for their clients of $2 million or more. Mr. Rafii participates in the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping those in need within the Los Angeles area. He has also been listed among the top 100 trial lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers and has also been featured in the organization’s “Top 40 Under 40” list.

Daniel J. Rafii

Beverly Hills, CA

Daniel J. Rafii is a founder at Rafii & Associates, P.C., where he devotes his practice to personal injury and employment matters. After working at the San Diego Superior Court and a boutique litigation firm in Los Angeles, Mr. Rafii founded Rafii & Associates in 2007. After a friend’s younger sister was kidnapped in a yellow cab taxi, and a nearly 4 year battle with multiple insurance companies all of whom vehemently disputed liability, Mr. Rafii vowed to devote all his energy and resources to helping individuals in need and taking on the ‘goliaths’. Mr. Rafii has been recognized as a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization comprised of individuals who have secured verdicts or settlements for their clients of $2 million or more. Mr. Rafii participates in the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping those in need within the Los Angeles area. He has also been listed among the top 100 trial lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers and has also been featured in the organization’s “Top 40 Under 40” list.

Franklin S. Montero

Clifton, NJ

Franklin S. Montero is a certified Immigration Law Specialist and Managing Attorney at The Law Offices of Franklin S. Montero. He guides clients in New Jersey and New York in various legal matters including immigration, bankruptcy, real estate, estate planning, and personal injury. He is a skilled negotiator and experienced litigator, having represented clients in state and federal courts.

Michael J. Eshman

Decatur, GA

Michael brings his diverse background and a collaborative, team approach to solving complex legal issues on behalf of his clients, with a focus on the areas of personal injury, civil rights, and alternative dispute resolution. He is a proud “medio-Colombiano” and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Michael is a trusted trial lawyer and advocate, widely recognized for his expertise, dedication, and results on behalf of his clients. He represents clients under some of the most devastating and difficult circumstances, including cases involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death. He focuses on advocating for his clients and making sure that they receive personalized attention and the resources necessary to tell their stories and for their stories to be heard. Michael has successfully represented clients in federal and state court in Georgia in cases involving product liability claims, federal civil rights claims, medical malpractice claims, trucking accident claims, premises liability claims, and nuisance claims. Other lawyers turn to Michael to help on their cases as co-counsel, and lawyers routinely hire him to serve as a mediator to help get resolution and closure on behalf of their clients in their own cases. Michael is also an emerging leader in the state’s legal community, working to support Latino, Latina, and Latinx law students in Georgia through his work as Mentoring Chair and on the Board of the Georgia Latino Law Foundation. He also frequently writes and presents on topics concerning mentorship and language access in our civil justice system. In 2022, the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association recognized Michael’s work and awarded him its Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Champion Award. Michael is a graduate of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association LEAD Program (2018-2019) and a current member of Leadership Georgia, Class of 2023 (the “Best Class Ever”). Michael is a proud “Double Dawg”, having earned both his law degree and an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. He lives in Druid Hills with his wife, two kids, and dog, and when not in the office, Michael is coaching soccer, teaching his children Spanish, and cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta United.

Gulliana Goehring

Atlanta, GA

Gulliana Goehring is a Managing Partner at Fry | Goehring with over 23 years of experience in the legal field, first as a Paralegal and since 2021 as an Attorney. Born in Peru, she studied Law there before moving to Atlanta in 2002. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in International Economics from Georgia State University (Cum Laude) and her Juris Doctor from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS), graduating Cum Laude and ranking 4th in her class. She received several awards at AJMLS, including Peer Mentor of the Year and Outstanding Student of the Quarter. Gulliana is an active volunteer with non-profit organizations in Georgia, a foster mom for Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, and serves on multiple boards, including the Georgia Association of Woman Lawyers Foundation and Georgia Hispanic Bar Association. She is a member of various professional and legal organizations. In her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, international travel, and spending time with family and friends.

Founding partner Sam Legate appreciates that along with the benefits of managing El Paso’s premier personal liability law firm comes great responsibilities, too. “We are the largest personal injury firm in El Paso. We see our obligation to help the people of El Paso any way we can.” That begins with health care. Along with Jim Scherr, Sam donated $1 million to create the Scherr Legate Trauma Center at University Medical Center, the only Level 1 trauma center within a 280-mile radius. Sam was also the Founding Chairman of the Board for El Paso Children’s Hospital. And he is active with the Downtown Management District. “Whether it’s trauma care or our cases, we want to see people treated justly. And we want help to advance our community’s economy.” In his role on the Downtown Management District’s Board of Directors, Jim helps the agency revitalize the city’s oldest commercial area. “Our Downtown is the most beautiful place in the city and one of the most beautiful places in Texas and the U.S. We’ll continue to advance that effort.” Sam came to El Paso in the early 1990s after practicing law for five years in Oklahoma. Having grown up in another border city, Presidio, Texas, he found El Paso to be a better cultural fit for him than Oklahoma. A mutual friend, Sue Kurita, introduced Sam to Jim Scherr, saying they would make a good fit professionally. After a lengthy interview, Sam found they had a lot in common, including an interest in real estate, doing good for the community, problem solving and a genuine desire to help people. Together, they’ve made Scherr Legate the region’s top personal injury firm. Today, Sam is the firm’s managing partner and works on its top cases. He handles cases involving labor and employment, personal injury, product liability, as well as non-subscribers work injuries, and wrongful deaths.

