Abogados de habla Español

Marion R. Lawler, III

Lawler & Associates, P.C.

Annika K. Martin

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP

• Annika K. Martin is a partner in the firm’s New York office and has represented plaintiffs since 2005 in environmental, mass tort, consumer protection, and sexual abuse cases.Annika serves as court-appointed Co-Interim Class Counsel representing women who were sexually abused by gynecologist George Tyndall, M.D., in a class action against Tyndall and the University of Southern California. Plaintiffs and class members are women who saw Tyndall at the USC Student Health Clinic during his tenure there. From 1989 through 2016, Tyndall was the only full-time gynecologist on staff at USC’s Student Health Clinic. The lawsuit alleges Tyndall used this position of trust and authority to repeatedly sexually abuse the Plaintiffs and potentially thousands of other class members, and that despite that USC received numerous complaints of Tyndall’s sexually abusive behavior, dating back to at least the year 2000, USC actively and deliberately concealed Tyndall’s sexual abuse for years, continuing to grant Tyndall unfettered sexual access to the female USC students in his care. On behalf of Tyndall’s victims, Annika helped negotiate a $215 million settlement with USC and Dr. Tyndall; the settlement also requires USC to make sweeping institutional changes to ensure something like this never happens again on campus. The settlement was preliminarily approved by court in June, and the settlement claims process is currently open at https://www.usctyndallsettlement.com/.Similarly, Annika represents women who were sexually assaulted and harassed by obstetrician/gynecologist Patrick Sutton, M.D., in a class action against Sutton and Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasedena, California.Annika also currently represents individuals and businesses in class action litigation against PG&E over losses arising out of the October 2017 Northern California wildfires. In doing so, Annika draws on her previous successful environmental work, most notably in the class action litigation against BP, Transocean, Halliburton, and the other companies responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil rig blowout in the Gulf of Mexico and the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Among other significant roles, Annika was a key member of the small team that negotiated settlements that have paid out over $11.6 billion so far to compensate individuals and businesses across the Gulf Coast harmed by the Spill.Annika represents consumers in class action lawsuits filed in federal courts in California and Georgia against Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler AG over allegations that defects in the vehicle HVAC systems lead to the growth of noxious mold that spews extremely unpleasant odors throughout the vehicles during use. The lawsuit seeks an effective permanent fix for the problem, as well as monetary damages for affected Mercedes-Benz owners and lessees. Watch a report from WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia on the Mercedes-Benz AC Mold litigation.Annika serves as court-appointed Co-Lead counsel in In re General Motors Corp. Air Conditioning Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, MDL 2818, representing owners and lessees of certain GM trucks with allegedly defective air conditioning systems that repeatedly fail and cost thousands of dollars to repair each time.Annika serves as court-appointed Pro Se Liaison counsel in In re New England Compounding Pharmacy Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2419, the Multidistrict Litigation arising out of the 2012 meningitis outbreak caused by contaminated medication manufactured by New England Compounding Pharmacy (NECC). Annika’s work helped result in settlements totaling $227.8 million with NECC and the hospitals and clinics that unlawfully purchased and administered contaminated medication to the victims.Annika also represents two former students in their lawsuits against The Hotchkiss School. John Doe’s suit alleges that, during his two years at the Hotchkiss School in the 1980s, John Doe was subjected to ritual hazing of a sexual nature by older student-proctors and was raped by a male teacher who was known to the School as a pedophile who had abused numerous other male students at the School. Richard Roe’s suit alleges that, during Roe’s time as a student at the School in the 1990s, that same male teacher groomed and sexually assaulted Roe in much the same way as he had Doe.Annika’s published works include “Stick a Toothbrush Down Your Throat: An Analysis of the Potential Liability of Pro-Eating Disorder Websites,” Texas Journal of Women & the Law, Volume 14 Issue 2, Spring 2005 and “How to Stop Worrying and Love Predictive Coding,” Trial Magazine, January 2016.An active member of the legal community, Annika is the immediate past Chair of the Class Action Litigation Group within the American Association for Justice. Annika serves on the Steering Committee for the Sedona Conference’s Working Group 1 (Electronic Discovery Retention and Production), and co-founded the Complex Litigation E-Discovery Forum, an annual e-discovery conference for plaintiffs-side complex litigation practitioners. Annika speaks and writes regularly on issues of class actions, mass torts, e-discovery, and diversity in legal practice.In 2018, Annika won a Certificate of Recognition from the American Association for Justice. The rarely-given award acknowledges AAJ members who have made important and unique contributions to the organization through membership, education, leadership, and/or fundraising to sustain and strengthen the AAJ.Annika is fluent in Swedish and conversational in French, Spanish, and Dutch.

