Staff
Fall River Law Office
22 Bedford Street
Fall River, MA 02720-3002
Tel 508-676-6265 / 800-244-9023
Fax 508-676-5861
Jonathan Barlam
Attorney
Robert Mount
Managing Attorney
Clare McGorrian
Intake Supervising Attorney
Ericka Lezcano
Supervising Attorney - Consumer Unit of SCCLS
Megan Burns
Attorney
Court Diercks
Attorney
Emily Flaherty
Attorney
Aileen Konanez
Attorney
Jeannine Schoos
Staff Attorney
Annika Skansberg
Attorney
Lauren Vandemortel
Attorney
Jessica Weldon
Staff Attorney
Ann Carmody
JD
Emery Umana
Paralegal
Theresa Bigelow
Paralegal
Paola Bretous
Paralegal
Yanitza Garcia
Paralegal
Lulu Kodreanu
Paralegal
Dineira Paulino
Paralegal
Wyntter Silva
Paralegal
Patricia Valente
Paralegal
Eulalia “Lolly” Pinto
Administrative Secretary
Jonathan Barlam
Attorney
Jon Barlam is a Staff Attorney in the Fall River office, where he practices housing and disability/benefits law. He is a graduate of UMass Lowell and Northeastern University School of Law. While in law school Jon interned with the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, The MA Attorney General’s Office in their Health Care Division, and the Disability Law Center. After law school he volunteered with the Disability Law Center working on legislation related to benefits for foster care youth, as well as Northeast Legal Aid doing housing advocacy.
Robert Mount
Managing Attorney
Rob Mount has been the Managing Attorney of the Fall River Law Office of South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS) since December 2020. In this position, he oversees and ensures the provision of high-quality legal services to clients in the greater Fall River, Taunton, and Attleboro areas. To provide excellent legal advocacy to the community, he works collaboratively with other managing Attorneys in SCCLS and engages with the organization’s leadership team to develop and manage strategic initiatives and coordinate impact work. Attorney Mount directly supervises advocacy and support staff and works in conjunction with SCCLS senior management for the betterment of the organization. Previously he worked as a staff Attorney in the New Bedford Law Office of SCCLS, a legal advocate for Citizens Disability, and a Staff Attorney at the Committee for Public Counsel Services.
Clare McGorrian
Intake Supervising Attorney
Clare McGorrian is Intake Supervising Attorney for South Coastal Counties Legal Services. In this role, she works with SCCLS leadership and staff to ensure access to civil legal services for low-income residents of Southeastern Massachusetts. Clare develops systems for intake, advice and referral, trains and supervises intake staff, and oversees provision of intake-related services throughout SCCLS. Clare joined SCCLS in September 2018, as the first hire in the newly created Intake Supervising Attorney position.
Prior to joining SCCLS Clare was a Senior Staff Attorney with the non-profit Health Law Advocates, where she represented individual clients, participated in impact litigation, and advocated for policy change. Clare also spent several years running a solo practice focused on health and disability benefit matters. Clare has a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and a B.A. from Harvard College.
Ericka Lezcano
Supervising Attorney - Consumer Unit of SCCLS
Ericka is the supervising consumer attorney at SCCLS. Sowing the seeds of the consumer unit, her practice currently involves advising and representing clients in a variety of consumer matters including debt collection, bankruptcy, and credit reporting. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina – Beaufort and Roger Williams School of Law. She is barred in Massachusetts, New York, and New Hampshire. She is a native of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Megan Burns
Attorney
Megan Burns is an attorney at SCCLS’ Fall River office. Her practice focuses on housing and benefits. Prior to joining SCCLS, Megan worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx, New York for three years. She is a graduate of Christopher Newport University and Boston College Law School.
Ina Chang Torres
JD
Ina is a JD at the Fall River office with a commitment to help those that need it the most. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Massachusetts School of Law. During her last year at University of Massachusetts, Ina was a 3:03 Student Attorney as part of their Human Rights at Home Clinic and was able to help many clients with birth certificate errors as well as no fault divorces. Additionally, Ina is Bilingual in Spanish/English. Furthermore, Ina interned at the Fall River office prior to joining as full staff in September 2023. Her focus will be housing and benefits.
Court Diercks
Attorney
Court Diercks is an Attorney in the Fall River office. They received their J.D. from Boston University School of Law and their B.S. in Criminology and Philosophy from Florida State University.
