Attorneys

Joseph P. Marasco

Joseph P. Marasco. Joseph Marasco is a founding partner of Marasco & Nesselbush. Born in Providence, he is a lifelong resident of the State of Rhode Island. He graduated from LaSalle Academy and the University of Rhode Island, where he served with distinction as President of the Student Senate/Student Body. He then graduated from Suffolk University School of Law. During law school he received awards for professional ethics and trial advocacy.

He has dedicated his legal career to serving injured and disabled Rhode Islanders. He has successfully litigated, arbitrated and mediated personal injury, medical negligence and Social Security disability cases in all of Rhode Island’s state and federal trial courts, as well as at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. He is a member of the National Organization for Social Security Claimants’ Representatives, the Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association and The Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

Attorney Marasco has skillfully handled thousands of Personal Injury and Social Security disability claims, and he and the law firm of Marasco & Nesselbush stand ready, willing and able to help Rhode Islanders defend their rights. Call him today for a free consultation at 401-274-7400.

Donna M. Nesselbush

Donna Nesselbush. Donna Nesselbush is a founding partner of Marasco & Nesselbush. Donna grew up in Buffalo, New York and moved to Providence, Rhode Island to attend Brown University. She is a graduate of Brown University and Suffolk University School of Law, Cum Laude. Upon graduation from Brown University, Donna was awarded the Sarah Doyle Prize “for having made a significant contribution to women on campus and in the community.” Upon graduation from Suffolk University School of Law, Donna was awarded the Leo J. Wyman Award for having “contributed most to advancing the civic and professional responsibilities of a lawyer.”

Attorney Nesselbush has been zealously practicing Social Security disability law since 1992. Serving Rhode Island’s disabled citizens has been her focus and passion. Attorney Nesselbush has litigated Social Security disability cases at all levels of the Social Security Administration and at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, the Appeals Council, and the United States District Court. She is a “sustaining member” of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives. She regularly attends national conferences on Social Security disability law and she has written on the subject. Read or review her article entitled “Social Security Disability Law: The Facts and Some Recent Changes” from the July, 2005 edition of the Rhode Island Bar Journal (30 MB PDF file).

Attorney Nesselbush is also the founder and chair of the Rhode Island Bar Association’s Sub-Committee on Social Security Disability Law. Fluent in Spanish & Italian (and conversant in Portuguese), she has traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, Italy, Portugal, Thailand and Nepal. Committed to her community and to social and economic justice, Attorney Nesselbush served as the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence from 1984-1992. She has been active in domestic violence prevention work and has served on the Boards of Directors of Progreso Latino and the American Civil Liberties Union. She is currently the Associate Municipal Court Judge for the City of Pawtucket.

Attorney Nesselbush has skillfully handled thousands of Social Security disability claims, and she and the law firm of Marasco & Nesselbush stand ready, willing and able to help disabled Rhode Islanders obtain the Social Security disability benefits they need and deserve. Call her today for a free consultation at 401-274-7400.

Tanya J. Garrian

Tanya Garrian. Tanya J. Garrian has been an Associate Attorney with Marasco & Nesselbush since 2001. Born and raised in East Greenwich, she is a lifelong resident of the State of Rhode Island. Tanya is a graduate of Wesleyan University in Connecticut. She later received her J.D. Cum Laude from Roger Williams University School of Law. She also has a Master of Arts in International Relations from Boston University.

Since joining Marasco & Nesselbush, she has practiced in the areas of personal injury and medical malpractice. Currently, she primarily concentrates in the area of Social Security disability law. Tanya is a hardworking, smart, personable and detail oriented attorney. She represents clients through various levels of the Social Security disability claims process and has successfully represented hundreds of clients at administrative hearings at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. She is admitted to practice law in the Rhode Island State and Federal courts and the Massachusetts courts. Tanya is also a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives.

Joseph P. Wilson

Joe Wilson. Joseph P. Wilson has been an Associate Attorney with Marasco & Nesselbush since 2004. Joe grew up in Warren, Massachusetts. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Framingham State College. He graduated from Boston University School of Law in 2001, becoming a G. Joseph Tauro Scholar in his first year.

Joe has focused his legal career exclusively on representing Social Security disability claimants. He has appeared before more than 100 different Administrative Law Judges in approximately 38 states. He is smart, witty and very prepared. He has represented hundreds of clients at Social Security Disability hearings throughout the country. Joe is also a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives.

