Attorney Profiles

Karen Josefsberg Ladis
Executive Director
 
Ms. Ladis joined the agency in 1991 and became its executive director in 2014 after serving as pro bono coordinator for 23 years advocating for greater access to justice for those in need. Upon graduation from University of Miami Law School, Ms. Ladis worked in private practice and became involved in the Dade County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section.  She served on the Bulletin Committee, eventually becoming Editor, and has remained an active member ever since. Ladis participates in the Florida Pro Bono Coordinators Association, The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services, Florida Civil Legal Aid Association, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Professionalism Committee, and the pro bono committees of MDFAWL, SMKB Association, Mission United, and the US Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida.  She served on the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono, the Public Service Committee of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation Attorneys Division and Young Leadership Council.  In 1998, Ladis received The Florida Bar YLD Pro Bono Public Service Award, in 2006, she received the DCBA inaugural Robert L. Shevin Public Service Award, and in 2012, she received the inaugural Eleventh Judicial Circuit Family Division Above & Beyond Award, and was awarded it again in 2015. In 2017, she received the DCBA Lifetime Achievement Award and from 2018 – 2021 was recognized as a Legal Elite Government & Non Profit Attorney.  In 2019, she was awarded the Women of Distinction Award, the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program’s Outstanding GAL Award for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, and the University of Miami Law Alumni Association Henry Latimer Leadership & Professionalism Award. In October 2021, she received the Miami Dade Bar Johnnie Ridgely President's Award. 
Juanita Cendan
Senior Supervising Attorney
 
Juanita Cendan is a graduate of Seton Hall University and Rutgers University School of Law. Upon graduation, Ms. Cendan was in private practice in New Jersey for several years prior to moving to South Florida and joining the staff of Legal Aid Society in 1990 as a Family Law Staff Attorney. In 2000, she became a Senior Supervising Attorney in Legal Aid’s Family Law Department training dozens of new attorneys and law student interns year-round. She has served as a vital liaison to the South Dade Community for decades and coordinates critical services for victims of Human Sex Trafficking. In 2018, she joined the agency’s Guardianship team to open its South Dade Guardianship Project to provide direct representation for clients in need of a legal Guardianship residing in deep South Dade. In this capacity, she coordinates outreach efforts and workshops and provides direct legal representation for family members and loved ones of indigent adult disabled individuals including migrant farm workers, elders, the medically fragile and other marginalized populations. Ms. Cendan is a member of the Dade County Bar Association Probate & Guardianship Committee, Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section and Family Violence Service Prevention Network. She served on the Board of Connect Familias which provides vital services to family and children in need. She speaks Spanish fluently.
Bruce Levine
Pro Bono Manager 
 
Mr. Levine joined Put Something Back Pro Bono Project in 1993 following Hurricane Andrew to lead the agency’s We Will Rebuild efforts. He then joined the staff as Project Attorney in July 1994 for Put Something Back, a Joint Pro Bono Project of the Courts and Bar. He is a Past-President of the Florida Pro Bono Coordinators Association and Recipient of the Kay Meyers Pro Bono Coordinator Award . Mr. Levine screens, refers and assists thousands of clients annually and refers them to pro bono attorneys and 100% Law Firm Stakeholders. He leads the COVID-19 efforts working with firms, law schools and individual attorneys seeking to give back their time and talent. In addition, he organizes cutting edge CLE seminars, staffs self help clinics and recruits and supervises law school and college interns year round. Mr. Levine served as Vice-Chair of the Dade County Alliance Against Domestic Violence and is an active member of the Dade County Anti-Defamation League Civil Rights Committee. Mr. Levine was born and raised in Hollywood, CA. He received his B.A. from the University of Southern California and J.D. from Whittier Law School.
N. Brenda Rivera-Lopez
Senior Supervising Attorney
 