Emily Flaherty
Attorney
Emily Flaherty is an Attorney at the Fall River Office. Emily is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Vermont. While in law school, Emily interned at the Women’s Bar Foundation, where she developed her love of legal aid work and family law. She also served as a Judicial Intern at the Barnstable Superior Court. Additionally, Emily was a S.J.C. Rule 3:03 Student Attorney and member of the Suffolk Defenders Program in her final year of law school, where she was able to represent clients in criminal matters before the Boston Municipal Court. Emily joined SCCLS in August 2022, and her primary practice area is in family law.
Aileen Konanez
Attorney
Aileen Konanez is an attorney at SCCLS’ Fall River Office. Her practice focuses on housing and benefits matters. Prior to joining SCCLS, Aileen was an attorney at the Victim Rights Law Center where she represented survivors of sexual violence and stalking in employment, housing, privacy, and safety matters. She is a graduate of York College and Roger Williams University School of Law.
Jeannine Schoos
Staff Attorney
Jeannine Schoos is a Staff Attorney in the Fall River office. In her practice, Jeannine represents survivors of crimes and other harms, specializing in domestic violence and sexual assault. She practices a variety of civil legal matters including housing, safety, privacy, and education. Prior to joining SCCLS, Jeannine was a Staff Attorney at the Victim Rights Law Center (VRLC) and worked exclusively with survivors of sexual assault. Before joining the VRLC, Jeannine served as an AmeriCorps Attorney at SCCLS in the housing unit. Jeannine is a member of the Greater Fall River Domestic Violence Coalition. Jeannine is a graduate of New York University, and the City University of New York School of Law. She is barred in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Virginia, and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Annika Skansberg
Attorney
Annika Skansberg (she/her) is a staff attorney at SCCL’s Fall River Office. Her practice involves advising and representing individuals on disability and unemployment benefits and representing older persons in a variety of civil legal matters including housing, public benefits, health care, and consumer issues. Annika received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, and has a Masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Lauren Vandemortel
Attorney
Lauren Vandemortel is an attorney at SCCLS’ Consumer Unit . She graduated from Boston University School of Law, where she represented low-income clients in debt collection actions and unemployment appeals. During law school, Lauren interned with New York Legal Assistance Group’s Consumer Protection Unit and the Center for Public Representation. Prior to law school, she was a paralegal at civil rights litigation firms in San Francisco and New York City. She attended Oberlin College.
Jessica Weldon
Staff Attorney
Jessica Weldon is a staff attorney working in SCCLS’ Fall River office.
Ann Carmody
JD
Ann Carmody is a JD who provides assistance to residents facing housing instability or eviction. She works from SCCLS’ Fall River office. Previously, Ann has worked in the Criminal Defense Division of The Legal Aid Society of NYC based both on Rikers Island and in Manhattan County. During law school, Ann also worked as an intern for The Southern Poverty Law Center based in Ocilla, Georgia, three hours southwest of Atlanta. Ann received her JD from Roger Williams University School of Law in Providence, Rhode Island. A Bronx native, Ann earned her BA in Art History (minor, German Studies) from Fordham University in NYC.
Emery Umana
Paralegal
Emery Acosta is a Paralegal in the Fall River office focused on ensuring eligible applicants are connected with appropriate services.
Theresa Bigelow
Paralegal
Theresa joined South Coastal Counties Legal Services in the Fall River office as a temporary Paralegal through the COVID Eviction Legal Help Project. She is a graduate of Fisher Junior College where she graduated with Highest Honors with an Associates in Science-Legal Studies Degree. Prior to joining SCCLS, she was a foreclosure Paralegal for eight years. Her prior experience involves several other areas of law, such as criminal, evictions, domestic, personal injury, workers’ compensation and social security disability.
Paola Bretous
Paralegal
Paola is a Paralegal at SCCLS. She is a resident of Brockton and a graduate of Brockton High School. She received her Bachelor of Science from University of MA Amherst in May of 2022 and is working toward an advanced degree in Public Administration. In 2021, Paola had an opportunity to intern with former state Representative Clare Cronin’s office engaging in legislative research and constituent services. More recently, she worked as an Administrative Assistant in the Law Department at Brockton City Hall.
Paola has a great deal of experience that will serve her well as she takes on the new challenge of assisting under resourced callers in need of assistance with a critical legal problem. Paola also is fluent in Haitian Creole.
