The Romano Law Team
Shaleen Allen
Shaleen Allen has been with Romano Law since 2022 and she is our intake specialist and is the first point of contact that most prospective clients and clients have with our office. Ms. Allen is based out of our Portland office and in her free time, she enjoys cooking, exploring the city with friends, and attending live music.
Amy Dragt
Amy Dragt has been with Romano Law since 2009 and she is our office manager and lead paralegal, focusing primarily on criminal defense work. Mrs. Dragt is based out of Bend and she enjoys gardening, hunting, fishing and cooking in her free time.
Carina McGough
Carina McGough joined Romano Law in May 2024 and brings with her twenty years of paralegal
experience with her main focus being family law. Carina is based out of Oregon’s Willamette
Valley, where she was born and raised. She is an avid foodie who loves traveling to new places.
In her down time, she enjoys spending time with her family, crafting and getting lost in a good
book.
Genessa Nabors
Genessa Nabors is a recent addition to the paralegal team at Romano Law, having joined us in December 2024. She received her BA in Economics and Business Administration from Howard University. Genessa also participated in the Paralegal Program at Portland Community College before completing her Juris Doctor degree at University of California College of the Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). She lives in Portland with her cat and enjoys reading romance and fantasy novels, visiting family in Seattle, and rocking out at metalcore concerts.
China Cram
China Cram is a new addition to the Romano Law, PC paralegal team as of December 2024. She has multiple years of paralegal experience in different areas of the legal field, such as Family Law, Criminal Defense, and Workers Compensation. Ms. Cram is based out of our Portland office. In her spare time Ms. Cram is spending time with her family and taking as many trips to the ocean coast as possible.
Sierra Walker
Sierra Walker has been with Romano Law since 2020. She is our project manager. Ms. Walker is based out of SW Washington and handles special projects for our firm including our PNW family newsletter. She enjoys spending time outdoors fishing, camping, and exploring nature with her friends and family.
Nathan Smith
Mr. Smith is a Portland native. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from Reed College in 2021, and his JD from Lewis and Clark Law School in May of 2024. He was admitted to the Oregon Bar in that same year.
Having spent nearly three years in law school aiding low income clients by providing them with high quality legal aid services, he has significant experience working hard for his clients in challenging situations. His passion for helping ordinary people with complicated legal issues and building strong client relationships brought him to work at Romano Law. His work at the firm will focus on domestic relations issues.
In his free time, he enjoys exploring Portland, playing chess, and spending time with his friends and family.
Tonya Lippert
Tonya Lippert joined Romano Law in 2025, bringing extensive experience in public defense from her prior role at a respected Washington State law firm and a dedicated history of volunteer advocacy at St. Andrew Legal Clinic, an organization devoted to serving families unable to afford private representation.
A passionate advocate committed to navigating complex cases with skill and empathy, Tonya earned her Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Lewis and Clark University in January 2024, swiftly passing the bar exam the following month. Her multidisciplinary background includes a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from Occidental College, a Ph.D. in Human Development with a focus in cognition and neuroscience from the University of Texas-Dallas, and a Master of Science in Social Work (M.S.S.W.) from the University of Texas-Austin.
Beyond her role as an attorney licensed in both Oregon and Washington, Tonya is also a licensed clinical social worker. Her unique expertise in psychology, neuroscience, and social work enables her to approach each case with exceptional insight and depth, supporting her clients through life’s most challenging moments with compassion and strategic foresight. Tonya’s academic contributions to published social science research further underscore her commitment to understanding human behavior and applying this knowledge to legal practice.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Tonya enjoys exploring the world with her children and expressing herself through creative writing.
Brandi Becker
Ms. Becker is an East Coast native. She attended University of Tennessee, where in 2004 she obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science, minor in Psychology. In 2006, she received her Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law.
Ms. Becker began her career at the Public Defender’s office in the 10th Circuit of Florida. She has represented and tried a wide array of criminal charges ranging from low level misdemeanors to felonies carrying life sentences.
In 2010, Brandi transitioned into private practice. She continued to work in criminal defense but expanded her practice to include juvenile and family law. Ms. Becker has worked extensively with domestic relations issues such as delinquency, dependency, dissolution, custody, third-party rights, asset division, guardianships and protective orders. Ms. Becker’s passion for trial work coupled with her dedication to helping others led her to Romano Law.
Ms. Becker is admitted to the Oregon, Tennessee, and Florida bar. She is a member of the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Oregon Association of Family Law Attorneys, Multnomah Bar Association and Oregon Trial Lawyers Association. Outside the office, she serves on the board of several non-profits and donates her time on projects for the betterment of our community. She also enjoys travel and time at the beach.
Michael G. Romano
Mr. Romano attended Southern Oregon University (formerly Southern Oregon State College) in Ashland, Oregon where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, with a minor degree in Philosophy. He then received his Juris Doctorate at Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon. While in law school, Mr. Romano clerked for the Marion County District Attorney’s Office and developed a taste for trial work. He was then admitted to practice law in Oregon in 2000 and began his career as a prosecutor. He received his misdemeanor experience in Klamath County, felony experience in Coos County, and juvenile delinquency & dependency experience in Deschutes County. In early 2006, he then opened his private practice in Bend, Oregon with a strong focus on family law and criminal defense. In 2013, Mr. Romano opened an additional office in downtown Portland, Oregon. Mr. Romano has personally tried hundreds of jury trials, tried numerous bench trials, conducted traditional and video-recorded depositions, and has spent literally thousands of hours in courtrooms around Oregon. Mr. Romano is an accomplished Portland divorce attorney and Beaverton divorce lawyer. Mr. Romano stays current with changes in the law by consistently exceeding the minimum Continuing Legal Education requirements set by the Oregon State Bar. He’s a current or past member of the American Bar Association, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, the Deschutes County Bar Association, the Multnomah County Bar Association, the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the DUI Defense Lawyers Association, and the National College of DUI Defense. On the rare occasions he’s not working hard on his client’s cases, he enjoys spending time with his son, Kourosh.