LEX Summit Agenda

David G. Turcotte brings a quarter-century of legal experience to his role as Chief Legal Officer. His career is distinguished by leadership positions that span legal and operational teams in startups through IPOs and transactional exits. Turcotte’s expertise encompasses contract drafting, negotiations, vendor and technology agreements, and risk management. He has been instrumental in guiding global organizations through complex commercial transactions and compliance with regulatory frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, and FINRA.

Before his current role, Turcotte served as Senior Legal Counsel at InContact, Inc. “NICE” in Sandy, UT, where he managed global risk and compliance programs related to SaaS licensing and technology development. His tenure at AccessData Group as Chief Legal Officer saw him lead the company’s transition to a market leader in Legal GRC through strategic mergers and acquisitions.

An Olympic and professional athlete turned legal strategist, Turcotte’s leadership skills are deeply influenced by his sports career, fostering team cohesion and striving for excellence in all endeavors. He continues to share his passion for competitive sports with his family, nurturing the same dedication and focus in both his professional and personal life.

As a former litigator, Ryan Anderson designed Filevine with the end user in mind, focusing on unlocking customer and user efficiency by optimizing automation of technology. Today, Filevine is rated as one of the top automation tools for legal work for a diverse range of organizations by size and function, and is set on a continual path of growth. Ryan led Filevine’s acquisition of both Lead Docket, the top lead intake management solution for law firms, and Outlaw, the most innovative contract and document platform on the market. In 2020, Ryan was named CEO of the Year by Utah Business. Ryan is a proud husband and father of six children and resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ryan earned his law degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. His goal is to provide a comprehensive solution to business leaders in search of a workflow transformation solution.

Dr. Cain Elliott is the Chief Legal Futurist at Filevine, the leading legal work platform for law firms and businesses across the United States of Canada. Cain develops solutions to bring Filevine to clients in a variety of professional services. He previously served as the CIO at Margolis Edelstein and taught philosophy at a variety of institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the University of Warsaw. Cain is a philosopher and technologist, skilled in knowledge management, leadership, and technology. His work happens at the intersection of innovation and best-practices. With a Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D) focused on building, creating, and finding new ways to learn, Cain advances a big-picture view on the future of legal work.

Emily Lippincott is the Senior Legal Futurist at Filevine, the leading legal work platform for law firms and businesses across the United States and Canada. Emily designs solutions to bring Filevine and its suite of products to clients in a variety of legal disciplines. She is an attorney with over 16 years of experience in the Silicon Valley, both in-house and at law firms, counseling corporate clients from incorporation to public offering or acquisition. Emily is skilled in the law, knowledge management, and technology, allowing her a unique perspective on the future of legal tech.

Michael Anderson is the Chief Product Officer at Filevine. Michael has had a career in digital transformation work straddling technology and finance industries. He specializes in analytics, technology solutioning, and implementation. Prior experience includes leadership roles in global credit risk analytics at Goldman Sachs and product support at Qualtrics. Michael holds a BA from Brigham Young University in International Relations and an MA in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Ruby L. Powers, a Board-certified immigration attorney and founder of Powers Law Group, P.C., has over 16 years of expertise in law practice management. Author of AILA's Build and Manage Your Successful Immigration Law Practice (Without Losing Your Mind) and her book "Power Up Your Practice" available on Amazon. Ruby shares invaluable knowledge on law practice management and small business consulting. Through Powers Strategy Group, LLC, she provides strategic consulting services and hosts the informative podcast "Power Up Your Practice," launched in 2024. With a commitment to excellence and empowerment, Ruby inspires legal professionals to succeed in their practices and businesses.

Rowe has been a legal professional since high school, when she organized an office and established processes and procedures for a family friend. With experience spanning from criminal defense to estate and tax law, she found her professional home in corporate law. Outside of her legal work, she is a freelance editor and the author of a bestselling poetry collection.

Odenkirk brings a wealth of experience across genres and generations. He is widely known for his portrayal of criminal defense attorney Saul Goodman, in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, roles that earned him two Critics Choice Awards and multiple nominations across the Emmys, Golden Globes, and SAG Awards. He also served as a producer on the series.

In recent years, Odenkirk has continued to lead groundbreaking projects—starring in AMC’s Lucky Hank, the feature film Nobody, and lending his voice to Disney Pixar’s Incredibles 2. His filmography includes collaborations with renowned directors such as Steven Spielberg (The Post), Greta Gerwig (Little Women), and Alexander Payne (Nebraska). As a creator and contributor Odenkirk has influenced the worlds of television, film, literature, and live performance, including writing for Saturday Night Live for four years.

Kimball grew up in a small Arizona town, the youngest child in a large family. After graduating from high school he went on to graduate magna cum laude with a degree in economics from BYU-Idaho in 2005. While in college Kimball also founded the Pre-Law Society, served as student body president, and completed an internship with a U.S. senator—all while balancing his studies and a part-time job. Kimball went on to graduate from BYU Law School, where he received the prestigious Dean's Scholarship for academic merit each year.

Professionally, Kimball has ascended to national prominence as one of America's top trial lawyers. Kimball has obtained several record-setting jury verdicts on behalf of his clients, including three separate 9-figure verdicts in less than one year. Kimball's $550 million verdict in 2024—the largest single-plaintiff award in Nevada history—stands out among a long list of courtroom accomplishments.

Outside the courtroom, Kimball's dedication to service is exemplified through his distinguished tenure in the U.S. Army, where he served as both a soldier and officer. Kimball also cherishes his role as a family man. Kimball and his wife, Ashley, recently celebrated 21 years of marriage, and together they take pride in raising their four extraordinary children.

