Professionals

Executives

Joan Cain Boles is the CEO/President of Bay Area Legal Services. She joined the firm in 1988 as a staff attorney and has worked in various managerial positions, including deputy director for over twenty years. Joan received her bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University and her law degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly The John Marshall School of Law). Joan has served on many community boards and actively participates in initiatives that benefit low-income persons and communities. She is the past co-chair of the Professionalism and Ethics Committee of the Hillsborough County Bar Association.

Jena Hudson is the deputy director of Bay Area Legal Services. She joined the firm in 2000 and was most recently the firm's pro bono director, managing the Volunteer Lawyers Program in both Tampa and Clearwater, and the firm's Disaster Relief Team. Jena also previously worked on the Family Law Team, Centralized Telephone Intake Unit, and Senior Advocacy Unit. She received her bachelor's degree, cum laude, from Rollins College and her law degree from Stetson University College of Law. Jena currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL) and has held several leadership positions in her many years of service with HAWL.

J.P. LaCasse came out of retirement to join Bay Area Legal as chief operating officer in November 2009. Prior to retiring, J.P. was in charge of the Canadian, Mexican, and U.S. shipping activities of Canadian Pacific, and Chairman of Lykes Lines Limited. J.P. is active in the community and serves on the firm's Development Council and the Boards of Memorial Hospital and the American Victory Ship Mariners Memorial Museum. He is a Tampa Bay FBI Citizen's Academy Alumni. He is a 1973 graduate of the College of William & Mary School of Law and a member of the Virginia and American Bar Associations.

Roxanne Null is the development director for Bay Area Legal Services. She has experience in marketing, fundraising, event planning, and donor relations. Roxanne joined the development team in 2018 and became development director in 2022. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s of Arts and Sciences in English and went on to provide marketing and legal support to a medical clinic before joining the nonprofit industry. As development director, she enjoys connecting caring people with Bay Area Legal’s mission, and contributing to the firm's vision to create pathways to justice.

Dick Woltmann is the president emeritus of Bay Area Legal Services. He joined the firm in 1976 to establish its elder law programs and became CEO/President in 1980. Before joining the firm, Dick served three years in the Peace Corps in West Africa and one year as a VISTA lawyer in Washington State. He is a graduate of the University of Florida Law School and Rollins College. Dick is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the National Endowment for Financial Education.

Managing Attorneys

Nery L. Alonso is the pro bono director of the Volunteer Lawyers Program. She received her bachelor's degree in criminology, magna cum laude, from the University of South Florida and her law degree from Stetson University College of Law where she was awarded the William F. Blews Award for Pro Bono Service and served as a Public Service Fellow. Nery started her career as an AmeriCorps attorney and thereafter as a staff attorney with Three Rivers Legal Services where she focused her practice on litigating family law cases, representing survivors of domestic violence in injunction cases, and managing outreach opportunities. When Nery accepted a position with Bay Area Legal Services in 2015, she divided her full-time responsibilities between the Legal Aid Line, Centralized Telephone Intake Unit, and the Volunteer Lawyers Program – Northwest Program which provides pro bono opportunities in North Pinellas and all of Pasco County. She is active in her community and passionate about “giving back.” 

Jena Blair is the New Port Richey managing attorney and came to the firm after 23 years at Gulfcoast Legal Services, where she held several leadership positions. As GLS’s family law director, she represented clients and managed a team delivering services in four counties to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. She also taught the Civil Litigation Clinical at Stetson University College of Law for six years. Jena earned a political science degree magna cum laude from the University of South Florida, with a minor in Art, and her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Before law school, she worked at The Spring and The Good Samaritan Migrant Mission.

Melissa Craig is the managing attorney of the firm's Senior Advocacy Unit (SAU). She came to Bay Area Legal in 2013 as an intern and was promoted to a staff attorney position in 2014. Melissa was a member of the Fair Housing team until 2018 when she joined the Senior Advocacy Unit. Melissa earned her law degree from Florida State University College in 2013 after obtaining a bachelor's in history from the University of South Florida. She is admitted to the Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida.

