Meet the team

We are experts in the practice of lemon law, as well as the practices of the auto industry.

David Goldsmith

Owner

We have over a decade of experience working as defense counsel and managing consumer affairs in-house for automobile manufacturers. We know what causes lemon law cases, how they are resolved, and what motivates automakers. Our firm uses this inside experience and knowledge — and a network of personal relationships inside and outside the industry — to your advantage.

Lasha Alvarez

Legal Support Manager

Lasha is the Legal Support Manager and Senior Paralegal at Goldsmith West. Her duties include managing and directing the operations of our Legal Support Team; drafting and filing complex legal documents; maintaining and advancing cases through the litigation process; and communicating with clients and outside counsel.

Lasha obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Legal Studies and minoring in History, from the University of California at Berkeley in 2014. Before that, she had obtained an associate’s degree and a paralegal certificate from College of the Sequoias in 2010.

Lasha has worked as a paralegal since 2010 for firms practicing in the areas of litigation, immigration, family law, Antitrust law and for the Tulare County District Attorney’s office.

Lasha has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children; she is very passionate about children’s rights. When she is not working, Lasha enjoys playing games with her son and reading.

Elizabeth De Jesus Gutierrez

Legal Assistant

Elizabeth De Jesus Gutierrez is currently a Legal Assistant at the Goldsmith West firm. Her duties include drafting legal documents, maintaining the firm calendar, propounding discovery, and answering phone calls when needed. Elizabeth ensures that routine case documents are filed in a timely manner. She is bilingual in English and Spanish which enables her to interpret important information to potential and current clientele.

Prior to joining the Goldsmith West team, Elizabeth attended California State University, Fresno where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Criminology with a focus in Law Enforcement in December 2021. Elizabeth founded a club on social media where volunteers post stray animals in the community in an effort to help them find loving homes and/or cleaning up their kennels. In her free time, Elizabeth likes to go on spontaneous out of town trips.

Michelle Karpathy

Intake Coordinator

Michelle Karpathy is an Intake Coordinator at the Goldsmith West. Her primary focus is communicating and guiding incoming callers through the intake process. Michelle also assists and provides support to Mr. Le, our Associate Attorney, with the case resolution process.

Prior to joining the Goldsmith West team, Michelle graduated from the University of Maryland in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Michelle has over a decade of experience working in the non-profit sector as a business manager. Michelle has volunteered with organizations helping veterans make a smooth transition back into civilian life. She has a soft spot for veterans as her husband was in the military. In her spare time, Michelle enjoys hanging out with her family, and going to the beach.

Phuc Minh ("Peter") Le

Associate Attorney

Phuc Minh (“Peter”) Le obtained his juris doctorate from Cornell Law School, where he wrote for the Journal of Law and Public Policy, and was awarded the Fredric H. Weisberg Prize by the dean for his performance in Constitutional Law. During his time in law school, Peter also volunteered for Loaves and Fishes of Tompkins County and for Haiyan Relief, where he advocated for those in need.

Following graduation from law school, Peter clerked for the Orange County Superior Court, and went on to work in Civil Litigation, which included advocacy on behalf of consumers and employees. Today Peter handles all aspects of litigation, including drafting pleadings and motions, propounding and responding to discovery, and preparing cases for trial.

Peter is fluent in both spoken and written Vietnamese. In his free time, he likes to take his husky for long walks and enjoy the outdoors.

Linda S. Goldsmith

Firm Comptroller

Linda is Goldsmith West’s Firm Comptroller. After high school, Linda served in the Air National Guard and became a registered nurse. She later obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas.