Women Lawyers

Samantha Pryor

The Halliburton Law Firm, LLC

• Attorney Samantha L. Pryor is the founder and managing member of The Halliburton Law Firm in Denver, Colorado, where she focuses her practice on personal injury law, business law and employment law.Mrs. Pryor is also the founder of Resolution Advocates, where she assists clients in resolving their disputes and reach agreements through negotiation and mediation rather than through expensive, time-consuming court battles.A native of Colorado, Mrs. Pryor has achieved notable success helping a diverse range of clients across the state with their most important legal matters, including maintaining a successful appellate practice, where she has gained widespread acclaim for her legal research and writing skills.Her wealth of experience in many legal areas makes her well-suited to handle the demands of her clients regardless of how complex or challenging their needs, and she has received numerous awards and honors for her professionalism and service. Most recently, the Denver Business Journal recognized Mrs. Pryor as a 40 under 40 Honoree in 2017, which is a high honor to recognize the best and brightest young leaders in the local business community.  Mrs. Pryor was selected as one of the 40 honorees among a group of over 500 nominees in 2017.   After earning her Bachelor of Arts in business administration - finance and accounting, magna cum laude, from Clark Atlanta University in 2004, Mrs. Pryor attended the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctor in 2007. That same year, she received her license to practice law from the Colorado Supreme Court, and she is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado as well as before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.Active in her community, she is a member of several local, state and national bar associations, and she gives back to her local community as well through her involvement with numerous charitable and civic organizations.

Kia M. Wrice

The Law Office of Kia M. Wrice, LLC

• Serving the people of central Ohio and the Columbus metropolitan area, Kia Wrice is attorney at law at the Law Office of Kia M. Wrice. With a passion for the rule of law, fairness and justice, she handles cases of criminal law, personal injury, family law and litigation. She uses a hands-on approach with every case to provide confidence and peace to her clients as they face extreme changes in their lives whether it be from an unexpected injury, an arrest or a divorce.In 2017, Ms. Wrice was the Justice Award Recipient of the Central Ohio Youth & Adult Program. She is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and the Supreme Court of Ohio, as well as in all Ohio state courts. With a reputation as a tenacious and tireless advocate for clients, she uses her federal and state courtroom experience to increase the chances of successful results.Ms. Wrice graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, then attended Capital University Law School. In 2012, she obtained her Juris Doctor and has been representing members of the community since then. From interviewing defendants, intake, investigation, insurance company negotiation and litigation, she is prepared to go the distance for her clients.A former member of the United States Army National Guard, Ms. Wrice is currently actively involved with a variety of professional organizations. These include the Ohio State Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, Phi Alpha Delta and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Maraleen D. Shields

Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, P.C.

• After amassing nearly a decade of medical malpractice defense and risk management experience, Maraleen D. Shields joined the Firm in 2014. She is a shareholder of the Firm’s Healthcare and Litigation & Trial Practice Groups.As a member of the Firm’s Healthcare Group, her practice focuses on peer review and credentialing matters, licensing and professional board disputes, Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and Health Information Technology and Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) compliance, the OIG exclusion program, and risk mitigation and event management. She prepares medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations, and policies for hospitals and other healthcare facilities in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and accreditation standards. She represents healthcare professionals engaged in the fair hearing and appellate review process and before state licensing boards. She is a frequent speaker for healthcare professionals.Ms. Shields is also a member of the Firm’s Litigation & Trial Practice Group. She has handled a wide array of matters including, healthcare business disputes, municipal liability, class action litigation, personal injury matters, and general complex litigation. She handles all phases of litigation and appellate practice. She works diligently to understand her client’s case and expectations. She recognizes the importance of exploring all options to achieve a favorable result whether it be through mediation, arbitration, or trial. Shields is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. Since relocating to the Lehigh Valley in 2006, she has developed strong ties to the community. She is currently VP of Communications of Cetronia Elementary School’s PAC as well as a member of the Board of Directors for the Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers. She was formerly a member of The Hillside School’s Board of Trustees. In 2015, she was named to Lehigh Valley Business’ Forty Under 40.

