COLMAN LAW GROUP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Legal Assistant
- CPLG As a Legal Assistant
In 2023, Alice Nahapatian joined CPLG as a legal assistant in the Glendale office.
She has been in the insurance defense industry for over 20 years and is a certified legal secretary. Alice has worked with a broad range of firms and is experienced in product liability, premises liability, general negligence, employment law and medical malpractice. She cares deeply about the quality of her work and believes that if you are not lazy you can achieve anything.
A Californian since the late ‘80s, Alice spent several of her teenage years living in Europe, soaking up different cultures and life lessons. She still enjoys traveling and checking new places off her bucket list. But not all her favorite trips are new to her-for 15 years Alice's family and a group of friends have spent the 4th of July holidays at the same hotel in San Diego.
Alice is also a huge foodie and loves to cook, bake and check out new restaurants with friends and family.
Angela Resendi-Latif is a legal assistant with Colman Perkins Law Group's Glendale office.
She has 15+ years of experience as a legal secretary specializing in insurance defense. She joined Colman Perkins because of their strong roots in the community and their mission to always put clients first.
Angela was born in Los Angeles and attended California State University, Northridge, finishing with a bachelor's degree in English in 1999.
Having seen what is possible with determination and a strong work ethic, Angela is a firm believer in the saying, "If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything."
Becky Anaya joined Colman Perkins Law Group in 2017 and was promoted to the firm's office administrator position.
"You don't get to take something with you, but hopefully you can leave something good behind."
Brad Byszewski is a partner with Colman Perkins Law Group. Brad's litigation practice includes products liability, personal injury, premises liability, toxic tort, business litigation and corporate fraud. He also works with clients on matters involving real property issues, creditor issues, defense of claims against lenders and commercial transactions.
Breanna is excited to be part of the Irvine office and eager to learn more about the firm and the legal field.
When she's not in office, Breanna loves to spend time with her two daughters and enjoy family dinners and gatherings.
Job Titles:
- Claims Legal Analyst
- Claims Legal Analyst in the Glendale Office
Brian Terrio is a claims legal analyst in the Glendale office of Colman Perkins Law Group. He brings 25 years of experience in personal and commercial lines to his position.
Most recently, Brian was a special investigator at Safeway Insurance Company. He oversaw the SIU, including examinations under oath, for all losses that occurred in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.
Brian moved into personal lines at Bristol West Insurance, as a senior claim representative. Then at Scottsdale Insurance, he handled large commercial investigations for transportation and property losses, up to million-dollar policy exposures.
His career began at Liberty Mutual as a worker's compensation adjuster, then he advanced to a senior field investigator.
Brian is an avid sports fan and loves attending live sporting events. When he's not spending time with his wife and four boys, he's looking to travel, preferably by boat.
Brittany Charboneau is an associate attorney with Colman Perkins Law Group. She started at the firm as a law clerk.
Her expertise includes handling litigation from initial pleadings through trial preparation. Brittany's experience also encompasses insurance coverage matters, including first party property and automobile claims.
A graduate of Southwestern University School of Law, she worked as a civil litigation paralegal prior to and during law school.
Also while in law school, Brittany was a law clerk for a Los Angeles based telecommunications company and clerked for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Healthcare Fraud Division. Brittany earned dual undergraduate degrees from Chapman University in 2010.
His experience includes criminal law, copyright law and insurance defense litigation. Carlos enjoys going the extra mile for clients and is flexible and ready to assist CPLG attorneys with whatever they need as it arises.
In 2014, Carlos began his legal career as a legal assistant, advancing to paralegal two years later.
When he's not working, you can find Carlos at the golf course, on the bike path or at the tennis court.
"I am ready to face any challenges that might be foolish enough to face me."
Chloe Graham is an associate attorney with Colman Perkins Law Group. She joined the firm soon after being admitted to the California Bar. Prior to CPLG, she clerked at other firms in both Los Angeles and Kern Counties.
Chloe focuses on all stages of litigation with experience in handling pleadings, discovery, pre-trial and trial motions, as well as assisting in general trial preparation.
A graduate of Southwestern University School of Law, she served on the board of Southwestern's Journal of International Law, co-founded Southwestern's Federalist Society chapter, and held a supervisory role for the school's Dean's Fellow mentorship program.