Tom DiFiore manages Team ABLE (Advocates for Basic Legal Equality). Team ABLE focuses on housing, consumer, employment and public benefits law. Tom earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University before graduating from the National Law Center at George Washington University. He came to Bay Area Legal in 1990. Tom has lead Team ABLE for over ten years. Team ABLE’s primary mission is preserving housing and maintaining income for our most needy citizens.

Bill Eble is the Dade City office managing attorney. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Notre Dame in 1976 and his law degree at the University of Miami in 1979. He arrived in Dade City in 1981, served as an assistant public defender for 15 years, and spent the last 21 years in private practice. Bill is pleased that Bay Area Legal has extended the opportunity to represent victims of crime in injunctions, family, and other civil law matters, as well as others without the financial resources to retain legal counsel.

Jeff Grabel is the director of litigation and advocacy at Bay Area Legal Services. He joined the firm in 1998 as a staff attorney with the Dade City office and became the managing attorney in 2017. Jeff has over 30 years of experience litigating cases from trial to appeal. He earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law and his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida. Jeff has served on the board of directors of the East Pasco Bar Association and Sunrise Domestic Violence Center. He has also served on various committees and task forces.

Alyse Kauget is the managing attorney of the firm's Legal Aid Line and Screening Unit. Alyse began her career at Bay Area Legal Services in 2008 as a Centralized Telephone Intake Unit staff attorney. Before joining the firm, Alyse was employed in private practice handling probate and foreclosure matters. She also has worked as a staff attorney for Gulfcoast Legal Services. Alyse graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor's degree in English and psychology. She earned her law degree from Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.

Raeseen Kennedy is the firm's Family Law managing attorney. She previously represented survivors of domestic violence in Family Court. Raeseen received her B.A. in Legal Studies and Journalism from the University of West Florida. She received her J.D. from Cooley Law School. While in law school, she interned for the late Honorable Judge Tracy Sheehan.

Sarah McIlrath is the managing attorney of the Florida Senior Legal Helpline at Bay Area Legal Services. She joined the firm in 2016 as a staff attorney for the Florida Senior Legal Helpline. Before joining the firm, Sarah worked for legal services organizations in Georgia, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Hawaii. Sarah received her law degree from the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law, cum laude, and a B.A. from Agnes Scott College, magna cum laude. Sarah is licensed to practice law in Florida, Georgia, and the District of Columbia. 

Maria Obradovich is the managing attorney of the Major General Ernest A. and Marilyn Bedke Veterans Law Center and manages the Florida Veterans Legal Helpline. She joined the firm in 2012 as a Fair Housing attorney. Prior to becoming a managing attorney, Maria represented survivors of domestic violence in Family court and immigrant survivors of domestic violence seeking immigration relief before USCIS/EOIR. She received her bachelor’s degree in business, with honors, from Campbell University, while serving as an active duty member of the U.S. Marine Corps. Maria earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law.

Gale Pinkston earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in social work from Florida State University. She graduated from law school in 1984 from the University of Pittsburgh and worked at Vanderbilt University before moving to Tampa in 1991, and accepting a position with Bay Area Legal. Gale spent three years on the Family Law team before becoming the managing attorney of the Senior Advocacy Unit. In 1997, Gale transferred to the Plant City office to become its managing attorney. She is a former officer of the Plant City Bar Association and is the project director for our Low Income Taxpayer Clinic.

Jason Susalla is the Disaster Relief Team managing attorney. Starting in 2019, he grew the firm's disaster relief project to a full legal team, including the statewide Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline, which represents survivors of natural disasters. Jason joined Bay Area Legal in 2009 as an intern in the Community Counsel program. Jason was later hired as a part-time advocate for the Centralized Telephone Intake Unit while maintaining a full-time job as a marine mammal trainer. He has been a full-time attorney at the firm since 2013, working in several practice areas, including senior advocacy, fair housing, and domestic violence. Jason earned his law degree from the Florida Coastal School of Law and his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida.

