F Warriors Alumni Board

Naïve as it sounds, I wanted the world to be fair.  When I realized it wasn’t, I thought “Maybe I can’t make the whole world fair, but I can make my little corner of it that way.”  The question I then asked myself was, “What am I going to do about injustice?”

For years after I got out of law school I tried cases for people who were injured or otherwise wronged. I had a persistent nagging feeling that I wasn’t getting my clients full justice.  I wanted to be a better trial lawyer.  Then in 2005, I went to Trial Lawyers College to do just that.  There I learned what it really means to be a lawyer for the people. I’m so proud to fight for the “Davids” of this world against the Goliaths.  You can email Ron at ron@ronestafanlaw.com.

For many years, Jo-Hanna focused her solo law practice on representing victims of violence in claims for damages.  She also handles more conventional personal injury cases and is regularly appointed as a Settlement Guardian Ad Litem.

Jo-Hanna received the Washington Women Lawyers’ Passing the Torch Award in 2008, as well as the Washington State Association for Justice Public Justice Award in 2010.  She is on the Board of Directors for the Sexual Violence Law Center and is Vice President for Publications of the Washington State Association for Justice.  She is a 2006 graduate of TLC.  Additionally, Jo-Hanna been named as one of Washington’s Super Lawyers for several years.

Jo-Hanna was the chief author of the Washington Lawyers Practice Manual Chapter 5, Part One: "Personal Injury: A Plaintiff's Perspective" from 1998 to 2000, and has written numerous articles about trial practice over the years. You can email Jo-Hanna at jolawyer@read-law.com.

Debbie represents people who have been injured or have lost a family member due to the negligent and wrongful conduct of others.  She handles personal injury, medical negligence and civil rights cases. Debbie opened her solo practice in 2008. Before that she was an associate attorney for 7 years at Trine & Metcalf, P.C., where she represented plaintiffs in medical negligence cases.  Her practice is located in Boulder, Colorado, however she handles cases all over the State of Colorado.  Debbie is a 2003 graduate of TLC.  She began serving on the F Warrior Board of the College, Region 3, in 2009, and is currently the President Elect. Debbie is a Board Member of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association(CTLA).  In 2009, she received the CTLA New Trial Lawyer of the Year Award.  She is the current co-chair of the CTLA membership committee and has presented at CTLA annual conventions.  You can email Debbie at dtaussig@taussiglaw.com.

Betsy was born and raised in Indiana. She decided to be a lawyer when she was 9 years old.  Betsy was admitted to the bar in 1982 and has since been admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit and 6th Circuit, and the U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana. She joined Nunn & Kelley Law Office in 1988 and was a partner from 1990 until, inspired by Gerry Spence and the Trial Lawyers College, she left to start her own firm in February, 2005.

Since 2005, Betsy has been a partner in the law firm of Greene & Schultz Trial Lawyers, representing people injured or killed by the carelessness of others.  Over the extent of her career, she has personally tried over ninety five jury trials. Betsy was also selected as an Indiana “Super Lawyer” by Law and Politics Magazine (selected as among the top 5% of practicing Indiana attorneys in a peer review and evaluation process) for the first time in 2004, and has been named a “Super Lawyer” every year since. Since 2007, Betsy has been selected as a Top 50 attorney annually in the State of Indiana by the same magazine.  She was the first woman in the state of Indiana to be certified as a civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in 1995.  Betsy has also had the great privilege of holding the title of past president of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association.

In August 2005, Betsy graduated from TLC and in 2009 she was invited to join the faculty.  She has attended many TLC seminars since graduating. and is the Past President of the Trial Lawyers College F Warriors Board.  Betsy has been married to her husband, Jeromi Quade, for 15 years and they have two lovely daughters.

Betsy believes that the skills she learned through TLC have helped her become a much more effective lawyer and a better person.  She has used these skills in every aspect of her practice, from her initial interview through trial.  Betsy also uses her TLC skills every day with her family, her law partner, her clients and her colleagues.  The TLC graduates help Betsy know that she is not alone in her fight and it gives her a community of which she is an important part, as is every one of the TLC Warriors.  You can email Betsy at betsy@greeneschultz.com.

