About Us
APPOINTMENTS/CONSULTATIONS
Willick Law Group’s staff as of June 2024.
Internal Procedures
How Our Law Firm Operates
We find that we can better serve each client if we tell them what they can expect from this law firm, in advance. Part of that communication is to inform all clients of our office operating procedures, which we go over at an initial consultation, but some of which are recapped here. Our policies and procedures have been developed to save our clients money and time, as well as obtain maximum results from our office.
Your file is always open to you. Normal procedure is to copy every document that comes in, and every document that goes out, so that the client should have (and should keep) a complete copy of our file, and know just what is going on as the case progresses. In law, generally, anything important that happens in person or over the phone is reduced to a written document of some sort, but if anything crucial does happen by phone, we will of course call. Most clients now choose to receive their copies by e-mail, so they have them instantly, but we will mail or send them by alternate means upon request.
It has been our experience that 90% of what clients want to ask, or need to tell us, is “operational” data; the who/what/when/where of an ongoing action. Every case is assigned a case manager paralegal, and it is that person whom the client should call first in virtually every instance, since that is who will best know the operational data related to each case, or be prepared to take and record notes as to any recent developments on the client’s end that might affect a case.
Of course, our paralegals cannot – and will not – give legal advice, and if the particular communication is one requiring legal advice, it will be passed to the appropriate attorney. For example, a paralegal can more easily tell a client when the next hearing is scheduled than could the attorney handling the case (since the paralegal will probably have the file), but a paralegal cannot meaningfully respond to a question such as “Should I take the settlement offer?” Such a question will be passed to an attorney for response. For all communications, with a paralegal or an attorney, the more organized the client is, the more efficient (and economical) the time spent will be. For non-emergency matters, it is almost always better to write down several points to be gone over in one call, than to call several times in a day.
Our clients do not hire a particular lawyer – they hire the entire firm. We follow a true “team approach” in this office, as detailed in our Retainer Agreement. Most cases are assigned two attorneys and one case manager/paralegal, so that someone is available at all times to respond to the demands of all cases, in all departments of the Court. The reality is that there are over a dozen departments just in Family Court (plus the other courts in which we work), and we cannot predict who will be most needed in which case on which day. We therefore cannot – and do not – guarantee exactly who will attend to any specific task, document, or hearing, in any particular case. Much like “triage” in medicine, we constantly reallocate who is doing what, to try to be the most effective in all cases.
Most documents are prepared by one member of the staff of this office, and reviewed, or edited, by another (typically, drafted by a paralegal, and edited by an attorney). Some documents are reviewed and edited by several people. In this way, we try to produce the highest quality work product, at the most economical cost possible. Sometimes, documents require multiple reviews, revisions, or re-drafts to be acceptable to the attorney who must sign them. As much more completely detailed in the Retainer Agreement, our firm bills on an hourly basis for the time spent on each case. Records are kept by each attorney and paralegal, in tenths of an hour. For example, a half-hour conference with a client will be listed as: “Office conference with the client – .5”. We send an itemized billing to each client at least once a month, usually on the tenth of the month.
LAWYERS
WILLICK LAW GROUP is a Family Law firm in Las Vegas, NV. Founded in 1985, the firm has dedicated itself exclusively to the field of Family Law for nearly three decades, and is located across the street from the Family Court building, at Pecos and Bonanza. The firm practices at the trial court level in State and Federal Courts, and in appeals to the Nevada Supreme Court and the Federal Appellate Courts.
The Willick Law Group has well earned a reputation for meticulous and comprehensive legal writing, as well as diligent and zealous advocacy in both trial and appellate courts, and is committed to remaining the premier Family Law firm in Nevada.
Family Law, or Domestic Relations Law, includes the law of divorce, annulments, child custody, visitation, and child support, property and debt division, and alimony (spousal support), as well as paternity, guardianship, adoption, and grandparent visitation rights cases, and negotiating and drafting premarital and postnuptial agreements. Our work frequently involves pension or retirement division (including the drafting of QDROs under ERISA, and military retirement, Civil Service retirement, and State of Nevada PERS issues). Many of our cases involve interstate or international claims, including many contested jurisdiction matters, establishing or enforcing custody or support orders under the UCCJEA and UIFSA, and a number of child kidnaping cases under the Hague Convention for the recovery of internationally abducted children. As necessary, we also litigate matters related to core family law disputes, including some domestic torts, spyware and invasion of privacy claims, and collection of judgment arrears, penalties, and statutory interest.
Lawyer Profiles
CASE MANAGERS
Mr. Johnson began his employment with the Willick Law Group in December 2014. A graduate of Everest University with an Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies, he aspires to continue his education to obtain a Juris Doctorate and to become a licensed Nevada attorney. Mr. Johnson brings 11 years of retail experience with him to this position.
Mrs. Martinez-Viera has been working in the legal field since 2005. Mrs. Martinez-Viera received an Associates in Arts in Paralegal Studies in October 2007, from Kaplan College. Mrs. Martinez-Viera began her career in Immigration Law. She also obtained experience in Family Law early in her career. Prior to her legal career, Mrs. Martinez-Viera worked as a PBX Operator.
Mrs. Martinez-Viera began her employment with the Willick Law Group in 2010. She is the head paralegal for QDRO Masters, which is a division of the Willick Law Group that specializes in pension and retirement division. Mrs. Martinez-Viera assists attorney staff in the preparation of QDRO’s, military retirement orders, and Civil Service retirement orders.
Ms. Steele has been working in the legal field since 1993. She has been working exclusively in Family Law since 2000. She also has six years of experience working in Personal Services/Employee Relations. She has attended Paralegal courses at the Community College of Southern Nevada and attended Information Technology courses at State Technical Institute at Memphis.
Ms. Victoria Javiel has been employed in the legal profession since 2003. She has worked in a variety of specialties, including probate, bankruptcy, business formation, estate planning, and general civil litigation. Ms. Javiel also served as the judicial assistant to a Short Trial Judge for numerous jury trials in personal injury cases. Ms. Javiel received her Paralegal Certification at the College of Southern Nevada in 2009, and joined the Willick Law Group in 2015.
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Ms. Fish received a B.A. in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, had over 20 years of experience in customer relations, hotel operations, and management, and earned her paralegal certificate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in May, 2000, before joining the firm. Ms. Fish worked as a case manager until June, 2012, when she was promoted to Firm Administrator and financial officer.
As the Firm Administrator, her scope of duties include M-Law sign-ups, account management, insurance (medical, dental, malpractice, and property), client relations, banking duties, payroll, vendor liaison, building maintenance, landlord, security, and employee management, and is the person to speak with regarding accounts, retainers, and any billing questions.
Ms. Marcus received a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with an emphasis on rhetoric and persuasion. After graduating, Kristina went to work for Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid in his Capitol Hill press office drafting communications for the Senator. With nearly 20 years of administrative experience, Kristina joined the Willick Law Firm and QDRO Masters in February of 2018. She provides full support to the firm administrator, and handles the opening and closing of QDRO Masters cases, among myriad administrative duties.
Ms. Grageola has been working in the legal field since 2007 where she worked for a Personal Injury Law firm. She has been working for the Willick Law Group since January 2011. Ms. Grageola has attended Kaplan College and has received her associates degree in Criminal Justice. She is also a citizen’s graduate for the Henderson Police Academy.
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