Yanitza Garcia
Paralegal
Yanitza Garcia is a Paralegal with a primary focus on our CLAVC program (The Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime). Yanitza performs intakes and assess eligibility of clients for the program helping victims of crime throughout our service area with their related civil legal problems — including . Previously Yanitza has worked as an advocate Specialist in the Social Services field providing information assistance and support to individuals with disabilitiesfamily law, housing, immigration, disability rights, child welfare, education, consumer, identity theft, employment rights and public benefits. Yanitza also assisted individuals with disabilities in providing information on five core services which are advocacy, information and referral, peer counseling, transition and prevention (focusing on transitioning people out of nursing homes/institutions into the community. Additionally Yanitza assisted in the community youth program with transition into adulthood such as, work readiness training, internship opportunities, and life skills training). Yanitza attended the Sacred Heart University in San Juan Puerto Rico, with a mayor focus in Business Administration. Yanitza works from the SCCLS Fall River Office
Lulu Kodreanu
Paralegal
Lulu Kodreanu is a Paralegal in the Fall River office focused on ensuring eligible applicants are connected with appropriate services.
Dineira Paulino
Paralegal
Dineira Paulino is a Paralegal in the Fall River office focused on ensuring eligible applicants are connected with appropriate services.
Wyntter Silva
Paralegal
Wyntter Silva is a Paralegal in the Fall River Law office focused on ensuring eligible applicants are connected with appropriate services.
Patricia Valente
Paralegal
Patricia Valente is a Paralegal in the Fall River office focused on ensuring eligible applicants are connected with appropriate services.
Eulalia “Lolly” Pinto
Administrative Secretary
Lolly Pinto is an Administrative Secretary in the Fall River Office. Hired as legal secretary in the New Bedford Law Office in 1983. Lolly speaks Portuguese and was born in Portugal. She enjoys her status as the longest running employee in the program.
New Bedford Law Office
21 South Sixth St.
New Bedford, MA 02740
Tel 508-979-7150 / 800-244-9023
Fax 800-287-3777
Gavin Bates
Managing Attorney
Vladeric Belizaire
Attorney
Desiree Costa
Attorney
Jenny Min
Attorney
Nayomi Vazquez-Berrios
Attorney
Raquel Antonio
Paralegal (Elder Law Project)
Kris Lyons
Attorney
Krystal DeSouza
Administrative Secretary
Gavin Bates
Managing Attorney
Gavin Bates is the Managing Attorney for SCCLS’ New Bedford Office. He was a staff attorney prior to that, starting with the organization in 2014. His practice focused mostly on direct representation for individuals facing potential eviction and struggling to access public benefits, although he now handles a variety of other sorts of work. He worked in other legal fields prior to his time at SCCLS, including public defense, family law, immigration, and advocacy for juveniles in both school and court settings. Prior to his legal career, he earned his B.A. and then his master’s in public administration (both from Clark University) and worked for both local governments, nonprofit organizations, and the Office of the Inspector General for the US Department of Health and Human Services. He is an enthusiastic advocate for those in need as well as an active community partner with other anti-poverty groups in and around SCCLS’ New Bedford Office
Vladeric Belizaire
Attorney
Vladeric Belizaire is an Attorney at SCCLS’ New Bedford Office.
Desiree Costa
Attorney
Desiree A. Costa (she/her) is a staff Attorney at SCCLS’ New Bedford Office. She practices disability benefits, primarily focusing on representing clients with pending appeals of Social Security Disability benefits denials at the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing stage, as well as terminations and overpayment matters related to their Social Security Disability Benefits. Prior to this role, she served as an AmeriCorps volunteer with South Coastal Counties Legal Services for one year, representing clients in eviction defense, shelter benefits, unemployment benefits, and consumer protection matters. She grew up in the South Coast and is dedicated to giving back to her community. She received her B.S. in Legal Studies with a dual major in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and attended the University of Massachusetts School of Law as a Public Interest Law Fellow.
Jenny Min
Attorney
Jenny Min is an Attorney at SCCLS’ New Bedford Office.
Snejana Mitrov
JD
Snejana Mitrov is a JD at the New Bedford office. She got her JD from the University of Massachusetts School of Law, and her bachelor’s in psychology from Georgia State University. While in law school, Snejana was a Human Rights at Home Clinical Fellow. As a Fellow, Snejana worked in family law matters, a passion which has stuck with her. Snejana’s focus will be housing and family law.
Nayomi Vazquez-Berrios
Attorney
Nayomi Vazquez-Berrios is an Attorney at SCCLS’ New Bedford Office.
