Attorneys
Jonathan Genish
FOUNDER, LEAD TRIAL ATTORNEY
Jonathan M. Genish is an award-winning trial attorney who has represented the full gamut of clients from A-list celebrities to Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and individuals over his productive career. Super Lawyers has repeatedly honored Mr. Genish as a Southern California Rising Star since 2012, placing him in the top 2.5% of lawyers in Southern California in his peer group. Mr. Genish has successfully tried numerous multimillion-dollar matters and has represented clients in cases totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Mr. Genish has argued matters in various State and Federal Courts across the country, as well as the California Court of Appeals. Over his many years of experience, Mr. Genish has developed a reputation for aggressive, relentless and creative advocacy.
Prior to founding Blackstone Law, Mr. Genish worked at different high-end boutique litigation firms in Los Angeles. Mr. Genish received his Juris Doctorate from Cardozo School of Law in New York City, and a Bachelor of Science with honors in both Real Estate and Finance from California State University of Northridge.
He is a father to three beautiful children. A true family man to his core, Mr. Genish has a sense of compassion and empathy for his clients that truly sets him apart from his contemporaries.
Matthew W. Dietz
SENIOR TRIAL ATTORNEY & TEAM LEAD
Mr. Dietz has aggressively litigated civil cases in California for over a decade. He has represented government agencies in high-profile employment law, general liability and civil rights matters, including representing some of the largest school districts in California. His prior experience includes working at one of the largest firms in the U.S., as well as a highly respected litigation boutique, where he represented the full gamut of businesses from Fortune 500 companies to mom-and-pop shops in employment and business litigation matters in state and federal court and administrative bodies. Over the course of his career, Mr. Dietz has overseen multiple multi-million dollar settlements and achieved numerous judgments for his clients via motion practice, arbitration and trial.
Having years of prior experience representing employers, Mr. Dietz brings a unique perspective and knowledge to his practice now exclusively representing employees. In joining Blackstone Law, Mr. Dietz has returned to what brought him to the law in first place, a desire to achieve justice for employees who were aggrieved by their employers.
Mr. Dietz received his Juris Doctorate from Washington University School of Law (ranked 18th in the nation) and a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is married to an attorney and has two daughters.
Barbara DuVan-Clarke
SENIOR TRIAL ATTORNEY & TEAM LEAD
During a quite challenging time in the world with situations like Saddam Hussein and the Rwandan genocides, Barbara thought that she wanted to practice international criminal law. Accordingly, she went to a law school with ties to each of the International Criminal Tribunals. After deciding that prosecuting war crimes was not how she wanted to spend her career, Barbara began a law clerk position at a boutique plaintiff’s-side employment discrimination firm. She fell in love, and has been fighting for plaintiffs in employment law cases ever since – even before graduating from law school.
Barbara has been litigating, mediating, and arbitrating on behalf of people who have been treated unfairly at work since 2008. She is dedicated to fighting for the rights of California’s employees in both individual and class cases. As a working mom, Barbara has a particular passion for vindicating the rights of women who have suffered breastfeeding, pregnancy, and other sex discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Demonstrative of her dedication to workers’ rights, Ms. DuVan-Clarke was the inaugural Chair of the CELA Women’s Committee, is the current Co-Chair of the CELA Mentor Committee, and is a member of the CELA Elimination of Bias in the Judiciary Committee, as well as a member of CAALA and LEFTJAW.
Ms. DuVan-Clarke obtained her Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in 2007, and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UCLA in 2003. Barbara enjoys spending time with her two fantastic children and her supportive husband.
Michael N. Jones
SENIOR TRIAL ATTORNEY
Formerly an academic whose publications include both literary and legal scholarship, Mr. Jones is a seasoned litigator. Having worked at big law and boutique firms, he has represented major corporations, small and mid-market businesses, and individuals in litigation and appeals in both federal and state court on both the plaintiff and defense sides.
His experience runs the gamut: from high-stakes securities litigation involving fortune 500 companies; to helping to resolve a dispute between the former managers of actor James Franco, which was covered extensively by the entertainment trades; to helping litigate a potential seven-figure class action involving a private security firm in Iraq; to pro bono work, which includes obtaining the rare reversal on appeal of an improperly issued restraining order.
At his previous firm, Stris & Maher, Mr. Jones also co-authored winning U.S. Supreme Court briefs in Merrill Lynch v. Manning (No. 14-1132), Limelight Networks v. Akamai Technologies (No. 15-993), and Dollar General v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (No. 13-1496).