As Managing Director for the Philadelphia-based immigration law firm Landau, Hess, Simon, Choi & Doebley, Ben oversees all business processes firm-wide, including H.R., Finance, Information Systems, and Operations. As the instigating force behind the firm’s move to Filevine, Ben was hands-on throughout the build and implementation process, utilizing his Computer Science background and 15+ years of immigration case management expertise to directly build project sections, taskflows, and document templates to support the firm’s case work and legal practice management.

Ben has been with the firm since 2008. He graduated from Haverford College in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, and studied Computer Science at Drexel University. He lives in Malvern, PA with his wife, Ashley, and their three children, Eleanor, Tilde, and Tevya.

Personal Injury Attorney Glen Lerner is a founding partner of Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys and Lerner and Rowe Law Group. Attorney Glen Lerner is only licensed to practice personal injury law in the State of Nevada and has been doing so since 1991. He has successfully built not just a local name, but a national reputation. Glen Lerner deals with a large network of attorneys all over America to provide legal services in cases of personal injury, medical malpractice, hazardous products, and more. Glen prides himself in fighting for the “little guy” against big insurance companies and large corporations. “I grew up fighting every day of my life against bullies and I was the one who the other kids turned to. Now I do it as a grownup, and I get paid for doing what I love to do… fight!” Lerner attended Dartmouth College for one year and graduated from Duke University in 1987 with a major in Religious Studies. Glen also prides himself on being a member of Duke’s 1986 NCAA Division I Men’s National Championship soccer team. Glen Lerner is a 1990 graduate of Tulane Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He worked odd jobs throughout his life including being a Teamster and a garbage man to better understand many of the people he would someday represent. “I was number one in my class and got accepted at Harvard, Dartmouth, Stanford, and Duke.” “How could I ever represent people and really know how they feel if I have never had to work hard like them? Most of the people we represent are hardworking people and so many people that are privileged to get the education I have received never learn what it is like to really work and get their hands dirty,” says Glen Lerner. “I wanted to work hard jobs to be able to appreciate what I have and show that appreciation when I am with my clients.”

Throughout his legal career, Pace has navigated a diverse range of practice areas, from complex commercial litigation and civil rights claims to criminal defense and corporate transactions. For Pace, no client or matter is too large or small; he has adeptly represented clients both in small claims lawsuits and multi-million-dollar international business negotiations. This breadth of experience gives him a unique perspective on the law and its crucial role in solving complex problems and in protecting individual rights.

Pace is a graduate of the University of Utah, where he studied economics, Spanish and business. He commenced his legal studies in Washington D.C. at the Washington College of Law, and graduated from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah where he was selected as a Lassonde Institute Scholar. He is admitted to practice in Utah before the Utah State District Court and the Federal Court for the District of Utah.

A Utah native, Pace was born and raised as a middle child in close-knit family with five siblings. He now calls the Heber Valley his home, where he lives with his wife, children and their dog. In addition to long walks on the beach, Pace enjoys tinkering in his garage, skiing, flying his drone and following Formula 1 racing. His life and career are a testament to his dedication to justice, community service, and the transformative power of effective legal advocacy.

John S. Berry is a decorated attorney, Army veteran, and dedicated advocate for empowering fellow veterans. His career reflects strong leadership, dedicated service, and an unwavering commitment to those who have served the nation.

Berry began his military journey as an infantry officer after graduating from the College of William and Mary. He completed Airborne and Ranger Schools and served in Bosnia in 1999 during Operation Joint Forge. He later commanded a company in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and retired as a lieutenant colonel after serving as a battalion commander in the Nebraska Army National Guard. In 2019, he was inducted into the Nebraska National Guard Regional Training Institute Hall of Fame.

Transitioning to civilian life, Berry brought his leadership to the legal field. A graduate of Creighton University School of Law and the Trial Lawyers College, he has been named among the National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 for over a decade. He holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Lawyers in America.

As CEO of Berry Law Firm, he leads a nationwide team dedicated to securing back pay for disabled veterans. Under his leadership, the firm has recovered over $450 million for more than 15,000 veterans. Berry Law’s commitment to veterans has earned it the HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion, the ESGR Pro Patria Award, Military Times’ Best for Vets Employer recognition, and the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Ethics.

Berry also hosts the Veteran Led podcast, encouraging veterans to become leaders in their communities. As an author, he amplifies the voices and experiences of America’s veterans through powerful storytelling.

To learn more, read The Next Battle: A Guide to Veterans Disability Benefits by John S. Berry, or Those Gallant Men: On Trial in Vietnam, written by his father and Berry Law founder, John S. Berry Sr.

Josh Hostilo stands at the forefront of legal tech innovation as the Product Leader at Filevine/Lead Docket, where his primary mission is to refine and elevate law firm intake management practices. With an impressive background in law firm management, Josh has demonstrated his prowess by significantly expanding a law firm’s reach to ten distinct office locations, alongside tripling its revenue.

His journey in the legal sector is marked by a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in Marketing, Legal Intake, and Conversions. This expertise is not just theoretical but is backed by years of hands-on experience, making Josh a well-respected figure in the legal tech community. His approach is holistic, considering every facet of law firm operations to ensure efficiency and growth.

Josh’s commitment to excellence and innovation in legal tech is evident in his role at Lead Docket, where he leverages his extensive experience to streamline operations, enhance client intake processes, and ultimately, drive law firms towards achieving higher conversion rates and securing more signed cases. His strategies are not just about growth but about ensuring sustainable and scalable success for law firms in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Craig Goldenfarb is the CEO and founder of GOLDLAW, a Personal Injury Firm in Palm Beach County, Florida. His firm handles cases throughout Florida and the United States.