A 1996 graduate of St. Thomas University School of Law, Ms. Rivera is a Senior Supervising Attorney and Grants Manager of Dade Legal Aid’s Domestic Violence Department. As an intern with Dade Legal Aid during law school, Ms. Rivera achieved success advocating on behalf of victims and collaborated on numerous boards and committees. In 1997, she joined the agency as a Staff Attorney and helped establish Dade Legal Aid’s South Dade Office located in Homestead which brings dedicated services and representation to the growing population of vulnerable victims of domestic violence in South Dade. As an Adjunct Professor at St. Thomas University School of Law, she directed the Family Law and Domestic Violence Clinic, served on the Faculty for the National Council of Family Law and Juvenile Judges and serves on the Battered Women’s’ Justice Project National Custody Workgroup. Ms. Rivera received the “Victim Service Professional of the Year Award” in 2000 and the St. Thomas University School of Law “Arete Award” in 2003 for staunch commitment and dedication to public service. She served on the Boards of MUJER (1999-2008); Domestic Violence Oversight (2006-2008) and WeCare South Dade (2004-2009) and is a Founding Member of the Miami Inclusion Alliance. Ms. Rivera was born and raised in Miami and is fluent in Spanish.
Wendy L. Robbins
Senior Supervising Attorney
 
Ms. Robbins manages both the Guardianship and Child Advocacy Departments where she focuses on the areas of Probate, Guardianship, Administrative Law, Appeals, Dependency, Family Law and Domestic Violence. In addition to handling a heavy caseload, she supervises multiple attorneys, offices and projects, including the Transitioning Youth Administrative Appeals Project and the Foster Youth Guardianship Project, where she represents former foster youth with various legal issues. A certified NITA instructor, she lectures and trains locally, statewide and nationally. During law school, she was a Florida Bar Foundation Fellow in the summer of 1996. Prior to joining Dade Legal Aid in 1998, Ms. Robbins practiced civil litigation in Lake Worth. She is a 1997 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law and is member of the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest honor attainable at University of Miami. She is the 2016 Recipient of the Robert L. Shevin Public Service Award.
Mark R. Brown
Senior Supervising Attorney
 
Mr. Brown joined Dade Legal Aid in 1998 as a Florida Bar Foundation Fellow while attending St. Thomas University School of Law. In 2000, he joined the team as a Staff Attorney in the pro bono department where he managed hundreds of cases, coordinated countless CLE seminars and staffed a variety of pro se clinics. In 2001, he managed Dade Legal Aid’s first Domestic Violence Office in Miami Beach where he represented hundreds of petitioners at domestic violence hearings. In 2003, he joined the Family Law Department where he currently serves as the Senior Supervising Attorney representing South Florida’s diverse indigent population in all aspects of family law. Mr Brown lectures frequently, supervises, trains and supports all family attorneys and administrative staff and mentors countless pro bono attorneys in partnership with Put Something Back.
Nikki Weisburd
Senior Attorney
 
A 2000 graduate of Emory University School of Law, Ms. Weisburd joined Dade Legal Aid in 2004 in the Child Advocacy Project as an Advocate for Foster Youth representing teenagers living in foster care in dependency hearings as well as assisting with social service and educational needs. Upon joining Dade Legal Aid, she researched and wrote “Achieving Independence,” the Road to Independence Training Manual for judges and attorneys representing youth aging out of foster. As the Child Advocacy Pro Bono Coordinator, she advocates for children in dependency proceedings and coordinates pro bono referrals from various partnering agencies, along with supporting and mentoring pro bono child advocates. Ms. Weisburd worked as an Advance Staff Member for Vice President Al Gore and the Clinton/Gore 1996 Presidential Campaign and as an Associate at Hunton & Williams in Atlanta prior to joining Legal Aid. Ms. Weisburd was a junior board member of Camp Twin Lakes, a medical camping program for children with special needs, and later served as counsel and event coordinator for the organization. Ms. Weisburd served as a board member of the City of Miami Beach Commission for Women and is an active member of the community. In September 2019, she was honored by Foster Care Review as its Child Welfare Professional of the Month. She is licensed in Florida and Georgia.