Nydia N. Streets

Streets Law, LLC

Ashley N. Stepps

Rippy, Stepps & Associates

• Ashley was born and raised in the Arkansas Delta in Pine Bluff. She is a graduate of Delaware State University and received her law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock – William H. Bowen School of Law. Formerly with The Raymon B. Harvey Law Firm, Ashley’s career has been spent serving elderly and special needs clients, their families, and loved ones as they encounter the legal issues that accompany aging and disability. She works to assist her clients in making sense of the intricate legal areas of elder law including probate, estate planning, and long term care/Medicaid planning. She aids her clients with accomplishing their specific goals by developing plans that are unique to them. As well as being a frequent National Business Institute speaker, she has written, planned, and presented programs on various elder law subjects for several professional and her writings on pet trusts have been published by Outskirts Press. Ashley is also a Veterans Administration (“VA”) Accredited Attorney. She is the immediate past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Arkansas Bar Association, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity International, and the American Bar Association.

Verleana D. Green

Law Office of Verleana D. Green

• Verleana D. Green is the founder and senior partner of The Law Offices of Verleana D. Green (VDG Law). After graduating with a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, Ms. Green earned her Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She was certified as a contract advisor by the National Football League Players Association in 2009. Ms. Green went on to receive her Masters of Law (LLM) in Taxation in 2014 from Golden Gate University Law School, as well as her Certificate in Estate Planning and Certification in Mediation. As a legal professional, this Oakland native gained experience by working for a premiere international law firm, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, in the practice area of securities litigation. In addition, Ms. Green worked in the mutual funds contracts department at one of the largest and most recognized investment firms, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Ms. Green also worked under the General Counsel at Robert Half International Inc., drafting and negotiating employment contracts for 15 states and 8 lines of Business. Ms. Green was awarded The Innovator Award by Powerful Women of the Bay Area in 2015, in addition to receiving recognition as a 2015 & 2016 Top 100 Lawyer by the National Black Lawyers Association. In 2014, Ms. Green began teaching as an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law, teaching Elder Law and Estate Planning. Ms. Green founded a non-profit organization in 2014, The Estate and Retirement planning Specialists, focusing on educating the public on important issues such as Estate Planning, Probate, Elder Abuse Prevention and Detection and Trust Administration. The Estate and Retirement Planning Specialists host a yearly seminar, the Estate and Retirement Planning Summit, educating individuals on estate and retirement planning issues in Oakland, CA. Ms. Green is a member of a variety of professional organizations, including the State Bar of California Trusts and Estates Section, the East Bay Trusts and Estates Lawyers, Black Women Lawyers Association of Northern California, Charles Houston Bar Association, The National Bar Association, and the Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association. Ms. Green has also served on the Executive Committee (First Vice President (2016-2017) Secretary (2015-2016) of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Oakland Bay Area Chapter.

Melaney LaGrone

LaGrone Law, LLC

• The managing attorney at LaGrone Law, Melaney LaGrone focuses her practice on criminal defense matters. From the firm's office in Lawrenceville, Georgia, she provides representation to clients throughout the greater metropolitan area. Admitted to practice before all Georgia state courts since 2014, Ms. LaGrone is also admitted to practice in Michigan, and her legal experience extends to family law and immigration as well.Ms. LaGrone's criminal defense client base comprises people who have been charged by the state with having committed misdemeanor or felony offenses. The types of cases that she has handled in this regard have included driving under the influence of alcohol, drug possession and distribution, theft, and assault and other violent crimes. During her career, Ms. LaGrone has been able to obtain positive results for her clients through dismissals, acquittals and the negotiation of favorable plea agreements with the prosecution. Her fellow professionals have taken note of her successful track record as well as of her high degree of ethics, and they have awarded her an "Excellent" peer review rating through Avvo.As an undergraduate, Ms. LaGrone attended the University of Detroit Mercy, where she majored in criminal justice studies and received a Bachelor of Science in 1993. She then spent several years as an officer with the Detroit Police Department before deciding to pursue a legal education at what was then known as the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. While she was there, Ms. LaGrone served an internship with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office before being awarded her Juris Doctor in 2011. Active in her community, Ms. LaGrone provides pro bono legal services to immigrants through the Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative and Kids in Need of Defense.

Nesha Q.S. Wright

The Spencer Wright Law Firm, LLC

• Nesha Wright received her Juris Doctorate from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Ms. Wright's primary practice areas are youth law, family law and criminal defense. She is a former adjunct instructor in English at Calhoun Community College in Huntsville, Alabama, and a former freelance legal writer for NOLO.com. She is an avid volunteer and regularly divides her time between the Alabama Lawyer's Association, the Madison County Volunteer Lawyers Program, and working with students interested in the field of law. Ms. Wright is known within the legal community as an avid and tough advocate for her clients.