He currently owns and manages ten businesses in a variety of industries, including his law firm (GOLDLAW) at GOLDLAW.com.

Employing 12 attorneys and about 80 team members, Mr. Goldenfarb stopped practicing law about in 2005, to focus on growing his practice. He has not handled a case since 2005.

Mr. Goldenfarb lectures nationally on how to brand, manage, grow, and scale a successful Personal Injury Practice. He is also an active national speaker to community organizations, lawyers, and other legal professionals on a variety of topics concerning personal injury law, litigation, and the justice system.

He is the founder of several charitable causes, including the Emanuel McMiller Scholarship for Higher Education (for underprivileged students looking to pursue a legal career), and Heart of the Game (HOTG). HOTG provides free Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to community and youth athletic associations across Florida. These devices can save the lives of young athletes who have experienced a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) while participating in athletic activities.

Raised in Clearwater, Florida, Craig earned his undergraduate degree at Duke University, where he briefly played NCAA Division I soccer. Motivated to pursue a career in Law by his mother, Sondra, a Harvard Law School graduate and the first female teaching fellow at Harvard Law, he received his Juris Doctorate from the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida.

Craig and his wife, Colleen, live in Palm Beach Gardens and are the proud parents of two adult daughters, who have no interest in business or law, which is fine with Craig.

When not strategizing GOLDLAW’s future, you can find Craig playing on a local soccer pitch or enjoying his favorite food, popcorn, while watching any movie in the Star Wars franchise.

Alex Spiro, renowned for his vast roster of high-profile clients that includes Elon Musk, Mayor Eric Adams, and Alec Baldwin, is one of the top litigators and trial attorneys in the country. A graduate of Harvard Law school, he is a partner at a leading law firm and a former Manhattan prosecutor with a background in psychology. With the same charisma and conviction he brings to the courtroom, Spiro offers lessons in crisis management, insights on the art of negotiation, and discussions of First Amendment rights in the age of social media.

“The First Amendment doesn’t [just] protect compliments and happy speech. It protects unfavorable speech. It protects all speech. And if we start policing speech, we’re in a bad place in our society.”

Much of what makes Spiro successful in the courtroom has widespread applications in business and life. His mastery of crisis management, honed through years of high-stakes litigation, offers valuable insights for leaders navigating corporate challenges. Drawing from his background in psychology and extensive courtroom experience, Spiro shares techniques for reading people, building rapport, and crafting persuasive narratives. His

approach to negotiation teaches audiences to advocate for their positions while maintaining strategic relationships. Whether addressing C-suite executives or emerging leaders, Spiro demonstrates how the analytical rigor and strategic thinking essential to legal success can be leveraged to achieve breakthrough results in any professional context.

Early in his legal career, Spiro served as a Manhattan prosecutor and developed a passion for criminal justice reform. He worked with the Conviction Integrity Unit investigating potential wrongful convictions, served on the faculty of Harvard’s Trial Advocacy Program, and is Chairman of the Board of Harvard's criminal justice initiative, The Fair Punishment Project. He has also served as counsel to REFORM Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to probation, parole, and sentencing reform founded by a roster of prominent figures.

A member of Phi Beta Kappa, he has received several academic and professional citations, including the Albert Imlah writing award and the ACC Northeast Ethics Lawyering award. He also sits on several company boards, both private and public.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Spiro studied bio-psychology and worked at Harvard’s Psychiatric Facility, McLean Hospital. He worked for more than five years at McLean, supervising a program for children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome, before deciding he could do more to help people through the justice system.

Zac is the Chief Financial Officer at Vineskills and CPA. In his role, he not only steers the financial strategy for Vineskills but is also deeply immersed in the practical application of Filevine’s Time & Billing features—using them day-in and day-out in Vineskills’ own billing cycle. Zac brings a unique dual perspective: He also leads Finance Skills, an accounting services division that partners closely with organizations to design finance workflows that seamlessly integrate with the Filevine platform, ensuring firms are set up for long-term success.

Mac Sims is the Special Projects Manager at the Office of the Utah Attorney General, where he leads efforts to modernize legal operations through process improvement and technology. He currently manages projects ranging from optimizing system performance and integrating time-tracking with state HR systems to implementing Filevine in the Criminal Division. Mac also leads the Office’s review of AI tools, and helping evaluate how emerging technologies can responsibly improve efficiency and service. With more than three decades of experience in software development and team leadership, he specializes in bridging the gap between complex problems and innovative, practical solutions.

Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Mac managed engineering teams at Ancestry.com, where he applied machine learning to large-scale data projects and drove major improvements in cloud infrastructure. His expertise spans software engineering, solutions architecture, and data-driven applications. In addition to his technical career, Mac has served in community leadership roles, including as a school board trustee, reflecting his commitment to both innovation and public service.

Dean Sapp is a security researcher, author, public speaker and expert witness with twenty-five years of experience building security programs. He has given dozens of presentations at the Utah State Bar, ABA, LegalSEC, ILTACon, Inns of Court, UAJ, Public Defenders, Legal retreats, Trial Lawyer events, Infragard, ISACA, UtahSec, SaintCon, and many other security and privacy conferences. Dean is a security nerd at heart, but in his spare time, he enjoys spending his time with his wife and six awesome kids, weight training, competing in Spartan races, and doing other ridiculously crazy and challenging things.

Keli Heskett is the co-founder and CEO of Mass Tort Medical Consultants (MTMC) and co-owner of Guard Dog Telehealth, where her career bridges military service, technology, medicine, and law. She began her professional path in the United States Air Force, serving during Desert Shield and Desert Storm as a dental hygienist. Afterward, she transitioned into technology, working as Senior Programmer for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department before ultimately returning to her passion: medicine and advocacy.