 
Steven G. Paulson
Senior Attorney

Steven Paulson has been with Dade Legal Aid since 2005. He is the supervisor of the domestic violence unit and is Dade Legal Aid’s Director of Litigation. He graduated from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2004 and has practiced public interest law ever since. He currently works throughout Miami-Dade County under the Victims of Crime Act Project.  He handles a high-volume practice specializing in domestic violence and family law matters and has worked with more than 3,000 clients in over 1,000 bench trials, representing victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, Dating Violence and Repeat Violence in Permanent Restraining Order hearings. As Dade Legal Aid’s Director of Litigation, he is responsible for training, mentoring and supervising staff attorneys, volunteers and certified legal interns. He also participates in outreach programs training service providers, victim advocates and police officers. He is a Past-President of the South Miami-Kendall Bar Association and continues to be active throughout the community. In his free time, he is a talented musician and aviator.

Yolande Henry VanDam
Senior Attorney
 
Ms. Henry VanDam is a 2002 graduate of St. Thomas University School of Law. After working as an Assistant State Attorney with the Broward State Attorney's Office, and then as a Department Attorney with the Department of Children and Families for several years, Ms. Henry VanDam joined the staff of Dade Legal Aid in the Family Department in 2006. She handles paternity and divorce cases for diverse indigent individuals and families in need of assistance with nowhere else to turn for help. Ms. Henry Van Dam was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2003, and is also admitted to the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida. She has devoted her career to public service and continues her involvement in her community as a is member of the Dade County Bar Association and the Florida Bar Family Law Section. In 2016, she was selected to serve as a Fellow for the Florida Bar Foundation’s inaugural Racial Justice Fellows Program to help improve the delivery of quality legal services to the ever growing diverse poverty community.
Evita Llaguno-Feria
Senior Attorney

Ms. LLaguno-Feria embarked on her career at Dade Legal Aid in 2004 as a Certified Legal Intern through St. Thomas University School of Law’s Family Law Clinic. During her year-long internship, Mrs. Llaguno-Feria had the opportunity to represent domestic violence victims at their Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence hearings under the supervision of an attorney, and, in 2006, joined the staff as a Family Law Attorney where she has successfully represented thousands of clients including victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in complex Divorce, Paternity and Temporary Relative Custody cases. She serves as a Guardian ad Litem, mentor and supervisor to new staff and project attorneys and supervises Certified Legal Interns throughout the year. Mrs. Llaguno-Feria is a member of The Florida Bar, Family Law Section, Dade County Bar, Family Court Committee, Florida Association of Women Lawyers, and Florida Bar Family Law Section and is fluent in Spanish.

Kristen Feuer
Senior Attorney
 
Kristen Feuer joined Dade Legal Aid in 2006 as a Child Advocacy Attorney representing teenagers in the foster care system. Ms. Feuer is a graduate of the New England School of Law and member of The Florida Bar since 2005. A true collaborator and visionary, she is a member of the Dade County Bar Association Juvenile Courts Committee (currently serving as a co-vice chair) and the Probate & Guardianship Committee. In addition to handling complex Juvenile Dependency cases and mentoring countless pro bono attorneys and staff, she also handles an active caseload in the Guardianship Department representing older foster teens and other needy clients in Guardianship proceedings. A thoughtful and dedicated champion of children’s rights, Ms. Feuer is a frequent lecturer and has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout her career. In 2008 Ms. Feuer received the First Annual Guardian ad Litem “Thinking Outside the Box” Award for her innovative and creative legal strategies. In 2012 Ms. Feuer was named the 11th Circuit “Champion Attorney” in the area of Independent Living by the Guardian Ad Litem Program recognizing her excellence in the field. In 2013, Ms. Feuer was a recipient of the “Circuit Team Award” from the Statewide GAL Office for exemplary teamwork and advocacy. Ms. Feuer is dedicated to serving the community in her personal time and currently sits on the Education Advisory board for the Village of Miami Shores.