Mala L. Sharma

Sharma & Associates, P.C.

Edgar Carranza

Backus, Carranza & Burden

• Edgar Carranza is a shareholder in Backus, Carranza & Burden, and has been a member of the Las Vegas, Nevada, firm since its founding in 1997. Focusing his practice on civil litigation, he represents individuals and businesses throughout the Las Vegas area in a variety of matters, including products and premises liability, recreational and sports law, professional liability defense, employment law and multidistrict mass tort litigation defense. During his nearly 30 years of practice, Mr. Carranza has participated in numerous jury, bench and administrative trials, arbitration hearings and appellate proceedings.A 1990 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Mr. Carranza earned his Juris Doctor in 1994 at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Admitted to practice law in Nevada, he is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. Fluent in both English and Spanish, he is a founding member of the Las Vegas Latino Bar Association and a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association. Mr. Carranza also gives freely of his time as a mentor for a program sponsored by the Hispanic Law Students Association at the William S. Boyd School of Law and as a volunteer for several local community organizations such as the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. Copyright 2009 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC

Lloyd Epstein

Epstein & Weil

• Lloyd Epstein is a cofounder and Partner of Epstein & Weil LLC, which is located in New York City. He focuses his practice in a variety of areas for his clients who are located throughout the greater metropolitan area.In his criminal defense practice, Mr. Epstein has successfully representation to people who have been charged by the state or federal government with felonies or misdemeanors. The types of matters that he has handled have included drug possession or distribution, weapons violations, embezzlement, fraud, and other white collar crimes, sex offenses, and assault and other violent crimes.Mr. Epstein has been able to obtain successful results for his clients, both through acquittals and through the negotiation of favorable plea agreements with the prosecution.Can You Ever Forgive Me?, the movie based on the autobiographical story of Lee Israel, one of this firm’s clients. Lloyd Epstein represented Ms. Israel in the early 1990s. Unhappy with her first attorney and facing the prospect of a jail sentence, Lee turned to Epstein & Weil to defend her on charges of forging “letters” from famous writers and stealing original letters from a rare document library. Her case gained notoriety when she published an account of her crimes which included praise and gratitude for Lloyd’s work in keeping her out of jail. See more about Lee’s story (and see Lloyd portrayed) in the film. Mr. Epstein also provides a variety of services for family-owned and closely held businesses. These have included the negotiation and preparation of contracts, business formation and planning, regulatory compliance, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in commercial litigation, and preparing nondisclosure and employment agreements. Other litigation matters that Mr. Epstein has handled have included breach of fiduciary duties, unfair competition, covenants not to compete and will contests based upon undue influence. Epstein is fluent in Spanish and Hebrew. He attended Williams College as an undergraduate, and he received a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in 1974. His legal education was obtained at New York University School of Law, where he received the Ann Petluck Poses Memorial Prize before being awarded his Juris Doctor in 1979.Admitted to practice in New York, Mr. Epstein is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Southern and Northern Districts of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.

Scott Freedman

Zacks Freedman & Patterson PC

• Shareholder at Zacks, Freedman & Patterson, PC, Scott Freedman handles legal issues related to co-ownership disputes, business litigation, landlord-tenant law and real estate litigation. For individuals who desire to stay out of the courtroom and the litigation process, he also offers alternative dispute resolution in the San Francisco Bay area and through all Northern California. He is fluent in English and Spanish.In 2000, Mr. Freedman graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science as a member of the Tulane Honors Program. After that, he attended the Santa Clara University School of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctor in 2005 and was a member of the Santa Clara Law Review. He helped author the CEB guide to landlord-tenant practice and is a member of The Bar Association of San Francisco.Although he understands the benefits of mediation and is a skilled negotiator, Mr. Freedman is prepared to take a case to court, if necessary, to obtain a favorable result for his clients. He is admitted to practice in the state of California and before the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. To give back to his community, he is involved with the Volunteer Legal Services Program and has been for over a decade.An engaging lecturer, Mr. Freedman has presented to the Continuing Education of the Bar, California and the San Francisco Apartment Association and published a comment in the Santa Clara Law Review. Throughout his career, he has represented contractors, landlords, prospective owners, managers and property owners in matters of construction, purchase-sale, boundary, co-ownership and neighbor disputes.