Keli holds a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Kansas Medical School, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northern Arizona University, and a master’s degree in Forensic Nursing. Over the course of 16 years in nursing—specializing in flight medicine, trauma, education, and emergency services—she gained extensive experience supporting patients and families through devastating, life-altering injuries, particularly within the veteran community.

Her move into legal nursing was a natural evolution, combining her clinical expertise with her drive to ensure justice for those harmed by negligence and corporate wrongdoing. At MTMC, Keli works alongside top attorneys nationwide to deliver nurse-led medical workups that shape stronger cases and secure meaningful settlements. As co-owner of Guard Dog Telehealth, she extends this mission into the healthcare space, championing preventive care and chronic care solutions that help patients reclaim control of their health.

Mitri S. Shatara, J.D. serves as an attorney and Executive Vice President of Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys. Mitri is an integral member of the firm’s leadership team, growing the law firm into the leading and most recognizable personal injury law firm in the Southeast and now nationwide.

Mitri’s forward-thinking strategy and vision for business development led to tremendous growth nationwide, with seven new offices and multiple partnerships opening in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Mitri continuously identifies and explores new opportunities for increased growth and reach while always supporting and leading the local Birmingham team.

Mitri has worked full-time for Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys since graduating from high school, supporting the firm in various roles and functions. In addition to managing business development and firm growth, Shatara serves as Alexander Shunnarah’s right-hand man regarding firm happenings and community involvement initiatives. He has worked with the firm since 2009.

As a former litigator, Ryan Anderson designed Filevine with the end user in mind, focusing on unlocking customer and user efficiency by optimizing automation of technology. Today, Filevine is rated as one of the top automation tools for legal work for a diverse range of organizations by size and function, and is set on a continual path of growth. Ryan led Filevine’s acquisition of both Lead Docket, the top lead intake management solution for law firms, and Outlaw, the most innovative contract and document platform on the market. In 2020, Ryan was named CEO of the Year by Utah Business. Ryan is a proud husband and father of six children and resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ryan earned his law degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. His goal is to provide a comprehensive solution to business leaders in search of a workflow transformation solution.

Ricardo Agustín Pérez, managing attorney at Pérez Law, PC, is a second-generation lawyer who has worked at the firm since high school and joined the California Bar in 2014. Together with his father, he has expanded the firm to 40+ employees and multiple offices, overseeing thousands of injury cases and helping recover tens of millions for clients. Known for his strategic leadership, he focuses on catastrophic injury and workers’ compensation matters while also driving the firm’s growth, technology, and operations. Bilingual in English and Spanish, he is committed to providing responsive, client-centered representation.

Donna Markus is the Chief Operating Officer at Kopka Law Group, an award-winning insurance defense law firm. She has served in this role since 2015, where she manages the daily business across nine professional offices in five states. In her role, she works closely with the managing partners, legal operations managers, and other department heads to support the growth and success of the firm.

She also develops and maintains relationships outside of the firm with nationally known clients ranging from insurance carriers, third-party administrators, retail and restaurant establishments, and corporations. During her time as COO, the firm’s growth has exceeded 10% each year and doubled revenue. Donna is very active with CLM where she is on a steering committee to improve the relationship between industry leaders and Insurance Defense Firms.

Donna has worked her way up since 2010, when she was hired as Kopka Law Group’s Legal Services Biller. From there, she was promoted to Billing Manager, to Assistant Controller, Controller, and now Chief Operating Officer. Throughout her career at Kopka Law Group, she has focused on efficiency and streamlining the administrative roles within the firm.

Outside of her day-to-day firm responsibilities, Donna works tirelessly to create an inclusive firm culture. She is often asked to speak about building a healthy office culture as well as remote working environments.

Donna obtained her M.B.A. in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville and her B.A. in Business Management from the University of Wisconsin Stout. She also has a minor in Graphic Design. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her husband and her two daughters.

Jakob is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer. Before practicing law, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he met Nick Rowley on their first day of basic training. As teenagers, they began learning the values of discipline, teamwork, and integrity; principles they have carried with them into adulthood and continue to uphold in their relentless pursuit of justice.

While Jakob primarily represents individuals who have been injured, his legal career has also included representing criminal defendants in high-profile cases, including wrongful conviction matters. The common thread in each of Jakob’s cases is his deep belief in his client and his commitment to understanding the wrong that must be vindicated. Because he is selective with the cases he takes, Jakob devotes the time needed to truly know each client on a personal level. His dedication to justice has resulted in numerous record-setting settlements and verdicts in multiple states across the country.

Jakob began his legal career working in insurance defense, corporate law, and as a prosecutor. He has also served as a military prosecutor and ethics advisor for both federal and state governments. His experience on “the other side” has proven tactically invaluable in litigation and instrumental in achieving the best outcomes for his clients.

Jakob made national headlines after securing a record verdict in California on behalf of an individual poisoned by a major oil company that had knowingly contaminated the land. He and his team continue to represent individuals harmed by corporate negligence. This includes over 1,000 factory workers exposed to Trichloroethylene (TCE) at levels 300,000 times the EPA limits, and over 1,000 coal miners given dust masks that a major corporation knew were ineffective.

Jakob was appointed to the mass tort leadership team in In Re: Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3081, pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. This litigation seeks justice for thousands of individuals injured by a defective medical device.

He also serves as the Executive Director of Trial by Human, a national platform committed to training and empowering trial lawyers. Based on the foundational principles of Nick Rowley’s groundbreaking book, Jakob leads programs and workshops across the country designed to elevate the practice of trial law through hands-on, experience-based education.

