Spanish-Speaking Attorneys

Zachary W.J. King

Rockville, MD

Zachary W.J. King is a Partner and Director of Complex Issues and Litigation Technology. A Harvard Law School graduate, he represents clients in federal and state courts in major personal injury cases, including wrongful death, professional malpractice, and Federal Tort Claims Act cases. He also assists with long-term disability claims. He has been with the firm for fifteen years and previously worked at a large Washington D.C. law firm handling complex motions and discovery.

Shawn P. O’Rourke

Charlestown, MA

Shawn O'Rourke has extensive trial experience in Superior, District, Probate, and Housing Courts. He has successfully settled, mediated, arbitrated, or brought to trial numerous complex cases. Mr. O'Rourke's areas of practice include personal injury litigation, wrongful death cases, construction litigation, medical and professional malpractice, real estate litigation, business litigation, probate litigation, landlord/tenant litigation (evictions), mediation and arbitration. Mr's O'Rourke is licensed in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He is fluent in Spanish.

J. Marshall Rice

Shreveport, LA

A tireless advocate for the injured in Louisiana and Texas, J. Marshall Rice brings award-winning dedication and a passion for helping clients rebuild their lives. Following his father's legacy of excellence, J. Marshall Rice brings unmatched dedication to personal injury law in both Louisiana and Texas. His impressive track record has earned him multiple AV Peer Review Ratings and membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum. But what truly drives Marshall is his passion for helping injured clients rebuild their lives.

Jose A. Raposo, Jr.

Coral Gables, FL

Jose A. Raposo, Jr. was born, raised, and educated in South Florida and is dedicated to serving his community. Since 2011, Jose has put his heart and soul into representing injured or deceased individuals and their families. He takes great pride in being the voice for good people against large corporations and powerful insurance companies. He is an aggressive personal injury and medical malpractice trial lawyer who believes in fighting for justice. Jose handles an array of different injury cases including medical malpractice, wrongful death, automobile accidents, truck accidents, negligent security, bicycle/pedestrian accidents, trip/slip and falls, boating accidents, nursing home negligence, construction accidents, aviation accidents, and other negligence matters. He has obtained numerous multi-million dollar results on behalf of his clients. Jose’s dedication to his clients usually results in a friendship and bond that endures long after their case has been resolved.

Aimee E. Audette

East Providence, RI

Aimee was born and raised in Rhode Island, and attended the Providence Country Day School. She studied both Political Science and Business at Providence College, where she helped found the Student Labor Alliance, advocating for the College’s janitorial staff. She earned her law degree from Roger Williams University School of Law where she graduated Cum Laude from the honors program and was involved with LGBTQIA+ advocacy as President of the RWU School of Law LGBTQ Alliance. Her practice centers on helping people suffering from illness or injury. She represents injured workers in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and under several federal workers’ compensation systems, namely, the Longshore & Harborworkers’ Compensation Act, the Defense Base Act, and the Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act, among others. She also practices in personal injury and Social Security disability. She is proud to work with and learn from her father. She considers it a privilege to be a Plaintiff’s attorney and advocate for and support people through some of the toughest periods of their lives. She was honored to be selected to speak at the 2017 Annual Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference. She gave a presentation about The Going and Coming Rule, its implications for injured workers, and its evolution in Rhode Island. Aimee was also honored to receive a 2019 Excellence in the Law award from Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, namely, the Up & Coming Award. She presented at the 2023 Annual Rhode Island Bar Conference regarding the Do’s and Don’ts of Medical Depositions. She recently wrote a chapter entitled Defining Disability for the 2023 Edition of “A Practical Guide to Workers’ Compensation in Rhode Island” published by MCLE New England.

Annie Shonai Basu

Houston, TX

Annie Shonai Basu, also known as Abogada Annie, is the founder and lead attorney at Basu Law Firm, PLLC. She has over 18 years of legal practice and has represented thousands of clients in personal injury, family law, criminal law, and immigration cases. She is known for her compassionate approach and aggressive advocacy, especially against insurance companies.