Jacob J. Rivas

Fresno, CA

Born and raised in the central valley, auto accident attorney Jacob J. Rivas has dedicated his legal career to helping victims of negligence and unfortunate circumstances. He began his career defending insurance companies, which gives him unique insight into their tactics. Mr. Rivas is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), the Fresno County Bar Association, the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association, the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), the Litigation Section of the California State Bar, and the Fresno County La Raza Lawyers Association. He has been recognized with prestigious awards including Top Verdict (top 50 verdicts of 2017, top 100 settlements of 2020), Super Lawyers (Rising Star numerous times, Super Lawyer of Northern California for several consecutive years including 2025), and Top Attorneys of Northern California by San Francisco Magazine. He has recovered millions of dollars for his clients through settlements and jury verdicts.

Jonathan B. Schlack

Chicago, IL

Attorney Jonathan Schlack is the Founding Partner of Schlack & Bassmaji. After working at a prominent Chicago law firm helping injured workers and their families, Jonathan opened the Law Office of Jonathan Schlack in 2005 to focus his practice exclusively on the effective, aggressive, highly personalized and compassionate representation of people injured through no fault of their own. Admitted to practice law in Illinois and Wisconsin, Mr. Schlack handles a wide range of Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury cases. In a career spanning twenty-five years, Jonathan has recovered many millions of dollars for his clients.

Peter Kerr

Dallas, TX

Pete Kerr is an attorney whose practice focuses on a broad range of complex civil litigation matters, including construction litigation, products-liability litigation, premises liability, and employment matters. Pete has experience representing corporations in all aspects of litigation, before federal district courts, federal and state agencies, and state courts. He also counsels clients on a variety of issues including employer-employee matters. He has litigated matters involving construction defects, trade secret misappropriation, employer-employee disputes, contract disputes, and business torts.

Anthony Gonzalez

Miami, FL

Anthony is a litigator and trial attorney representing corporate and individual plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial and civil litigation. Anthony has litigated matters at trial, post-judgment, and through appeal. Anthony serves as lead counsel in jury trials, bench trials, appeals, arbitration, and administrative hearings. Anthony also serves as counsel for religious institutions and organizations. Additionally, he is an adjunct faculty member at Trinity International University teaching courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and law school levels.

Lawrence Jackowiak

Chicago, IL

Lawrence Jackowiak is the principal attorney and founder of Jackowiak Law Offices, established in 1996. He is recognized for his aggressive advocacy in personal injury and civil rights cases, having litigated both criminal and civil cases in state and federal courts. He graduated from Northern Illinois University and Golden Gate University School of Law. His work has been featured in major local and national media.

Peter Ayers Wimbrow III

Ocean City, MD

Peter Ayers Wimbrow III is an attorney in Ocean City, Maryland, who has been providing legal services for over 50 years. He focuses his practice on criminal and traffic offenses, personal injury, and civil rights violations.

Allen Ball

Ventura, CA

Allen Ball is a founding Partner of the Law Office of Ball & Yorke and an experienced trial lawyer. He represents individuals in insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, and real estate matters. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Ventura College of Law in 1986 and is admitted to the State Bar of California.

Guilherme “Gui” Vasconcelos

Austin, TX

Guilherme “Gui” Vasconcelos is a globally trained trial lawyer at Treviño Law, known for securing multi-million-dollar verdicts and managing over 500 cases in Texas. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, he enhances the firm's ability to serve diverse communities. He holds an LL.M. from the University of Texas School of Law and a JD and Master of Laws from Brazil, and is licensed in Texas and Brazil.

Lex Lorenzo

Tampa, FL

Lex Lorenzo is a dedicated attorney practicing in the areas of Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, and Immigration Law. She began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit. Lex earned her Juris Doctor from Florida State University College of Law, where she served as President of the Association for Criminal Justice and was recognized with the Book Award for Criminal Procedure - Police. She also holds a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Gender Studies from the University of Notre Dame. Lex is admitted to practice in Florida and continues to serve the legal community through her involvement in local organizations, including the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association.

Jaime Suarez

Miami, FL

Attorney Jaime Suarez graduated from the University of Miami School of Law with highest honors. He has provided help to South Florida accident victims for over 24 years. He is an experienced personal injury defense professional dedicated to helping accident victims with cases involving automobile accidents, brain and spinal cord injuries, slip and fall accidents, prescription errors, wrongful death, and accidents at work.

Luis A. Perez

Dallas, TX

Luis A. Perez is a dedicated personal injury attorney serving the Hispanic community in Texas. A native Spanish speaker, he received his undergraduate education at Yale and his law degree from St. Mary's School of Law. He applies his extensive legal knowledge and experience, gained from working with top Texas injury attorneys, to help clients navigate the legal system and secure fair compensation.