Chloe earned an undergraduate degree from University of California, Berkeley in 2018 in political science and spent a year working for Congress before attending law school.
Outside of work Chloe can be found in the pool competing on her local U.S. Masters Swim Team or training for her next triathlon. She enjoys staying active, eating good food and spending time with her friends and family.
"Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but how we react to what happens, not by what life brings us but the attitude we bring to life."
"Loyalty is a two-way street. If I'm asking for it from you, then you are getting it from me."
When she started with CPLG in 2015, it was as a part-time file clerk. Cinthia quickly worked her way up to full time, assisting litigation and EUO teams with day-to-day administrative tasks.
When she's not at the office, you can find Cinthia trying out new cuisine with her family (they're all big foodies). She also loves to cook and thinks nothing compares to breathing the aroma of a good home-cooked meal surrounded by loved ones.
"Oh yes, the past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it."
Debbie Bennett is a legal assistant who joined Colman Perkins Law Group's Glendale office in 2023. She is dynamic and versatile with nearly two decades of experience in the field.
Since 2005, Debbie has worked in plaintiff personal injury litigation, insurance defense and commercial collections. She is known for contributing to the team with her organizational skills, attention to detail and adaptability.
Debbie is always looking for ways to grow and learn. She prides herself on dedication to her work and a love of adventure.
When she isn't at work, she loves to indulge her passion for outdoor activities as long as amenities are nearby. She's always up for a challenge, whether it's zip-lining, rock climbing or paddle boarding. A devoted wife and mother of two, Debbie also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, trying out new restaurants and traveling to new places.
Demetria Baxter is a paralegal with Colman Perkins Law Group and provides support for attorneys in the Glendale, Irvine and Las Vegas offices. She drafts authorizations, issues subpoenas and obtains and indexes the resulting discovery records the subpoenas produce.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal
- Paralegal in the Irvine Office
Denise Juarez is a records paralegal in the Irvine office of Colman Perkins Law Group, where she works with attorneys in both our Glendale and Irvine locations. She assists in obtaining and securing records necessary for discovery and trial.
She began working in the legal field in 2011 and gained experience as an office clerk, receptionist and legal assistant. Denise earned her paralegal certificate and AA in paralegal studies in 2019. She has experience in both civil litigation and family law.
When she is not in the office, Denise enjoys spending time with her fiancée, daughter and cat. She is a homebody who takes pleasure in making her space organized, cozy and inviting to those she loves.
"Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one."
Dina DeSousa-Cabral is an associate attorney with Colman Perkins Law Group and is a member of both the California and Nevada bars.
She is experienced in handling litigation matters from initial pleadings through trial preparation. Dina focuses her practice on insurance defense and insurance coverage matters.
Prior to joining the firm, Dina practiced in California in the areas of bankruptcy and civil litigation with an emphasis on personal injury, premises liability and product liability. While practicing in Nevada, Dina focused on family law, with an emphasis on divorce, custody, guardianship and adoptions.
Dina is admitted in all California state courts and federal courts. She was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada in April 2019.
In her free time Dina loves to spend time with her family and friends, attend sporting events and is an avid pool player.
"We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds."
Edgar Lopez joined Colman Perkins Law Group in June 2016 and is the firm's accounts payable/receivable coordinator.
Starting as administrative assistant for the Glendale office, Edgar worked his way up and now handles:
accounts payable via accounting and other software
payments for separate entities and vendors
electronic billing, including monthly reports for attorneys and training new hires on billing procedures
internal expense reports
racking carrier guidelines
Prior to becoming one of the CPLG staff, Edgar was a manager for 11 years at a well-known retail store. His leadership experience transferred nicely to his new role, and he was excited to learn the best practices of billing procedures.
When he's not at the office, Edgar enjoys spending time with his family and taking quick getaways to Las Vegas. He also enjoys tailgating at games of his favorite NFL team, the San Francisco Forty Niners.
A graduate of Loyola Law School, he was an active member of student organizations, including Loyola OUTLaw Group and La Raza de Loyola. While attending Loyola, he worked as an immigration law clerk preparing waivers of inadmissibility and as a civil litigation law clerk. Eduardo earned dual undergraduate degrees from University of California Riverside in 2016.