Kimberly Wilder

Davis, Chapman & Wilder, LLC

• Attorney Kimberly Wilder is a partner at Davis, Chapman, & Wilder, LLC, in Augusta, Georgia. Ms. Wilder practices in the areas of criminal defense, family law, personal injury and mediation, serving clients in Augusta and the surrounding areas. She is committed to providing dedicated representation to all of her clients, helping them attain the best possible results.Ms. Wilder has extensive trial experience in criminal matters, defending criminal defense clients in over 1,000 cases over the course of her career. She has experience litigating misdemeanors and felonies and appearing in state, superior and juvenile courts in the state of Georgia. She handles matters involving aggravated assault, domestic violence, drug possession, DUI, murder, obstruction, possession of a firearm, probation violations, sex crimes and theft.In addition, Ms. Wilder is a registered mediator, successfully resolving complex family law, personal injury and other civil cases. She also holds an accreditation through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which allows her to represent veterans attempting to secure benefits.Professional organizations Ms. Wilder belongs to include the Augusta Bar Association, the Augusta Youth Development Campus, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys and Young Lawyers of Augusta. She also participates in a variety of other community programs in the Augusta region.Born and raised in Augusta, Ms. Wilder received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Georgia. She earned her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law and obtained her license to practice law in 2012. She is qualified to appear before all Georgia state courts.

Angela Hart-Edwards

Akerman LLP

• Serving as an employment specialist in mergers & acquisition and handling employment law cases on behalf of private sector employers, educational institutions, and government contractors nationwide as a Washington, D.C. attorney, Angela Hart-Edwards is a partner at Akerman LLP. Her practice area includes defense against, investigation of, and training and compliance counsel on labor, employment, and harassment claims.Ms. Hart-Edwards formerly worked as a civil rights attorney and federal criminal prosecutor, respectively, for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney's Office. She is keenly aware of state and federal laws and how they apply to a client’s case in multiple jurisdictions, as she is licensed.  As an investigative attorney, she familiarizes herself with each client’s circumstances and how to best approach reaching a resolution.Throughout her career, Ms. Hart-Edwards has tried more than 50 cases to verdict. Her body of work includes defending organizations in individual and multiplaintiff lawsuits. Additionally, she has written handbooks and policies for employers and counsels businesses on corporate diversity. For example, she advised a Fortune 100 company in compliance related to affirmative action plans for minorities and women. Clients come to her from a range of industries, including retail, staffing, logistics, manufacturing, hospitality, technology, construction, education, insurance, and health care.Active in the legal community, Ms. Hart-Edwards is an active member of the National Employment Law Council; the Maryland State Bar Association, Inc., Employment & Labor Law Section; the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and the Defense Research Institute (DRI) – The Voice of the Defense Bar.After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in labor studies from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in 1987, Ms. Hart-Edwards earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) and then Masters of Laws in Trial Advocacy (LL.M), respectively in 1990 and 1996 from the Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Nadia Deans Kalata

Garvish Immigration Law Group, LLC

• Nadia Deans Kalata is a Senior Associate at Garvish Immigration Law Group, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia. Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Nadia developed her passion for immigration law through her own personal experience with the immigration process in the United States. As a result, she has a unique perspective and understanding of her clients’ concerns and the challenges they face when dealing with the U.S. immigration system. Nadia has over thirteen years of experience in both business and family-based Immigration Law issues. Over the years, she has developed her expertise in assisting local, national, and international companies in securing global talent through intracompany transferee (L-1), specialty occupation (H-1B), and treaty investor (E-2) visas. She also assists individual clients in obtaining non-immigrant status as well as lawful permanent residence in the U.S. through employment and family-based petitions.

Patricia Brown Holmes

Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP

• Patricia Brown Holmes is RSHC’s firmwide Managing Partner. She is a trial lawyer and former state and federal prosecutor as well as a former state court judge, with over 30 years of impressive legal experience. As a relationship partner, she has represented a wide range of public and private corporate clients in complex commercial, regulatory and class action litigation as well as in internal investigations involving some of her clients’ most significant matters. Her experience on both sides of the bench, and on the bench, gives her valuable insights and allows her to analyze and resolve cases with a perspective few lawyers possess. Her ability to skillfully navigate the judicial system in sensitive, confidential, bet-the-company litigation is extraordinary. One of her greatest gifts is the ability to assess the needs of her clients, collaborate with them on a solid plan for resolution, and then assign the right team to meet the client’s needs. Further, she is frequently tasked by high-ranking government officials to spearhead wide-ranging initiatives and handle high-profile matters where trust and credibility are essential. She also has an impressive track record for mentoring young lawyers, helping them hone their skills and develop their clientele in the profession. Throughout her career, she has fostered and received countless accolades for her impressive achievements and dedication to diversity in the profession.