Neal R. Kalis

Davie, FL

Neal Kalis is a highly experienced, dedicated and a solution oriented attorney who is recognized for his multi-disciplined transactional practice, which encompasses corporate, probate, real estate, land use and zoning law. He is often called upon to handle complex real estate transactions and works with government officials, agencies, banks, and property owners to find solutions for his clients. He also served as a director and general legal counsel for a community bank. Kalis is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, indicating the highest level of professional excellence, skill, and integrity. His professional and business experience includes chartering, serving on the Board of and as attorney for a community bank, owning and developing land for residential and commercial projects as well as continued ownership of commercial rental properties. He is actively involved in various community organizations.

Daniel K. Cetina

Wheaton, IL

Daniel “Danny” Cetina is a Partner at Walsh, Knippen & Cetina, Chartered. He represents persons seriously injured or killed through others’ negligence and fights aggressively to obtain the compensation that they deserve. He handles complex civil litigation, including catastrophic personal injury, animal attack, automobile, commercial trucking, construction, Dram Shop, Federal Employers Liability Act (“FELA”)/railroad, medical malpractice, nursing home, premises liability, product liability, and sports injury cases, among many others. Mr. Cetina has professional working proficiency in Spanish and has helped secure compensation for Spanish-speaking clients. Mr. Cetina’s many years of experience as a defense lawyer and insight into defendants’ and insurance companies’ mindsets make him uniquely equipped to secure favorable results for his clients. Previously, Mr. Cetina was an Associate at the Chicago office of one of the largest defense firms in the country where he focused his nationwide practice in complex civil litigation, including employment and labor, class actions, and general liability. He developed expertise in various general liability matters, Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) wage and hour class actions, Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) class actions, and whistleblower litigation. He maintained an employment-adjacent, quasi-commercial practice, including trade secret and non-compete, consumer fraud, breach of contract, qui tam, intellectual property, and Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (“RLTO”) litigation. Mr. Cetina has also performed pro bono work in disputes involving breach of contract, wage and hour, tenancy, and prisoners’ rights under Section 1983. Mr. Cetina received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School (now known as University of Illinois Chicago School of Law) where he was published in the Law Review, for which he served as Managing Editor. He also participated in mock trial and Moot Court. During law school, Mr. Cetina assisted on multiple murder and narcotics trials as a 711-licensed Law Clerk at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in the Special Prosecutions Bureau - Gang Crimes Unit. Outside of the office, Mr. Cetina enjoys spending time with his wife, fitness, reading, and supporting Chicago sports.

John J. Sheehan

Boston, MA

John Sheehan was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. The son of an Irish immigrant from County Kerry, Ireland and raised in a working-class family, Attorney Sheehan has a deep appreciation, pride and respect for the American Dream. Attorney Sheehan is fluent in Spanish and is privileged to represent many clients from the Latin American community in the Greater Boston area. Attorney Sheehan has focused his law practice helping working people who have been hurt on the job and accident victims who have been injured due to someone else’s negligence. Attorney Sheehan has been successful securing workers’ compensation benefits and settlements for his clients. Attorney Sheehan strives to provide each client with caring and responsive legal representation. Attorney Sheehan prides himself on being a counselor to his clients and a strong advocate on their behalf in Court and at the Department of Industrial Accidents. Attorney Sheehan graduated from Suffolk University Law School in 1993 and was admitted to the Massachusetts state bar in December 1993. Attorney Sheehan worked as an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Sherwin L. Kantrovitz, Rainer & Rainer and Shapiro & Associates. From 1999 through 2006, Attorney Sheehan represented injured workers and accident victims as a founding partner of Georgiou & Sheehan. In 2007 Attorney Sheehan founded the Law Office of John J. Sheehan where he continues to fight for just and fair compensation for injured workers and accident victims. Attorney Sheehan has received an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest Peer Review Rating offered. Attorney Sheehan is admitted to the Massachusetts state bar, U.S. District Court (Massachusetts) and the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Attorney Sheehan is a member of the American Association for Justice (formerly known as Association of Trial Lawyers of America or ATLA), Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA) and the Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA).

Leila M. El-Hakam

Houston, TX

Leila M. El-Hakam's primary practice areas include commercial litigation, personal injury litigation, employment litigation, and appellate law. She represents clients in a wide range of disputes such as breaches of contracts, business torts, consumer disputes, product liability, warranty issues, trade secret infringement, oil and gas litigation, and class actions. She also handles personal injury cases, including wrongful death, medical malpractice, and product liability claims. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. El-Hakam worked at Ogden, Gibson, Broocks & Longoria, LLP (2008-2010) and Vinson & Elkins LLP (1999-2008). She served as a Briefing Attorney to the Honorable Nathan L. Hecht on the Supreme Court of Texas (1998-1999). She has been recognized as a 'Texas Rising Star' by Texas Monthly magazine and is a member of the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation. She is admitted to practice in Texas and the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. She is fluent in Spanish and English.