With nearly a decade of experience in high-stakes litigation and public service, Mary E. Castillo brings a powerful blend of trial acumen, leadership, and strategic legal insight to Gilbert Garcia Group, P.A. As a former Assistant State Attorney for Hillsborough County, she has prosecuted some of the most serious felony offenses—including homicides, gang-related violence, and sex crimes—developing a reputation for integrity, meticulous preparation, and courtroom excellence. During her tenure at the State Attorney’s Office, Mary litigated more than 35 felony jury trials to verdict and led a felony division as Deputy Chief, supervising a team of attorneys and support staff while managing a demanding felony caseload. She has also handled juvenile, misdemeanor and traffic, domestic violence and violation of probation (VOP) dockets, making her an exceptionally well-rounded advocate with deep knowledge of Florida’s criminal justice system from intake to adjudication. A graduate of Notre Dame Law School, Mary served as Executive Articles Editor for the Notre Dame Journal of Legislation and published a scholarly note on Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. She earned the Dean’s Award for Professional Responsibility and was active in leadership roles with the Hispanic Law Students Association and the Future Prosecuting Attorney’s Council. She also studied abroad at Notre Dame’s prestigious London Law Centre. In addition to her legal expertise, Mary is pursuing an MBA from the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business, with a concentration in Compliance, Risk, and Anti-Money Laundering—bringing valuable and practical business knowledge to her legal practice. Mary is passionate about justice, client advocacy, and delivering exceptional legal outcomes, making her an invaluable asset to our firm and the clients we serve. We are thrilled to have her join Gilbert Garcia Group as a Litigation Attorney and Commercial Collections Supervisor.”

Ydelmis Cutino is admitted to the Florida Bar (2024). She matriculated at the W.M.U. Cooley Law School (J.D., 2021), and the University of South Florida (B.A., Business Science Management, 2018) and is certified as a Florida Notary Signing Agent, Remote Online Notary Agent, and Microsoft Office Specialist. Ydelmis joined the firm in 2021, serving Gilbert Garcia Group as a law clerk and Sapphire Title & Escrow Company as a title processor. With a strong commitment to the field, Ydelmis actively contributes to the legal and real estate communities through her writing, regularly crafting insightful articles and blogs that educate, inform, and engage readers. Ydelmis credits her interest in real property law for leading to her involvement in real estate transactions, including that of title and escrow practices. Ydelmis is bilingual in Spanish and English. She was born and raised in Miami, Florida and is of Cuban descent. Ydelmis notes, “Faith, determination, and persistence are the three keys to my life.”

China Ikpeama received his Bachelor of Arts degree from The Columbia College-Chicago. During the course of his studies Mr. Ikpeama realized Columbia College was an excellent school, but not too far from campus in downtown Chicago was a homeless shelter with many people with many needs. Mr. Ikpeama made brown bag lunch packs and distributed them freely. Mr. Ikpeama then worked for the Circuit Court Clerk of the City of St. Louis Missouri and soon after, attended Florida A&M University College of Law where he earned his J.D.. While at Florida A&M University College of Law, he participated in the Housing Clinic by providing legal advice to citizens in the community who could not afford legal representation. After earning his law degree, attorney Ikpeama served his community by working as a prosecutor for the Office of the State Attorney in downtown Orlando. Today, attorney Ikpeama continues to serve his community by volunteering at The Coalition for the Homeless in downtown Orlando. The reoccurring theme in Mr. Ikpeama's life has been to attend to the needs of those around him by serving his community and the public interest. Attorney Ikpeama believes that there is a binding relationship between law and society, and that the work of the legal profession is inherently related to the public. Inspired by Justice Louis Brandeis, and his desire to help improve the everyday life of men and women, Mr. Ikpeama founded The United Law Firm. We are dedicated to defending you and defending your interests...it's about you, it's about us, United...You and Us.

