Consumer Rights

Noha Gabra is admitted to the State Bar of California. She is admitted to practice law in the Supreme Court of California, all Federal Courts of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and all Federal Courts in the Southern, Central, Northern, and Eastern Districts of California. Ms. Gabra is a highly skilled attorney with over 10 years experience in the fields of consumer rights, bankruptcy, contracts law, lender laws, FDCPA & Rosenthal violations. She strives to represent her all clients effectively and has experience working in large firms with an intense case load. Noha is absolutely dedicated to providing the highest quality of services while making every experience personalized for her clients.

Andrew Lampros has an active trial and litigation practice representing plaintiffs. Andrew has litigated and tried matters in a variety of settings, including Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), products liability, wrongful death, tractor-trailer accidents, automobile accidents, consumer fraud, civil rights, negligent security, nursing home and assisted living negligence, insurance bad faith, business torts, and commercial litigation.

Senator Ira I. Silverstein was first elected to the Illinois Senate in 1998. Throughout his tenure representing the 8th Senate District, he has been an advocate for good government and a strong voice for making communities safer and protecting consumer rights. Senator Silverstein was singled out in the past by a Chicago Tribune editorial as being a "quiet but hard working" legislator and one of the "few members who actually reads all proposed legislation." Senator Silverstein is a leading voice for public safety, passing legislation protecting children from known sexual predators and from "cyber-bullies". He is a tireless promoter of consumer rights as well as Internet and technology-related protections. He serves on the Senate's Executive, Financial Institutions, Executive Appointments, Insurance and Judiciary Committees. Senator Silverstein earned his bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago and his law degree from the John Marshall Law School. He is married to Debra Silverstein, a CPA and Alderman of Chicago's 50th Ward. They have four children.

Mr. Perez has represented and delivered results for clients in matters involving: landlord tenant, breach of warranties, insurance coverage claims, property damage matters, intentional torts, mediation, negligence claims, dog and animal bites, business litigation, construction, libel slander defamation, civil fraud, the Ohio Consumer Protection Act, personal injury, premises liability (slip and fall), contract and agreement disputes, trespass and boundary disputes, Fair Credit Reporting Act and other civil matters.

Andrei Armas is a founding partner of Armas & Joseph. Mr. Armas specializes in consumer protection, including banking, credit, debt collection, and deceptive business practices. Over the last 10 years, Mr. Armas has successfully litigated and fought for consumers' rights involving identity theft, unauthorized transactions, debt collection and credit reporting. Mr. Armas has also successfully represented consumers with misrepresented services and goods, including through class action litigation.

“When a client selects our office to represent them, it is a great honor. Our clients trust us to navigate them through the rigors of a high-stakes legal system. There is nothing more professionally satisfying to me than rewarding that trust by achieving a successful result.” Tim is experienced in all areas of complex litigation and alternative dispute resolution and focuses his practice on medical malpractice, personal injury, and appellate law. A partner in Phelan, Phelan & Danek and head of the Appellate Law practice, his strength is a comprehensive knowledge of the law and understanding of the legal process. Prior to entering private practice, Tim served as an Appellate Court Attorney for the Appellate Division Third Department. This experience provided him an insider's perspective of the different courts, and how the court decision process works. He has been with Phelan, Phelan & Danek from the beginning, and values its big firm experience, small firm relationships, and the family environment. Tim is very active with his family and community. He serves as Board President with Niskayuna Youth Football & Cheerleading, works with the Niskayuna Town Parks & Recreation Committee, and coaches his daughter's travel softball team. Married for 14 years to his high school sweetheart Jessica, he has 3 children, softball player Cadence, 11, footballer Brooks, 10, and 6-year-old Lilly, who specializes in 'trouble'. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire Please describe a case(s) in the last year or two where you made a big difference. I received a call from a 10 year old girl who broke her wrists using monkey bars at school.  After falling, her teacher declined to let her see the nurse and she completed the school day.  She was healing well, but several attorneys turned down her case believing that her damages were limited.  The School District’s insurance company claimed that they were only responsible for a couple of hours of pain and suffering and offered nuisance value.  I took the case and sued the School District for depriving the child of her civil rights under 42 U.S.C. section 1983, by depriving the child of her basic human right to medical care.  The case settled quickly after that for a substantial settlement. How did you build a successful practice? The cornerstone of my practice, as with most, is to listen specifically to my client’s needs.  I believe what sets my practice apart, is creativity in designing approaches to reach a client’s goals using all available avenues.  To achieve this goal, I have developed expertise in all means available.  From trial to alternative dispute resolution, I have the expertise to achieve the goals of my clients in the means that best suits their objectives. What should clients look for in a lawyer? First and foremost, clients should look for an experienced lawyer who listens to them and understands their core objectives.  I believe that a fundamental component to the lawyer’s job is to ensure that he or she understands exactly what the client’s objectives are.  Once the objectives are clearly identified, the attorney’s responsibility to provide the client with available options to achieve that goal and an honest evaluation of the case. What information can you provide in a free phone consultation? During our initial telephone conversation, we will discuss the aspects of your case and get an understanding of not only what happened, but what you would like to have happen moving forward.  At this point, we will determine if my firm is an appropriate match for you.  If so, we will make a plan to meet and discuss what materials, if necessary, we should review as we continue to develop a plan. What information do you need in a free phone consultation? During the initial telephone conversation, clients should be prepared to generally discuss the nature of their case and be prepared with as many details as possible.  We need to know what happened, and how it has impacted you.  In addition, we need to know the timing of the occurrences that give rise to your potential claim.  Time may be of the essence, so please call as soon as possible.  We are here and ready to help you. What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? What differentiates me from other lawyers in this field is the perspectives on the law and the system that I have honed over the course of my career.  One of the keys to the development of my practice was my time as a clerk with the Appellate Division, Third Department.  Not only was I exposed to several types of cases while there, but I gained the valuable and rare perspective of the cases from the Court’s view.  Using these experiences, I have endeavored to create a practice model that is friendly to the Court’s needs.  I find that this approach has been helpful to achieve client goals. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding part of my job is the satisfaction that I take away from making a difference in my client’s lives.  Clients come to our firm with a need, and often in distress.  We work hard to reach a conclusion of their case that meets their needs and improves their lives.  The opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of others is what sparked my interest in the law years ago and still fuels my practice today. What are your other interests in addition to law? I am an active volunteer in the Community.  I have four children and coach youth football.