Balliol College, Oxford: B.A., First Class Honors, English Language and Literature – Stanford University: Ph.D, English Literature – Berkeley Law School: Juris Doctorate
Miriam Schimmel
SENIOR TRIAL ATTORNEY & TEAM LEAD
Ms. Schimmel’s practice is dedicated to employment litigation matters on behalf of California employees. More than half of Ms. Schimmel’s experience has been focused on representing employees in wage and hour class and representative actions for labor code violations (including, but not limited to, claims unpaid overtime, minimum wages, expense reimbursement, meal and rest period), as well as consumer and privacy right matters. Ms. Schimmel’s experience also includes representing employees in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation matters against employers who violate California law. She has successfully prosecuted and resolved hundreds of cases.
Prior to joining Blackstone, Ms. Schimmel gained crucial experience representing employers while working for a large national defense firm. This knowledge gives her great insight into the motivations and strategies utilized by defense counsel and employers during the litigation and settlement process.
Ms. Schimmel was also an integral part of the legal team who obtained an historic settlement on behalf of hundreds of survivors of childhood sexual abuse against the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
Outside of work, Ms. Schimmel enjoys spending her free time with her family, traveling, attending concerts, eating good food and working out. She has also taught Krav Maga, the Israeli-based self-defense system, since 2008.
Stephen Wiard
SENIOR TRIAL ATTORNEY & TEAM LEAD
Stephen Wiard is a Senior Trial Lawyer at Blackstone Law. Stephen is an experienced employment litigator who has represented hundreds of California workers and successfully recovered millions of dollars for his clients in verdicts and settlements. Stephen’s practice focuses on representing employees in the areas of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Stephen has been recognized for his efforts by being named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine every year since 2017, an honor reserved for just 2.5% of eligible Southern California lawyers.
Stephen graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and American Studies and received his Juris Doctorate from Chapman University School of Law. Prior to joining Blackstone Law, Stephen worked as a civil rights attorney at two well respected litigation firms. Stephen is an active member of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), where he frequently assists in drafting and advocating for workers rights’ legislation. Stephen also gives back to his community by volunteering with Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities (LATLC).
When he’s not working, Stephen trains in the martial art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and enjoys traveling and attending sporting events with his beautiful wife and daughter.
Hazel Blackman
SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Hazel Blackman represents individuals in all employment matters involving wage and hour disputes and claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Prior to joining Blackstone, PC, Ms. Blackman also represented individuals in criminal and family law matters, which afforded her extensive courtroom experience. She has experience in handling cases at all stages of litigation, including severance negotiations, mediation, discovery, motion practice, and trial.
Ms. Blackman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Legal Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her Juris Doctorate from University of Davis- School of Law, where she was a Managing Articles Editor for the Journal of Juvenile Law and Policy, Co-Chair of the Filipino Law Student Association, Negotiations Team Board Member, and recipient of the Pro Bono Program Certificate and Public Service Law Program.
Ms. Blackman is licensed to practice in California and all districts of the United States District Court in California. Outside of her practice, Ms. Blackman enjoys camping and hiking with her husband and two sons, as well trying new desserts and boba drinks.
Stephanie Chyorny
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Stephanie Chyorny’s practice includes representing individuals in personal injury, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour cases. Prior to joining Blackstone, Stephanie practiced at a highly respected litigation boutique, where she represented large corporations and insurance companies in all aspects of litigation.
Ms. Chyorny holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her Juris Doctorate with a concentration in Civil Litigation and Advocacy from Southwestern Law School, where she was a Dean’s Merit Scholar.
While earning her law degree, Ms. Chyorny served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Stephen V. Wilson at the United States District Court and worked as a law clerk at several litigation firms.
Ms. Chyorny is licensed to practice in California and the U.S. Central District Court for the Central District of California. Ms. Chyorny is proficient in Russian.
Joana Fang
SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Joana Fang is an Associate Attorney with expertise in personal injury, insurance litigation, class action, employment litigation, and consumer protection laws.
Ms. Fang has extensive experience in case management and all aspects of litigation, from drafting the complaint to engaging in the discovery process, settlement negotiations, and preparing for trial. During her legal career, she has helped her clients obtain six and seven figures as compensation for their injuries.
Ms. Fang is a prolific writer who has written and published numerous articles on Law360, The Recorder, and Daily Journal. She has also led seminars on taking depositions and litigating sexual abuse cases against schools and public entities.
Ms. Fang holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Legal Studies and Media Studies from University of California, Berkeley, and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where she was a production editor on the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review.
Ms. Fang is licensed to practice in California and all districts of the United States District Court in California.
Lara Heckman
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Lara is an associate attorney at Blackstone Law. She graduated from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice and a minor in Communications. Lara then earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles where she specialized in Critical Race Studies.