Raquel Antonio
Paralegal (Elder Law Project)
Raquel Antonio is currently our Rachel Howland Advocate for Older Adults working on the Elder Law Project in the New Bedford office. She was also a paralegal in our intake unit for many years and she had previously advocated for Elders in our Fall River office.
Kris Lyons
Attorney
Kris Lyons is an Attorney at SCCLS’ New Bedford Office.
Krystal DeSouza
Administrative Secretary
Krystal DeSouza is the Administrative Secretary in SCCLS’ New Bedford office
Hyannis Law Office
460 West Main Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
Tel 508-775-7020 / 800-244-9023
Fax 508-790-3955
Raymond Yox
Managing Attorney
Andrew Bardetti
Elder Law Attorney
Michelle Heepe
Attorney
Suzanne Hicks
Senior Attorney
Lisa Marshall
Attorney
Jennifer McCabe
Attorney
Sharifa Derby
Paralegal
Rasheda Dickerson
Administrative Secretary
Raymond Yox
Managing Attorney
Raymond Yox is the Managing Attorney of South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc.’s (SCCLS) Hyannis, MA Law Office. Previously, he was the Executive Director of Legal Services for Cape Cod & Islands from 1997 until it merged into SCCLS in 2006. Prior to that, he began his legal career in New York State as a staff Attorney with Chautauqua County Legal Services, Inc. from 1983 until 1989 and as Executive Director of that organization from 1989 to 1997. He is a graduate of Valparaiso University School of Law. He currently holds the faculty position of adjunct professor at UMass Dartmouth School of Law, supervising the Mashpee Wampanoag Legal Services Clinic.
Andrew Bardetti
Elder Law Attorney
Andrew L. Bardetti is an Elder Law Attorney at SCCLS’ Hyannis Office. His practice involves advising and representing older persons in a variety of civil legal matters including housing, public benefits, health care, and consumer issues. He began with SCCLS as a Borchard Foundation Center on Law & Aging Fellow during which time he focused on civil legal aid for survivors of elder abuse. Andrew is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Bristol County Bar Association, the Consumer Advisory Board of Family Services Association, the Southeastern Alliance for Elders, Fresh Start, and Age Friendly SCCLS’ New Bedford Office. He is a graduate of Boston College and Northeastern University School of Law.
Michelle Heepe
Attorney
Michelle Heepe is a staff Attorney in SCCLS’ Hyannis office. Her practice involves representing clients in eviction defense, unemployment, MassHealth, SNAP, and Emergency Access Shelter matters. She is a graduate of Columbia College in South Carolina and Northeastern University School of Law.
Suzanne Hicks
Senior Attorney
Suzanne Hicks is a Senior Attorney in SCCLS’ Hyannis office providing assistance to clients with complex family law issues.
Lisa Marshall
Attorney
Lisa Marshall is an Attorney currently working in SCCLS’ Hyannis office. She represents tenants in ongoing eviction cases and keeps them housed. Prior to working at SCCLS, Lisa was a Committee for Public Counsel Services Attorney, doing mental health litigation and guardianship work. Born in South Africa and growing up in Texas, she has a B.A. in Journalism, a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, and an L.L.M. in Intellectual Property.
Jennifer McCabe
Attorney
Jennifer McCabe is an Attorney in the Hyannis office. Her practice includes advising and representing clients in landlord/tenant law, family law, and other administrative and civil litigation matters. Before joining SCCLS, Jennifer worked in corporate, commercial, and family law in New York City. Prior to becoming an attorney, she had a well-established career in both New York City and Washington, D.C. in media/communications and politics/government. Jennifer holds a B.A. in English Literature from The Catholic University of America and a Juris Doctor from The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Sharifa Derby
Paralegal
Sharifa Derby is a Paralegal in SCCLS’ Hyannis office providing assistance to low income residents facing eviction.
Rasheda Dickerson
Administrative Secretary
Rasheda Dickerson is the Administrative Secretary in SCCLS’ Hyannis office.
Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts
62 Main St., Suite 302
Brockton, MA 02301
Tel 508-586-2110 / 800-244-8393
Fax 508-580-6614
Brian O’Connor
Program Manager, Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts
Emily Leung
Supervising Attorney, Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts
Ashley F Straker
Supervising Attorney - Education Unit
Meagan Hecht
Attorney
Laura Camara
Directing Attorney of Housing Advocacy
Jessica DeLoureiro
Senior Attorney
Dwayne Franklin
Attorney
Henry Gunther
Attorney
Amanda Hesse
Staff Attorney
Clare McLeod
Attorney
Elizabeth Mullins
Attorney
Caitlyn Seed
Attorney
Courtney Snegroff
Attorney
Marin Tollefson-Almeida
Attorney
Kimberly Yox
Senior Attorney
Sofia Zocca
JD
Karen Guinn
Paralegal/DOJ Accredited Representative
Emily Brunelle
Paralegal
Odete Johnson
Administrative Secretary
Auris Rosario
Legal Secretary
Sarina Prasad
AmeriCorps Legal Advocate
Brian O’Connor
Program Manager, Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts
Brian is a graduate of the University of Connecticut (B.A) and the University of New Hampshire, School of Law(JD). Brian joined South Coastal Counties Legal Services in 2005 as a staff attorney after a 20 year career as a Criminal Defense Attorney. In 2011 Brian became the Program Manager of the Justice Center. He has assisted thousands of families in housing and benefits cases, and supervised the provision of legal services by dozens of attorneys. Brian is also involved in many local, state-wide and federal campaigns aiming to promote access to justice for all members of our community.
Emily Leung
Supervising Attorney, Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts
Emily Leung is the supervising immigration Attorney at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. In this role, she oversees a robust team of immigration advocates who engage in direct representation, community education, and impact advocacy affecting immigrant populations. Previously she worked as a staff Attorney at Massachusetts Law Reform Institute focusing on immigration policy and advocacy and was the Albert M. Sacks Clinical & Advocacy Fellow at the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic. She has worked at numerous boutique firms and non-profit organizations focused on asylum law, family-based petitions, removal defense, and other humanitarian-based relief. Emily received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and her M.A. in International Relations, also from Boston University.
Ashley F Straker
Supervising Attorney - Education Unit
Ashley F Straker is the Supervising Attorney of the Education Unit at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Attorney Francisque represents students and their families in various school related issues, including school discipline and special education matters. In 2015, she served as the Bart Gordon Fellow for two years working in partnership with the Center for Law and Education on a project focused on systemically addressing school policies that negatively impacted students who attended Brockton, New Bedford and Fall River school districts. She received her B.A. degree in Political Science at Boston College and received her J.D. degree from Suffolk University Law School.
Meagan Hecht
Attorney
Meagan Hecht is a staff Attorney on the immigration team at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Her practice involves direct representation of clients to address a wide array of immigration matters, as well as various community education and impact advocacy endeavors affecting immigrant populations. Previously, she has worked as a student Attorney with Greater Boston Legal Services, the Immigration Impact Unit at CPCS, and various other immigrant advocacy organizations. Meagan received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and her B.A. in International Relations from Boston University.
Laura Camara
Directing Attorney of Housing Advocacy
Laura F. Camara is the Directing Attorney of Housing Advocacy at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. She is a proud AmeriCorps alumnus having served two years with the program from 2011-2013 as an Attorney with South Coastal Counties Legal Services; she has continued to serve as a supervisor for new members entering the program. Attorney Camara previously practiced in the areas of family and elder law but now specializes in housing and benefit matters, particularly in the areas of public and subsidized housing and housing protections for survivors of domestic violence. She currently serves as the co-chair of the Brockton DTA Advisory Board, sits on the Access to Justice Commission Housing Working Group, is a member of the Plymouth County Bar Association, and is an active participant in the Tenancy Preservation Program’s Steering Committee. Attorney Camara received her J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo with concentrations in Finance and Affordable Housing and Community Development and is admitted to both the Massachusetts and New York bars.
Jessica DeLoureiro
Senior Attorney
Jessica De Loureiro is a Senior Attorney with the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts (“JCSM”). Jessica provides legal advice and direct representation in predominantly immigration matters, with a focus on humanitarian benefits, asylum, and removal defense. She also serves on the state-wide Language Access Coalition and is a staunch advocate of language access rights. Jessica initially joined the JCSM in 2013 as a member of AmeriCorps Legal Advocates of Massachusetts (formerly the Massachusetts Legal Assistance for Self-Sufficiency Program). She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and Lafayette College. Jessica speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
Dwayne Franklin
Attorney
Dwayne Franklin is an Immigration Attorney at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. His role includes direct representation, community education, and impact advocacy.
Henry Gunther
Attorney
Henry Gunther is an Attorney at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. His role includes direct representation, community education, and impact advocacy.
Amanda Hesse
Staff Attorney
Amanda Hesse is a Staff Attorney at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Her practice involves advising and representing elderly clients on a variety of civil legal matters, including those related to housing and public benefits. Prior to joining the organization, she worked as an attorney in the Insurance & Financial Services Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and was a law clerk in the Massachusetts Superior Court. Ms. Hesse received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and her B.A. in Law & Society and Public Communication from American University.