Shelley focuses her practice on representing indigent felony defendants and the injured. She is often appointed as the Settlement Guardian Ad Litem in personal injury cases for minor children.

In 2006, she received the Honoree award from Equal Access to Justice representing Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties for her pro bono representations.  Also, in 2006, she also received the Gene Schuster award for pro bono legal services, which was presented by the Benton-Franklin Legal Aid Society.  In 2007, she received the Washington State Bar Association Pro Bono Award. 

Shelley is the President of Benton-Franklin Legal Aid Society.  She is the founder of the Benton-Franklin Young Lawyers division and previously served as the Editor of the Washington State Bar Associations De Novo magazine where she authored several articles.   You can email Shelley at shelley@ajaxlawfirm.com.

Kim is a trial lawyer with The Benjamin Law Firm, LLC in Belton, Missouri, practicing primarily in the area of criminal law and personal injury.  She attended Mizzou for her undergraduate degree and George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC, thereafter.  Since becoming a lawyer in 1996, she has handled more than 40 jury trials, 50 bench trials and hundreds of serious felonies, including over a dozen murder cases.  Kim graduated from TLC in October, 2000, and is a member of the TLC faculty.  She is on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL), currently serving as its Secretary and CLE Chair. Kim is also a member of the Missouri Society for Criminal Justice, which focuses on DWI defense.  She has spoken at various seminars for The Missouri Bar, MACDL and the Missouri State Public Defender System.  You can email Kim at Kim@CassCountyTrialLawyers.com. 

Eric practices criminal defense in Wisconsin.   In law school, he was the recipient of the esteemed Abe Sigman Award for scholarship, contribution to the community, and character. In addition to a Juris Doctorate, Eric holds two Masters degrees, one in counseling and the other in political studies. He has also been published on the topic of reforming legal education to better serve the poor. He is proud of having an outstanding criminal trial record and being known for his caring attitude towards indigent clients. You can email Eric at attorneybrittian@yahoo.com.

Jim is a native Oklahoman, born and raised in Duncan, Oklahoma. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi and his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law.  He is a 2009 graduate of TLC. Jim is an experienced trial lawyer who represents people who have been hurt or wronged by the carelessness of others or the greed of insurance companies.  He and his wife Katherine live in Oklahoma City where they raise their two daughters.  You can contact Jim at www.buxtonlawgroup.com.

Gloria is not only a lawyer, but a beekeeper, chicken farmer and organic gardener.  She is a former critical care nurse who went to law school for the specific purpose of making health care safer.  She doesn't know who said this, but she adopted it as her own: “we are divine spirits having a human moment.”  TLC taught her that living in the moment unlocks unimagined power located within.

Gloria's Lawyer stuff:  Gloria is a medical malpractice attorney with verdicts, judgments and settlements over Indiana’s cap of $1.25 million.  She was voted Young Trial Lawyer of the Year.  Her personal favorite accomplishment, (because she was told it couldn’t be done) was convincing the Indiana Supreme Court that when a grieving family must sue for compensation as a result of wrongful death, the attorney fees and expenses are a recoverable element of damages to be paid by the wongdoer.  You can email Gloria at gloria@ladendorf.com.

Francisco is a former Assistant Attorney General and Deputy King County Prosecutor. He is a director and former chair of Lawyers Helping Hungry Children and served on the Board of Directors of the Seattle Shakespeare Company. Francisco is also past chair of the WSBA Criminal Law Section, the WSBA Criminal Justice Institute, and WACDL Public Education Committee. He teaches trial advocacy at the University of Washington School of Law, at the Northwest College for DUI Defense, and the WYLD Trial Advocacy Program. In addition, Francisco has taught trial practice in Botswana, Kenya, and Mexico. Since 2006, he has been on the faculty of TLC.  Also, he is a frequent lecturer at legal education programs on criminal law topics and has appeared on Northwest Cable News and radio programs as a legal analyst. Francisco has published articles on criminal law in Defense, Trial News, and The Warrior magazines.  You can email Francisco at fduarte@fobowmanduarte.com

As a partner at Lundy, Flitter, Beldecos & Berger, P.C., Cary is a responsible for litigation.  He practices in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, primarily handling consumer credit, consumer fraud and commercial litigation matters, including both individual cases and class actions.