Scott E. Simmons is a co-founder and founding partner of Lawson and Simmons, PLLC, where he focuses exclusively on criminal defense throughout South Florida. A lifelong South Florida native, Scott has dedicated his career to defending individuals facing serious and high-stakes criminal allegations. Before founding Lawson and Simmons with Susan Lawson, Scott spent more than three years practicing at another premier criminal defense firm in South Florida. While the firm was well regarded, Scott chose to leave and build his own practice to provide a more thoughtful, strategic, and individualized approach to criminal defense, one that prioritizes people, long-term consequences, and creative legal strategies over case volume. Scott is a trial-tested criminal defense attorney with experience handling cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies, including offenses punishable by life imprisonment. He has tried numerous cases to verdict across Broward County, Miami-Dade County, and Palm Beach County. Scott has received multiple Broward Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Hat Trick Awards for achieving three not guilty verdicts in a single year, as well as a Double Hat Trick Award for achieving six not guilty verdicts within one year. In addition to trial advocacy, Scott has built a strong reputation for sophisticated pretrial motion practice, including successful motions to suppress evidence and statements that have resolved serious cases before trial. Scott personally conducts Strategy Sessions and remains actively involved in every case he handles.

ttorney Carlos Cabral is a Magna Cum Laude graduate (top 18% of his class) from Michigan State University College of Law, from where he was awarded 4 book awards for academic excellence and earned him the opportunity to intern for Judge Patrick Murphy Meter at the Michigan Court of Appeals, an opportunity only very few students are offered. While interning With the Michigan Court of Appeals, Carlos had the opportunity to draft an appellate decision for Judge Meter on a sensitive issue of housing discrimination in the State of Michigan. Carlos is an Experienced litigator with over 17 years of litigation experience in the areas of Family Law and Civil Litigation. His Family Law experience has included complex marital asset and alimony trials involving expert witnesses on valuation and apportionment of marital and non-marital valuations of assets and liabilities. His Civil Litigation experience has included Construction Litigation, Defamation Litigation and other Tort Litigation and Business Litigation. When Carlos isn’t in the office working hard at the practice of law, he enjoys the outdoors. Carlos is an avid hunter and fisherman. He also enjoys hiking and ATV off-roading during the off-season . Carlos is fluent in Spanish and conversational Portuguese.

Thomas Grajek is a Lakeland criminal defense attorney at Grajek Trial Attorney at Law. We offer aggressive representation for various criminal defense cases in Florida. We handle misdemeanors, felonies, traffic violations, juvenile offenses, and more. With offices in Lakeland and Tampa, we are committed to protecting the rights of those accused of crimes throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Charlton Stoner has 30 years of successful litigation experience. His law firm concentratrates in three areas of the law: Business Law and Litigation / Real Estate Law and Litigation / Criminal Defense Charlton Stoner has an exceptional reputation for successful representation of clients faced with complex legal and business issues including public, noteworthy and affluent clients as well as clients in unpopular industries and with unpopular causes. Charlton Stoner has extensive formal training and three decades of experience as a skilled negotiator with a proven record of satisfying clients seeking strategic, goal oriented, conflict resolution by all available means including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, litigation, or trial by judge or jury. Year after year Mr Stoner has won many jury trials, bench trials (decided by a judge without a jury), arbitrations and pre-trial evidentiary hearings. Charlton Stoner works hard to develop an in-depth understanding of his client's problems, objectives and needs, to provide the client with confidence and peace of mind that comes from receiving the best strategic advice available, to work well with his clients and communicate effectively, and to obtain the best possible solutions for the client. His ability to think creatively, his understanding of and empathy for his clients, jurors and jurists, and his record of sucessfully tackling his client's problems, both complex and simple, are a large part of the reason the Firm is proud of having so many sucessful, long-lasting client relationships year after year. The Firm Focuses on the Following Areas: Commercial / Business Dispute Resolution and Litigation This area of practice includes such matters as contract disputes, partner and shareholder disputes, fraud and misrepresentation, vendor and customer relations, commercial collections, replevin and other writs for possession of property, breach of commercial lease disputes, receiverships, and enforcement of secured transactions. The Law Offices of Charlton Stoner specializes in providing exceptional counsel to, and representation of, individuals and businesses engaged in all types of industries and commercial relationships. Throughout the years Charlton Stoner has developed specialized knowledge in many particular industries and businesses such as the hospitality industry including restaurant and bar finance and vendor relations, the alarm and security industry including bulk account sales and acquisitions, the towing and storage industry, wholesalers, exporters and distributors. Real Estate Dispute Resolution and Litigation The Firm represents buyers, sellers, brokers, developers, and lenders in matters involving buyer/seller disputes, commission disputes, enforcement of buyers and sellers rights, deposit forfeitures and refunds, mortgage forclosures, enforcement of and defense against personal guaranties, lender liability issues; and counsel to prevent breach of real estate contracts and enforce closing rights. Charlton Stoner has the extensive trial experience and reputation as a successful litigator unequaled by most real estate attorneys, which provides clients with a distinct advantage in dealing with real estate disputes. The Law Offices of Charlton Stoner specializes in providing exceptional counsel to, and representation of, individuals and businesses engaged in all types of real estate transactions and investments, both commercial and residential. Charlton Stoner possesses extensive knowledge of and the ability to provide effective, efficient solutions for real estate developers, lenders, investors, sellers, buyers, agents and brokers, and mortgage brokers. Resolution of Criminal Charges; Criminal Defense and Trial This Law Firm vigorously defends its clients accused of criminal conduct. With his previous experience as a former prosecutor with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, his broad knowledge of the criminal justice system and his common sense approach to criminal trial practice, Charlton Stoner has earned a reputation as a successful and extremely ardent and diligent defender of his clients' rights. Mr Stoner has won 'not guilty' jury verdicts, outright judicial dismissals and dropping of charges in many cases involving such allegations as money laundering, conspiracy, false statements, mortgage fraud, medicare fraud, theft, drugs, sexual battery, assault and battery, domestic abuse, DUIs, and many others. In addition Mr Stoner has personally represented a number of military members in Courts Martial proceedings with an outstanding record of success. While this Firm reserves the right to be selective in the clients it chooses to defend and the types of cases it will agree to handle, nonetheless the Firm recognizes the right of even a guilty client to the best defense and the most vigorous enforcement of guaranteed and protected rights available. Therefore, the most important criteria for case selection is the ability of the Firm to provide in a particular case the most effective defense available.

