Selene Ramirez | Office Manager
Selene Ramirez is Lanzone Morgan’s Office Manager, highly respected for her bold, empowering and inspirational presence. Selene has been with Lanzone Morgan since its inception. Her commitment to Lanzone Morgan has resulted in an extremely supportive work environment, which functions successfully through communication and respect. Selene has always been a supporter of the underdog as she wants everyone to understand their worth. She considers being able to empower others and let them know they are worthy to be her most notable achievement in her career. Selene’s love for all people is evident through her goals: to change peoples’ hearts, lives and opinions, and to leave a strong impression on everyone she encounters.
Selene earned her Associate of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies in New York. She is also a Notary Public and a facilitator for a women’s ministry. Born and raised in Queens, New York, her childhood consisted of a loud and happy family who loved to dance in a city with bright lights, colorful seasons and endless opportunities. Her childhood’s impact on her life is unmistakable. She passionately gives a voice to the vulnerable and voiceless in her personal and professional lives. As an Office Manager, she gives endless growth and learning opportunities to other employees and is always ready to lend a helpful hand or give advice. In her personal life, she works with our community’s most underserved population, primarily through her ministry.
Significant career experiences are not the only opportunities which Selene considers important. She is grateful for her opportunity to learn from her mother, sister, life coach, spiritual mentor, and all empowering women. Jim and Anthony have also been big influences in her life as “they have poured support and loyalty into [her]. They are all about justice and it truly makes you feel like you are part of a real life Justice League. They are righteous.” Selene cannot imagine working with anyone other than Anthony and Jim. Selene plans to continue her work with them to make the biggest positive impact possible.
Selene vows to never stop helping others find their voice and fighting for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Over the course of her career at Lanzone Morgan, Selene learned the importance of preparing for retirement. Selene’s advice to others is to prepare for retirement now by getting your paperwork and trust taken care of and cultivating strong familial bonds because support from loved ones is imperative to successful aging and elder care.
Emily Jensen | Director of Client Relations
Emily Jensen is Lanzone Morgan, LLP’s dedicated Director of Client Relations. Emily speaks one-on-one with all potential clients, listens intently to their stories, and discusses the facts of their potential cases. Emily also oversees the Pre-Suit Department and ensures all necessary records, documents and information are obtained in the early stages of litigation. Emily’s passion leads her to work beyond the scope of her job. She often takes the time to help those whose cases we cannot take by providing referrals, resources, and any helpful information she can find. Her B.S. in Applied Studies with an emphasis in Human Resources from California State University, Dominguez Hills, her Associate of Arts in Paralegal Studies from Coastline Community College, and her status as a Notary Public illuminates Emily’s genuine passion for continuing education and dedication to helping other. Emily is also a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® and has demonstrated a high level of knowledge in the aging process and understanding of the unique needs of older adults.
Born and raised in Long Beach by a single-mother of two, Emily’s adverse background allowed her to develop compassion and empathy for others. Throughout her teenage years, she worked as a lifeguard and taught swimming lessons and water aerobics to young children and the elderly. In the early stages in her legal career, Emily worked as a secretary at other law firms. However, as these firms mostly handled business litigation and contracts, Emily found it difficult to connect with her work as they were not helping others or serving the surrounding communities as she would later experience at Lanzone Morgan, LLP. After she began working for Lanzone Morgan, LLP, Emily quickly realized this was a special workplace she could call home, a place with the same selfless intentions that she embodies.
Before discovering that she wanted to work at a law firm, Emily always knew she wanted to be a mother and leave a positive legacy through her children. Now, Emily’s most notable achievement thus far in her career is being able to work as a professional at a law firm and balancing being a single mother to her son. She is truly inspired by hardworking and independent mothers like Paralegal Kristi Cole and Office Manager Selene Ramirez. Emily’s lifelong goals are to help people by making them feel heard, giving a voice to the voiceless, and providing a good life for her family. Daily, she strives to be compassionate, helpful, and patient because she understands that even one little conversation may make a significant difference in another person’s life.
In the future, Emily can only see herself working at Lanzone Morgan, LLP. She loves helping others and wants to spend her time making positive impacts where she can. She truly believes Lanzone Morgan, LLP is the law firm to do so, not only because she believes in her firm’s message, but also because she knows Anthony and Jim are hardworking and honest. She wants to remain working in an environment where people care as much about the clients and victims of elder abuse as she does. Emily says often: “when people are suffering, Anthony and Jim take it personally and find themselves driven to fight for them.”
Kristi Cole | Paralegal
Kristi Cole is Lanzone Morgan’s most experienced paralegal with over 42 years working in the legal field. In addition to taking care of her daily tasks, Kristi also acts as a mentor to the other paralegals by providing assistance and guidance.
Kristi, born and raised in Buena Park, grew up in a stable and close community. Growing up, she looked up to her two loving parents. Kristi finds them inspiring as they were completely different, yet naturally complemented each other. With her parents offering the best of both worlds, their harmony inspired Kristi to want to be a mom her entire life. She now has 3 kids, in Washington and New York, whom she enjoys visiting in her free time.
