Our Staff

Kathy has been with the firm over 25 years and is Paralegal to Jim Simon, the firm’s senior litigator, mediator and arbitrator, partner Ravn Whitington and David Wolfe in civil litigation, including real estate, construction, business, personal injury and wrongful death matters, and she supports attorney Traci Mason with her family law practice. Kathy received her early training in the Orange County Superior Court where she was a clerk.  Kathy prides herself on her depth of understanding of the superior court system in California and Nevada, and has exemplified the firm’s dedication to client service. She is always up to date on each active litigation and family law matter and is a steady resource explaining the status of each case to our clients.

Alyson is paralegal to Ravn Whitington for the firm’s personal injury and wrongful death matters. With a detailed understanding of the claims process, Alyson brings extensive experience in medical records retrieval, medical records analysis, third-party liability billing, and healthcare liens. She maintains a deep commitment to client service and tackles each task with attention to detail, allowing her to stay well-informed and provide thorough support for the attorney and clients in navigating each unique matter.

Longtime local resident Melinda joined Porter Simon in 2005. She is the legal assistant for Kelley Carroll and Sara Davidson.  Understanding that different families have different needs, our estate planning attorneys advise and assist our clients in creating the appropriate legal plans to implement their wishes regarding their financial affairs for both pre-death and post-death purposes.

Laura is a paralegal who works in our Trust, Wills, Estate Planning and Elder Law Group. As a graduate of UC Davis and the St. Mary’s College Paralegal Program, Laura has worked as a paralegal for over 25 years in Sonoma, Yolo, and Placer counties. Laura is passionate about helping people and is partial to working in estate planning where she can build trusted and valued relationships with clients.

Leslie recently joined Porter Simon and is part of our Trust, Wills, Estate Planning and Elder Law Group. She is the legal assistant for Erica Shepard.

Carolyn joined the firm in 2022 and is a legal assistant who works in our business-transactional group. She supports partners, Ethan Birnberg, Brian Hanley, and Steve Gross.

Crysta joined Porter Simon in 2007, after receiving her Associates of Arts with Business Emphasis degree from Truckee Meadows Community College. Crysta is the firm’s controller and office manager. She prepares financial management reports for the shareholders and the firm’s annual budget. In addition, Crysta serves as human resource manager, accounts payable and accounts receivable administrator.