While in law school, Lara worked as a law clerk at the District of Columbia Public Defender Service and as a judicial clerk in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Hearings Unit in Los Angeles. She was involved with the El Centro Teen Court Clinic, Disability Law Journal, and Incarcerated Persons Correspondence Project at UCLA Law. Lara is passionate about workers’ rights and helping those who have been discriminated against in their workplace.
Outside of work, Lara loves to spend time with her Pomeranian, Leonardo da Vinci, take Pilates classes, or hit the beach with a romcom in hand.
PJ Van Ert
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Alex Spellman
SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Alex Spellman is an Associate Attorney with Blackstone and has been practicing Plaintiff’s side employment law exclusively since 2016, including class action wage and hour, PAGA, and individual suits including all manner of wrongful termination suits based on workplace discrimination or whistleblower retaliation.
Mr. Spellman takes an active role in all his cases from the prelitigation stages, through filing and the discovery process, to the point where either resolution is reached or the matter goes to be adjudicated, whether at trial or arbitration. Mr. Spellman has helped many clients obtain six and seven figure settlements or awards since Mr. Spellman turned his total focus to Plaintiff’s side employment litigation.
Mr. Spellman wanted to work in labor and employment for as long as he wanted to be a lawyer, and in fact, spent his third year of law school as an extern with the National Labor Relations Board, Region 31. However, soon after Mr. Spellman took the bar exam in 2007 and became a lawyer, the world fell into “The Great Recession”, and Mr. Spellman spent much of his few years as a lawyer in bankruptcy law and related consumer law and litigation. Mr. Spellman endeavors to use those financial skills he learned from Federal Bankruptcy courts over the years to better counsel clients and colleagues when necessary. A Los Angeles native, Mr. Spellman is a 2006 graduate of Loyola Law School and a 2001 graduate of University of California (B.A. American Literature and Culture, magna cum laude). Mr. Spellman is licensed to practice in all state and District courts of California.
When not working, Mr. Spellman is the proud father of twin tween-age daughters and a 1-year-old daughter. Mr. Spellman dedicates most of his free time to his wife and daughters and further exploration of Southern California and its environs.
Management
Jeremy Avitan
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Jeremy is the Chief Financial Officer at Blackstone Law. His responsibilities include finance, accounting, reporting, strategic planning and overseeing all financial decisions, such as budgeting and cash flow management.
Prior to joining Blackstone Law, Jeremy spent six years as the CFO and COO of Fortus Partners – a vertically integrated real estate investment firm. Jeremy spent the six years prior to Fortus Partners as the CFO and CCO of Baker Street Capital – a SEC registered investment management firm.
Jeremy holds a B.A. in Business Economics with an emphasis in Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.
He believes in working hard and playing hard – giving 110% to every day, whether at work or at home.
In his free time, he is dedicated to his wife and four children, where he can be found coaching a soccer or baseball team. Additionally, he is devoted to his Jewish community and local synagogue.
Mona Marquez
PERSONAL INJURY DEPARTMENT MANAGER
Mona Marquez has more than 13 years of extensive experience in the field of personal injury. Prior to joining Blackstone Law, she was the senior negotiator and office administrator for over ten years with a law firm specializing in personal injury, workers compensation and social security. Mona’s relentless approach in negotiations has led injured clients to millions of dollars in their pockets. Mona has helped navigate hundreds of clients through the complex social security system to obtain benefits they were wrongfully denied.
She has a passion for helping people through difficult situations and truly believes with hard work, determination and the perfect strategy, anything is obtainable. Mona graduated magna cum laude from California State University of Dominguez Hills where she received her Master of Arts in Negotiation and Conflict Management. Mona also earned her Bachelor of Science with honors in Criminal Justice from California State University of Long Beach.
During graduate school, her quest to learn led her to the completion of the Dispute Resolution Training Program at the Los Angeles City’s Attorney’s Office, earning a certification in Mediation. Thrilled to put those skills to good use, Mona taught peer mediation to middle school students to assist them in resolving campus conflicts.
Mona is proud to be the mother of a U.S. Marine and a world class, all-star cheerleader whose team is ranked 3rd in the U.S. and 6th in the world.
Victor Velazquez
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Victor is the Chief Operating Officer at Blackstone Law. He is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in business administration, with an emphasis in human resource management at the University of Phoenix.
Prior to joining Blackstone Law and his role as the Chief Operating Officer, Victor was a human resources team leader for over four years, and he has an extensive amount of experience in intake, personal injury, and employment law.
He is professional, compassionate, devoted, and loyal! He is fluent in both English and Spanish, which allows him to better serve our clients.