Heather Tager has worked at Bay Area Legal since 1990, first as a paralegal, and after attending Stetson University College of Law, as an attorney for the Senior Advocacy Unit (SAU). While on the SAU, Heather primarily handled housing and relative caregiver cases. Since February 2013, Heather is the managing attorney of the L. David Shear Children’s Law Center, where she represents young children in the child welfare system. Heather received the Hope Cohen Barnett Young Leadership Division Award from the Tampa JCC/Federation, and was awarded recognition for her outstanding service to the elderly from the Hillsborough County Seniors and Law Enforcement Council.

Pye N. Young is the managing attorney of Bay Area Legal's St. Petersburg office. She joined the firm in 2019 after maintaining a civil litigation practice for several years. Pye is a native of St. Petersburg and extremely active in the community. The St. Petersburg team provides veterans legal assistance through several active walk-in clinics in South Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties.

Staff Attorneys

Caley Aidif is a staff attorney with the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic in the Plant City office. Before joining the firm, she worked at a mid-size law firm, at a start-up company as corporate counsel, and at the Public Defender’s Office. She received her bachelor’s in Accounting from the University of North Florida and her law degree from Florida International University College of Law.

Khara Alvero is a staff attorney in the Dade City office assisting clients on family law matters and crime victims with injunction proceedings. Born and raised in the Tampa Bay area, she earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and her law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. Khara started her career at the State Attorney's Office, and before joining Bay Area Legal, she practiced family law and criminal law in private practice.

Matthew Allen joined Bay Area Legal in 2023 as a staff attorney with the firm's Senior Advocacy Unit, focusing on elder law matters. Before joining the firm, he worked as a public defender in Pinellas County and a federal litigation attorney for the Department of Veteran Affairs. Matthew earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law.

Laura Ankenbruck has worked with Bay Area Legal since 2007 on the Family Law team. She represents grandparents and other relatives who are caring for minor children. Laura’s position is primarily funded by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and generally involves the handling of child custody, guardianship, and adoption matters. In her prior positions, Laura worked as the program attorney for the Guardian Ad Litem Program in Tampa and on other cases involving child protection issues. Laura has her law degree from DePaul University in Chicago.

Ann Arledge has been an attorney with Bay Area Legal's Family Law team since 2002. She joined the firm after over 25 years of practice in the private sector, including 15 years in her own firm. She has extensive experience in all areas of family law as well as appellate practice, and has successfully litigated before the Florida Supreme Court and the Second District Court of Appeals. Ann graduated, with honors, from Florida Southern College before receiving her law degree from the University of Florida.

Lynda Barack is a Volunteer Lawyers Program staff attorney serving North Pinellas and Pasco Counties, focusing on connecting clients with local attorneys for consultation and representation, planning legal clinics, and collaborating with community partners to help remove barriers to the judicial system. Lynda earned her law degree from St. Thomas University College of Law and her bachelor's degree from Eckerd College. She started her career as a Public Defender in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, was appointed the Truancy Magistrate by the Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in 2015, and was an attorney in the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program in Pinellas County's Mental Health Division. Lynda's career has focused on helping the community's most marginalized members, with broad experience in criminal defense, years of experience in the courtroom, and handling post-conviction matters and direct appeals.

Eric Barnes is a senior staff attorney in Bay Area Legal's New Port Richey office. He focuses on family law and domestic violence matters. Before joining the firm, he held private practice since 1998, providing marital and family law services in the Tampa Bay area. Eric earned his law degree from Ohio Northern Law School and his bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida.

Mara Brown is a staff attorney with the Family Law team. She represents survivors of domestic violence and focuses on assisting those with minor children. Before joining the firm, Mara worked as a senior supervising attorney at Gulfcoast Legal Services, representing survivors of domestic violence in family court and assisting grandparents and relative caregivers in obtaining child custody. She earned her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School and her bachelor’s degree from New College of Florida.

