Speakers

Allison Melendez is a personal injury, employment, and mass torts attorney whose practice focuses on litigating and trying cases to verdict. In 2023, she obtained a 3.1-million-dollar verdict for her client, a pedestrian struck by a bus. This trial solidified her passion for advocacy and fighting on behalf of her clients. Allison is skilled in taking depositions, working closely with clients, and effectively communicating their stories. [...]

Allyson Ostrowski spent almost 15 years as a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney before switching to civil practice and focusing on catastrophic personal injury cases. With a 98% success rate in the nearly 60 cases she tried, Allyson set herself apart in the courtroom by obtaining justice for victims of crime. Allyson was widely regarded as one of the top trial advocates [...]

Angela Belty is a litigation associate at Omega Law Group. She has over a decade of litigation experience dedicated exclusively to plaintiff’s personal injury and wrongful death matters. Angela is deeply committed to achieving justice for those who have been injured due to the negligence of another. In her practice, she has focused on understanding and getting to know each client to truly understand each client’s loss and gather the framework to tell their stories. [...]

Anna Dubrovsky has been a dedicated personal injury attorney for over 20 years, earning a stellar reputation for securing favorable settlements and verdicts. Known for her expertise and determination, she understands the unique needs of those suffering from personal injuries caused by negligence.

Educational Background and Early Career

Anna Dubrovsky began her legal education at the prestigious Moscow State University Law Faculty in Russia. [...]

Anne L. Thompson is the Chief Claims Officer for Lawyers’ Mutual Insurance Company. Lawyers’ Mutual Insurance Company has been providing professional liability insurance to California lawyers since 1978. The company primarily insures sole practitioners and lawyers in small firms, as well as bar associations throughout California. In the 1970s, legal malpractice claims of all types were escalating. As a result, legal malpractice insurance premiums were increasing rapidly, making liability insurance too expensive for many [...]

Ashley Laiken is a Senior Attorney at Omega Law Group. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 2005 and earned her law degree from Southwestern Law School in 2010. She began her legal career as a defense attorney and worked in defense for approximately four years before transitioning to plaintiff’s personal injury law. [...]

Betty Aquino has devoted her career to positioning banking and legal services organizations—and the clients they serve—for continued growth. She has created strategies, teams, models, programs, networks, and products that have improved market positions, strengthened customer relationships, and elevated the financial performance of national law firm financing as well as commercial and consumer lending platforms. [...]

Chandra is a partner at Elder & Spencer, LLP. For nearly 10 years prior to forming her own law firm, Chandra was a defense attorney for California cities in code enforcement, tort liability and police misconduct matters. In 2007, Chandra formed her own law practice to provide quality legal representation to improve housing and public safety for tenants. In 2013, she formed Elder & Spencer, LLP, in partnership with Margaret Elder, to further expand this practice throughout California.[...]

Christie Palcisko is the founder of her own personal injury law firm, CP Injury Law, established one year ago with a mission to provide aggressive, empathy-driven advocacy for the injured. In her first year of independent practice, she has already secured over $1 million in recovery for her clients, a testament to her strategic litigation skills and unwavering commitment to securing fair compensation. [...]

Cydney has been successfully representing injured individuals across Washington State since 1993. A Shareholder at GLP Attorneys and a key leader on the firm’s Seattle team, she is widely recognized for her skill in handling complex construction injury, automobile accident, and defective product cases. Cydney’s leadership in the firm’s construction injury practice has helped secure significant recoveries for workers and their families. [...]

Dawn grew up in Tucson, Arizona, guided by a strong single mom and supportive grandparents. She learned early that hard work and ambitious goals were expected in her family, and she was always encouraged she could achieve anything she believed. An eighth-grade visit to the U.S. Supreme Court ignited her passion for driving positive change through the law, as she watched the lawyers’ skillful and relenting arguments rise upward toward the nine Justices. She realized then, one person could make a lasting impact on many through an argument in one case. She was the first one in her family to graduate from college, and she knew law school was her path. [...]

Deborah Chang is a trial lawyer and founding partner of both Chang | Klein LLP and Athea Trial Lawyers LLP, representing plaintiffs in complex catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. and has achieved some of the highest verdicts and settlements in the country. She is the 2022 President of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and the 2021 President of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). [...]

Debra Bogaards, Esq. has served as a private mediator for over six years, as well as a mandatory settlement conference officer in San Francisco for over five years and in Marin County for almost 30 years. Her extensive career highlights a remarkable track record of successfully mediating hundreds of cases, achieving a consistent settlement rate above 98%. Ms. Bogaards brings a distinct advantage to her role, offering a clear and balanced perspective derived from having represented both plaintiffs and defendants throughout her 40-year career. [...]

Denisse O. Gastélum; Founder/Trial Lawyer, Gastélum Law, APC
Denisse is a civil rights attorney, who specializes in police shootings and in-custody death cases, representing plaintiffs in state and federal courts throughout the State of California. She previously worked as a public entity defense attorney [...]