When not at work, he can be found roaming Disneyland or enjoying a newly discovered mystery novel with his vanilla iced coffee!
Professional Staff
Josh Ayala
INTAKE SPECIALIST
Josh is an intake specialist at Blackstone. He is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy with hopes and dreams to soon be able to attend Law School.
He has an extensive amount of experience Issue Spotting for Employment Law Matters making him a great source of help to our clients.
Prior to joining Blackstone, Josh Developed experience in different Law practices such Workers Compensation, Tort Law and Criminal Defense.
When not working, he can be found at six flags screaming his lungs out. He loves the Thrill!!
Maury Demarcos
LEGAL RECEPTIONIST
Maury is our legal receptionist at Blackstone Law. Her responsibilities include answering phone calls and greeting clients.
Her passion lies with helping others understand their rights.
She is caring, patient and professional. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.
When not at work Maury likes to cuddle with her cats and watch true crime with some red wine.
Joshua Duran
INTAKE SPECIALIST
Joshua is currently pursing his bachelors degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Business Analytics.
Before joining our team, Joshua worked in many different areas of law including Subrogation, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury and Workers Compensation.
Additionally, he spent two years working in the mortgage industry gaining immense knowledge in real estate markets and client satisfaction.
His main focus is to create & scale companies that will have a positive impact on the world.
Being from Spain, Joshua is fluent in both Spanish and English.
He works hard, plays hard, is thoughtful, caring & cordial which makes him a great asset to our firm.
On his free time, you can look out into the ocean and see Joshua surfing or see him trying out new restaurants across Los Angeles.
Wendy Estrada
INTAKE SPECIALIST
Wendy is an intake specialist at Blackstone Law. She has over 10 years of customer service experience which enable her to assist clients with empathy and care.
Prior to joining Blackstone Law, Wendy worked with children as a pediatric dental assistant, giving her the ability to have a softer touch when dealing with delicate situations.
When not at work, Wendy is in the kitchen cooking up new recipes, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Daisy Gonzalez
SENIOR INTAKE SPECIALIST
Daisy is the senior intake specialist at Blackstone Law. Prior to joining the firm, she worked as an assistant community manager.
Her experience in property management helped her expand her ability to effectively communicate and grow her exceptional customer service. Daisy’s acquired skills, positive personality and high level of attentiveness are vital to the firm’s productivity.
In her free time, Daisy enjoys spending quality time with her son, and finding a new hiking trail.
Perla Isiordia
INTAKE SPECIALIST
Perla is an intake specialist at Blackstone Law. She was born and raised in Nayarit Mexico.
Perla graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with two Bachelor’s Degrees, one in Legal Studies and the other in Sociology. She has years of experience helping those who have been unjustly served by their employers.
In her free time you can find Perla hitting a new PR at the gym, hiking under the sun or watching a Harry Potter movie.
Luis Juarez
INTAKE SPECIALIST
Luis Juarez is an intake specialist with over 10 years of customer service experience. In connection to joining Blackstone Law, he has 8 years of Property Management experience. He is bilingual in English and Spanish. Luis has magnetic presence and he uses his positive attitude and energy to help people towards success. He strongly believes in taking a collaborative approach to helping clients reach their goals.
Luis was born and raised in Los Angeles, outside of work he enjoys watching and playing sports and enjoy spending time with his Fiancé and Son at the happiest place on earth (Disneyland).
Saim Khan
LEGAL INTAKE ASSISTANT
Saim is our legal intake assistant at Blackstone Law. He is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in business administration, with an emphasis in finance.
Before joining Blackstone Saim worked in the mortgage industry which helped establish his excellent communication and customer service skills. He is also fluent in Urdu, Hindi, and English.
When not at work you can find Saim training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or hitting a new PR at the gym.
Mireya Luna
CASE MANAGER
Mireya was born and raised in Long Beach, California. After completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Grand Canyon University, she obtained two prior internships in law firms in Los Angeles.
She now works as a claim’s management assistant at Blackstone Law. As an assistant she has the crucial role of communicating with clients and handling the medical treatment process.
She is bilingual in both English and Spanish. Mireya looks forward to spending each day helping clients obtain the treatment they need throughout this process.
Jocelyn Gomez
HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR
Jocelyn is an HR assistant at Blackstone Law. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in applied linguistics, with an emphasis in Spanish and American Sign Language at Los Angeles City College.
Prior to joining Blackstone Law, Jocelyn worked as an administrative assistant at a different firm allowing her to gain 6 years of customer service experience. She is fluent in Spanish and English, as well as conversational in ASL.