Joanne Bello began her law career as a staff attorney in Bay Area Legal's New Port Richey office from 1998-2003, where she worked with seniors. In 2003 Joanne left to build a very successful law practice specializing in estate, probate, real estate, and social security disability law. In 2015, Joanne re-joined the firm on its Florida Senior Legal Helpline. Joanne earned her law degree in 1997 from City University’s New York School of Law. She received a bachelor's from Syracuse University and a master's from Long Island University, both in education. Joanne is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Sharon D. Bundrage is a trial lawyer with experience in criminal and civil law. She currently works as a Lawyers Helping Kids staff attorney in the Plant City office. As a former police officer and criminal defense attorney, Sharon made the decision to represent the underserved and disenfranchised population as her career choice. She has litigated, mediated and assisted low-income clients with housing, consumer, probate, and family law cases throughout her career. Sharon earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminology from Florida State University and Juris Doctor from Texas Southern University. She is a member of the Florida Bar and Georgia Bar (currently inactive status).

Calli Burnett is a Team ABLE attorney. She previously advocated for Chicago students to receive the special education services they need and deserve in order to stay in school. She also represented victims of domestic violence in divorces and the best interests of children in guardianship matters. Calli received her law degree and masters in education policy from Loyola University Chicago. She served as a Teach for America member in Tulsa, Oklahoma, leading some 40 preschoolers to make growth in reading, number sense, and social-emotional aspects. Calli is a member of multiple bar associations and is passionate about expanding access to quality legal representation.

Alex Burnham is a Team ABLE staff attorney focused on housing issues and providing quality legal services to low-income individuals. He earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Before law school, Alex double-majored in theatre and English at Florida State University, wrote for the student newspaper, and performed as a singer-performer at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

Brenna Cameron is a staff attorney in Bay Area Legal's St. Petersburg office. As part of the Bay Pines VA Medical-Legal Partnership, she provides a wide range of legal services to veterans who are unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused. Brenna earned her J.D. from the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law, and her bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary social sciences from Michigan State University.

Maria Ceballos-Zagales began her work at Bay Area Legal as a 2020 Equal Justice Works Fellow establishing a mobile legal clinic serving vulnerable veterans throughout Florida. She is now a staff attorney with the Major General Ernest A. and Marilyn Bedke Veterans Law Center with a focus on extended services for VA benefits, discharge upgrades, and character of discharge reviews. She is also the lead attorney for the Discharge Upgrade Unit. Maria previously worked in education for over 18 years, and has a B.S. in varying exceptionalities, a M.S. in TESOL and technology, an Ed.S. in reading, and a law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Ellen Cheek first began to focus on elder law issues in 1975 as a staff attorney for Senior Advocates, a unit of the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, California. Since December 2005, she has been a staff attorney for Bay Area Legal's Florida Senior Legal Helpline. Ellen is also the Florida Elder Justice Coordinator and the co-chair of the Florida Bar Elder Law Section’s Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Committee. An honors graduate of Mount Holyoke College and the University of Santa Clara School of Law, Ellen is licensed to practice in Florida (active), California, and the District of Columbia.

Mitzi Chen has been a staff attorney with Bay Area Legal Services in the Family Law team since 2005. She represents victims of domestic violence in cases involving dissolution of marriage, paternity, injunctions for protection against domestic violence, and immigration. Before joining Bay Area Legal, Mitzi worked at Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, representing victims of domestic violence in injunctions for protection against domestic violence, dissolution of marriage, and paternity actions. Mitzi earned her law degree from Albany Law School and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the City University of New York.

Haley Coet is a staff attorney with the Centralized Telephone Intake Unit handling family law and probate matters. She received her bachelor's degree in international relations and political science from the University of South Florida and her law degree from Stetson University College of Law. Haley previously worked as a supervising attorney at Gulfcoast Legal Services, representing survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, and as an assistant state attorney for the domestic violence division in Hillsborough County. She received the William Reece Smith, Jr. Pro Bono Award for her work assisting trafficking survivors with expunction of records.

Tiffany Coleman joined Bay Area Legal's St. Petersburg office as a staff attorney in 2018. She has represented clients in various legal matters, including temporary custody, landlord-tenant law, guardian advocacy, and other civil legal issues. Tiffany earned her law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law and holds a B.A. in English Studies from the University of Central Florida.

