Meet our Staff
Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla is a unique firm with knowledgeable and experienced attorneys and staff who have a passion for justice and enjoy what they do. A positive, dynamic spirit and morale pervade the office. This attitude, along with extraordinary service, attention to detail, in depth legal knowledge and practical business experience insures lasting relationships between MMG&M and its clients.
Scala Stehling DeGrood
Office Administrator
As office administrator for Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla, Scala DeGrood provides the managerial support for the attorneys and staff. With the law firm since 1998, Scala manages human resources and finances, and facilitates and coordinates the technology needs for the firm. She works closely with the attorneys in developing the firm's strategic business plans. Scala acquired her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, and, prior to entering the legal field, worked for 12 years in the health care industry in various administrative positions. She has taken numerous professional seminars in many areas of management, and has been highly active in the ;ocal chapter of Association of Legal Administrators (ALA).
Susan Smith
Bookkeeper/Receptionist
Susan Smith joined the law firm in 1994, serving as both bookkeeper and receptionist. Susan manages the busy front desk taking care of the phones and all visitors while simultaneously performing all of the day-to-day bookkeeping including the accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliation the firm's client trust and business operating accounts, and client billing. Having been with Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla for many years, Susan also serves as its historian, and is able to recall past information for clients, employees, vendors and other professionals that the firm interacts with on a daily basis.
Laura Sharpley
Paralegal
Laura Sharpley has worked in the legal field for over 20 years, assisting Negatu Molla with his automotive warranty and products liability pracitice for over 9 years. She graduated from Chapparal College with her Associate's Degree in Legal Assistant studies. She has strong research, drafting, and computer skills, and has written database programs.
Wendy Carpenter
Legal Assistant
Wendy Carpenter has been a legal secretary/legal assistant for attorneys at Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla since 1999. She has worked in the legal field since 1987, with experience in many areas of the law, including real estate, business, insurance defense, medical malpractice, personal injury, tax law, estate and probate law, domestic relations, foreclosure, and creditors' remedies. She is sought out by firm members, including new attorneys, for her vast knowledge across multiple areas of law as well as civil rules, procedure, and general court filing issues. Prior to moving to Arizona, Wendy served as office administrator for two law firms in New Mexico, and with that experience, is often able to assist the IT Director and Office Administrator at Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla.
Jo Lynn Clapperton
Legal Assistant
Originally from California, Jo Lynn moved to Tucson in 2004, and began her career in the legal field the following year, assisting a small firm with real estate and contract litigation, as well as personal injury and probate matters. She has earned Accredited Legal Secretary (ALS) and Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) certifications through NALS ... the association for legal professionals and is a Certified Legal Document Preparer (CLDP) through the Arizona Supreme Court. Jo Lynn brings this superior skill, knowledge and competence to Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla, where she plans to obtain additional certification as a Professional Paralegal (PP) through NALS.
Laura LaSure
Legal Assistant
Laura received her Associate Degree in Legal Assisting in 2006 and joined the Goldschmidt Law Firm that same year. She began as receptionist and quickly acquired and mastered the skills to become a Collections Legal Assistant. She currently supports the Collections Section at Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla in all areas of the collection process.
Carrie Valenzuela
Legal Assistant
Carrie Valenzuela has been a legal assistant with Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla since 2000, when she first began working in the community association industry. Prior to that, Carrie gained experience in real estate and collection matters through her college internships and time working as the executive assistant to the president of a local collection agency. Carrie graduated from the University of Arizona and now assists the firm's attorneys within the areas of community association enforcement and collection.
Alison Nevil
Legal Secretary
Alison Nevil has been a Legal Secretary with Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla for over 4 years and has worked in the legal field for 14 years. Alison's current position focuses primarily in the areas of business and real estate, corporate law, estate planning and probate, and community association law. She has strong organizational skills and she also has experience in working with accounts receivable. Alison attended Arizona State University and the University of Minnesota, where she majored in Graphic Design.
Dona Malazian
Collections Assistant
Dona has worked in the legal field since 1985, holding positions as a legal secretary, law office administrator, bookkeeper, and most recently as a collections legal assistant. All of her work prior to coming to Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla has been with sole practitioners, giving her well-rounded experience in all aspects of a law office. Prior to her career in law, Dona worked for Atlantic Richfield, where she was an administrator in the geological division.
Frank W. King
Information Technologies Director
Frank King has worked for the firm since 1994, having initially served as the firm's legal administrator and since 2000 as the firm's IT Director. He is a certified Microsoft Technician, and manages the firm's computer network, including the purchase, building, and management of servers, desktops, software, and operating network. When he is not administering the network for the firm, Frank assists in the management of the computer network at Tucson Accelerated High School both in Tucson and Phoenix.
