Gail is a third generation Colorado native and graduated from the Colorado State University with a degree in Political and Social Economics.  Gail has run the business affairs for the law firm for the past Seventeen years, and is responsible for the accounting, the employee benefits and the administrative staff.  Gail has a long and successful background in computers and worked in the past for the Bell Atlantic Corporation and then as a private trainer in computer software.  Gail is the client liaison for the law firms accounting, and should be contacted with any questions on invoicing or expenses.

Back To Top

Linda Moore
Assistant Business Manager

Linda is a twelve year resident of Colorado, with 5 years of experience with a software development firm and the last 8 years with Lasater and Martin.  Linda moved to Denver from Seattle where she worked in the telecommunications business for 15 years.  She is married with 2 daughters and two Jack Russell Terriers.

Back To Top

Jason Thoma
Litigation Coordinator

Jason has been with Lasater and Martin for 3 years. Jason started out as a Personal Injury and Construction Defect Paralegal. As Litigation Manager, Jason now assists with the day-to-day activities and operations of the law firm; including calendaring deadlines on all the firms’ cases. Jason has previous experience as a Criminal and Estate Paralegal. Prior to Jason’s legal career, he worked 15 in years in professional baseball as a clubhouse and equipment assistant manager for the Denver Zephyrs and Colorado Rockies.

Jason is a Colorado native. Jason is married with a three children. When not spending time with his family Jason is an avid fisherman and golfer.

Back To Top

Tarrin VanDerven
Paralegal Manager

Since joining Lasater & Martin, P.C. in May, 2009, Tarrin’s assignments have primarily involved complex litigation cases. Tarrin was hired by Lasater & Martin to work in the construction defect department, and has been promoted to Janet Martin’s personal legal assistant and paralegal. Tarrin now manages the construction defect paralegals, and assists Ms. Martin in running that department. During her tenure with Lasater & Martin, Tarrin has prepared for and attended both trial and arbitration, and has become skilled in the use of the Trial Director and TrialPad software for evidence presentation in trial and arbitration.

Tarrin was born and raised in Durban, South Africa and moved to Denver in 1993 to obtain her Paralegal Degree. Since graduating in 1996, she has worked as a paralegal in both the insurance defense and construction defect litigation fields. Tarrin also lived in the Cayman Islands from 1997 to 2000, where she worked for the partner of a very prominent law firm and was involved in commercial and corporate law, as well as real estate and mortgage transactions.

After moving from the Cayman Islands to her husband’s home in Texas, Tarrin worked for the senior partner of an insurance defense law firm, who represented large manufacturing corporations, including elevator manufacturers and HVAC manufacturers. During that time, she was also very involved in some asbestos litigation.

Finally, in 2002, Tarrin returned to her “home away from home” in Denver, where she worked for the senior partner of a large insurance defense law firm in Denver, who represents the largest retailer in their tort litigation in Colorado, and was involved in many personal injury litigation, bad faith and wrongful death suits.

Tarrin brings her experience in both the construction and litigation industries to the world of construction defect litigation, and has enjoyed being involved in numerous cases involving large multi-family projects. She has also had firsthand experience in building a home with Habitat for Humanity.

Tarrin proudly became a U.S. Citizen in 2006, has been married to her Texas husband for 11 years, and they have one Colorado native son together.

Back To Top

Georgia Steele
Legal Assistant

Georgia is a Colorado native with over 5 years experience in the legal field.  Georgia previously worked at a Municipal Court and has law firm experience in criminal, domestic and civil litigation. On weekends Georgia can be found with her family enjoying indoor and outdoor activities all over Colorado. Georgia also enjoys photography and there is never a lack of captured memories.

Back To Top

Rhonda Rudolph
Paralegal

Rhonda Rudolph is from Wyoming and started working for lawyers as a runner when she was 15 years old.  She graduated from paralegal school in 1995 and became NALA certified in 1996.  She moved to Colorado in 1998.  Rhonda has worked for insurance defense firms in Wyoming, Colorado and California where she worked in construction defect, personal injury, bad faith, and toxic tort litigation.  Rhonda also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technologies, while working for a large toxic tort firm in San Francisco she was in charge of designing and managing an online document repository of over 1300 boxes of documents.  She has also streamlined many forms and procedures in several of the firms she has worked for.

Rhonda, her husband, 3 year old son and yellow lab love spending time in the mountains and look forward to getting away to Breckenridge and Vail as often as they can.

Back To Top

Jessica Whitesell
Paralegal

Jessica attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business organization with an area of emphasis in organization management. She then attended Denver Paralegal Institute where she gained the legal education and training necessary to succeed in the litigation field.

Prior to joining Lasater and Martin in 2010, Jessica represented primarily Plaintiffs in personal injury, employment, medical negligence and civil rights actions. She is one of the firm’s Construction Defect Paralegals and assists attorneys with drafting pleadings, motions, and discovery, as well as with document review and trial preparation.

Back To Top

Kate Braden
File Clerk

Kate Braden joined Lasater & Martin, P.C. in November 2010 as the file clerk. Kate is in charge of document control, all filing, closing and opening files, along with other day to day duties.

Kate was born in England and grew up Chicago. She attended Colorado State University and has lived in Colorado since. She has recently returned to school to earn her paralegal certificate.

Kate is happily married and is “mom” to an adorable Yorkshire terrier, Yankee. In her free time Kate enjoys watching all sports, especially hockey and football, gardening and baking.

Back To Top

Susanne Schalles
File Clerk

Susanne was born in Ohio and raised in the Midwest (primarily Wisconsin) and is a longtime resident of Colorado. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Master’s degree in French from Colorado State University. She also holds a certificate as a medical language specialist. After teaching French at San Antonio College in Texas for 10 years and working in a second career in medical transcription for over 3 years, she decided to start a third career in the legal field. She plans on beginning a paralegal certificate program in the summer of 2011 at Arapahoe Community College.

Susanne currently lives with her husband and 2 cats in Lakewood. In her spare time, she and her husband like to camp, hike, go dancing, and be involved with their families and church.

Back To Top

Nina Ranese
Paralegal

Nina moved to Colorado from Houston, Texas in 2011 with her son, Dylan. She received her paralegal certification in 2005 and graduated with honors. Nina possesses several years of professional legal experience, including construction defect, toxic tort and personal injury litigation.

Nina is currently completing her Bachelor’s degree with a double major in English and Political Science. When not at the office,

Nina and her son enjoy movies, spending time outside and dining at fine restaurants.

Back To Top

Delana Burton
Paralegal

Delana joined Lasater & Martin, P.C. in July, 2011 as an intern and was offered a full-time position upon completion of her hours. She is still learning but enjoying every minute of the knowledge she is gaining from all of the employees of Lasater & Martin, P.C. She is originally from Texas and is relatively new to the legal world. She graduated from Arapahoe Community College in December of 2011 with her Associates of Applied Science and a Paralegal Certificate. Delana has experience with insurance defense for personal injury, construction defect, and also Worker’s Compensation. She is continuing her education to achieve her Bachelor’s Degree.

Back To Top