While earning his degree in Psychology, Jakob conducted research on the detection of deception, designed and ran jury decision-making studies, and interned at Harvard University, contributing to the CIA’s first-ever fMRI lie detection research.

Jakob has also founded or participated in over 10 startup ventures, including one backed by legendary oil magnate T. Boone Pickens, where he served as President and CEO. With $75 million in startup funding, Jakob helped grow the company into a national and international enterprise. Under his leadership, the company received the prestigious Department of Defense Freedom Award for its support and employment of veterans.

Jakob’s military service spans over three decades in both the Air Force and Army and includes ongoing duty in the Army National Guard. He has advanced through the ranks from enlisted to his current position as a Colonel, holding assignments in transportation, medical, infantry, Judge Advocate General (JAG Corps), Air Defense Artillery, logistics, and senior command/staff positions, including Deputy Chief of Staff – Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff – Personnel, and Regimental Commander. He currently serves as a Brigade Commander in the National Guard and has received a Certificate of Eligibility to become a Brigadier General. His deployments include post-9/11 activation, Hurricane Katrina relief, the 46th Presidential Inauguration, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. While deployed, he was a member of the team that conducted the first prosecution of a detainee in coalition forces custody in Afghanistan. Jakob has served on multiple Joint Task Forces and is the recipient of the Army Combat Action Badge, Airborne Wings, Air Assault Wings, Senior Instructor Badge, and more than 24 ribbons and decorations.

In 2017, Jakob served under appointment by the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Army on one of the Department’s most complex investigations at the Pentagon. He is also an honor graduate and received a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, joining the ranks of esteemed alumni such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ulysses S. Grant III, Colin Powell, and H. Norman Schwarzkopf.

With over 12 years of experience as a personal injury case manager, Nicole Edwards brings both depth and dedication to her role at Dr. Ted Injury Law. As the firm’s in-house Filevine specialist, she combines a passion for organization with a sharp eye for streamlining systems and processes, ensuring the team operates at peak efficiency. She thrives in collaborative environments, continually seeking out new techniques and tools to elevate performance and deliver exceptional results. Driven, adaptable, and solutions-focused, Nicole is committed to helping both her team and clients succeed.

Suzanne Masó is a highly accomplished legal operations and contract management professional with over 15 years of experience in commercial and government transactions.

Currently, Suzanne serves as the Director of Legal Operations at Adtalem Global Education, Inc., where she is responsible for developing and executing the legal department's mission and operations plan. Her role includes managing the legal operations team, overseeing the department budget, and coordinating with finance, HR, IT, and supply chain partners.

Prior to her current role, Suzanne held various positions at OneSpan Inc., Hill-Rom Holdings, Orbitz Worldwide and Jet Support Services. Her experience includes managing global teams, corporate governance, leading ESG programs, and implemented company-wide contract lifecycle management systems.

Suzanne holds a Master of Science in Law from Pritzker School of Law Northwestern University, a Master of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from DePaul University.

Jose is the son of immigrant parents from Mexico and is fluent in Spanish. He grew up in Houston and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin before returning home to attend law school at South Texas College of Law. In between undergrad and law school he volunteered, interned, and worked at a several non-profits in Austin for several years.

He spent the first 5 years of his practice representing catastrophically injured clients around the country in various types of personal injury cases. In 2022 he opened his own firm, in part to better serve the Spanish speaking community in Houston and beyond.

His wife is also an attorney and leads the firms litigation team. They have two young daughters and enjoy traveling, being in nature, and eating and cooking in their spare time.

Shervin Lalezary is one-half of The Law Brothers®, along with his brother Shawn Lalezary. Shervin is known to be a tenacious litigator who leaves no stone unturned.

Shervin began his schooling at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Business-Economics. While in college, he also attended the Universidad de Salamanca and Universidad de Carlos III – both in Spain. Shervin attended the University of Southern California Gould School of Law with both a scholarship and fellowship to earn his juris doctorate.

At USC, Shervin was an extern at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Compton Hardcore Gang Unit. During this externship, Shervin was able to meaningfully participate in complex and high stakes litigation, furthering his passion for litigating in court. Upon graduation, he joined DLA Piper US, LLP, one of the largest law firms in the world with a presence in over 40 countries. During his time at DLA Piper, Shervin gained extensive experience practicing law and representing Forbes 500 clients.

As a managing attorney at The Law Brothers®, Shervin is known for his passionate and caring approach to each and every case he handles. Shervin has played a key role in helping his clients recover hundreds of millions of dollars in complex and catastrophic personal injury cases.

Shervin’s passion for the law extends beyond his work as a lawyer. Shervin proudly serves as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff for the LA County Sheriff’s Department. Through this position, he has extensive experience investigating and handling traffic collisions – experience that gives him an incredible insight in his role as a personal injury attorney. Shervin was honored by the United States House of Representatives, the California State Assembly, and numerous state and local agencies for his service after arresting a serial arsonist who was responsible for more than 50 fires in the Southern California area.

Thanks to his background in both personal injury and law enforcement, as well as his unparalleled dedication to clients, Shervin is the attorney thousands of clients have turned to for advice in difficult and catastrophic cases.

Vanessa Van Edwards is the Lead Investigator at Science of People and a bestselling author known for transforming how we understand human behavior. Her books Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People and Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication have been translated into 18 languages, with her YouTube tutorials and TEDx Talk amassing over 70 million views.