Outside of the office, Eduardo loves to work out at the gym and spend time with family and friends.
Eduardo Contreras is an associate attorney with Colman Perkins Law Group and joined the firm soon after being admitted to the California Bar. Prior to coming to CPLG, he worked primarily in employment law litigation.
Francine Kelly is a partner in the Irvine office of Colman Perkins Law Group.
She handles a variety of insurance defense, first party and automobile claims, as well as premises and product liability and examinations under oath. Francine has tried several cases to successful verdict.
Prior to coming to Colman Perkins Law Group, she was a manager in the staff counsel department of a national insurance company.
Earlier in her career, Francine worked as a senior trial attorney and litigator/partner at two major civil litigation firms in Los Angeles.
Outside of work, Francine loves to spend time with friends and family, travel, exercise and enjoy her dog, Daisy.
"It don't take much strength to pull a trigger but try getting up every morning, day after day and work for a living. Let's see him try that, then we'll see who the real tough guy is. The working man is the tough guy."
Frank has handled numerous jury trials, arbitrations, mediations, witness depositions and expert depositions, as well as an appellate brief and oral arguments. He also handles first party claims, including coverage opinions and examinations under oath.
Frank initially practiced as a plaintiff attorney in Southern California, later moving to Northern California. There, he handled insurance defense cases at McDowell, Shaw and Garcia for 10 years before returning to SoCal in 2002 and joining CPLG's Irvine office.
Job Titles:
- Supervisor
- Paralegal
- Paralegal Supervisor
He began his career in 1998 at a Glendale insurance defense practice, which specialized in personal injury claims related to automobile and premises liability matters. Hugo rose to senior paralegal and was integral to the investigation and discovery process, as well as providing vital support to attorneys for mediations, arbitrations and trials.
A graduate of Watterson College in Pasadena, Hugo completed the paralegal studies program and received certification. He has also supplemented his career-related education by participating in a variety of discovery and trial document preparation seminars. Hugo continues to broaden his knowledge and improve his skill set to serve the client more effectively.
Hugo is a devoted husband and the father to five children. Through his church-supported volunteer group, Hugo traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to assist a humanitarian organization with educational activities for orphaned, impoverished and at-risk children. He's also been an avid NASCAR racing fan for most of his life and equates his role as a paralegal to that of a pit crew member, working with the support team in pursuit of a hard-fought victory.
Hugo Ambriz is paralegal supervisor, based in the Glendale office of the Colman Perkins Law Group. He amassed over 20 years of experience before joining the firm.
Her California practice has focused on general casualty litigation with an emphasis on defense of complex claims in the auto, property, premises and travel insurance arenas, under personal and commercial policies. Jennifer also has significant experience in first party claims, coverage, bad faith and appellate law.
She has handled thousands of EUOs and depositions, in addition to hundreds of mediations, arbitrations and/or trials. She is admitted to practice in all State Courts of California as well as federal courts in the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of California.
After admission to the California bar in 1984, Jennifer moved east for two years, working in Connecticut after passing both the New York and Connecticut bar exams.
Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys time spent with her husband and family, along with traveling, exercising or relaxing anywhere there is water!
PRACTICE AREAS
Civil Litigation and Trials
"Don't play for the name on the back of your shirt, you play for the name on the front of your shirt."
Job Titles:
- California Certified Legal Secretary
- Senior Legal Assistant
Jessica Toney is a senior legal assistant who joined Colman Perkins Law Group in 2017. She relocated from the CPLG Irvine office to our Las Vegas office in 2020, and continues to support attorneys Frank Fleming, Brad Byszewski, Lauren Kutz and Sara Young.
Jessica became a California Certified Legal Secretary in 2009. She has experience in workers' compensation, bankruptcy, personal injury, construction defect and other civil litigation matters, as well as a background as a legal processing assistant in the courts.
Job Titles:
- Claims Analyst
- Claims Legal Analyst
Jo Ellen Faber is a claims analyst for Colman Perkins Law Group assisting with the evaluation of first and third party medical claims, vehicular accident claims, premises liability and everything in between.
With 25 years in auto claims, Jo Ellen brings insights from her roles as a casualty adjuster, first and third party litigation examiner and casualty claims supervisor. Her emphasis has been on auto casualty, general liability and public entity claims with a specialty in litigation.
