COURT-APPOINTED RECEIVER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner at Damian & Valori
Allison J. Leonard is a partner at Damian & Valori, LLP | Culmo Trial Attorneys. With 10 years of experience, Ms. Leonard's practice areas include complex business litigation, receivership and securities litigation, employment law and bankruptcy and creditors' rights law and litigation. She is licensed to practice in Florida and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Ms. Leonard is dedicated to serving not only her clients but also the community at large. She currently serves as a Board of Directors of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and Chairs the Annual Trial Skills Workshop and the Substantive CLE Programming committee. In addition, Mrs. Leonard is a member of The Florida Bar - Business Law Section where she serves as Vice Chair of Business Litigation Committee and Chair of Business Litigation Legislation Subcommittee. Leonard is a member of the Cuban American Bar Association (former Assistant Articles Editor for the CABA Briefs Committee), The Dade County Bar Association, the Miami Dade Trial Lawyers Association, and a fellow at The Florida Bar Foundation.
Mrs. Leonard has been recognized by her peers as a Super Lawyer Rising Star for the years of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. 2021. In addition she was recognized as The Best Lawyers in America® 2022.
Prior to joining DVC, Ms. Leonard was the senior litigation associate at a well-known boutique litigation firm in Coral Gables where she represented individuals and businesses seeking justice after suffering a civil wrongdoing, with an emphasis on products liability, business torts and wage and hour claims.
Ms. Leonard received her law degree from Florida International University College of Law (J.D., 2010), where she earned the Best Brief Award and Oral Argument Champion Award in the Intramural Moot Court Competition and the CALI Award of Excellence for the highest grade in the Carlos A. Costa Immigration and Human Rights Legal Clinic and was on the Dean's List. She received her undergraduate degree from the Florida International University College of Business (B.A., 2007), where she attended as a National Hispanic Scholar and National Merit Commended Student.
Casandra Perez Murena practices in the areas of federal and state court receiverships, complex business litigation, securities litigation and bankruptcy/creditors' rights.
Ms. Murena represents both federal and state court-appointed receivers in marshaling and distributing assets for the benefit of creditors. Her receivership experience involves working in conjunction with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to obtain and implement temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and asset-freeze orders, followed by the collection and preservation of assets. Ms. Murena also practices complex business litigation with a focus on fraudulent transfer actions, investment and business disputes.
Ms. Murena has represented various corporate debtors with all aspects of their bankruptcy cases. Ms. Murena has also assisted in the representation of numerous landlords in the enforcement of leasing rights in bankruptcy cases of large retail store chains. Ms. Murena speaks Spanish and has experience representing debtors in cross-border corporate restructurings in Latin America. Ms. Murena also speaks conversational Italian.
Ms. Murena was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2002. Ms. Murena received her law degree from Columbia University School of Law (J.D., 2002), where she served on the Columbia Journal of Environmental Law and she performed significant amounts of public interest work through the Latin American Law Students Association - National Employment Law Project and the Columbia Law Women's Association - Domestic Violence Project. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Miami (B.A., magna cum laude, 1999), graduating as the English Major of the Year.
Mr. Groth's practice areas include complex business litigation, receivership and securities litigation, investor and consumer fraud litigation, commercial litigation, and bankruptcy and creditors' rights. Mr. Groth is licensed to practice in Florida and the U.S. District Court for the Southern and Middle District of Florida. He has received an AV Preeminent® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™.
Prior to joining Damian & Valori, LLP, Mr. Groth was a litigation associate with a prominent global corporate defense law firm where he practiced in a wide array of areas including consumer and investor fraud, professional and medical malpractice, real estate and securities litigation, commercial litigation, and personal injury litigation.
Mr. Groth has additional entrepreneurial experience in the marketing and journalism fields. He is co-founder, lead copywriter, and general counsel of Happee Manatee, a boutique, Miami-based creative shop specializing in brand re-design, web design, public relations, social media strategy, and legal services. Mr. Groth also counsels several marketing and advertising agencies in the areas of contract formation and negotiation, scope of work, non-disclosure agreements, and consumer privacy rights.
Mr. Groth received his law degree from Nova Southeastern University, graduating with honors while earning multiple Dean's List distinctions and the CALI Award of Excellence for the highest grade in Criminal Law and Negotiations. Mr. Groth was the school's chief representative to the American Bar Association (ABA) Student Division as well as the 5th Circuit Lieutenant Governor of South Florida. He was an editor with the school's Journal of International and Comparative Law. He also served as a research assistant to Dean Emeritus Joseph Harbaugh, aiding with research and editing for the professor's book and article manuscripts. He received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Connecticut while earning a Certification of Professional Development in Global Business Leadership.
Job Titles:
- Counsel
- of Counsel
- Member of the Florida Bar
- Member of the Junior League of Miami
Ms. Espenkotter is Of Counsel to the firm and concentrates her practice in the areas of federal court litigation and appeals, with an emphasis on employment, securities and real estate litigation. Prior to joining Damian & Valori, Ms. Espenkotter spent seven years as the Chambers Staff Attorney for the Honorable Stanley Marcus of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Ms. Espenkotter has served as an Adjunct Professor in the areas of Legal Research and Writing and Appellate Advocacy at the University of Miami School of Law and the St. Thomas University School of Law.
Ms. Espenkotter is a member of the Junior League of Miami. She has served as a co-chair of the League's Sundari Foundation “Project Lift” Committee and is a 2008 and 2010 recipient of the U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award (Bronze level in 2008 and Silver level in 2010).
Ms. Espenkotter is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida.
Nicholas Palomino works focuses his practice on medical malpractice and complex personal injury litigation.
Prior to joining Damian & Valori LLP | Culmo Trial Attorneys, Mr. Palomino worked as an associate trial attorney at a national insurance defense firm working primarily on medical malpractice.
Mr. Palomino born and raised in Miami, Florida and graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in 2010. He earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Florida International University in 2015 and earned a Juris Doctorate Degree from Nova Southeastern University Sheppard Broad College of Law in 2018, graduating with honors, magna cum laude.
In law school, Mr. Palomino was a member of Nova Law Review, Nova Moot Court Society, and Nova Trial Association. He was a finalist in both a national moot court competition and mock trial competition. He also received CALI Book Award in Products Liability. Mr. Palomino is admitted to practice law in the State of Florida.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Florida Bar
Shana Nichols works alongside Damian & Valori LLP | Culmo Trial Attorneys associates and partners on complex business litigation and receiverships.
Prior to joining Damian & Valori LLP | Culmo Trial Attorneys, Ms. Nichols served as Assistant Public Defender in Miami Dade County Public Defender's Office handling Misdemeanor, Juvenile and Felony Cases. Ms. Nichols primarily focuses her practice on Business Litigation, Negotiation and Dispute Resolution as well as working on the Firm's receivership team.
Ms. Nichols is admitted to practice law in the state of Florida. Ms. Nichols is a member of the Florida Bar. She is also a member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Ms. Nichols was born in Fort Stewart, Georgia as her father is a U.S. Military Veteran. She was raised in Columbus, Ohio. Ms. Nichols graduated from The Ohio State University (B.S.B.A 2016) and The Notre Dame Law School (J.D. 2019) where she was President of the National Lawyers Guild, Third Year Representative on behalf of her class, and Head Representative for the Nation's Leading Bar Exam Preparation Course. .