As a behavioral science expert, Vanessa shares science-backed frameworks that help individuals communicate with confidence—whether leading teams, navigating high-stakes conversations, or building trust in complex situations. She has taught audiences at Harvard, SXSW, MIT, and Stanford, and regularly delivers trainings for companies like Google, Facebook, Comcast, Frito Lay, Microsoft, Amazon, and Univision.

She has keynoted on major stages including Dave Ramsey’s Entreleadership Summit, Lewis Howes’ Summit of Greatness, and the Global Leadership Summit. Her insights have been featured on CNN, BBC, CBS Mornings, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, USA Today, and The Today Show. Through her website, LinkedIn Learning courses, and her advanced training program, People School, she reaches millions of professionals seeking to master the hidden dynamics of people."

Jacqueline R. Bretell is a nationally recognized speaker on the topic of practice management, scaling your law firm, and running an 8-figure law firm. Jacqueline was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and moved to Nashville, Tennessee with her parents and brother in 1995. Jacqueline attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she was a member (and later Captain) of the UTC Mock Trial Team. Jacqueline graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Political Science at the age of 20. Upon completing her undergraduate studies, Jacqueline attended Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law in Macon, Georgia. After graduating law school Jacqueline relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she went on to pass the Nevada bar exam at 23 years old. Jacqueline began her legal career as an insurance defense litigator, where she practiced for 2.5 years. In 2013, Jacqueline joined Bighorn Law, focusing her practice exclusively on representing those who have been injured. On March 11, 2020 Jacqueline stepped into the role of “CEO” of Bighorn Law. Together with her amazing partners and team of “Unicorns”, Jacqueline has led Bighorn Law to become a nationally recognized eight-figure firm specializing in catastrophic injury cases. Bighorn Law has offices in Las Vegas, Nevada and Provo, Utah. You can find Jacqueline on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn where she frequently posts on the topics of practice management, growth, and law firm culture.

The path to leadership at Pace Johnson Law Group was not a conventional one for its CEO. Marked by resilience, strategic foresight, and an unwavering dedication to justice, the journey was shaped by personal trials and a deep-seated commitment to reforming the legal system. While not a licensed attorney in Utah, the CEO leads one of the state's most client-centered law firms, demonstrating an exceptional ability to bridge legal expertise with compassionate advocacy.

A pivotal moment came when they fought tirelessly to secure a friend's freedom, an experience that revealed the systemic flaws within Utah’s justice system. This encounter with injustice illuminated the profound and far-reaching consequences of wrongful convictions—not only for individuals but for families, careers, and communities. Through determined advocacy, meticulous legal effort, and a steadfast belief in justice, the conviction was overturned. However, this victory marked only the beginning. It sparked a broader mission: to ensure that no one faces the legal system alone. Under their leadership, Pace Johnson Law Group has become a stronghold for the wrongfully convicted, dedicated to overturning unjust outcomes and restoring lives.

The firm distinguishes itself through a commitment to personalized advocacy, strategic clarity, and outcome-focused solutions. Its services span from Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning to post-conviction representation, Pardons, and Parole advocacy. The recent addition of Keith N. Hamilton—an attorney with more than 37 years of experience in Utah’s Board of Pardons & Parole—has further strengthened the firm’s ability to serve those pursuing justice and rehabilitation.

For the CEO, leading a law firm goes beyond business; it is about transforming lives and empowering the community with the legal resources they need to thrive. Whether assisting with estate planning, championing second chances, or safeguarding businesses, they believe clients deserve not only legal expertise but a genuine investment in their long-term success.

Keegan Chapman is a seasoned sales and marketing leader with a proven track record of success in building and scaling businesses. She is an expert in new market expansion, sales strategy, and team development. She is a strategic thinker with a passion for innovation which has aided in her ability to lead the go-to-market strategy for all of Filevine’s new AI product innovations. Keegan graduated from Miami University with a degree in Marketing and currently resides in Denver, CO. Her goal is to continuously iterate and evolve the go to market strategy to ensure Filevine remains the go to workflow transformation solution.

Stu Jardine is a Senior Product Manager at Filevine. He has been at Filevine for 4 months. During this time, his primary focus has been on growing and enhancing the Filevine Payments experience. He has been in product for about 8 years now and has always been involved in someway with embedded payment offerings at various SaaS companies. Stu is passionate about Fintech and making it easier for businesses to manage their money.

I.T. Administrator at Begley, Carlin & Mandio, LLP for 5+ years.

Justine is the co-founder and CFO of Mass Tort Medical Consultants (MTMC), where she has dedicated her career to transforming how complex litigation integrates with medical expertise. With over 15 years of nursing experience across renal, medical-surgical, stroke, and neonatal intensive care—earning her RNC-NIC certification—Justine brings unmatched clinical insight to the legal-medical space.

Her journey from the bedside to the boardroom began when she recognized a critical gap: traditional mass tort practices often failed to capture the full scope of patients’ medical realities. Driven to raise the standard, she joined forces with Keli Heskett to build MTMC, a nurse-founded and nurse-led organization committed to delivering precise, science-based medical workups that change case outcomes at scale.

MTMC’s success in bridging medicine and law also revealed a broader need for education and patient support beyond litigation. This inspired the creation of Guard Dog Telehealth, a nurse- and veteran-owned company designed to improve health outcomes through preventive care, chronic care management, and patient empowerment. Together, MTMC and Guard Dog Telehealth exemplify Justine’s belief that combining clinical expertise with advocacy not only strengthens legal cases but also transforms lives.

Justine’s philosophy is rooted in advocacy: she believes that empowering attorneys with medically accurate, streamlined case support ultimately empowers patients and families seeking justice. Her work ensures that every case reflects the depth of the human story behind it, while pushing both the legal and healthcare industries toward greater efficiency, accuracy, and compassion.