Edna Felix is a Mexican American attorney and a first-generation daughter of immigrants who is passionate about serving her community with care, integrity, and excellence. Her story is rooted in resilience; at just five years old, her family was forced to separate, and she returned from Mexico to California (where she was born) while her father was incarcerated for ten years. [...]

Elise Fitzsimmons is the VP of Marketing at Rankings.io, an elite legal marketing agency serving personal injury law firms. She leads the strategy behind LawHer, a narrative podcast spotlighting how the boldest women in law build influence and hold onto it, which earned a Silver Signal Award and a Webby nomination. She also produces Personal Injury Mastermind, which reached the number one legal marketing podcast in the country. [...]

Heather Carroll, a dynamic professional who holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, joined the Vista team in 2020. With her unique specialization in areas such as job satisfaction, motivation, burnout, and organizational commitment, she brings a fresh perspective to the legal industry, one that is grounded in understanding the underlying psychology that drives great businesses. [...]

Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl currently presides over the 175th Criminal District Court and a specialized Prostitution Prevention Court called Esperanza Court. She also is the current Criminal Presiding Judge. She has the privilege of being an adjunct faculty member at her alma mater, St. Mary’s University School of Law, teaching a Trial Advocacy course. She is the former Deputy Director and General Counsel for the Bexar County [...]

"Judge Shondeana Morris was appointed to the DeKalb County Superior Court on June 17,2019. Prior to Judge Morris’ appointment, she served as a DeKalb County State Court Judge.
A graduate of Lakeside High School in DeKalb County, Judge Morris earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Georgia and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Albany State University. She graduated from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law in 1997 and was admitted to the Georgia Bar that same year.
After graduating from law school, Judge Morris served as an Assistant Solicitor in Atlanta,Georgia. [...]"

Janet Gusdorff, Certified Appellate Law Specialist (California Board of Legal Specialization), handles state and federal appeals, with an emphasis on plaintiffs’ employment and personal injury matters.
Ms. Gusdorff took a non-traditional path to appellate law, receiving her bachelors degree with academic honors from the New England Conservatory of Music (Trumpet Performance). After receiving her juris doctorate in 2006 from Loyola Law School, [...]

Jennifer Fiore is a partner at Fiore Achermann where she focuses on premises liability, sexual abuse, elder abuse, public entity, maritime and other torts. Since 2015, she has been named a Northern California Super Lawyer, and has been repeatedly named to the Top 50 Women Northern California and Top 100 Northern California Super Lawyers lists as of 2020. [...]

Jennifer Russell is a seasoned personal injury attorney with a proven track record of successfully resolving hundreds of cases through mediations, arbitrations, and trials. She has expertly tried numerous high-stakes cases involving catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, and wrongful death, consistently achieving favorable outcomes for her clients [...]

With over a decade of litigation and courtroom experience, Jessica Wetzel is a trusted and proven advocate for those who have been harmed by the wrongful conduct of others. An experienced trial lawyer, she has tried numerous cases to verdict and secured millions of dollars in jury awards for her clients across California.Her unwavering dedication to justice and her exceptional skill [...]

Kelly Deutsch is a four-time, award-winning executive producer who brings her unique legal background and television production know-how to Verdict Videos. With over twelve years’ experience as a television writer, producer and director, Kelly understands the ins-and-outs of managing multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment. [...]

Kira Fonteneau has represented clients successfully in administrative proceedings, state, and federal courts in Alabama, California, Georgia, and Virginia. Whether your case is tried to a jury or settled before or during litigation, we have the know-how and experience to help you solve your legal problem.

Kira Fonteneau is committed to helping people fight illegal employer actions and government misconduct. [...]

"Attorney Laura Tamez is a fierce advocate for people who are in need of help. Nobody is more passionate about advocating for her clients in the courtroom. This same belief drives Laura to create opportunities for others throughout the community.
As a partner/shareholder in the Herrera Law Firm, Laura Tamez represents plaintiffs in tort and business litigation. She has persevered for her clients for more than a decade, [...]"

Lita Abella, a native of Southern California, holds a Juris Doctor degree from Western State University College of Law and has experience as a law clerk for prosecutorial agencies. This legal foundation equips her with a deep understanding of conflict resolution and the complexities of the legal field.

As the founder of Lita Abella Coaching, Consulting and Mediation Services, she specializes in coaching and strategic consulting, guiding individuals and organizations to unlock their full potential. As a mediator, she is dedicated to helping parties reach amicable resolutions. [...]

Lourdes DeArmas advocates for equality in and out of the courtroom and coined the motto “There are no women trial attorneys. We are trial attorneys that happen to be women.”

Lourdes is a Partner and Lead Trial Attorney at Omega Law Group. She has dedicated her trial practice to representing plaintiffs in catastrophic personal injury, premises liability, sexual abuse, and wrongful death cases. [...]

Lyssa A. Roberts is an attorney with Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP who focuses her practice on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, as well as dangerous conditions of public and private property. She is deeply committed to the protection of the rights and interests of individuals who have been harmed by the negligent acts of others.