Xavier A. Franco

McArdle, Perez & Franco, P.L.

• Attorney Xavier A. Franco is a partner at the highly respected Coral Gables law firm of McArdle, Perez & Franco, P.L. Since joining the firm to head its litigation department in 2013, Mr. Franco has focused his efforts on representing the interests of clients from the Miami-Dade area and surrounding South Florida who have legal needs in the following practice areas:Litigation and arbitrationConstruction lawReal estate transactionsCommercial transactionsInternational businessMr. Franco began his legal career in 2006 after earning his law degree from University of Miami School of Law and his admission to The Florida Bar. In addition to his approval to practice in all of Florida's state courts, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida have also approved him to practice in their courtrooms.Prior to joining his current firm, attorney Franco worked for a large national firm, where he gained valuable experience representing clients in business and commercial disputes and complex transactions. With his experience handling high-profile cases and his ability to speak Spanish fluently, it is easy to understand why Latin-American clients regularly turn to him for assistance with their business interests in the United States.Mr. Franco is not only a skilled attorney but also a valued member of the legal community. He has written a number of articles for various legal publications, and he is a member of several legal organizations, including the American Bar Association and the Dade County Bar Association. In addition, he is active in his local community as a volunteer with various organizations, including the Chapman Partnership.

Negar Tehrani

Tehrani Law Firm, APC

• Attorney Negar Tehrani is the owner of Tehrani Law Firm, APC in Los Angeles, California. Ms. Tehrani concentrates her practice on all aspects of business law, including business disputes and formation. She also handles matters involving commercial and residential real estate, commercial and residential landlord/tenant actions, contracts, and unlawful detainers. She represents clients throughout Southern California.Ms. Tehrani earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and obtained her license to practice law in 2013.Before becoming a licensed attorney, Ms. Tehrani worked as an assistant clerk for the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles and a law clerk for the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. She served as a research assistant for her law school, a clinical extern and mediator for the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution, and a clinical student for the International Human Rights Clinic at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.Upon receiving her license to practice law, Ms. Tehrani practiced as an associate at a law firm in Beverly Hills, California, before founding her own practice in 2014. She speaks English, Spanish and Farsi and this, combined with her varied legal background, allows her to operate a diverse practice uniquely tailored to the needs of each client.Ms. Tehrani is an active member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and Los Angeles Couny Bar Association. While pursuing her legal studies, she belonged to law school groups, including the International Law Society, the Jewish Law Students Association and the Public Interest Law Foundation.