Stephanie Grosman
Staff and GAL Mentor Attorney

Ms. Grosman began her career at Dade Legal Aid in 2006 representing victims’ rights in domestic violence injunction hearings. She is currently a Staff Attorney in the Family Unit where she handles complex family cases, serves as a Guardian Ad Litem in contested family cases, and mentors hundreds of pro bono GAL attorneys through the Child Advocacy Project at Put Something Back. She created a Pro Bono Users Guide and FAQ for GAL Volunteer Attorneys through a Florida Bar Foundation grant and keeps the manual and volunteers up to date. The founding fellow of the Inaugural Class of the Dade Legal Aid Leadership Academy, she serves as its Coordinator and recruits talented lawyers to serve as ambassadors. In addition, Ms. Grosman organizes a variety of special events, fundraisers, and projects for the agency year-round. She is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Dade County Bar Association and serves on its Membership Committee. She previously served on the board of the Young Lawyers Section. In 2017, she received the Legal Luminaries Top Pro Bono & Public Interest Attorney Award for outstanding community involvement. In 2016, she was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers of South Florida by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for taking on numerous leadership roles. She served as Host Committee Chair of the 5th Annual Singles for Switchboard Bachelor Auction and has been featured in Brickell Magazine “Miami’s Best Dressed” edition. Ms. Grosman authored an article on the importance of performing pro bono work entitled “Lawyers Can Lend a Hand by Doing Pro Bono Work” which appeared in the Miami Herald and assists with social media and newsletters. She earned her JD from Stetson University College of Law and her BA from Barry University. She is fluent in Spanish.

Dana Viggiano
Staff Attorney

Ms. Viggiano is a 2008 graduate of St. Thomas University School of Law. While in law school, she joined Dade Legal Aid as a Certified Legal Intern in the Domestic Violence Department and represented victims of domestic violence under the supervision of an attorney. After graduation, she joined the Child Advocacy team in 2009 where she zealously represented teens ages 14-19 years in dependency proceedings and assisted them with their transition from foster care to independent living. She is an accomplished and dedicated Guardian ad Litem Attorney, frequent lecturer on child advocacy issues and mentor to Put Something Back pro bono attorneys handling human sex trafficking cases for foster youth.

Alexandra Mesa
Staff Attorney

Upon graduation from Florida International University College of Law in 2011, Ms. Mesa joined Dade Legal Aid as an FIU College of Law Fellow in the Family Law Department. While in law school, Ms. Mesa earned the Dean’s List, worked at the U.S. EEOC with the Chief Administrative Judge handling employment discrimination cases and was also part of the Florida International College of Law Immigrant Children’s Clinic where she represented children in Dependency and Immigration Court. At the conclusion of her fellowship, she worked in private practice handling insurance defense cases. In 2013, Ms. Mesa became the Housing Attorney for the agency handling an active caseload of Landlord Tenant matters which includes Trailer Park cases and COVID-19 Evictions. In addition to serving as the agency’s Lead Housing Attorney, she handles a full Family caseload and provides critical support to her colleagues and pro bono attorneys. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Florida Atlantic University in 2006 where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in International Business and Trade as well as General Marketing.

Silvia Perez
Staff Attorney

Ms. Perez graduated cum laude from FIU with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology. In May of 2001, she graduated from St. Thomas School of Law where she was an integral part of Law Review and authored “Alternatives in Fighting Street Gangs,” which was published in the Winter 2001, St. Thomas Law Review. In her final semester, she interned at Dade Legal Aid as a certified intern in the Family Court Clinic. In 2001, she was hired to establish the satellite office in Florida City to provide assistance to the migrant farmworker community. The following year, she became the Project Attorney of the Homestead Satellite Office representing survivors of domestic violence, training and supervising Certified Legal Interns from St. Thomas University enrolled in the Family Law Clinic program. After more than a decade in private practice handling cases in the areas of family law, domestic violence, dependency/juvenile, as well as arguing appeals before the Third District Court of Appeal, she returned to Dade Legal Aid to represent victims of domestic violence in the Hialeah office. Her dedication and passion are evident both professionally and personally throughout the community. In 2002, she received a Community Service Award from the City of Homestead and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In 2004, she was a Faculty Presenter at the 27th National Children’s Law Conference on Representing Children in Civil Cases involving Domestic Violence. In 2005, she was featured on “The Voice of Women” radio program at 1450 AM. In 2008, she presented at the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence training for South Florida Clerk of Courts. In 2009, she received The Arête Award for Distinguished Alumni in Public Service from St. Thomas University School of Law.