In addition, Jo Ellen spent several years as a field investigator in the SIU departments of major insurance carriers. She has assisted insurance defense counsel for more than two decades, preparing cases for examinations under oath and depositions. She represented her companies at small claims court, mediation and observed trials.
On her off-hours, Jo Ellen enjoys camping at the beach, attending concerts and traveling with her husband and three children. Her love for dogs runs deep-especially for her own pups-Enzo, Oakley, Carley and Coco.
Jo Ellen supports Operation Gratitude, a Los Angeles nonprofit providing care packages for active-duty military and veterans. She's also involved in outreach and supplying resources for Angelenos experiencing homelessness.
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Before joining CPLG, Joe was a senior claims specialist at Philadelphia Insurance Company. He handled high exposure commercial liability claims involving nonprofits and transportation companies. Most claims were in litigation in California, Missouri, Oregon and Washington.
Prior to Philadelphia, Joe was a claims examiner at the Automobile Club of Southern California, reviewing and providing coverage and settlement authority for multiple offices in California and Missouri. He also held positions there as liability team manager, SIU casualty team manager and mobile team manager.
Earlier, Joe worked for two other insurance companies, and was also corporate liability claims manager for a self-insured entity that had a $500,000 self-insured retention. Along the way, Joe spent some time at a plaintiff law office who will fight for you, but quickly returned from the dark side after one year of being a negotiator.
Joe played basketball in college and loves to watch any sporting event that is on television.
has been practicing law in California since 1980 and is the managing attorney for Colman Perkins Law Group. He is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating for lawyers in the United States.
In addition to civil litigation, Jon began specializing in the investigation and litigation of suspect claims in 1986, a concentration on which he has continued to focus.
His practice includes the defense and investigation of suspect insurance claims, including MIST (minimum impact soft tissue automobile losses), premises liability (slip and fall, food-foreign objects), first and third party automobile claims (including uninsured motorist and staged accidents) and automobile theft and arson (examinations under oath).
Jon has represented numerous insurance carriers in first party claims (commercial, homeowners, rental, watercraft, jewelry), from property and arson to business interruption and suspicious water losses.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Job Titles:
- Claims Legal Analyst Supervisor
Most recently, Kelly was Western regional claim manager at Hertz Claim Management. She oversaw SIU, property damage and bodily injury claims (including coverage and litigation claims) in five Western states.
Earlier, Kelly was brought on by Automobile Club of Southern California as an examiner, reviewing and providing coverage and settlement authority for multiple offices in California, Hawaii and Texas. She progressed to casualty team manager, then SIU casualty team manager.
Kelly began her insurance career with 20th/21st Century Insurance and served as a BI examiner there. She handled coverage issue claims on minor to catastrophic injuries, while maintaining the files through litigation. She was promoted to supervisor and later was unit manager of both PD and BI supervisors.
Kelly loves to travel and is an avid skier. She is looking into pickle ball to see what all the fuss is about.
Kelly Hara-Tadaki is an associate attorney with Colman Perkins Law Group. Her practice focuses on the defense of personal injury, premises liability, automobile liability and other related matters. She also conducts examinations under oath and handles first party property and automobile claims.
Before joining CPLG, Kelly was head of the law and motion department of a Glendale civil litigation firm which handled suspected fraudulent cases. She engaged in extensive appellate work and drafted motions and other pleadings at every stage of litigation.
Kelly also represented corporations and other entities in fraud, unfair business practices and qui tam actions against individuals and entities engaging in unfair or fraudulent practices.
She is licensed to practice law in California state and federal courts.
A graduate of the University of Hawaii with a bachelor's in education, Kelly went on to attend Southwestern University School of Law. While in law school, she was a Notes & Comments editor with the Southwestern Journal of Law and Trade in the Americas and completed a full-time judicial externship at the United States District Court with the Honorable Robert M. Takasugi.
Her early career was spent supervising medical offices, including obstetrics/gynecology, dermatology and orthopedics/pain management specialties. Kimberly is pleased that her medical experience is an asset to her legal career.