Erin (Mindoro) Ezra

Berger Kahn, A Law Corporation

• Erin (Mindoro) Ezra, a partner in the Irvine office, focuses her practice on employment law and litigation.Erin has successfully represented clients in wage and hour disputes, sexual harassment, discrimination, accommodation, retaliation, and other employment disputes.In addition to litigation, Erin also works with business owners, managers, and human resource departments to help ensure sound practices that prevent employment litigation and minimize workplace disputes. Erin was also recognized in Top Verdict’s "Top 10 Labor & Employment in California in 2017" for Nguyen v. Renaissance Nails & Spa, Inc.Before joining Berger Kahn, Erin was an associate at O’Connell and Aronowitz in the firm’s Plattsburgh, New York office, where her practice concentrated on litigation.In her practice, Erin has successfully handled appeals, including published opinions in Bourdeau Bros., Inc. v. Bennett, 74 A.D.3d 1542 (3rd Dep’t 2010), McCormick v. Bechtol, 68 A.D.3d 1376 (3rd Dep’t 2009), and Klotz v. Warick, 53 A.D.3d 976 (3rd Dep’t 2008).Known for her insightful legal commentary, Erin is frequently published in top legal publications, including Law360, the Daily Journal, O.C. Lawyer and other leading legal and HR publications. Some of Erin’s employment publications include:“Job Applicant Background Check Basics for Employers”Women on Business – November 23, 2015“Simplifying Background ChecksHRM America – November 11, 2015“4 C’s to Correctly Classifying Independent Contractors”Women on Business – August 3, 2015“Are Nail Salons Lousy with the Law?Daily Journal – June 20, 2015“Taking a Pregnant Pause: Potential Pitfalls in Applying the Business Judgment Rule and the Mixed Motive Defense in Employment Cases”O.C. Lawyer – October 1, 2014“Don’t Get Hit by an Employment Lawsuit”Nails Magazine – August 2014“Thinking Outside the Checked Box: Six Legal Tips to Get More Out of Your Employment Application”You The Entrepreneur – August 7, 2014“Mixed Emotions on the Mixed Motive Defense”Law360 – May 18, 2014“Nailing Down Independent Contractor Status”HG Legal ResourcesErin is committed to excellence in the legal profession and community service, frequently serving the Orange County legal community through her nonprofit board memberships and volunteer service. She spends her free time helping educate the community's aspiring lawyers by volunteering to serve as a judge or attorney evaluator at high school and collegiate level mock trials. Erin enjoys lending her expertise to aspiring law students seeking to prepare an understanding of trial proceedings and the practicalities of the legal profession before entering law school.

Chanda L. Brown

Walton + Brown, LLP

• Attorney Chanda L. Brown, of Walton + Brown LLP in Columbus, Ohio, devotes her practice to employment and personal injury law. Ms. Brown serves clients in Columbus and throughout central Ohio who have been injured by motor vehicles and other types of accidents due to another’s negligence. She is dedicated to advocating for her clients and helping them fight for fair and just compensation.Ms. Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from Alabama State University, where she graduated summa cum laude. She earned her law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law. Her prior legal experience includes clerking for a federal judge and working for the U.S. Department of Labor and a private Columbus-based personal injury firm, where she served as lead trial attorney. She has been licensed to practice law in Ohio since 2006.Ms. Brown has received numerous awards for her work as an attorney. She was named one of the “top 100” and “top 40 under 40” attorneys by the National Black Lawyers and one of the “top 100 trial lawyers” by the National Trial Lawyers. She has also been selected for inclusion into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization of attorneys who have secured million or multimillion-dollar verdicts for clients they have served.Ms. Brown belongs to several professional groups including the Columbus Bar Association, the Ohio Association for Justice and the American Bar Association. She is also a member of the Columbus chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and participates on the group’s social action committee.

Elizabeth L. Riles

Bohbot & Riles PC

• Elizabeth Riles is a founding and the managing shareholder at Bohbot & Riles.  She specializes in employment discrimination and personal injury cases. She also specializes in human resource consulting, business litigation and mediation.  She has successfully represented employees against a wide variety of businesses and government entities, in matters of race, national origin, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, disability and gender discrimination, cases of sexual and racial harassment, retaliation, whistle-blowing and wrongful termination.