Geoffrey Valdes-Alba
Staff Attorney


Since 2017, Geoffrey Valdes-Alba, Esq. has served as a dedicated and passionate Domestic Violence Attorney for Dade Legal Aid. He previously worked as an Attorney/Case Manager for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit for five years. As the Senior Attorney/Case Manager, he worked closely with the Courts, closing the highest number of cases in a one-month period with the assistance of the judges and judicial staff. In that capacity, he also mentored new attorneys, judicial interns and other case management staff, giving them direction and guidance on how to proceed with challenging cases. Prior to working as a Case Manager, Mr. Valdes-Alba was in private practice handling family law cases at Alba Law, P.A. Mr. Valdes-Alba is a member of the Florida Bar, DCBA, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, the First Family Law American Inn of Court, and served as Chair of the DCBA Family Law Committee. He is knowledgeable in all aspects of Family Law, Bankruptcy, Wills, and Domestic Violence. He is a 2007 graduate of Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School. In his free time he enjoys playing guitar.

Cynthia A. Stafford
Staff Attorney

Ms. Stafford joined Dade Legal Aid over 20 years ago as a Domestic Violence intern, then became a Staff Attorney implementing the Legal Aid Miami Beach Domestic Violence Collaborative bringing the first legal and social services to victims of domestic violence residing in Miami Beach. After serving eight years as a State Representative in the Florida House of Representatives, Ms. Stafford returned to Dade Legal Aid as a Domestic Violence Attorney. First elected to the Florida Legislature in 2010 and subsequently re-elected to four consecutive terms, Ms. Stafford served as a Legislator until 2018 when she was unable to run again due to term limits. As a Legislator, Ms. Stafford was House Minority Policy Chair and on the Appropriations, Policy and Judiciary Committees (Ranking Member). In 2012, the Mary Kay Foundation awarded a grant in recognition of Ms. Stafford to the Miami Rescue Mission to support housing and services for domestic violence victims and their children. In 2013, the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar honored her with the Legislator Award for her efforts on behalf of Florida’s families throughout the legislative session. In 2018, Lotus House Shelter for Homeless Women and Children honored Ms. Stafford with the Leadership Award for her efforts in the Legislature. In 2021, she was presented the Honorable Robert Shevin Public Service Award by the Miami Dade Bar for her longstanding commitment to public service.  Ms. Stafford was born and raised in Liberty City and earned her J.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law. Ms. Stafford also teaches at Miami-Dade College School of justice. A true visionary and leader, in 2020 she helped launch Dade Legal Aid’s satellite offices in The Joseph Caleb Center.

Yesenia Arocha
Staff Attorney

Yesenia Arocha, a Miami Native, represents low-income clients, mainly domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in abuse prevention matters in Dade Legal Aid’s Homestead Office. She is a member of The Florida Bar, Miami-Dade County Bar Association and Family Law Sections. Mrs. Arocha earned her J.D. in 2007 from St. Thomas University School of Law and her B.A. in 2004 from Florida International University. Prior to joining Dade Legal Aid, she handled cases for immigrant children and trained, supervised and mentored hundreds of pro bono attorneys and firms throughout South Florida in the areas of Dependency, Family Law and Immigration. Under her supervision, countless child victims of abuse, abandonment and neglect received legal services. She feels privileged to be representing clients in what is sometimes their darkest hour stating that providing legal assistance to those in need is gratifying beyond measure.

Marietta Galindez Fanjul
Staff Attorney

Mrs. Galindez Fanjul joined the agency 20 years ago as a Staff Attorney before moving to Texas. In 2019, she returned to Miami and re-joined Dade Legal Aid as a Family Law Staff Attorney handling complex family law cases. Mrs. Galindez Fanjul focuses her practice on representing survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault reach fair and positive outcomes in family proceedings. She earned her BA from Boston College with a degree in English and French, and her JD from Nova Southeastern Shepard Broad College of Law, where she was the recipient of an MPLE Scholarship and a Staff Member of the ILSA Journal of International and Comparative Law. Mrs. Galindez Fanjul is fluent in Spanish and is a member of the Florida Bar (2000), Miami-Dade County Bar Association, The Florida Bar Family Law Section & First Family Law American Inn of Court.