VM - Key Persons
Andrew W. Vorzimer heads the firm's Third Party Reproductive Practice at Vorzimer/Masserman (VM). Mr. Vorzimer is a frequent author on subjects including third party reproduction, surrogacy and egg donation. Mr. Vorzimer was the recipient of the "Illumination Award" from the American Fertility Association (AFA) and the 2017 Whittier Law School Alumni Attorney of the Year Award. Mr. Vorzimer is recognized worldwide as the foremost expert in the field of Surrogacy, Egg Donation and Reproductive Law. Mr. Vorzimer has also handled numerous high profile litigation cases including: David Copperfield vs. Butterfield & Butterfield; Elizabeth Taylor vs. The National Enquirer; Estate of Howard Hughes vs. Summa Corporation; the professional liability portion of the Twilight Zone case; and has represented the State of California in the People vs. Coastal Insurance lawsuit. Reported Case of note: North River Insurance Company vs. American Home Assurance Company, 210 Cal. App. 3d 108 (1989).
Mr. Vorzimer has been quoted as an expert or appeared in numerous magazines and news shows including 60 Minutes, CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Medical News Today, USA Today and MSNBC . Mr. Vorzimer was a Contributing Author to: Consents and Contracts, "Principles of Oocyte and Embryo Donation"; Insurance Handbook for Business Litigators; and CEB Civil Procedure Before Trial,1990. Mr. Vorzimer has authored numerous articles including: What to Look for in an Egg Donation Program; Workplace Environment: Sexual Harassment; Business & Professions Code Section 17200: California's Unfair Competition Law; Sexual Harassment: Increase in Claims Strikes Fear in Employers; and Hostile Work Environment Claims Have Employers on the Defensive. Mr. Vorzimer and Mr. Masserman were also part of a small group of attorneys who assisted Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes in drafting AB1217 which codified the current best legal practices regarding surrogacy agreements in California, and was added to the California Family Code as Section 7962.
Mr. Vorzimer attended Whittier College School of Law where he served as Executive Editor of Law Review and was published. Mr. Vorzimer graduated from Whittier in 1988, Magna Cum Laude (J.D.). Mr. Vorzimer did his undergraduate studies at Harvard University and University of Miami. Mr. Vorzimer is admitted to the State Bar of California; American Bar Association; Los Angeles County Bar Association; United States District Court, Central, Eastern, Southern and Northern Districts of California; the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; and the Supreme Court of the State of California. Mr. Vorzimer is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM); Fellow of American Academy of Associated Reproductive Technologies Attorneys (AAARTA); International Federation Of Fertility Societies (IFFS); RESOLVE; World IVF; Board of Directors of Parents Via Egg Donation (PVED); Founding Fellow of the International Surrogacy Forum; National Association of Surrogate Mothers; OPTS; INCIID; and Academy of Associated Reproductive Technologies. Mr. Vorzimer is also a faculty member of IFFS/ASRM and the REI Nursing Congress. Mr. Vorzimer also is a member of the board of the Walking Strong Foundation, to find treatment and cures for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Dean E. Masserman is a highly experienced and respected trial lawyer, who has handled in excess of 40 jury trials and 3,300 court trials and substantive hearings in both federal and state court, and serves as chairperson of the firm's Family Law Practice, Civil Defense Practice and Complex Litigation Practice. Mr. Masserman began his legal career as a Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender. Since founding VM in 1994, Mr. Masserman has expanded his practice to include all facets of Family Law litigation.
Helaena Eichberg joined VM as a Senior Paralegal in 2015. Ms. Eichberg earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from UC Riverside in 2004 and went on to earn her paralegal certification from UCLA in 2008. Prior to joining the VM team, Ms. Eichberg worked in collections law and criminal defense.
Ivanna Altamirano, originally from Ecuador joined VM in 2021 as a legal assistant. Ms. Altamirano graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2021 and received a Bachelor's degree in Political Science with minors in Spanish and Criminal Justice. Throughout her college career she was listed on the Dean's List for high academic achievements while being an active member in the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Ms. Altamirano assists Mr. Masserman in civil litigation, family law, and third-party reproduction practice. Her primary responsibilities include written discovery, deposition and trial preparation, fact-checking and compiling case evidence, communicating with opposing counsel, clients, and Los Angeles court clerks. She oversees logistics, correspondence, digital file management, and assists with day-to-day operation of the firm. Ms. Altamirano is also fluent in Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Jing Yang was a Chinese transaction lawyer in Shanghai before joining VM. Ms. Yang graduated from the Wuhan University School of Law with a double degree in Law and Economics. From 2008 to 2010, Ms. Yang gained great experience with corporate, foreign direct investment, and contract law while working in renowned law firms in Shanghai. From 2010 to 2014, she managed the legal department of Shanda Group, a leading Company in the Internet & Entertainment Industry, based in Shanghai. In 2014 Ms. Yang attended UCLA Law for her master degree in Law (LL.M.). After graduation she was hired to serve VM's Chinese clientele to further her passion for family law and related cutting edge issues. Ms. Yang is fluent in both Mandarin and English. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, singing Karaoke and watching movies with friends.
Jules Estrada, originally from Los Angeles, joined VM as an Office Assistant and Receptionist in February 2019. Ms. Estrada has experience in Workers Compensation and Medical Billing and is working on getting her Legal Assistant/Paralegal Certificate. Ms. Estrada's current responsibilities include overseeing logistics, correspondence, digital file management, backing up staff attorneys in the firm's reproductive practice and assisting day to day operations. Ms. Estrada enjoys sight-seeing, good food and sunny beach days.
