We Help Change People’s Lives
Under Diane’s and Tony’s guidance, the office has systems in place not only to keep the office running smoothly, but also to ensure that clients are well-served. Diane’s policy is to respond to her clients in under 24 hours. Checking her email at night and making sure that clients get all of the information they need is all part of the service the office provides.
“Our is job to undo the stereotype of lawyers, which means that often it is in the best interest of our clients to settle a case and avoid going through a lengthy and painful trial,” says Diane.
“This isn’t just a job,” says Tony. “It’s a job with meaning. We are helping to change people’s lives.”
Diane Mancinelli
Attorney
Almost the first thing you see when you enter Diane Mancinelli’s office is a painting of the starship Enterprise – from the TV show Star Trek.
Somewhat atypical artwork for an attorney’s office.
But then, Diane isn’t your typical attorney.
Personable and accessible, she goes out of her way to make certain clients feel cared for. “I try to respond to them and keep them apprised,” she says. Doing so takes time, she acknowledges, but she believes it’s the duty she owes clients who place their trust in her.
Although Diane admits she loves arguing cases in court, her softer side is evident in how she treats and cares for her clients.
“I like being able to assist people. I want my clients to be happy when they leave here,” she says.
Tony Mendoza
Office Manager
While Diane handles the legal side of the business, Tony keeps Team Mentis humming. Diane is unparalleled when it comes to strategizing legal cases, but she is “present-time oriented,” as Tony puts it. Tony’s purview is the big picture. Focused on quality control, he analyzes what has worked well and what has gone wrong in the business and maintains the necessary records.
Tony shares Diane’s perspective on law as a helping profession. He believes in hiring warm, nurturing people to serve Mentis Law clients. “We’re providing a service to people if we’re doing our jobs correctly,” he says.
“We’ve come up from the other side of the tracks,” says Tony, who is justly proud of the firm and its successes. He is also gratified that he and Diane have the ability to provide employment to young people in Orange County.
Yasmine Lepe
Paralegal
Yasmine Lepe caught the legal bug from her older sister.
At Mentis Law Group, Yasmine focuses on bankruptcy and corporate law. She’s been there for six years and is presently completing her paralegal certification at Santa Ana College. “I think being a paralegal is a good decision for me,” she says. She learned quickly how rewarding it can be to help people in dire straits. “Clients call and cry over the phone; they don’t know where to turn. When they come into the office, I see the relief on their face.”
Born in Mexico, Yasmine is bilingual. Her family moved to Riverside when she was an infant, then relocated to Orange County when she was five. A resident of Anaheim, she has a one-year-old daughter. She enjoys going out to eat and introducing her daughter to different foods.