Andra Lehotay de León
JD
Andra Lehotay de León is a JD with the immigration team at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Her experience includes impact advocacy and direct representation in immigration and criminal defense cases. She received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and B.A. degrees in International Relations, History, and Political Science from Walsh University.
Clare McLeod
Attorney
Clare McLeod is an Attorney in the Education Unit at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Her practicee involves advising and representing students and their families in school-related cases, including school discipline and special education matters. Clare received her B.S. in Psychology and Sociology from Fordham University and her J.D. from Boston College Law School.
Elizabeth Mullins
Attorney
Elizabeth Mullins (Liz) is an Attorney with the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Her experience involves direct representation, community education, and impact advocacy. She received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and her B.A. in Neuroscience from Oberlin College.
Caitlyn Seed
Attorney
Caitlyn Seed is an Attorney at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts in September. Her experience involves advising and representing clients on housing and public benefits cases. Caitlyn received her J.D. as well as a Master’s in Social Work from Boston College. She received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia.
Courtney Snegroff
Attorney
Courtney Snegroff is an Attorney at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Her work focuses on all types of humanitarian relief including asylum, special immigrant juvenile petitions, and relief for survivors of violence and trafficking. Courtney has dedicated her work over the past twenty years to community organizing for immigrant justice. Having worked previously for the janitor’s union, 32BJ SEIU, she is particularly interested the intersection between worker organizing and immigrant rights. Courtney has also worked in city government for the Boston Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement as well as in the nonprofit sector. She received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and her B.A. from Wesleyan University. She is fluent in both Spanish and Portuguese.
Marin Tollefson-Almeida
Attorney
Marin Tollefson Almeida is an immigration Attorney with the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. She works with clients in all types of immigration matters, with a focus on humanitarian relief, including asylum, special immigrant juvenile petitions, and relief for survivors of violence and trafficking. Marin has a particular interest in the intersection of criminal and immigration law and has engaged in federal litigation on detainee rights. Marin speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and Cape Verdean Creole. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sao Nicolau, Cape Verde, and in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. Before coming to the Justice Center, Marin worked as a law clerk for the Federal District Court of Minnesota. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. in Anthropology and Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis.
Kimberly Yox
Senior Attorney
Kimberly Yox (Kim) is a Senior Attorney practicing family law at Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. She represents survivors of intimate partner abuse in complex domestic relations matters, such as divorce, custody, support, and abuse prevention matters. As part of the Family Law Task Force, she works with other advocates and legal services Attorneys on impact and legislative advocacy to advance the interests of domestic violence survivors. Kim received her B.A. from Douglass College/Rutgers University and her J.D. from Boston University School of Law.
Sofia Zocca
JD
Sofia Zocca is a JD in the Education Unit at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Her work includes advising and representing students and families in education-related cases, including special education and school discipline matters. Sofia received her B.A. in English and Sociology at Boston University and her J.D. from Boston University School of Law.
Karen Guinn
Paralegal/DOJ Accredited Representative
Karen Guinn assists attorneys with direct representation in immigration cases and provides immigration representation as a DOJ Accredited Representative before the Immigration Court, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Board of Immigration Appeals. Previously she served as an AmeriCorps Legal Advocate for two consecutive years. Karen was admitted to practice law in her native Colombia and received a Master of Law in Human Rights from Northeastern University School of Law.
Emily Brunelle
Paralegal
As a paralegal on the immigration team, Emily Brunelle assists advocates with direct representation cases, coordinates intakes and consultations, and organizes legal clinics. She also works closely with local organizations to bolster community engagement and outreach, advocate for immigrants’ rights, and provide services like clinics and educational workshops.
Odete Johnson
Administrative Secretary
Odete Johnson is the Administrative Secretary at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts.
Auris Rosario
Legal Secretary
Auris Rosario is the Legal Secretary at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. Auris speaks Spanish and enjoys assisting potential applicants from diverse backgrounds. She is obtaining her Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies and looks forward to continuing her service in the legal field and to our applicants.
Sarina Prasad
AmeriCorps Legal Advocate
Sarina Prasad serves as an advocate in the immigration unit at the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts through AmeriCorps Legal Advocates of Massachusetts. She assists attorneys with client cases and provides support to a range of immigration-related projects and services. Sarina earned her BA in Political Science from Williams College.