Jenalee Diaz is a Team ABLE staff attorney focused on housing law matters. Before joining the firm, she spent time in private practice handling trust, estate, and guardianship cases, and as an assistant public defender at the Hillsborough County Public Defender's Office. Jenalee earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida and her law degree from Florida A&M University College of Law.

Jeff Eckert is a part-time staff attorney in Bay Area Legal's St. Petersburg office. He provides quality legal services to low-income veteran clients through the Bay Pines VA Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) with housing, consumer, veterans benefits, or public benefits issues. Jeff received his J.D., cum laude, from Stetson University College of Law and his master's degree in reading education and bachelor's degree in social work from the University of South Florida.

David Gomez is the Family Forms Clinic coordinator for the Volunteer Lawyers Program at the 13th Judicial Circuit Courthouse. He was previously a volunteer and intern with the Family Law group and the Volunteer Lawyers Program. As a result, David was the recipient of the William F. Blews Pro Bono Award from the Stetson University College of Law. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of South Florida in 2016 and received his law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 2019.

Valory Greenfield joined Bay Area Legal in 2015 as a Florida Senior Legal Helpline staff attorney and currently serves as the firm's public benefits resource attorney. She obtained her bachelor's degree, with high honors, from the University of Florida, where she majored in sociology. She received her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and is a member of The Florida Bar. Previously, Val was a staff attorney and later department head in the public benefits unit at Legal Services of Greater Miami for 11 years. She also served 19 years as a senior staff attorney at Florida Legal Services, providing training, consultation, and litigation support to statewide advocates in public benefits.

Jeff Harper is a staff attorney on the firm’s Family Law team, where he primarily represents victims of domestic violence. He is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law as well as the University of South Florida, and is a veteran of the United States Army. Jeff came to Bay Area Legal Services from a background in appellate advocacy, and he aspires to make the legal system work for individuals who would otherwise be greatly disadvantaged.

Samantha Haworth is a staff attorney with Bay Area Legal's St. Petersburg office. She provides legal assistance to veterans on various civil legal matters through the Medical-Legal Partnership at the Bay Pines VA Hospital and the Florida Veterans Legal Helpline. Samantha earned her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and her bachelor's degree from the University of Florida.

Dorothea Hecht is a staff attorney with the Centralized Telephone Intake Unit (CTI), primarily handling cases with private and subsidized housing or consumer-related issues for the Florida Senior Legal Helpline. From 2006 to 2011, Dorothea was a staff attorney with Bay Area Legal's St. Petersburg office, where she advised CTI clients about a variety of legal issues and provided representation in housing-related cases. Dorothea has a degree in Business Administration from the University of South Florida, a law degree from Stetson University College of Law, and a Master of Divinity degree from Emory University. 

Jennifer L. Hodges is a staff attorney at the L. David Shear Children's Law Center, advocating for children's rights in the child welfare system as an attorney ad litem. She went to law school to help victims of domestic violence and participated in the family law externship, which allowed her to assist victims in preparing applications for injunctions and attend ex parte appearances under the supervision of licensed attorneys. Jennifer has practiced in the area of family law since the beginning of her career in 2003, representing parents in divorce, custody, child support, neglect/dependency, and termination of parental rights proceedings. She received her law degree from Pace University School of Law in 2002.

Janie Inverso is a Florida Senior Legal Helpline staff attorney, primarily practicing in estate, family, housing, and consumer law. She first joined Bay Area Legal as part of the Fair Housing team. Before working at Bay Area Legal, Janie worked for Gulfcoast Legal Services as a family law staff attorney and Title III program director. She earned a bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Barry Univesity and a law degree from Western New England College School of Law.

Jessica King is a staff attorney in the firm's New Port Richey office, focusing on housing law matters. She earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law with a concentration in social justice advocacy. Upon graduation, Jessica was awarded the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award for completing over 120 hours of pro bono service and the 2023 Regional Public Interest Award by Equal Justice Works for her internship, clinic, and volunteer work. During law school, Jessica provided pro bono services with several Tampa Bay area nonprofit organizations.