Job Titles:
- ATTORNEY at LAW
- Senior Associate
Krystel Zambrano is a Senior Associate with the firm's Assisted Third Party Reproduction, Family Law, and Civil Defense/Complex Litigation groups. She received her law degree from UCLA School of Law, where she graduated Order of the Coif. Ms. Zambrano was an active member of her law school community. She served as the external co-chair for the Latino Law Student Association, a staff editor for the Chicanx Latinx Law Review, and a volunteer for several immigration rights and homelessness clinics. Prior to joining VM as an associate, Ms. Zambrano externed for the Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and worked at a large law firm where she worked on breach of contract, mass torts, personal injury, and consumer class action cases in state and federal court. Ms. Zambrano obtained her bachelor's degree from UCLA, summa cum laude, and is fluent in Spanish.
Ms. Zambrano also has extensive experience in the Assisted Third Party Reproduction field. Before attending law school, she spent several years working with agencies, clinics, and intended parents seeking to complete their families through assisted reproduction technologies.
Education
UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, California
J.D. - 2019
Larissa Donikian is a California licensed attorney working with the firm's Assisted Third Party Reproduction group. She received her law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. She served as the Secretary of the Armenian Law Students' Association after two years of active membership. Prior to joining VM as an associate, Larissa was employed at a large law firm where she worked on general liability cases including breach of contract and personal injury matters. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Irvine earning two Bachelor of the Arts degrees in History and Political Science.
Larissa has a lifelong commitment to philanthropy and since 2010 has dedicated her efforts to the nonprofit organization, Focus on Children Now. Focus on Children Now runs multiple school programs in third-world Armenia aimed at benefitting pre-school and kindergarten students. In her free time, Larissa enjoys Muay Thai kickboxing, hiking various trails throughout Los Angeles, and traveling to new places (most recently to Peru).
Education
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California
J.D. - 2019
University of California, Irvine, California
B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 2015
Olga Arellano, originally from Mexico, joined VM in May 2018 as a legal assistant and Spanish interpreter. Ms. Arellano graduated from UCI - Mexico with a Bachelors Degree in journalism and communications. In 2018, Ms. Arellano graduated and was certified as a courtroom interpreter from SCSI. In her free time she enjoys working out and going out on road trips to discover new places and experience new cultures.
Job Titles:
- Executive Administrative Assistant
- Executive Administrative Assistant to Mr. Vorzimer
Robyn Gelgand, born and raised in Los Angeles, began working in entertainment in 1995 providing administrative support to studio executives in television and film. She moved into studio film publicity in 2006, where she specialized in talent relations with high profile entertainers and VIP talent.
Robyn joined VM as executive administrative assistant to Mr. Vorzimer in 2021. Her primary responsibilities include providing high-level administrative support to VIP clients, identifying and addressing the needs of the firm's senior managers, paralegals and attorneys, overseeing logistics, and correspondence. In her spare time, Robyn enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going to concerts, and reading a good book.
Sandra Zambrano graduated from Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil with a degree in International Business in 1984. Ms. Zambrano was employed at Egg Donation, Inc. in the mid 2000s and found helping people build their family through assisted reproduction very fulfilling. Sandra joined VM in 2015. In her free time Ms. Zambrano enjoys watching movies, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Job Titles:
- Business Operations Manager
Silvia Masserman emigrated from Ecuador to the United States in 1995 to pursue a career in travel and tourism. Soon afterward Mrs. Masserman started an international import/export company shipping goods around the world and simultaneously established a real estate development company in the United States. In 2005 Mrs. Masserman joined VM providing services in International Marketing, Branding and Client Development.
W. Kwamina Ngissah (Kwam) graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988, and then attended Loyola Law School. Kwam first worked for VM from 1997 to 2004. In 2004, Kwam left VM and spent the next 10 years working in the field of construction defect litigation defense with a nationally known law firm. Kwam rejoined VM in 2015 as a senior paralegal, and works with both the third party reproduction and litigation paralegal teams. Kwam is well versed in worker's compensation, construction defect litigation, malpractice defense, insurance claim resolution, family law litigation, surrogacy and egg donation.
In his free time Kwam manages his real estate portfolio, plays in local poker tournaments, is an amateur sports enthusiast, is a master griller and sous chef, and judges local Cumbia and salsa events. Kwam is also a volunteer Life Skills coach.
Job Titles:
- Legal Assistant
- Paralegal
Weiwei Zhao joined VM as a legal assistant in 2016. Ms. Zhao earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English of International Business with a double degree in finance from Tianjin Foreign Studies University in 2011. Ms. Zhao worked as a volunteer for Summer Davos Forum-Annual Meeting of the New Champions in 2010, and offered translation service for committee members. Ms. Zhao studied in the MBA program in University of New Haven from 2011 to 2013. After graduation, Ms. Zhao worked as an immigration legal assistant in Yerman & Associates, LLC in New York City, assisting with drafting legal papers, performing legal research, and translation for Chinese clients. Ms. Zhao is fluent in both Mandarin Chinese and English. Ms. Zhao's responsibilities are working directly with VM's Chinese clients in both IVF and egg donation matters, as well as translation services. Ms. Zhao also accompanies Chinese clients to obtain birth certificates and passports upon request. Ms. Zhao enjoys traveling, swimming, hiking, skiing and reading books in her free time.