At 14-years-old, Kristi became a candy striper at an SNF where she spent time sitting and talking to the elderly. At 18-years-old, she started working at her first law firm as a file clerk. She moved on to be a legal secretary, office administrator and, eventually, a paralegal. Among her 42 years of experience, almost 10 has been with Anthony and Jim.
Kristi entered the elder abuse field after her mother fell ill. Kristi’s family debated putting their mother in a SNF. Kristi, who knew Anthony prior to working at Lanzone Morgan, reached out to Anthony for advice. He informed her about the dangers of elder abuse, and the numerous ways that it can happen. From there, Kristi began her career in elder abuse.
When Kristi talks about why she is at Lanzone Morgan, it is evident that she is genuinely grateful for both the opportunity and the impact that they have as a firm:
“I initially came because of Anthony, and I stayed because I truly love what I do here. Coming in every day is a positive thing for me. This is what I want to do. I feel fortunate that I will be able to do this until retirement. Not a lot of people are afforded that opportunity. I believe that this firm will be here for a long time in the future, and I personally do not want to do anything else. How many people can say that they have a job helping people? We help people that otherwise will not receive any help from anyone.
Kristi sees the importance in an individual’s influence in an elder abuse situation. She wants to make sure that those who are working with victims and their families are passionate because “if you are not passionate about it, you are not going to be proactive in understanding why these people are sick.” Like Kristi’s parents who embodied complementary differences, she demands that those who work in elder abuse need to have passion to litigate in congruence with compassion for people.
Whitney Miyamoto | Paralegal
Whitney Miyamoto is a paralegal at Lanzone Morgan. In addition to her paralegal duties, Whitney often performs daily office tasks and acts as a welcoming and helping figure to newer attorneys or firm staff. Although Whitney is a quiet individual, she is extremely diligent and tenacious with her job.
Whitney grew up in the San Gabriel Valley before she went to college and received her B.A. in Sociology with an option in Criminology from Cal Poly Pomona and her Paralegal Certificate from Pasadena City College. Growing up, Whitney enjoyed playing basketball, hanging out with friends, and traveling with family, whether it be to Hawaii, Mammoth, or just a simple trip to the casino. Living in the SGV area, she’s maintained several close friendships from her childhood years and aspired to either be a basketball player (at 5’0) or in law enforcement when she got older. She often admired basketball players for being able to play the sport they loved for a career and looked up to law enforcement officials for keeping people safe and ensuring criminals were put behind bars. She also looked up to her older brother for his ability to learn things quickly and his vibrant personality. Now, she also finds inspiration in Attorney Amber Tham for her knowledge, work ethic and success, as well as Paralegal Kristi Cole for her dedication to Lanzone Morgan and her work ethic. Whitney also admires her parents for their generosity, kindness, and for just being good people.
Before deciding to work in elder abuse, Whitney interned at the Pomona Court House as part of the JusticeCorps program and also interned at the Jackie Robinson Community Center, where she helped local residents file restraining orders, unlawful detainers and financial assistance for utilities. She also interned at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office interviewing people at the courthouse.
Throughout her career, Whitney believes some of her most notable achievements are establishing loyalty, reliability and good work ethic throughout a highly credited law firm. She also prides herself on making a transition to a more cruelty-free lifestyle in the products she purchases and in her diet. While currently maintaining a Pescatarian diet, she eventually wishes to fully transition to an either vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. In her future, she wants to continue helping neglected animals by opening a sanctuary.
Whitney came to Lanzone Morgan in hopes of finding a career in helping others and believes Lanzone Morgan is truly like no other firm in their hard work and dedication in helping people. She also appreciates the way Lanzone Morgan always strives to do more for their clients.
Alexis Villarreal | Paralegal
In 2021, Alexis Villarreal joined Lanzone Morgan, LLP as the newest paralegal addition in the Litigation Department. Her responsibilities include client communication, preparing for mediations, hearings, and trials, as well as meeting essential deadlines. She received an Associate of Arts in Psychology from the College of the Sequoias and a B.A. in Psychology from California State University Long Beach. She discovered she could help others while simultaneously exploring law, which led her to attend Cerritos Colleges ABA-approved paralegal program. During her time in the program, she participated in the work-study experience which allowed her to work under the supervision of the Department Chair and Paralegal Program Director. At the beginning of her legal career, Alexis worked for a personal injury law firm. However, she did not experience true passion and devotion such as she would experience at Lanzone Morgan, LLP.
Growing up, Alexis was raised in a small town in Central California surrounded by farms and agriculture. She was raised by two laborers who taught her the importance of hard work. Although it was difficult for her to transition from a small rural town, Long Beach provided greater opportunity and diversity. She was the first in her family to graduate college, which she believes is one of her greatest accomplishments. Without taking risks, she would not have received the opportunities she has and would not be at Lanzone Morgan, LLP today.