Carlos A. Ayala

Houston, TX

Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico and having lived, studied, and worked in the United States, Carlos is fluent in both English and Spanish. He graduated from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM Campus Monterrey) and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Law in 2002. Carlos went on to earn a Master’s degree in labor law in Mexico as well as a Master of Laws in the United States from the University of Houston Law Center. Carlos is a bilingual international attorney who, in addition to being licensed to practice law in Mexico, is certified by the Supreme Court of Texas to render legal services in Texas as a Foreign Legal Consultant. Prior to joining the Giron Kirby Law Group, Carlos was a Legal Coordinator for Pemex Procurement International Inc. where he managed and trained the legal team and was responsible for administrating the company’s legal matters related to framework agreements and other contracts concerning Mexican law. Recently, he was an Associate International Lawyer at Purnell Elizalde LLP, responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of legal cases focused on transactional work involving international legal matters and immigration law. With the Giron Kirby Law Group, Carlos primarily focuses his practice on immigration law. He assists both businesses and individuals with preparing and effectuating an immigration plan, be it related to obtaining visas or permanent residence status for foreign workers or guiding investors and entrepreneurs through the United States immigration process. Carlos also advises business owners and entrepreneurs with respect to U.S. business law, contract, labor, and governance matters. He has years of experience as in-house counsel in the energy/oil & gas industry handling issues pertaining to contract negotiation, international procurement, energy operations, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and cross-border transactions. He draws on this experience to deliver quality advice to U.S. businesses as well as Mexican businesses looking to establish or ramp up United States operations. By virtue of Carlos’s licensure as an attorney in Mexico, he has the unique ability to also be able to advise businesses in Mexico or seeking to do business in Mexico with respect to matters of contract, labor, intellectual property, energy, and dealings with Sate Own Government Entities under Mexican law. Finally, Carlos assists the Giron Kirby Law Group lawyers with representing hard working Texans injured by the negligence of others.

Jennifer Setters

Las Vegas, NV

Jennifer Setters is a first-generation Mexican-American and the founding attorney of Gastelum Attorneys in Las Vegas, Nevada. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and attended Boyd School of Law. Recognized as Student of the Year for Boyd’s Community Service Program in 2011, she taught divorce and custody classes to Spanish-speaking litigants. Jennifer is known for her diligent and aggressive representation in family law and personal injury matters, having represented hundreds of clients in litigation. She is licensed in Nevada District Courts and the United States District Court, District of Nevada, and is a member of the Nevada State Bar and Nevada Justice Association. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Luis Martinez

Salem, OR

Luis Martinez is a bilingual personal injury attorney in Oregon, specializing in car accident cases. He graduated cum laude from Willamette University’s Law School and has been serving clients with distinction since 2004. He is an active member of several legal associations and the Salem Chamber of Commerce.

Morton W. Appleton

Hartford, CT

Firm Founder, Morton Appleton, has been practicing law for nearly 65 years as a trial lawyer. Morton earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut and received his law degree from Boston University in 1955. He has practiced law in Connecticut and Massachusetts throughout his career. His practice areas have included civil litigation, personal injury, medical malpractice, commercial litigation, and administrative law. He is currently a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Hartford County Bar Administration.

Sofia is a Founding Member and Co-Manager for Ramón Worthington Nicolas & Cantu, P.L.L.C., a majority women and minority owned (NAMWOLF) law firm devoted to civil litigation, including complex commercial litigation. Her practice is trial focused, primarily defending corporate and individual clients involved in employment matters, complex commercial litigation, products liability, medical malpractice, transportation law and first party/bad faith insurance litigation. She has been practicing law for over three decades and has tried numerous cases to verdict as first chair in jury and bench trials in State and Federal Courts across Central and South Texas. She has earned membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), including TEX-ABOTA. She is actively involved in a number of professional associations, currently serving on the Executive Committee (Treasurer) for the State Bar of Texas Litigation Council, and previously serving in various board positions, including Area Vice President, over the last few decades for the Texas Association of Defense Counsel (TADC). She is also a qualified Mediator pursuant to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §154.052(a) and Member of the Association of Attorney-Mediators and has devoted a portion of her practice to mediating cases involving serious personal injury and complex commercial matters. She has served on the planning committees for and written and presented at numerous continuing legal education seminars for the State Bar of Texas, Texas Women Lawyers, TADC and the HCBA in multiple areas, including ethics. She was named the 2024 Louise B. Raggio Award Recipient by the Women and the Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and was also honored to receive the 2021 Hidalgo County Bar Association’s Ethics Award. She is a native of South Texas, born and raised in Edinburg, and believes in giving back to the community in which she was raised. She proudly serves as a National Director for AVANCE, INC., an organization which works to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty through innovative, two-generation educational support for families with young children. She also served as a Board Member for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA of Hidalgo), an organization uniquely created to help abused and neglected children in the foster care system, who are referred for advocacy services. Prior to this position, Sofia was involved in the Puente Mentor Program for South Texas College, a program designed to increase the number of academically underserved students and encourage their continued education in four year colleges and universities so they may develop as leaders and mentors.

Jordan Stern

Freeport, NY

Jordan Stern has been practicing personal injury law for more than 25 years. He is a graduate of Syracuse University College of Law and previously worked for the NYS Attorney General. He moved his father's firm to Freeport and added Spanish-speaking staff. He has a history of volunteering, including providing free legal advice to homeless people and assisting 9/11 families with compensation funds.