Cary serves on the adjunct faculty at Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, DelaBare and at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, where he teaches Consumer Law and Litigation including Fair Debt Collection Practices and class action. From 1991 to 1998, he also served on the adjunct faculty at Philadelphia University where he taught commercial law.

Cary has guest lectured on consumer law issues at Harvard Law School, the University of Houston’s Center for Consumer Law, the University of Utah’s Quinney School of Law, the University of Pennsylvania Law School and other venues. He is a graduate of Delaware Law School of Widener University, TLC and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.

Also, Cary is a contributing author to Pennsylvania Consumer Law by Bisel Publishing Co., the leading treatise in Pennsylvania on consumer law. He is also a contributor to Consumer Class Actions 5th Ed. by the National Consumer Law Center. He is a frequent lecturer around the country in matters of consumer credit, fair credit reporting, fair debt collection practices, identity theft and class action. Cary was invited by the Federal Trade Commission to participate as a panelist on consumer debt issues, most recently in Washington DC in 2011.

In the Court of Appeals, Cary successfully argued Brown v. Card Service Center, 464 F.3d 450 (3d Cir. 2006), Rosenau v. Unifund, 539 F.3d 218 (3d Cir. 2008) and other cases. The Brown oopinion set broad standards for deception under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and was featured in a Time Magazine story Sue Up or Shut Up, October 19, 2006.  Rosenau represented a case of first impression in the Circuit, in which the Court held it may be deceptive to the consumer to send dunning letters from a “legal department” where no attorney was involved. Cary also represented a class of Pennsylvania consumers in a challenge to the repossession practices of a large sub-prime lender that led to a settlement in 2010 valued at over $50M in cash and debt forgiveness.

Cary serves as the year 2011 Co-Chair of the Federal Courts committee of the Montgomery (County, Pennsylvania) Bar Association, and serves on the Trial Lawyers College F-Warrior Board.  You can email Carey at cflitter@LFBB.com.

Chris began his career as a Legal Aid lawyer in Brooklyn, NY in 1990.  Criminal defense has been his passion ever since.  He was fortunate enough to have many great teachers and mentors along the way. His practice has evolved from not only considering what needs to be done in the courtroom, but, also being aware of the client’s needs.  Alcoholism, addiction and mental health issues are the common underpinnings of why a person finds themselves accused of a crime. Therefore, the dedication to trial lawyering must also include a continual education on treatment and programs available.

Chris feels lucky to have found a profession that he loves. He gets to practice with his best friend in Maryland and has the world’s greatest paralegal for support. When he is not practicing law, he loves spending time with his patient and understanding wife and his two kids. In addition, he loves boating, fishing, martial arts, guitar and drums.  You can emaiil Chris at cflohr@bflawmd.com.

Lori has worked in the field of personal injury and criminal defense since 1998. She started her career in Chico,California working for a top notch criminal defense firm.  Inspired by the integrity and advocacy of her employers, she decided to attend Cal Northern School of Law.

Since moving to the Roseville area, she has continued to work primarily in the field of personal injury.

Lori is a member of the Sacramento County Bar Association, CAOC, the Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice(AAJ), and is a July 2010 graduate of TLC.

She enjoys spending her spare time with her husband and three beautiful children. You can email Lori at Lori@GiingeryLaw.com.

Connie attended TLC in 2006 and has attended three graduate seminars since.  Connie undestands that the value of such experiences comes from the students, as well as the staff who donate their valuable time. She has learned that there is not a formula for success to be found there, but there are numerous ways to apply the various techniques to the broad range of the civil plaintiff work that Connnie has done for the past fourteen years. Connie's current firm, Gary Holt & Associates, P.A., where she has practiced for over six years in Little Rock made the generous investment in her future by sponsoring her TLC college experience. Connie's philosophy is that the gifts received from TLC are not isolated to professional her practice. Reversing roles is simply walking in someone else’s shoes, no matter where you are. Sharing these gifts, to Connie, is priceless.  You can email Connie at gracec@garyholtzlaw.com.

Julia is a sole practioner in San Diego, California. She is deeply committed to the rights of individuals and has represented only plaintiffs in the areas of employment law, medical malpractice and personal injury litigation for more than twenty years. She has received many awards and accolades including being the first runner up finalist for Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California in 2009. She is on the Board of Directors for Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, the Board of Governors for Consumer Attorneys of California along with the F Warrior Board for the TLC.  You can email Julia at jehaus@hauslaw.com.