When not at work, you can find her in the kitchen cooking or baking, exercising, and watching documentaries with her husband and Min-Pin.
Paulette Proctor
LEGAL SECRETARY
Paulette is a southern California native. She graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and holds an Associates of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies from Fremont College.
She has ten years of experience providing civil litigation support in both state and federal courts. As an experienced legal secretary, her role includes client relations, filing, and serving all legal documents, and calendaring. Paulette has a passion for helping the impoverished and in her spare time often feeds and gathers clothing and essentials for people.
She is a devoted wife and boy mom of three and enjoys spending time with her big extended family and friends. Her favorite pastimes are traveling, hiking, and watching historical documentaries.
Jamie Ramires
MARKETING COORDINATOR
Jamie is the Marketing Coordinator at Blackstone Law. She graduated from California State University of Los Angeles, with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Linguistics. She also has a certificate in legal interpretation & translation, and another in Digital Marketing Science.
Jamie has over 14 years of experience in customer experience, three of those having spent building client relationships for law firms in Los Angeles. Jamie is extremely passionate about helping those who deserve justice.
Jamie was born and raised in the city of Los Angeles. In her spare time, she is either cooking, exercising, or doing some very much deserving self-care!
Karen Ramirez
LEGAL AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Karen is our wonderful bilingual legal and executive assistant. Karen has a palpable passion for helping others and has devoted her career to fighting for those who deserve justice. A true team player, Karen is an incredibly integral part of the Blackstone Law family.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, during the baseball season you can find Karen along with her family, enjoying a Dodger dog and rooting for……. you guessed it right, the Dodgers.
Yesenia Rosas
LEGAL SECRETARY
Yesenia is a legal Secretary at Blackstone Law. She has experience working in the legal field and providing excellent customer service to clients and works as a team player in supporting the legal team. Yesenia has experience working in subrogation/ breach of contract and lemon law. She is bilingual in Spanish and loves helping people. Yesenia is always ready to learn something new and go above and beyond.
Aside from work Yesenia loves being with her family and friends. Yesenia also, likes to hike and adventure for amazing views and is not afraid to get out of her comfort zone to try something new.
Stephany Sinaguinan
LEGAL SECRETARY
Stephany is the legal secretary for Blackstone Law. She assists and offers support for the litigation team.
Stephany graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2019, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. In addition to being a natural team player and a detail-oriented individual, Stephany is also a positive person with a can-do attitude.
Outside of work, she enjoys watching true crime documentaries, hiking, and spending quality time with her family.
Diana Tejeda
CASE MANAGER
Diana is a Case Manager at Blackstone Law. She has over 8 years of experience in personal injury & worker compensation, and a total of 26 years in customer service. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. Her goal is to make sure that her clients get the help they need and deserve by guiding them throughout this process.
Diana was born and raised in Southern California. In her spare time, she is either cooking, crafting, or spends time with her family and friends at Disneyland.
Kevin Vaz
LAW CLERK
Kevin graduated from University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, where he earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) along with a certificate in Business Laws. During this time, Kevin volunteered his time at Bet Tzedek Legal Services, a pro-bono legal aid organization. Post-graduation, Kevin secured a coveted clerkship with Hon. Mary T. House (ret.) at the Los Angeles Superior Court where he extensively worked on Probate, Wills and Trusts and other family law cases. He was responsible for evaluating and analyzing pleadings, motions and also drafted bench memos to assist the Court.
With international experience and an expertise in settlement negotiations, Kevin was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation on two occasions, from the Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal for recording the highest number of successful settlements in Mumbai, India. Kevin’s prior experience includes Criminal Defense, Media and Entertainment, Bankruptcy, Insurance Defense, Product Liability and Proposition 65 law.
When not at work, Kevin likes to unwind with a novel or the Economist, cooking and playing soccer. He is also an avid fan of Manchester United F.C. and USC Trojans Football.
Juan Vega
INTAKE SPECIALIST
Juan Vega is an intake specialist at Blackstone Law. He is a graduate of Cal State Long Beach. His professional experience is well rounded, based on customer service driven industries such as restaurant, retail, and banking. He is determined and motivated to reach his full potential and believes in the work he does. He is grateful for the experience, people, and opportunities this firm has provided for him. He understands the road to fulfillment is not an easy one, but it is one worth taking. Juan has found a home here, and hopes his personal growth and success parallels the same trajectory as Blackstone.
Juan’s culture and family roots come Michoacan Mexico and being bilingual in Spanish allows him to better assist our clients. When not at work, Juan enjoys spending quality time with his family, camping, sports, and all outdoor activities.