Ms. Roberts has extensive experience litigating single plaintiff lawsuits as well as cases involving thousands of claimants. A tireless advocate for her clients, she has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements over her career. [...]

Marina Kats Fraigun is the founder of Fraigun Law Group. She is a Plaintiff's employment attorney in Sherman Oaks, California.  She has been practicing for over 27 years.  She has been named as a Super Lawyer and selected as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Southern California, Top 100 Lawyers in Southern California, and has earned the Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating.  She is an aggressive but reasonable employment attorney and has been called a "pit bull". [...]

Ms. Mary Caruso is a distinguished Partner at the Wilshire Law Firm with more than 24 years of experience in the field of Civil Litigation, specializing in personal injury cases. Her unwavering dedication to seeking justice for individuals who have suffered harm due to the negligence of others has earned her widespread recognition and numerous awards. [...]

Mary Ellen Murrah - a powerhouse of strategy, marketing, and innovation - joined the Vista Team in 2019. She was no stranger to the legal landscape and brought to the table more than 16 years of experience managing and marketing a national legal case management software company, a role that has given her an intimate understanding of the inner workings of personal injury law firms across the country. [...]

Megan Grothman is a key account executive and legal marketing strategist at Rankings.io, where she partners with law firms across the country to help them grow sustainably through data-driven digital marketing strategies. With more than a decade of experience in legal and agency marketing, Megan specializes in translating complex digital concepts into clear, actionable plans that attorneys can trust and confidently execute.[...]

Megan Hargroder is the Founder and CEO of Legends Legal Marketing.

She’s not a lawyer. She’s the marketing advisor lawyers call. As the President of PI Presence, Delaney works behind the scenes with plaintiff lawyers across the country, helping them to sharpen their message, elevate their brand, and make sure that their names are present in the minds of potential clients.
[...]

Michelle Fonseca-Kamana is the Founder and Principal Attorney at West Coast Lemons APC, a law firm specializing in California lemon law. Having personally negotiated over $14 million worth of settlements from auto and RV manufacturers throughout her career, she is most proud of coupling incredible results with an unparalleled client experience, with her firm now having over 100 five star reviews on Google. [...]

MyKhanh Shelton is an employment mediator with ADR Services, Inc. who brings a rare combination of experience to workplace disputes: high-stakes litigation, Fortune 500 executive leadership, and enterprise-level diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. Across California, she mediates complex employment matters and is known for her ability to navigate both the legal and human dimensions of difficult cases. [...]

Rachel McCrocklin serves as Chief Trust Officer at Eastern Point Trust Company (EPTC), where she leads one of the nation’s most advanced settlement trust platforms. Under her leadership, EPTC has administered more Qualified Settlement Funds (QSFs) than any other institution in the country and provides cutting-edge, taxadvantaged solutions for attorneys, [...]

Rosa Florentino is a Principal at Quest Settlements, specializing in attorney-client relations. As a Senior Settlement Consultant, Mrs. Florentino handles comprehensive settlement planning for attorneys and their clients in California, Nevada, Texas, Arizona and Washington as well as other states throughout the United States. She specializes in cases involving personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, cases involving minors, class action cases, and non-physical injury cases such as employment, discrimination, and attorney fees. [...]

Since 2017, I’ve helped generate over $10M in revenue for attorneys and local businesses through strategic digital marketing campaigns and a proven consultative sales approach. My expertise lies in guiding law firms through the entire sales process. From generating and qualifying leads to conducting in-depth discovery calls that uncover their business goals and pain points.[...]

Sheila LaCivita is the founder/CEO of 4 CORNERS Deposition Summaries, and four other companies in different fields ranging from software to ecommerce. Her entrepreneurial journey began with a paralegal business in her twenties and holds a paralegal certificate with distinction from UCLA Paralegal. She has extensive sales experience and was certified by Meg Whitman as a Power Seller in her early years before founding 4 CORNERS Deposition Summaries; [...]

Taylor Dordick is a personal injury attorney at Dordick Law Firm in California. With a passion for helping individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of others, she has established herself as a trusted advocate for her clients. In 2025, she was recognized as a Rising Star by the Super Lawyers Awards, positioning her as a future leader in the Southern California legal field. [...]

Passionate about protecting consumers from unsafe products and unfair business practices, Tracy specializes in products liability and mass tort cases. She joined Robinson Calcagnie in 2022 from the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Affirmative Litigation and Consumer Protection Division, where she was the Consumer Protection Team Leader, and co-lead of the LACC People v. Juul Labs, Inc. and People v. Purdue Pharma et al litigation teams. As a Senior Deputy County Counsel, she coordinated two successful legislative initiatives to strengthen consumer protection enforcement in California. [...]

Twila S. White has been handling labor and employment cases for over two decades. She has tried several jury trials and arbitrations, and has handled numerous matters at the appellate level. Twila is a well sought after and prolific speaker.  In 2021, one of Twila’s trials was named to Courtroom View Network’s Top Ten Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of 2021. [...]