Nancy Lawler is a staff attorney with the firm's Family Law team in the Ybor City and Ruskin offices. She provides legal services to domestic violence survivors with family law issues. Nancy received her law degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law and a B.S. in Criminology from the University of Tampa.

Tiffany Liy is a staff attorney with Bay Area Legal's New Port Richey office, focusing on family law, housing, and landlord-tenant issues. She earned her law degree, with honors, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law, and two bachelor's degrees from Baylor University. Tiffany is licensed to practice law in Florida and Nevada (inactive).

Mary Kogut Lowell is a Community Economic Development attorney providing transactional legal services for business and nonprofit clients. During her career, she has worked in law firms, as in-house counsel for a major airline, at the Florida Department of Children and Families, where she served as the managing attorney for Circuit 9, at a state-certified domestic violence center, and as an adjunct professor at law schools and universities. Mary holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Michigan, an MBA from the University of Florida, and a J.D. from Wayne State University Law School. She is admitted to practice law in Florida, New York, Michigan, and Wyoming. Mary is fluent in English and Spanish, proficient in French, and speaks basic Polish.

John Lawless is a staff attorney with the Disaster Relief Team. Before joining Bay Area Legal Services, he worked in the private sector both as general title counsel and as a practitioner in the fields of real estate, estate planning, probate, business, and nonprofit law. During his time in private practice, John also volunteered with Bay Area Legal Services and Gulfcoast Legal Services. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, an MBA from Stetson University, and a law degree from Stetson University College of Law.

C. Martin "Marty" Lawyer, III is the most-experienced attorney at Bay Area Legal. Marty received his bachelor's degree from Brown University in 1963 and his law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1970. Marty has provided representation in every conceivable type of civil legal case and has appeared in federal and state courts and administrative agencies at all levels. Substantively, Marty specializes in housing law. Functionally, Marty is a trial and appellate attorney. Marty was lead counsel in the national landmark case of Basco v. Machin, 514 F.3d 1177 (11th Cir. 2008).

Nancy M. Lugo joined Bay Area Legal Services in 1999. As the LSC compliance attorney, she ensures that the firm is compliant with Legal Services Corporation regulations and internal policies. She was previously an attorney coordinator for the Volunteer Lawyers Program No Place Like Home project, established a regional pro bono eviction project, and is a past manager of the Volunteer Lawyers Program. Nancy graduated from St. John’s University School of Law and earned a bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University. She is a member of the THBA Board, HAWL, and HCBA and a past member of the FPBCA Executive Committee and the Hispanic Services Council Board.

Mary Rose S. Maloney is an attorney at the L. David Shear Children’s Law Center and an Equal Justice Works Fellow sponsored by Greenberg Traurig, LLP. She represents youth in foster care who are victims of human trafficking. She is also the human trafficking project manager for FosterPower, a movement to improve the lives and futures of youth in foster care by creating access to information on their benefits, protections, and legal rights. Mary Rose earned her law degree with a concentration in social justice advocacy from Stetson University College of Law and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and international affairs, magna cum laude, from Florida State University. Before law school, Mary Rose worked with trafficked youth as a dependency case manager.

James "Jim" Moss joined Bay Area Legal Services in 2003 as a staff attorney in the firm's St. Petersburg office. He received his law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1988. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1989 and the Federal Bar for the Middle District of Florida in 1991. Jim is a Navy veteran.

Stephen F. Myers is a 1967 graduate of Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College) and a 1970 graduate of Emory University Law School. He has been a general litigator in Tampa for more than 33 years, with emphasis on personal injury and insurance coverage. He started with Bay Area Legal in October 2009, working part-time in the New Port Richey office. Mr. Myers began working full-time with Team ABLE in the Tampa office in June 2010 and divides his time between foreclosure work with Team ABLE and domestic violence injunction practice with the Family Law team.

