Staff
Neighborhood Justice Center Staff provides legal defense for those in need.
Executive Director:
Carolina Lamas
Contact Carolina Lamas - clamas@njcinc.org
Born in Lima, Peru, Carolina Lamas has spent most of her life in the Twin Cities. Ms. Lamas is a trial lawyer who has devoted her legal practice to criminal defense work. During this time, she has earned a reputation as a lawyer who will fight vigorously to defend her clients' constitutional rights. Ms. Lamas attended the University of Minnesota Law School where she earned her JD in 2003. After graduating law school, Ms. Lamas worked at the Ramsey County Public Defenders Office for 4 years where she successfully tried several cases, including several high-level felonies. Ms. Lamas is the immediate past president of the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association where she has served on the board since 2004.
Office Administrator:
Victoria Rosas
Contact Victoria Rosas - vrosas@njcinc.org
Victoria Rosas, Administrative Assistant, a native of St. Paul, has been at NJC since 2002. She has a background in library clerical work in the St. Paul Public Library systems. Her primary professional emphasis is on managing the office and staff.
Staff Attorneys:
Lyndee Kamrath
Contact Lyndee Kamrath -
lkamrath@njcinc.org
A Minnesota native, Lyndee Kamrath has a strong connection to the Twin Cities community. Lyndee attended the University of Minnesota where she received her B.A. in Psychology and Spanish in 2004. She received her J.D. in 2007 from William Mitchell Law School. As president of the International Law Students Association she developed a strong interest in working with diverse cultures and had the opportunity to study and work abroad in Spain, Argentina, and China. After graduation, Lyndee volunteered at the Legal Rights Center in Hennepin County prior to accepting a staff attorney position at the Neighborhood Justice Center.
Cullin Smith
Contact Cullin Smith - csmith@njcinc
Cullin received his B.A. from Hamline University, Summa Cum Laude, majoring in Criminal Justice and Political Science, and minoring in Anthropology. While studying at William Mitchell College of Law, where he graduated in the top third of his class, Cullin served as a student law clerk for judges in both U.S. District Court, and Ramsey County Court. His other legal experiences include assisting in prosecution in London, England, and in Minneapolis, Minnesota, working for a Minnesota State Senator and serving as appellate counsel for indigent clients at the Tubman Family Alliance. Cullin is a zealous advocate who is dedicated to the pursuit of a just society.
Law Clerks:
Krista Valle
Contact Krista Valle -
kvalle@njcinc.org
Krista graduated from the University of
Saint Thomas in 2003 Cum Laude, with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and
Sociology. She was on the Dean's Honor List for outstanding scholastic
achievement, and was a member of Alpha Kappa Delta, the international
sociology honor society.
Community Workers and Investigators:
Abdi Guled Elmi
Contact Abdi Guled Elmi - aguled@njcinc.org
Community Worker and Certified Investigator, has a master's degree from Saint Mary's University in Minneapolis. Originally from Somalia, his focus at NJC is on outreach to the Somali community. He formerly worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Health Organization. He is fluent in Somali and Arabic, as well as English.
Ursula Munet
Contact Ursula Munet - umunet@njcinc.org
Community Worker and Investigator, studied at The College of Saint Catherine, her focus at NJC is outreach to the Spanish speaking community. She is fluent in Spanish as well as English.
Support Staff:
Darcy Golish
(Photo coming soon!) Contact Darcy Golish - dgolish@njcinc.org
Receptionist. Responsible for serving clients and staff.
Volunteers and Interns:
Volunteers and interns play many important roles that contribute to the success of NJC. Law student clerks screen potential clients, assist with investigations, and represent clients in selected cases. Attorneys volunteer their time to assist clients in expungements, and provide representation in misdemeanor cases. Work study students and other community volunteers screen potential clients, make referrals to community resources, assist with case preparation, and help maintain client files.