Christopher Bramwell was appointed by Governor Spencer Cox in 2021 to serve as Utah’s first Chief Privacy Officer. In this role, he directs the Utah Office of Data Privacy and leads statewide efforts to modernize privacy and data governance. He played a key role in overseeing the creation and implementation of the Government Data Privacy Act and Utah’s State Endorsed Digital Identity (SEDI) strategy, the first policy-driven approach in the nation to establish state-backed, verifiable identity for and controlled by individuals. His work includes building standardized data governance models, advancing privacy awareness and training programs, and shaping public policy and operational strategies to address digital identity, data governance, and high-risk data processing activities.

Beatriz Galindo is the Senior Compliance Paralegal for Adtalem’s Integrity & Compliance (I&C) division, where she leads the design, implementation, and oversight of global compliance programs across key areas including ethics, international law, anti-bribery and corruption, privacy and information governance (with a focus on Artificial Intelligence), and marketing legal compliance. She supports the enterprise-wide Code of Conduct and manages Adtalem’s ethics reporting hotline, fostering a culture rooted in integrity and accountability.

With a strong emphasis on the role of compliance in organizational success, Beatriz collaborates across internal teams to align standards and deliver impactful training and communication initiatives. Her previous roles include Director of Compliance in the telemedicine, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as extensive experience in credentialing, training, litigation, and corporate governance.

Marie Kerr serves as the Director of Digital Intelligence Automation at Morgan Lewis & Bockius, where she leads a team focused on the implementation and delivery of automation, AI, and technology solutions. With over a decade of experience in the legal industry, she brings a deep understanding of law firm operations, attorney expectations, and the cultural dynamics that shape digital transformation in professional services.

Marie began her career in customer service before transitioning to the legal field, where she developed a strong foundation in responsiveness, empathy, and solutions-oriented thinking. These principles continue to guide her approach today and uniquely position her to bridge the gap between technical innovation and practical application. Marie is known for her passion for learning and problem solving, her collaborative leadership style, and her commitment to helping attorneys embrace technology in ways that elevate, rather than replace, the human expertise at the core of legal services.

Gabriel is the founder of Lexamica, a legal marketing platform that connects lawyers with plaintiff claims on a referral basis. Lexamica is built to handle the distributed, national nature of lead gen from traditional media, digital, and legal creators. Gabriel’s career journey, a diverse blend of hands-on operations and creative strategy, has uniquely positioned him to realize this vision. His expertise spans legal operations, fundraising, management, and technology.

After building a multi-state nonprofit, Gabriel led a national employment law firm creating technology solutions and relationships with other top plaintiff firms. Here, Gabriel learned the intricacies of the legal industry, gaining invaluable insights into case strategies and client relationships. He also found a complete lack of transparency and accountability in legal referrals.

Gabriel built Lexamica to connect lawyers and consumers in a way that reflects the national scope and real-time nature of legal case referrals. Lexamica is a B2B platform where lawyers can refer claims to each other and co-counsel across states and practice areas. With Lexamica, law firms can place, track, and get paid on referrals nationwide, increasing brand ROI and revenue.

Ricardo Antonio Pérez founded Pérez Law, PC in 1998 and has spent over 35 years advocating for injured workers and accident victims across California. Born in Cuba and raised in Los Angeles, he began his career as a licensed private investigator and claims adjuster before becoming an attorney. Mr. Pérez has handled thousands of catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and workplace injury cases, earning a reputation for honesty, accessibility, and relentless advocacy. A trusted advocate for Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities, he continues to lead his firm with integrity, compassion, and dedication to justice.

A proud Las Vegas native with a B.S. in Hotel Administration from UNLV, I’ve spent over 20 years driving results through strategic leadership at industry leaders like Four Seasons and The Venetian. I’ve seen firsthand that when you invest in people, you don’t just improve morale; you elevate outcomes. My leadership style blends empathy with accountability, fostering teams that are both empowered and performance-driven. Today, as Head of HR at Bighorn Law, I’m building a workplace where top talent thrives, and that energy carries through to every client we serve.

Brandi Allday is the Managing attorney at The Mike Hostilo Law Firm, proudly advocating on behalf of accident victims in the Columbus, GA area. The trusted legal advice Brandi provides throughout the personal injury claim process is a tremendous asset to her clients. Brandi Allday is committed to the passionate pursuit of justice. She works tirelessly to recover compensation for clients who have been injured by the negligence and wrongdoing of others. Brandi Allday is licensed to practice law in both Alabama and Georgia, and joined The Mike Hostilo Law Firm in 2018. She is originally from the Chattahoochee Valley and is a graduate of Columbus State University. Brandi then attended Thomas Goode Jones School of Law at Faulkner University, where she earned a Juris Doctorate in 2007 and was a member of the Federalist Society and Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity. Much of Brandi’s early professional career included banking, creditor’s rights, probate, and real estate law. In addition to passing both bar exams, Brandi is admitted to practice in all of Georgia’s lower courts, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Northern District of Georgia, the Supreme Court of Georgia and all courts in Alabama, including its Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Brandi is married with a son and stepdaughter. The Alldays reside in Columbus, Georgia, where Brandi is an avid baseball mom and serves on the American Little League Board. Attorney Brandi Allday has a deep understanding of personal injury law and she works diligently for those in need. Alongside her colleagues, she strives to achieve the best results for each client.

Gabrielle is a fourth-year attorney currently serving as an in-house staff attorney at GPM Investments, LLC—the sixth-largest convenience store chain in the United States, operating over 3,200 locations across thirty-three states. In this role, Gabrielle specializes in contract drafting and negotiation within the fuel distribution space, providing strategic legal counsel in a fast-paced, high-stakes industry.