Adrienne clerked for a superior court judge for approximately two years after graduating from Georgia State College of Law in 2000. She has exclusively represented only injured clients in personal injury and medical malpractice cases since completing her clerkship in 2002. She cares deeply about protecting the rights of others, service to others and justice.  You can email Adrienne at adrienne@hobbspc.com.

Jim is a 2003 TLC graduate and has been "back to the Ranch" eleven weeks since graduating. He has served as an Assistant State Attorney, Assistant State Public Defender and Assistant Federal Defender before going into private practice almost 20 years ago. He practices criminal law in State and Federal Courts and is "AV" rated by Martindale Hubbell. He graduated with honors from Florida State University Law School in 1985, and graduated with honors from University of California, San Diego in 1981. Jim was raised in Idaho and is still ponders how he the heck wound up living in Florida for the last 28 years!  You can email Jim at mjj7000@aol.com.

Ken, a 2008 graduate of TLC is based in Chicago where he focuses on child injury cases throughout the country.  In 2009, he created a child safety blog www.TheSafestLine.com as a resource to parents and caregivers.  Ken hosts TLC gatherings in Chicago where Warriors and special guests work on cases, while honing TLC skills.  If you would like to work on an upcoming trial or issue, feel free to contact Ken to set up a Chicago meeting.  You can email Ken at Khlevinson@aol.com.

Mike is originally from a small coal mining town in western Pennsylvania, where his father and grandfathers worked in the coal mines. When he was a kid, he lived in a house that was originally a company house. He shopped in a building that had been the Company Store and he heard stories from his grandparents about the Coal & Iron Police patrolling the town on horseback, especially when the United Mine Workers were “acting up”.  Mike too worked in the mine, just for the experience.  Really. His favorite job after being a lawyer. His sense of justice flows from that history. After graduate school in analytic philosophy as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow (one of 300 out of 10,000 finalists) at the University of Pennsylvania, he became a labor organizer and later an investigator for the City of Pittsburgh Human Relations Commission where Mike worked while he attended Law School at night.

Mike's primary practice is civil rights, employment discrimination and criminal cases in Pittsburgh. After attending the Trial Lawyers College, he won one of the highest discrimination verdicts in the history of the W.D. of PA.  Mike beleives that the TLC methods he learned were indispensable.  You can email Mike at lorence@nidhog.net.

Rudoph tris medical malpractice and nursing home cases. His practice is located in sunny downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rudolph used to think that trying cases was like racing a prius—you don’t win much. The Trial Lawyer’s College has transformed his outlook.  Rudolph plays the guitar, the piano and can sing—he's told.

Other silly Bio: Cum laude graduate of the University of Miami School of law; Pennsylvania State University Alumni; Admitted to the PA and FL bars and the Federal Claims Court; Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Successfully argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in Miller v. DeWeese; Published “Verdict of the Month” in the July 2009 issue of The Pennsylvania Verdict Search (Estate of Miller v. Latrobe Area Hospital, Inc.)  You can email Rudolph at masssa@mbp-law.com.

At a young age, Tom wanted to help the “little” guy. He may have realized his calling as a child when he saw bullies picking on the weaker kids or as a young college student, helpless and alone while recuperating from a motorcycle accident. Either way, Tom knew his calling in life was to protect working people and their families who have lost their strength due to the wrongful, negligent acts of others. Tom wanted to create a firm devoted 100 percent to litigation and determined to surround himself with Wyoming and Colorado injury lawyers with the same grit and determination to fight for the rights of people who suffered a catastrophic injury.Tom is a faculty member of the Trial Lawyers College and has served on the F Warriors Alumni Board for a number of years. He is also a director of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, a member of the AAJ’s President’s Club, the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the Larimer County Bar Association.