As a child, Alexis would often visit her grandmother in a nursing facility. Her grandmother suffered from Alzheimer’s and dementia and eventually surrendered to her illness. Her grandmother, like many individuals, was unable to care for herself without the assistance of others. Unfortunately, the treatment the nursing home provided was inadequate and understaffed, which resulted in daily visitation to the facility. After noticing how the elderly were treated in such facilities and the grief it caused the families, Alexis decided to help those whose voices are not heard. She believes that nursing homes should be held accountable for the abuse and neglect they inflict upon those in their care. Every resident is entitled to the basic needs of life regardless of their age or conditions.
Each individual at Lanzone Morgan, LLP is extraordinarily fundamental to each case. The staff at Lanzone Morgan, LLP exceed all expectations and perform their job functions as if the case involves a family member of their own.
Ketty Wehrhan | Records Manager
Ketty Wehrhan, Lanzone Morgan’s well-respected Records Manager, works to file documents, sort medical records and manage the distribution and organization of all files that are sent to Lanzone Morgan. She worked alongside the partners, Anthony and Jim, since the start of their career together at a previous law firm. Since then, Ketty has been with Anthony and Jim for over eighteen years.
Before working for a law firm, Ketty aspired and succeeded in becoming a pastry chef. She received her Culinary Arts degree from California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and spent the following ten years as a pastry chef. She then moved on to earn an Associates of Art degree in Liberal Arts from Los Angeles Harbor Community College which allowed her to further receive a certification for Dietetics from Long Beach Community College. Her background in food and medical experience inspired her Dietetics Certification. As a child, Ketty often accompanied her father, who had his own medical practice, on house calls where they visited elderly patients and nursing homes. She then worked with her mother, a nurse consultant at a hospital.
Ketty’s parents not only inspired her interest in the medical field, but they also instilled in her respect and compassion for the elderly. Growing up, she watched her father and mother take care of both of their mothers. At each house call, Ketty’s father taught her the importance of listening to others; he understood that patients may be lonely and simply want someone to talk to. Providing them with his time often made them feel better. From her father’s empathy, Ketty learned to have compassion and patience for the elderly.
In addition to her parents, Ketty also looked up to her grandmother. During hard times, Ketty often finds herself reflecting on her grandmother’s journey to provide her with the confidence and determination to endure difficult situations. Ketty tells her grandmother’s story:
“She migrated to the United States from Mexico when she was 14-years-old, escaping the Mexican American war. As a result of the war, she was orphaned and her aunts arranged for her to be sent by a box car to New Mexico, then California. In California, there was a man 20-years older than her who she was to meet and marry. That union produced eight children with my mother being the youngest. As she raised her eight children, she also ran a cantina/bar for laborers who worked the citrus fields in Corona, CA. When she died, she left behind $50,000 for each of her kids. I don’t think this was bad at all for a girl who could not speak English, did not have an education, married an older man with three overbearing sisters-in-law, ran a cantina, and bought/sold property.”
Ketty continues to find inspiration at Lanzone Morgan as she describes Anthony and Jim as crusaders for the elderly, taking on cases that most law firms will not take. She praises their integrity and finds herself amazed at watching two young lawyers grow and build a practice. She describes the partners as committed and sincere, loving their passion and genuinely demanding change in the way we care for our elderly people.
KRISTEN PHILLIPS | Legal Assistant
Kristen Phillips joined Lanzone Morgan, LLP’s Medical Records team in 2021. Alongside Director of Client Relations and CSA Emily Jensen, Kristen ensures our attorneys have the most efficient access to our clients’ medical records. Coordinating communication between our office and facilities, holding facilities accountable for illegally overcharging for the production of records or failing to produce records in a timely manner, and sorting through each medical record chart, Kristen has quickly become a significant asset to our team.
Kristen graduated from California State University Fullerton with a B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Psychology with an emphasis in Gerontology. After witnessing the treatment her grandmother faced in a nursing home, she has gone above and beyond to dedicate her education and career to serving the older adult population and encourage others to do the same. During her grandmother’s residency at a nursing home, Kristen’s dad was forced to make daily visits to ensure the employees gave her grandmother the proper care. When he did not remind them to bath, clean, or feed her, Kristen’s grandmother received little to no care. Kristen recognized that her grandma was a part of a larger population that was vulnerable and reliant on individuals who simply do not want to care for them. As a result, she planned her career to fight for the older adult community. Kristen worked as an administrative assistant and tutor for the Gerontology Academic Program, planned panels for careers in Aging Studies, and worked alongside the head of the department, her mentor, to guide fellow students. She even created and organized events such as ‘Geropalooza,’ where elders performed flash mobs and provided resources to students to attract interest and concern for the older adult population. As a result of Kristen’s efforts and genuine compassion for her work, she was awarded Master Student of the Year at Cal State Fullerton. With such a strong passion for helping adults in their aging process, Kristen believes she found a perfect fit at Lanzone Morgan, and she hopes to play an even larger role in Lanzone Morgan’s litigation department and ultimately help to promote better care for elders.
In her free time, Kristen enjoys cooking, reading, photography, looking for vintage furniture and décor, and spending time with her bunny, Bunson. Although a quiet and reserved individual, Kristen really brings herself to life when demonstrating just how much she cares for the older adult population. She is truly working for the well-being of others and will play a pertinent role in Lanzone Morgan’s lasting impact on the elder community.