Attorney Edward Kraus is the Managing Partner of Kraus Law Group, LLC in Chicago, Illinois. Since 1999, he has taught Health and Disability Law classes and has represented individuals in many cases involving complex health and disability matters. Previously, Mr. Kraus served as an attorney at the law firm of Plotkin, Jacobs, & Orlofsky, Ltd., focusing on civil litigation and consumer class actions in Chicagoland. Mr. Kraus is the director of the Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic, where he represents those who have suffered from vaccination injuries. He served on the Advisory Commission of Childhood Vaccines from September 2011 to January 2017, where he was one of nine members who provided input regarding the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). Edward Kraus is an active member of the American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. He has also been actively involved on the American Diabetes Association, Health & Disability Advocates, Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines, Department of Health & Human Services, and the Vaccine Committee of the Advisory Council to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Mr. Kraus has been admitted to the Illinois Bar Association, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. District Court, the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He is a proud graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.

Harrece Gassery is an attorney licensed to practice in the state of Louisiana. His interests include Criminal Defense, Criminal Appeals, Civil Rights Violations, Personal Injury, Social Security Disability and Veterans Benefits Claims. As a law student he completed externships at the Innocence Project and East Baton Rouge Public Defender’s office. He was also a member of the Public Interest Law Society, Black Law Student Association, and Christian Legal Society. He is a man of faith, and it is this faith that drives his want to help those in need and work zealously on their behalf.

Sadhana Ghimire is an Associate Attorney at JML Law’s Orange County office, where she litigates employee-side employment and personal injury cases. Before becoming licensed in California, Sadhana practiced law in Nepal as a Partner with Lawyers & Company and was a law professor at the Kathmandu School of Law. Before joining JML Law, Sadhana worked extensively in human rights at an international level, including serving as Team Leader for the United Nations Development Program in Nepal, Director of Programs for International Alert, and Country Director for Global Rights-Partners for Justice. Her work with these institutions revolved around working closely with the justices, district attorneys, and parliamentarians to improve the rights of people through legislative, executive, and judicial interventions. As part of her ongoing doctoral studies in Judicial Science from Loyola Law School, Sadhana’s research focuses on human trafficking and modern-day slavery and the challenges to the modern rule of law and governance systems. She previously served as Vice-Chair of Loyola Law School’s Justice Collaborative Group to advocate for racial and gender equality. Ms. Ghimire holds a Master’s Degree in Law from George Mason University, Virginia. Her second Master’s Degree in Law is from the Kathmandu School of Law. She holds a post-graduate degree in International Law from the Utrecht University, Institute of Social Studies, in the Hague, the Netherlands. Her Bachelor’s Degree (Equivalent to JD) in Law is from Tribhuvan University, Nepal.

Michael F. Torphy is a practicing lawyer in the state of Wisconsin. Mr. Torphy received his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin School of Law in 1992. Thirty Two years of experience, specialized knowledge, and flexible payment options, guarantee tailor-made, targeted solutions. We make your problems our priority. The difference isn't the law, the difference is the lawyer. Mr. Torphy represents business, banking, insurance and individual clients in a variety of areas including criminal, FINRA, SEC, wrongful death, personal injuries, compliance, litigation, litigation planning, risk management, contract writing, RFP responses, Safe Harbor regulations and human resource issues. Significant litigation experience involving personal injuries, contract disputes, land rights, leasehold rights, real estate transfer issues, business formation and dissolution, probate matters, family law matters, criminal charges, foreclosure, insurance bad faith, denial of government services, governmental property seizure, and denial of consumer-rights issues.