Rosemarie grew up in West Haven, Connecticut. After law school at the University of Connecticut, she practiced trial law in New York City, where she defended clients accused of serious crimes. She returned to Connecticut in 1996, working as a civil and criminal litigator, before joining the firm of Jacobs & Dow, LLC in 2000. Rosemarie's practice focuses on personal injury, medical malpractice, criminal defense and civil rights litigation. She is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. Elected to the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Board of Governors, Rosemarie co-chairs the CTLA Women's Caucus and is also a member of the Women's Caucus for the American Association for Justice. Rosemarie graduated from the Trial Lawyers College in 2000 and serves on the F Warriors Alumni Club Board. She also teaches advanced trial advocacy at the University of Connecticut Law School and regularly lectures on trial law before professional groups. Rosemarie is also active in Habitat for Humanity, serving on the organization's Board of Directors and as Chair for Humanity's Women's Build, which raises funds and builds homes for deserving New Haven Families.

Jerry has always been passionate about fighting for the little guy. A teacher helped him channel his passion in constructive ways. In 1968, while a student at Notre Dame Law School, he decided to join the Marine Corps because of the death of a close friend. After infantry training his orders for Viet Nam were changed and he was sent back to finish law school. He defended Marines and POWs from 1970 until 1975. His primary practice has been criminal defense and plaintiff’s personal injury. He is Board certified as a Certified Civil Trial Specialist by both the National Board of Trial Advocacy and Minnesota State Bar Association. Jerry attended Trial Lawyers College in 2004 and says, “Trial Lawyers College has renewed my soul and spirit to continue the fight against all kinds of bullies.” You can email Jerry at jerper@qwestoffice.net. 

Rebecca Saldana is a criminal immigration defense attorney in McKinney, Texas. She is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and American Association for Justice. In addition to a criminal immigration practice Rebecca serves as a Qualified Mediator catering to Spanish speaking clients in civil and family legal disputes.

Todd is proud to be a trial lawyer.  He is also a beekeeper, harmonica and guitar player, father of two children, Amelia and Aaron, and a husband to his wife, Chris.

Before attending law school, he flipped pizzas, ran ski lifts, picked apples, painted houses, taught skiing, and worked as an adolescent and family counselor for a community action agency.  He graduated from Vermont Law School in 1990, and served as a law clerk at the Vermont Supreme Court.  Entering private practice with a Burlington law firm in 1991, his practice concentrated on professional malpractice cases, personal injury, and general litigation. In 1998, he opened his own office, 100% dedicated to helping injured Vermonters, visitors, and their families in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.

Todd attended TLC in 2006 and is on the faculty. He is the immediate past president of the Vermont Association for Justice and a member of the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice.  For more info, please visit his website: www.greenmountainlaw.com

David Tarrell is a 2005 graduate of Trial Lawyers College. He is a criminal defense lawyer in Omaha, Nebraska, is also admitted in Iowa, and practices in both state and federal courts. Between 2000 and 2008 he worked in the Douglas County Public Defenders’ Office and in 2003, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the National Criminal Defense College in Macon, Georgia. He is currently a Board Member of the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association and a member of the National College of DUI Defense. He was elected to the F Warrior Board in 2008 and believes very strongly in the philosophy and teachings of Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College. Uou can email David at nelawyer@cox.net.

Trial Lawyers College has taught Gwen to appreciate that the smallest detail in the most minor case might make the biggest difference in the life of a client. At the Ranch, she learned to speak in her own voice, sing out loud in front of fifty other lawyers and paint a picture from the depths of her soul - She began the process of becoming real and true. This is a journey she continues to cherish and hopes to share with any and all who want to launch into this amazing life changing process.  You can email Gwen at gwentruesdell@hotmail.com.

Tony's journey began eleven years after law school, when he attended TLC in 1999. Since then he's been working on his “stuff” through TLC events, psychodrama workshops, and in his local groups. Tony says after he became involved in TLC  "Life is a lot more fun and winning more is nice too."  You can email Tony at tvitz@vitzlaw.com.

Colby graduated from TLC in July of 2010.  He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps, having served over 20 years on active duty, including a combat tour as an artillery officer.  His practice is primarily criminal law, with a focus on military law cases. Colby has handled many war crimes cases from defending service members charged with crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan to defending a detainee in Guantanamo Bay charged with terrorism. He practices in Dallas, Texas with Fitzpatrick, Hagood, Smith & Uhl LLP.  You can email Colby at cvokey@fhsulaw.com.