Mariam A. Lavoie

Mariam Lavoie. Mariam A. Lavoie has been an Associate Attorney with Marasco & Nesselbush since 2004. Mariam was born in Bloomington, Indiana. She was raised first in the Bay Area in California, then in Mexico City, where she became fluent in Spanish and graduated from high school. She began her college education at Montana State University and completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree with Highest Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, at the University of Rhode Island. Attorney Lavoie earned her Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, from the Suffolk University School of Law in May of 1990.

Attorney Lavoie began focusing on the intersection of medicine and the law early in her legal career. Even as a law student, Attorney Lavoie was active in the area of Workers’ Compensation. She aggressively advocated on behalf of injured workers before the Rhode Island Department of Workers’ Compensation and advocated on behalf of immigrants while attending Suffolk University School of Law.

She has 15 years’ experience practicing law, and she has competently handled thousands of cases, including Workers’ Compensation, Personal Injury, Immigration and Social Security disability. Attorney Lavoie currently is an active member of the Rhode Island Bar Association, Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association and the American Trial Lawyers Association, with practices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.

Matthew A. Durfee

Matt Durfee. Matthew A. Durfee has been an associate attorney with Marasco & Nesselbush, LLP since 2006. Born and raised in Rhode Island, he has strong ties to the state. Matthew received his Bachelor’s Degree from the Sacred Heart University and his Juris Doctor Degree from Roger Williams University. Impressively, Matthew is licensed to practice law in the state and federal courts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Focusing on civil litigation, Matthew is a strong advocate for injured Rhode Islanders. Matt is a natural born litigator who takes pride in zealously representing his clients. He has that rare and valuable combination of intelligence, professionalism and personality. Since his affiliation with Marasco & Nesselbush, LLP in 2006, he has already handled hundreds of cases for the firm involving Rhode Islanders injured by auto accidents, medical negligence, or the negligence of others. Matt has that Marasco & Nesselbush “refuse to lose” attitude, and has shown himself to be a “fighter” for his clients and for justice.

Mark H. Grimm

Mark H. Grimm joined the law firm of Marasco & Nesselbush in 2007, after an illustrious career as an attorney. Mark was born in Erie, Pennsylvania and grew up in Syracuse, NY. He has been a resident of the State of Rhode Island since moving here in 1976 to attend Brown University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Law & Society with honors in 1980. He then received his law degree from Boston College in 1984. He is licensed and admitted to the practice of law in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, the United States District Courts for the Districts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts as well as the United States Court of Appeals.

Throughout his legal career and since joining the Marasco & Nesselbush team in 2007, Mark has focused on civil litigation, primarily in the areas of personal injury and medical malpractice. Mark has over 23 years trial experience, and he has successfully litigated numerous substantial medical malpractice, personal injury and other civil cases in the state and federal courts in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Mark is a fighter who has always labored to achieve the very best result for his clients, either through settlement or litigation. Mark has handled many jury trials and, when necessary, he has pressed on to uphold his favorable jury verdicts on appeal. Mark has served as an adjunct professor in legal and medical malpractice at Roger Williams University from 1994 to 1997, and he has lectured on litigation and trial practice at numerous area legal seminars. Mark is a long time member of both the American and Rhode Island Associations for Justice. He is a valuable asset in the Marasco & Nesselbush arsenal of legal expertise.

John N. Mansella

John N. Mansella became an associate with Marasco & Nesselbush in October 2007. John was born and raised in Lincoln, Rhode Island. He ambitiously earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in both Political Science and English from Providence College. In 2002, John earned a masters degree in Organizational and Political Communication from Emerson College. He lectured at the National Communication Association’s annual conference in 2002 regarding an American perspective of U.S.-Saudi relations. John graduated from the Roger Williams University School of Law in May 2007.
John is dedicated to representing social security disability clients. He comes to the firm after a prestigious summer judicial internship for the Rhode Island Superior Court. He has a long history of working hard for justice for the underprivileged. His commitment to providing legal services to indigent clients was formally recognized by the Feinstein Institute for Public Service upon graduation from law school. Also, during college and graduate school, he assisted attorneys at the Rhode Island Governor’s Commission for Human Rights in lobbying for tougher state laws against employment discrimination. He even completed a volunteer legal internship at the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, where he applied his legal knowledge and skills to help put an end to predatory lending practices. John is an intensely passionate and articulate advocate who is known for putting in the extra time, effort, and compassion necessary to help claimants get the benefits they rightly deserve. John has a remarkable ability to negotiate with strength, grace, and diligence on behalf of his clients. John is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He is also an active member of the National Organization for Social Security Claimants’ Representatives.