Her diverse legal background spans criminal law, commercial real estate, disaster relief, and personal injury litigation. Gabrielle’s experience includes positions with the Lubbock District Attorney’s Office, The Killion Personal Injury Law Firm, and Community National Title, where she served as an in-house commercial real estate attorney. At the Small Business Administration, she was instrumental in crafting critical disaster relief agreements during national emergencies.

Gabrielle’s legal education reflects her coast-to-coast perspective: she studied at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago and St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, graduating during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020.

Outside of the office Gabrielle is an avid sports fan, foodie and travel lover. Gabrielle’s husband, Juan, is an accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers who specializes in asset wealth management audits, which aids and encourages Gabrielle’s analytical nature and attention to detail in her legal career.

Jeff, again nominated in 2023 as a Southern California Super Lawyer, has been a civil litigator on behalf of plaintiffs for his entire career handling complex matters in federal and state courts, and arbitration. With experience in all aspects of civil trial and appellate practice, he has concentrated on consumer class actions in courts throughout the country representing consumers against large corporations and now does the same in financial services litigation and mass torts.

In the area of class actions, Jeff recently represented several notable musicians, among them, The Temptations and The Motels, in class actions seeking compensation relating to the payment of digital download royalties from their record labels including Universal Music Group, Capitol EMI and Warner Brothers. Jeff has also represented various Hollywood notables, including the estates of Charles Bronson, Peter Sellers and Richard Pryor, seeking payment of home video royalties from major movies studios including Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, and Sony Pictures. The settlements with the studios resulted in payments to class members exceeding $51 million. He has also been active against major automobile manufacturers such as BMW relating to the timing chain in MINI Cooper vehicles, Toyota for HVAC systems, GM for braking issues and Mazda for water pump failures. Jeff also litigates on behalf of individual investors as a result of wrongdoing by their financial services advisors including currently litigating a $10+ million loss suffered by an Indian Tribe.

Anaiah Palmer has been working in the field of immigration law for 20 years, in every role from file clerk to attorney. She has experience in family-based, employment-based, humanitarian, affirmative, and defensive immigration applications. Currently Anaiah works as in-house U.S. immigration counsel for Concentrix Corporation, where she focuses on maintaining employment authorization and status for the company’s non-citizen workers in the U.S. Anaiah regularly presents at regional immigration law conferences.

Marion is a Knowledge & Innovation Attorney at Sheppard Mullin, where she leverages her expertise as a litigator, law librarian, and innovation leader to bring practical, workflow-driven technology solutions to the firm’s attorneys and professional staff. Drawing on deep experience at the intersection of legal practice and technology, Marion collaborates closely with legal teams to enhance client service and simplify day-to-day tasks, with solutions including AI-powered tools, document automation, and knowledge collections. Marion brings a practical, user-focused approach to technology adoption. Her work goes beyond implementing new software; she ensures that the right tools, processes, and information reach the right people at the right time, empowering teams to work smarter and deliver better results.

Senator Kirk A. Cullimore Jr. has represented District 9 in the Utah State Senate since he was elected in 2018.

He received an Associate’s Degree in music from Utah Valley University. Kirk then served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Philippines. After returning, he continued his education and received a Bachelor’s Degree in music from Brigham Young University. He subsequently taught music for six years and managed a music teaching studio. He then went on to pursue a law degree at the University of Oklahoma. He began his law career in Oklahoma primarily in Federal Indian Law including tribal business transactions, gaming law, organization and development of tribal policies and procedures, and administrative law. His practice in Oklahoma also included areas of general business and contract law, property management, fair housing, homeowner association and collections.

Attorney General Derek Brown discovered his passion for public service early in his career. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in English, complemented by minors in business administration and music, he accepted an offer to attend law school. However, he and his wife, Emilie, embarked on a transformative journey by deferring for a year to travel. Upon their return, Derek embraced opportunities as an intern at the Utah Legislature and at the Office of the Attorney General under Jan Graham, laying the groundwork for a meaningful career dedicated to serving others.

Attorney General Brown’s journey embodies determination and excellence. As editor-in-chief of the Pepperdine Law Review at Pepperdine Law School, he laid the foundation for a remarkable career. Graduating in 2000, he honed his skills by clerking for Ruggero Aldisert, the esteemed former chief judge of the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. His passion for justice continued as he practiced litigation and appellate law with Mayer Brown, forging a path dedicated to making a difference.

In 2002, Mike Lee, who would later become a senator from Utah, recognized Attorney General Brown’s potential and recruited him to practice constitutional and appellate law at Sidley Austin, where he flourished until 2004. Following this pivotal period, Attorney General Brown served as legal counsel to Senator Bob Bennett from 2004 to 2006 and then to Senator Orrin Hatch from 2006 to 2007, contributing his expertise to the nation’s governance.

Transitioning back to the private sector, Attorney General Brown embraced the opportunity to teach communications law as an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University, shaping the minds of future leaders. In 2010, he took on the honor of representing House District 49 in the Utah House of Representatives, making a difference in his community.

In January 2014, when Senator Mike Lee invited Brown to serve as deputy chief of staff and state director, Brown courageously stepped down from his House seat, showcasing his commitment to public service. He dedicated two years to advancing Senator Lee’s mission before returning to the private sector. In 2019, he was elected chair of the Republican Party, serving until 2021, demonstrating his leadership skills.

After two more years in the private sector, Attorney General Brown announced his campaign in winter 2023 and dedicated himself wholeheartedly, culminating in his election on November 5, 2024.