Ben Baxter is a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor with the knowledge, experience, and skill to fight for the best possible outcome for his clients. Born and raised in Florida, Ben attended Florida State University before earning his law degree from Michigan State University. In law school, Ben focused his studies on Criminal Law and completed advanced seminars in Evidence, Applied Evidence, and Criminal Law Practice, building the foundation for a career dedicated to criminal justice. After becoming a licensed Florida Attorney in 2015, Ben began his legal career as a prosecutor in Brevard and Palm Beach Counties, where he represented the State of Florida at every stage of criminal prosecution from case intake and charging decisions to trial and appeals. As a prosecutor, Ben handled thousands of cases ranging from traffic offenses and DUIs to domestic violence and serious felonies. As a prosecutor, he was trusted to handle some of the most challenging and high-stakes cases, giving him invaluable insight into how the State Attorney’s Office investigates, builds, and prosecutes criminal charges. Today, Ben uses that experience to defend people facing serious criminal accusations throughout Central Florida. As a criminal defense lawyer, he has handled everything from non-criminal traffic infractions to felonies punishable by life in prison, bringing the same strategic, aggressive approach to every case while building a relationship with his clients based on trust and empathy. He has represented clients in tens of thousands of criminal matters, litigated hundreds of motions to suppress evidence, and taken 40 cases to verdict at trial, winning 36 of them. Ben understands that being arrested can be one of the most overwhelming and life-changing experiences a person can face, and he believes that every client deserves a knowledgeable and relentless advocate in their corner.

I am a criminal defense lawyer who had been practicing since 1999 proudly serving Miami, Florida and the surrounding areas.

Mr. Frantz Olivier, a highly skilled litigation attorney with over twenty years of state court experience. As Principal of the law firm Olivier & Associates, P.A. in Miami, Florida, he has successfully cultivated and expanded the private practice to provide multifaceted services in the areas of civil and criminal law. A stickler for community advancement, civic and social progress, Mr. Olivier has built a reputation for supporting important causes that aim to advance the community he serves. It was one of the reasons Mr. Olivier felt it important to provide active South Florida professionals the kind of private social club experience they deserve, with a relaxing, entertaining and stimulating environment to enj