Lynda Neuhausen is a staff attorney with the Florida Senior Legal Helpline. Before joining Bay Area Legal, she worked in private practice handling estate, probate, guardianship, real estate and other civil matters. Lynda's career as an attorney began as a program attorney for the Florida Guardian ad Litem program advocating for the best interests of children in dependency proceedings. She earned her Bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, from the University of South Florida and her law degree from Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law.

Stacy Robinson Nickerson is a staff attorney with Lawyers Helping Kids in the Plant City Office. In 1995, Stacy earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from Florida A & M University. She earned her law degree from Florida State University in 1999.  She worked for The Florida Senate before working in the areas of business litigation, automobile insurance defense and administrative law.  Upon moving to Polk County, she concentrated in the areas of probate, mortgage foreclosure, business contracts and negotiation.  Stacy is also an Adjunct Instructor at Florida A & M University, College of Law.

Troy Parker is a Team ABLE staff attorney. He provides quality legal services to low-income clients with housing, consumer, or public benefits issues. He previously worked as a legal services attorney in Upstate New York before moving to Tampa and joining the firm in 2023. Troy received his law degree and master's degree in public administration from Syracuse University, and his bachelor's degree from Binghamton University. Troy is a member of multiple bar associations and is passionate about expanding access to quality legal representation.

Nancey Penner, after 20 years as a teacher, received her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh and began her legal career at Florida Rural Legal Services in 1988. She came to Bay Area Legal Services in 1996 as a staff attorney in the Volunteer Lawyers Program. In 1997, she transferred to the Plant City office where she continues to work as a staff attorney. Nancey is a master in the Family Law Inn of Court and the treasurer of the Plant City Bar Association.

Theresa M. Porto is a staff attorney in Bay Area Legal's Plant City office. She primarily focuses on family law matters and injunctions for domestic violence survivors. Theresa brings over 15 years of trial experience in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Polk Counties, having previously practiced criminal, family, and dependency law. She earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law and her B.A. in Psychology from the University of South Florida. Theresa is a third-generation, lifelong resident of the Tampa Bay area.

Erin D. Rackauskas is a staff attorney with the Volunteer Lawyers Program. Erin earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Spelman College and graduated from Florida Coastal School of Law. She worked as a new graduate for the Volunteer Lawyers Program before being sworn into the Florida Bar and became a staff attorney thereafter. Erin is the supervising attorney for the Family Forms Clinic and serves as an assisting attorney for the Client Intake Project. She also assists with managing pro bono case files and updates the legal resources used to aid and advise clients for client intake.

Tomoko Ransen is a staff attorney in Bay Area Legal's Major General Ernest A. and Marilyn Bedke Veterans Law Center. She previously worked in the firm's Family Law team, representing victims of domestic violence. Before joining the firm, Tomoko was a staff attorney with Gulfcoast Legal Services in St. Petersburg, Florida. While in law school, she interned for The Honorable Judge Jack Helinger of the Sixth Judicial Circuit and received the Sixth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Service Award (student category). Tomoko earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law, a bachelor's degree from Florida State University, and is a graduate of the University of the Ryukyus in Japan.

Dan Reigle a staff attorney in the Tampa office, and has been with Bay Area Legal since 1999. Currently, Dan is working under a grant from the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County serving the civil legal needs of clients of Children’s Board partners. Dan is working in a variety of areas including housing, landlord/tenant, family law, domestic violence, relief from garnishment, and income maintenance. Dan graduated from Beloit College in 1981 with degrees in economics and Spanish. He graduated from law school at Hamline University in 1985.

Jennifer Robinson is a staff attorney with the L. David Shear Children’s Law Center. She has been working in child welfare since 2013 both as an attorney ad litem, representing the expressed interest of children as she does with the L. David Shear Children’s Law Center, and as a DCF attorney in child welfare. She has also done education advocacy for children, and continues to do so, including co-chairing the community collaborative High Quality Early Education for Dependent Youth (HQEEDY). Jennifer earned her bachelor's from American University and her law degree from Florida State University.