Corry J. Brannen

Concord, NC

Corry J. Brannen is a local Concord, North Carolina attorney and the founding member of Brannen Law. He has been licensed to practice law in North Carolina since 2012. He was named one of the Top 100 Civil Lawyers in North Carolina by the National Trial Lawyers in 2019. He specializes in wills and estate planning, criminal law, and civil litigation. He is a member of both the North Carolina Bar Association and the Cabarrus County Bar Association.

George Dieguez

Chicago, IL

George Anthony Dieguez is a trial attorney at Mancini Law Group P.C., specializing in personal injury matters including automotive and trucking negligence, nursing home abuse, and wrongful death. He earned his JD from IIT-Chicago Kent College of Law and is fluent in Spanish, using his bilingual abilities to communicate with clients. Admitted to practice in Illinois, he is a member of several professional organizations including the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and American Bar Association.

Heath Cole Poole

College Station, TX

Heath C. Poole brings his Texas Piney Woods upbringing to Aggieland. Heath graduated from Texas A&M University in 1997 with a B.B.A. in management. In 2000, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas. After law school, he worked as in-house counsel and land operations manager fin the energy sector. Since practicing law, he has handled a wide variety of legal specializations: Oil and Gas | Real Estate | Wills and Estates Planning | Personal Injury and Mass Tort. As we continue to grow, Chad Jones Law remains steadfast in helping our clients get the justice they deserve. Heath Poole’s arrival marks an exciting new chapter for our firm. We look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have. Our commitment to excellence extends beyond the courtroom. Chad Jones Law welcomes new team members who will add to our culture and people capacity. We nurture an inclusive and supportive environment where individuals can achieve their full potential. Congratulations and welcome aboard, Heath!

Mark S. Martinez

Santa Ana, CA

Mark S. Martinez is a Personal Injury Attorney and Founding Attorney at The Law Offices of Mark S. Martinez. He fights for the rights of injured accident victims against insurance companies and responsible parties. He handles cases involving car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bike crashes, truck or rideshare accidents, and slip and fall injuries. Mr. Martinez offers sound legal guidance and pursues maximum compensation for clients, working with individuals and families throughout Southern California. He takes pride in helping those facing unfair insurance evaluations and does not collect payment unless his client wins their case. He is fully bilingual in English and Spanish.

Robert C. Dominguez, Esq.

Miami Lakes, FL

After being born in Cuba and arriving to Miami at a young age, Robert C. Dominguez youth inspired him to pursue a legal career after experiencing first-hand the consequences of a being born in a communist country. Once Mr. Dominguez graduated Suma Cum Laude of Barbra Goleman Senior High in Miami, Mr. Dominguez decided to reject multiple out-of-state offers of top tier undergraduate universities in order to maintain a close connection to the dynamic community in which he had established in South Florida. With having graduated Suma Cum Laude at Florida International University with his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a Minor in Cuban Politics at FIU Honors College, Mr. Dominguez decided to accept the invitation to attend Florida International University College of Law to complete his journey to enter into the legal profession for his Juris doctorate and licensure with The Florida Bar. Mr. Dominguez has always maintained a close relationship with South Florida due to his multiple business ventures, philanthropy, and continued integration of establishing a relationship with the local government town officials. Aside from being a Real Estate Broker with hundreds of real estate agents who worked for his company, Mr. Dominguez experience as a business owner gave him the understanding and capacity needed to open a law firm as soon as he passed the Florida Bar. Once his firm was opened, Mr. Dominguez modern approach has launched his firm in expanding to one of the fastest growing law firms in South Florida. Mr. Dominguez extensive network of relationships with his community, veteran attorneys in the industry, and his team that has a combined experience of over 50 years has been the foundation in which The Founders Law is becoming a firm that is respected for vigorously reputation and litigating cases of those who have suffered injuries and wrongful death on behalf of victims and their families all over Florida and Texas.

Daniel L. Morris

Dallas, TX

Daniel has represented injured workers in Texas since 1996. He is fluent in Spanish and has lived in Argentina and Mexico. He has been involved in the Texas Workers’ Compensation Bar Section since its inception and has served as a workers’ representative for the board. He has lectured numerous time at the Texas Bar Advanced Workers’ Compensation Seminar for over the last ten years and has spoken on subjects from “How to Handle Your First Workers’ Compensation Claim” to the “Legislative Update.” He dedicated his practice to the representation of workers injured on the job, expanding to include personal injury, criminal defense, immigration, and family law. As of 2018, he owns and manages MLF Legal, PLLC.

Jazmin E. Newton-Butt

Davenport, IA

Jazmin E. Newton-Butt is an attorney licensed in Iowa (2014) and Illinois (2013), focusing on family law, mediation, criminal defense, OWI/DUI, and personal injury. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and conversational in French. A Cum Laude graduate of Northern Illinois University College of Law (2013), she has received multiple awards including the Young Alum of the Year Award (2023) and Girl on Fire Mentor of the Year (2021). She is actively involved in community leadership, serving as Davenport Alderwoman at Large, and on various boards and commissions including the QC Chamber of Commerce and LULAC Iowa.