Kimberly D. Moss

The Law Offices of Kimberly D. Moss, PLLC

Cynthia L. Counts

Duane Morris LLP

• Cynthia Counts is a partner in the Atlanta office of Duane Morris LLP, focusing on libel, privacy, copyright and First Amendment law. A seasoned litigator with more than 25 years of trial and appellate experience, Counts defends individuals, newspapers, websites, television stations and businesses nationally in libel, as well as breach of contract, invasion of privacy, fraud, and media access matters. She also represents media and publishing companies in conducting prepublication review, prior restraint matters and to gain access to court proceedings or public documents. She is best known for her aggressive motions practice, and for her success in winning libel cases outright in the early stages of litigation before expensive discovery becomes necessary. In that regard, Counts has been at the forefront of the quest for a broad application of Georgia’s anti-SLAPP statute, enacted in 1996 to provide an early mechanism for the dismissal of harassing libel litigation. Recent matters: serving as lead counsel for media company in a Maine libel case involving defamation, false light and other claims(2020); obtained order granting anti-SLAPP motion and awarding our media client all attorneys' fees in Ga. defamation case (2019); secured dismissal for media company in Michigan defamation case in exchange for agreement not to seek sanctions/attorney fees against plaintiff for false pleading of material facts (2018); using anti-SLAPP statute, secured dismissal of a libel claim against a Connecticut media company (2018); assisted in successful anti-SLAPP defense for television client in a California libel matter and won award for attorney fees (2018); summary judgment for client in defamation claim filed against Atlanta TV station for story reporting that veteran had lied about receiving Purple Heart award (2016) (this decision was affirmed by Georgia Court of Appeals, 2017); prevailed on a motion to dismiss in the Nevada District Court arguing that Cox Communications was immune from liability under the Communications Decency Act (“CDA”) for passively hosting websites containing information regarding an expunged criminal conviction (2017); used amended Georgia anti-SLAPP statute to secure early stage dismissal of libel complaint in which plaintiff alleged that defendant’s notification to insurance company about possible arson in a house fire constituted defamation (2017); obtained dismissal of a libel suit against a community newspaper in Georgia by an individual who alleged that the newspaper’s report of her arrest was false and defamatory (2016); dismissal of a defamation claim against CBS affiliate by physician investigated in cosmetic surgery deaths (2015); summary judgment for a reality TV performer in a libel claim over comments she made on her network show (2015); early summary judgment for hosts of a popular Spanish radio program sued for libel over satirical comments on their show (2015); voluntary dismissal of a libel claim against a whistleblower in a Department of State matter involving alleged contract fraud (2014); and an 11th Circuit order for sanctions of $545,000 against plaintiffs who filed a frivolous libel claim against a Rolls Royce club member (2008). Counts has also litigated successfully for individual clients with free speech concerns: from those speaking out about assisted suicide in a state that tried to prohibit such speech, to individuals facing anti-gay discrimination in requests for vanity license plates, to those wrongfully arrested for verbally criticizing law enforcement, or for uttering profanities a public meeting. She is a sought-after commentator and writer on libel, privacy, Internet, the First Amendment and open government law. In 2014, she became a member of the governing board of the American Bar Association Forum on Communications Law. She is a director of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation and chairs the Media Law Resource Center’s Newsgathering Committee. Counts is also an adjunct professor teaching media law at Emory University Law School and has taught in the undergraduate journalism program. Counts is a 1992 graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law and a 1989 cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

David M. Krum

Law Offices of Krum, Gergely, & Oates LLC

• David M. Krum cofounded Krum, Gergely & Oates, LLC, a full-service law firm, because he believes that people who are charged with crimes or traffic offenses or those involved in personal injury deserve to have a strong attorney fighting for their rights. From his firm's offices in Rockville, Hyattsville and Fairfax, Mr. Krum represents clients throughout Montgomery and Prince George's counties, and across the state of Maryland. In addition to criminal, traffic and personal injury matters, Mr. Krum handles medical malpractice and workers' compensation matters for his clients.After receiving dual bachelor's degrees in Spanish and Physics from Wofford College in 2001, Mr. Krum pursued his legal education at the University of Baltimore School of Law and was awarded his Juris Doctorate in 2005. Prior to forming Krum, Gergely & Oates, LLC, Mr. Krum was a partner for 7 years at a large criminal, traffic and personal injury law firm in Silver Spring, Maryland. Mr. Krum has handled thousands of cases. His experience includes co-chairing and chairing many trials before a jury, including one in which a multi-million-dollar verdict was obtained in a birth injury case.  Mr. Krum has also obtained many not guilty verdicts for his clients charged with crimes ranging from driving intoxicated up to crimes that carry life in jail.  Highly regarded by his fellow professionals, Mr. Krum has received a 10.0 "Superb" peer review rating through Avvo and a 5-star rating on Google. He is also a member of The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 and America’s Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys.Mr. Krum is admitted to practice in Maryland and continues to hone his skills as an attorney through membership in a variety of professional organizations. He is a past president of the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association and has been a member of the Maryland Bar Association, the Maryland Association for Justice Inc., the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys' Association, the Prince George’s County Bar Association and the Bar Association of Montgomery County.

Alejandro L. Padua

Padua Law Firm