Kimberly shares her love of life with her spouse of more than three decades, Manny. They are deeply devoted to their adult children, five grandchildren, parents and family. (Let's not forget the fur babies, too.) Kimberly and Manny attend all the 49ers games at Levi's Stadium and as many baseball games they can, especially the San Francisco Giants. They find time to travel and frequent their favorite destinations: Lake Tahoe, Monterey and Santa Cruz, Calif.
Job Titles:
- Director of Business Operations
Lauren B. Kutz is an associate with Colman Perkins Law Group in the Orange County office. She is an experienced litigator, handling all stages of litigation from initial pleadings through discovery, depositions, law and motion, expert discovery, and trial preparation.
Lauren is licensed to practice law in California state and federal courts.
Prior to joining Colman Perkins, Lauren worked primarily in insurance defense, handling claims related to premises liability, medical malpractice, personal injury, products liability, construction defect, catastrophic accidents and the defense of faith-based organizations.
Lauren received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles in 2003, and graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2006. During law school Lauren participated in the Tax Clinic and served on the Board of the Women's Law Caucus.
joined CPLG's Glendale office as administrative support in 2023. She is highly adaptable, flexible and embraces teamwork, but also enjoys working independently. Lizette contributes to the team with her determination and willingness to always learn something new.
On her off time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends and young daughter, Hope. They enjoy swimming, taking walks and playing at the playground. Lizette also loves working out and staying in shape so she can be a good role model for her daughter. She is an avid Dodgers and 49ers fan.
If you've called one of the Colman Perkins offices, chances are you've spoken to Luisa.
She also schedules depositions and court appearances, assists with discovery and prepares trial binders. In addition, Luisa provides IT support and coordinates between IT techs and the firm.
Outside of the office, she enjoys going to the movies and loves to spend time with her daughter and other loved ones.
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
Job Titles:
- Group 's Senior Legal Assistant Supervisor
- Senior Legal Assistant Supervisor
"If you're always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be."
Melany Nguyen joined Colman Perkins Law Group in 2022 as administrative support and became legal secretary in 2023.
Melany Nguyen joined Colman Perkins Law Group in 2022 as administrative support. She was previously in the personal injury field before transitioning to defense litigation. As one of the newest team additions, she hopes her warm presence brings joy to those around her.
In her free time, Melany enjoys exploring new restaurants and coffee shops. You might find her at the farmers market or Disneyland on the weekends. To take her love of food to an international level, she looks forward to traveling and filling up the pages of her passport.
Michael G. Hogan joined the Colman Perkins Law Group as senior counsel in March 2020. He brings the firm more than 35 years of concentrated expertise in defending vehicle and pedestrian accidents.
Mike Rawlings is a partner in the Las Vegas office of Colman Perkins Law Group. Over the span of a decade, he has built a practice focused on commercial litigation as defense counsel and in personal injury, premises liability, construction defect and family law matters.
Prior to joining CPLG, Mike defended numerous injury and loss cases, which included:
complex traumatic brain and spinal injuries
psychological injuries
loss of earning capacity and lost wages
claims for future medical treatment and damages
loss of consortium
Working on the insurance defense side and as legal counsel with personal injury cases has given Mike distinct insights. He applies this expertise at all levels, as he evaluates a case, assesses realistic outcomes and pursues that outcome through settlement negotiations, arbitrations, mediations, short trials and jury trials.
Michele L. Levinson is a partner with Colman Perkins Law Group. She handles a wide variety of insurance defense and insurance coverage matters, both litigated and non-litigated.
Michele has served on the Board of Directors for the Southern California Chapter of the International Association of Special Investigative Units and an arbitration forums panelist for Inter-company Arbitration, Inc. She also completed the National Insurance Crime Bureau's Advanced Course.
Among Miranda's responsibilities are scheduling and new matter intake as well as coordinating EUOs, depositions, mediations and court appearances.
Adding to her experience in the field of construction defect, Miranda "is enjoying learning at CPLG. Insurance fraud is fascinating!"
She grew up in Sacramento and enjoys great food, live country music and road trips. Miranda is a big fan of the San Jose Sharks, the Utah Jazz and spending time with her son and terrier-mix rescue dogs, Buster Posey and Chester Lee.
"Inspiration comes from within yourself. One has to be positive. When you're positive, good things happen."