(September/October 2025) - Lewis Brisbois is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15! We look forward to sharing stories from our Hispanic and Latino American colleagues over the next few weeks, reflecting on the significance of mentorship in the legal community and beyond.
The first contribution in our Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight Series comes from Newark Associate Alexander Slizewski, who shares his story about the invaluable mentorship role that his family has played in shaping his legal career. He acknowledges the influence of his family's values throughout his life, as he in turn begins to mentor future generations of attorneys.
Alexander is a member of Lewis Brisbois' Medical Malpractice and Healthcare Practices. He is a published author on data privacy law and an active participant of several bar associations. Alexander also has leadership experience in the Association of Latin American Law Students. He is CIPP/US certified.
Learn more about Alexander's background here and his professional experience here.
The next contribution comes from Orange County Partner Laura Lopez, who speaks about how she honors her Latin heritage through mentorship. She touches upon her personal experience on the importance of mentorship and community values in her culture. Laura additionally reflects on how she launched the Mentorship Café, a monthly CLE program for her practice group in the Orange County office, designed to foster collaboration and professional growth among attorneys.
Laura is a member of Lewis Brisbois' Construction Practice. Her practice areas include Construction Litigation, General Liability, Healthcare Law, Medical Malpractice, Premises Liability, Products Liability, Insurance Defense, Personal Injury, and Probate Litigation. She is also fluent in Spanish and conversational in French and Italian.
Learn more about Laura's background here and professional experience here.
In this next Spotlight, Philadelphia Legal Assistant Myra Lewis—a second-generation Puerto Rican and Cuban—shares how her aunt's journey to becoming an attorney and judge helped instilled into her the values of hard work and dedication. She is also actively involved with a community outreach organization, where she has found meaningful connections with mentors and peers.
Learn more about Myra's background here.
As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, San Diego Associate Paola Perkins discusses her experience as a first generation Mexican American before reflecting on how her parents have significantly influenced her legal career. She also highlights mentors who have guided her on this journey, including her law school Mock Trial Coach and San Diego Managing Partner Douglas Lewis.
A graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Paola is a member of Lewis Brisbois' General Liability practice. She mainly focuses on insurance defense and personal injury defense actions. Paola also has experience in civil litigation, including a wide range of matters that encompass personal injury, medical malpractice, workers' compensation, slip and falls, consumer and employment class actions, and more.
Learn more about Paola's background here and professional experience here.
Next up on this Spotlight Series, Sacramento Law Clerk Diego Ahumada delineates the mentorship role that his father and brother have played in his life. He further explains how he aspires to educate future generations of Latino attorneys.
Recent graduate from the University of the Pacific—McGeorge School of Law—Diego is a post-bar law clerk in Southern California. He is also a licensed attorney in Mexico with years of professional experience in corporate and transactional law. Diego specializes in real estate transactions, probate and estate planning, and corporate law.
Learn more about Diego's background here.
The next Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight features New York Partner Danielle Olivero, who speaks about her experience working as a prosecutor in the Bronx County District Attorney Office. She also illuminates the invaluable mentorship she has received from our firm's Women's Initiative and from Trial Partner Jennine A. Gerrard.
Danielle is a member of Lewis Brisbois' Medical Malpractice Practice. She has previously handled violent felony cases, investigations, and grand jury presentations as a prosecutor. Danielle has extensive experience as a representative of hospitals and physicians in various aspects of complex medical malpractice litigation.
Learn more about Danielle's background here and professional experience here.
The next Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight features San Bernardino Associate Azucena Crespo, who discusses her experience as a first-generation Latina lawyer and the crucial mentorship she has received throughout her legal career. She speaks about her law school Evidence professor, who encouraged her to apply for a Lawyers for America fellowship, and how this mentorship ultimately provided her the opportunity to serve her community as a public defender.
Azucena is a member of Lewis Brisbois' Healthcare, Medical Malpractice, and Long-Term Care practices. She graduated from and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). Azucena's prior criminal litigation experience allows her to offer a unique perspective on litigation and examination at depositions.
Learn more about Azucena's background here and professional experience here.
This Spotlight presents New York Associate Maria Ochoa Ramos as she speaks about her childhood in Mexico, growing up around family members in the psychology and engineering industries, who helped shape her work ethic. She also touches upon being the first lawyer in her family while reminiscing on the guidance and mentorship that she has received thus far.
Maria is a member of Lewis Brisbois' General Liability practice. Prior to joining Lewis Brisbois three years ago, she worked as a civil litigation attorney at a New York insurance defense firm, and she has previously defended property owners and contractors in Administrative Courts.
Learn more about Maria's background here and professional experience here.
As Hispanic Heritage Month nears its end, New York Associate Caroline Gómez Lassalle speaks about her experience as a first-generation Latina attorney and how daunting the legal profession can be for those without the proper guidance or connections in the industry. She discusses the value of mentorship for underrepresented attorneys alongside the importance of amplifying diverse voices to ensure that talent and potential are recognized beyond traditional pathways.
Caroline is a member of Lewis Brisbois' General Liability Practice. She has experience handling a broad range of cases involving premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, labor law, construction defects, and products liability. She manages a high-volume caseload, regularly appears for settlement conferences, and has conducted numerous depositions.
Learn more about Caroline's background here and professional experience here.
As the final Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight, San Francisco Associate David Gonzalez proudly celebrates his Salvadoran Mexican heritage. Inspired by his mother's resilience and his father's storytelling, David reflects on how the voices of authors—such as Roque Dalton, Carlos Fuentes, and Julio Cortázar—have shaped his advocacy and approach to the law. Having embraced mentorship as a vital element of his career, David acknowledges how the guidance of San Francisco Partners Christopher Nevis, Christine Fenech, William Horsey, Michael Walker, and Douglas Atkinson have sharpened his skills in civil litigation.
David is a member of Lewis Brisbois' General Liability Practice.
Learn more about David's professional experience here.