Philip G. Bernal

San Antonio, TX

Phil Bernal was born in Eagle Pass, Texas and speaks Spanish fluently. Phil graduated from Southside High School here in San Antonio, Texas. Phil has been practicing personal injury trial law for over 30 years in South Texas and the Hill Country. Phil graduated from St. Mary’s School of Law here in San Antonio, Texas. Phil has been Board Certified In Personal Injury Trial Law by The Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1998. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Phil practiced respiratory therapy where Phil treated and rehabilitated patients with pulmonary diseases and oversaw patients on short term and long term ventilators in the surgical intensive care unit, coronary intensive care units and medical intensive care unit. Over the last three decades Phil has obtained multiple settlements and jury verdicts in the areas of medical malpractice, commercial vehicle (18 wheeler), automobile accidents, premises liability, products liability, and police civil rights cases. In 2016 Phil obtained the 51st highest jury verdict in the nation and the 6th highest verdict in the State of Texas between 2016-2018 against a commercial driver and his company for over $37,875,000.00 in Dallas County. In 2024 a Federal Jury in the Western District of Texas returned a verdict for over $9.2 million against 2 San Antonio police officers who used excessive force in the arrest and seizure of Phil’s client. Phil’s client was completely innocent and minding his own business when he was viciously attacked by the police officers. This verdict came after almost a month of trial in total. Phil’s verdict is the first verdict in the Federal Western District for an excessive force case by police officers since 1989. Phil has been consistently recognized by his peers by being selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Phil has also been nominated and been designated a SuperLawyer 2013, 2014 and 2016.

David B. Zirlen

Natick, MA

David B. Zirlen is a dedicated criminal defense and personal injury lawyer with 28 years of experience. As a former Assistant District Attorney, he possesses unique insights into the legal system, enabling him to effectively represent clients in criminal defense, OUI, and personal injury cases. He is known for his extensive trial experience and success in DUI defense.

David A. Helfand

Miami, FL

David A. Helfand is an acclaimed and experienced accident lawyer in Miami, Florida, with over 28 years of successful experience handling personal injury and wrongful death cases, including automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, and truck accidents, product liability, medical malpractice, insurance disputes, and workers' compensation cases. He is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts and the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida.

Freddy Woods

Greer, SC

Freddy Woods is an experienced attorney and founder of The Woods Law Firm, established in 1997. He has extensive courtroom experience in civil and criminal trials, personal injury cases, and technology-related business transactions. He previously served as a CBCF Fellow to Congressman James Clyburn and as a law clerk to Honorable Donald Beatty. Mr. Woods volunteers pro-bono for children in the juvenile justice system and is multilingual, speaking fluent English and Portuguese, and conversational Spanish.

Esteban Sandoval, Esq.

Las Vegas, NV

Esteban Sandoval is a first-generation Mexican American who grew up in El Paso, Texas. Esteban’s parents were both born in Mexico, but ultimately wanted a better life for their three children and moved from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico to El Paso, Texas when Esteban was three years old. Although, Spanish was the language of the household, Esteban learned English by attending public school in Texas. In high school, his uncanny leadership abilities were not only evident in his academic performance, but also on the football and track field where he earned the title of team captain and was named to the all-district team. After graduating high school, Esteban attended the University of Texas at Austin where he earned his bachelor’s degree in government with a minor in Spanish. After graduating, Esteban moved to Las Vegas, where he bought a house and made Las Vegas his home. Shortly thereafter, Esteban decided to attend law school. While he was still completing his undergraduate degree, Esteban worked for an injury attorney. It was there that Esteban saw how injuries caused by someone else’s negligence could devastate people’s lives and the difference a dedicated attorney could make in the outcome of their case. This left Esteban with a great respect for injury attorneys and ultimately inspired him to move forward with law school. Having found a passion for the city of Las Vegas and its community, Esteban decided to stay in Las Vegas while he did so, attending the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Since graduating law school, Esteban has dedicated himself to representing clients injured by another’s negligence. He has helped thousands of injured clients accumulate millions in recovery and is a founding partner in law firms in two separate jurisdictions. Before founding SJW Injury Attorneys, Esteban along with his good friend and colleague, Benedict James, formed Sandoval & James in Austin, Texas. Sandoval & James quickly grew to be one of the preeminent injury firms in Austin. Despite his success, Esteban maintains a strong passion for representing injured victims. He takes pride in leading by example and stays directly involved in all cases, working with and training his staff each and every day to ensure all of his clients receive the best possible result on their case. He currently shares his time between Austin and Las Vegas and is a strong advocate for people in both communities. When he is not working, Esteban puts the same passion and energy into being a father as he does into representing his clients. He values family overall and his commitment to treating every SJW client as a member of his own family.