Susan Sandler is the project director of the Judge Don Castor Community Law Center. She joined Bay Area Legal in January 2004. Previously, Susan served as senior general counsel with the Florida Department of Financial Services focusing her practice on government regulation in the areas of banking, securities, finance, cemeteries, unclaimed property, public records, and bankruptcy law. Susan is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law and a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

Taylor Sartor is a staff attorney at the L. David Shear Children's Law Center where she represents youth in foster care in dependency proceedings and in the education setting. She is also the creator of FosterPower, a movement to improve the lives and futures of youth in foster care by creating access to information on their benefits, protections, and legal rights. Taylor specializes in issues related to human trafficking, disabilities, commitment in psychiatric facilities, aging out of foster care, school to prison pipeline prevention, and more. She served as an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Children's Law Center from 2018-2020. Taylor received a bachelor's degree in English literature, magna cum laude, from Florida State University in 2014. She earned her Juris Doctor with a concentration in social justice advocacy from Stetson University College of Law in 2018. Taylor is the founder of the organization Child Advocates of Stetson Law.

Monica Schomisch is a staff attorney with the Senior Advocacy Unit. She provides legal assistance to Polk, Hardee, and Highlands County residents. Before joining the firm in 2021, Monica was a staff attorney with Florida Rural Legal Services, where she focused on housing and consumer law issues. Monica received her law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law.

Amanda Sorge is a staff attorney with the Florida Senior Legal Helpline, focusing on Medicaid, Medicare, long-term care, and other public benefits issues for seniors. Before joining Bay Area Legal Services, she represented clients in public benefits cases for several years at Coast to Coast Legal Aid in Plantation, Florida. She received her J.D. and bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee.

Guilene Theodore is a part-time staff attorney with the Centralized Telephone Intake Unit. She was previously the managing attorney of the New Port Richey office. Before returning to the firm in 2018, Guilene was a staff attorney from 1983-1987 and served on the board of directors for several years. She received her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Florida.

Betty Thomas is a staff attorney with the firm's Major General Ernest A. and Marilyn Bedke Veterans Law Center. She joined Bay Area Legal Services in 2019 and assists veterans in various areas of law, including housing, family, and veterans' benefits. Betty received her law degree from Stetson University College of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida.

Virginia Trujillo is a part-time bilingual attorney at Bay Area Legal. She obtained her bachelor's degree in humanities from Florida State University before graduating from St. Thomas University School of Law. Virginia first came to the firm in 1994. She worked with a diverse community out of our Wimauma office. She then spent a few years in private practice, concentrating on real estate issues. She left private practice in 2000 to work in the Homeless Unit at Legal Aid Service of Broward County. Virginia returned to the firm in 2007, and now provides legal assistance to elderly Floridians through our telephone intake programs.

Wendy Vargas is a Family Law and Immigration staff attorney. She was born in New York and raised in Rhode Island. Wendy moved to Florida to attend Saint Leo University. She obtained her bachelor’s in Criminology with a specialization in Human Services and her law degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) College of Law. While in law school, she worked as a Paralegal at a boutique Probate and Guardianship law firm in Tampa. After admission to the Florida Bar, she worked briefly for a private law firm in Tampa before opening her solo practice, Vargas Law Firm, P.A. During her time as a solo practitioner, her primary area of practice was in family law with limited personal injury and probate matters.

Susan Miles Whitaker joined Bay Area Legal in 1997. Since 2000, she has operated the Legal Information Center—the firm's free family law self-help program in the George Edgcomb Courthouse. Susan has also written the court's self-help instructions for pro se litigants and is responsible for revising the forms and instructions. Susan is the executive director of the Stann W. Givens Family Law Inn of Tampa. She also serves on the HCBA Family Law Section Executive Council and the Florida Bar Family Law Rules Committee. Susan is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law.

Laurie Yadoff is a part-time staff attorney with the Florida Senior Legal Helpline. Before joining Bay Area Legal, she was the Director of the Economic Advocacy and Community Health Unit at Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida. Laurie has practiced in the areas of unemployment compensation, disability rights, Social Security disability, and public benefits, and began her legal career as a public defender. She earned her law degree from the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law.