Office Administrator
As office administrator for Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla, Scala DeGrood provides the managerial support for the attorneys and staff. With the law firm since 1998, Scala manages human resources and finances, and facilitates and coordinates the technology needs for the firm. She works closely with the attorneys in developing the firm's strategic business plans. Scala acquired her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, and, prior to entering the legal field, worked for 12 years in the health care industry in various administrative positions. She has taken numerous professional seminars in many areas of management, and has been highly active in the ;ocal chapter of Association of Legal Administrators (ALA).
Susan Smith
Bookkeeper/Receptionist
Susan Smith joined the law firm in 1994, serving as both bookkeeper and receptionist. Susan manages the busy front desk taking care of the phones and all visitors while simultaneously performing all of the day-to-day bookkeeping including the accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliation the firm's client trust and business operating accounts, and client billing. Having been with Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla for many years, Susan also serves as its historian, and is able to recall past information for clients, employees, vendors and other professionals that the firm interacts with on a daily basis.
Laura Sharpley
Paralegal
Laura Sharpley has worked in the legal field for over 20 years, assisting Negatu Molla with his automotive warranty and products liability pracitice for over 9 years. She graduated from Chapparal College with her Associate's Degree in Legal Assistant studies. She has strong research, drafting, and computer skills, and has written database programs.
Wendy Carpenter
Legal Assistant
Wendy Carpenter has been a legal secretary/legal assistant for attorneys at Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla since 1999. She has worked in the legal field since 1987, with experience in many areas of the law, including real estate, business, insurance defense, medical malpractice, personal injury, tax law, estate and probate law, domestic relations, foreclosure, and creditors' remedies. She is sought out by firm members, including new attorneys, for her vast knowledge across multiple areas of law as well as civil rules, procedure, and general court filing issues. Prior to moving to Arizona, Wendy served as office administrator for two law firms in New Mexico, and with that experience, is often able to assist the IT Director and Office Administrator at Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla.
Jo Lynn Clapperton
Legal Assistant
Originally from California, Jo Lynn moved to Tucson in 2004, and began her career in the legal field the following year, assisting a small firm with real estate and contract litigation, as well as personal injury and probate matters. She has earned Accredited Legal Secretary (ALS) and Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) certifications through NALS ... the association for legal professionals and is a Certified Legal Document Preparer (CLDP) through the Arizona Supreme Court. Jo Lynn brings this superior skill, knowledge and competence to Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla, where she plans to obtain additional certification as a Professional Paralegal (PP) through NALS.
Laura LaSure
Legal Assistant
Laura received her Associate Degree in Legal Assisting in 2006 and joined the Goldschmidt Law Firm that same year. She began as receptionist and quickly acquired and mastered the skills to become a Collections Legal Assistant. She currently supports the Collections Section at Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla in all areas of the collection process.
Carrie Valenzuela
Legal Assistant
Carrie Valenzuela has been a legal assistant with Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla since 2000, when she first began working in the community association industry. Prior to that, Carrie gained experience in real estate and collection matters through her college internships and time working as the executive assistant to the president of a local collection agency. Carrie graduated from the University of Arizona and now assists the firm's attorneys within the areas of community association enforcement and collection.
Alison Nevil
Legal Secretary
Alison Nevil has been a Legal Secretary with Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla for over 4 years and has worked in the legal field for 14 years. Alison's current position focuses primarily in the areas of business and real estate, corporate law, estate planning and probate, and community association law. She has strong organizational skills and she also has experience in working with accounts receivable. Alison attended Arizona State University and the University of Minnesota, where she majored in Graphic Design.
Dona Malazian
Collections Assistant
Dona has worked in the legal field since 1985, holding positions as a legal secretary, law office administrator, bookkeeper, and most recently as a collections legal assistant. All of her work prior to coming to Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla has been with sole practitioners, giving her well-rounded experience in all aspects of a law office. Prior to her career in law, Dona worked for Atlantic Richfield, where she was an administrator in the geological division.
Frank W. King
Information Technologies Director
Frank King has worked for the firm since 1994, having initially served as the firm's legal administrator and since 2000 as the firm's IT Director. He is a certified Microsoft Technician, and manages the firm's computer network, including the purchase, building, and management of servers, desktops, software, and operating network. When he is not administering the network for the firm, Frank assists in the management of the computer network at Tucson Accelerated High School both in Tucson and Phoenix.