Meet The Team
Kristian Maese, Legal Assistant
Kristian Maese is a senior legal assistant at The Matthew James, Attorney At Law, bringing over a decade of legal experience to this firm. As the senior legal assistant, Ms. Maese assists in ensuring clients receive high quality legal representation and focuses her work in the areas of immigration law, primarily in the areas of family petitions, naturalizations, work visas, and consular processing.
Ms. Maese started her legal career ten years ago managing multiple legal offices for a television station in Ciudad Juarez. In addition to her work in Ciudad Juarez, Ms. Urbina is a small business owner, and has worked for two other law firms in the El Paso region prior to being hired by The Matthew James. As a Mexican national, Ms. Maese personally went through the immigration process of obtaining legal status in the U.S., providing her a unique ability to relate to many of our clients. She understands their concerns and appreciates the importance of each immigration matter, providing excellent service and addressing each clients’ needs.
Ms. Maese desires to attend law school, becoming an attorney bared in the state of Texas, and continued to serve our border region.
Gloria Carrasco, Legal Assistant
Ms. Carrasco, is a senior legal assistant, brining over 10 years of small business leadership. Ms. Carrasco, a 2010 graduate from the University of Texas, El Paso, has owned numerous small business throughout the region, successfully navigating the complex border region economy. She’s been the face of Hommework, Lucky Bean, Oath, and GC Muse. In addition to successfully owning and operating numerous small businesses within on community, Ms. Carrasco has honed her legal skills working at two law firms prior to being hired by The Matthew James.
Ms. Carrasco, like many in our region, is a daughter of immigrants. Her grandfather migrated from Mexico to the United States in the 1930’s seeking for a better opportunity for his children. While Ms. Carrasco was born and raised in Mexico, her mother is a U.S. citizen, availing her to the benefits of dual citizenship. Ms. Carrasco’s parents brought her from Chihuahua to El Paso when I was 14 years old. She’s proudly a “Paseña.”
Living in El Paso has given her an opportunity to see and feel migration. As Ms. Carrasco notes, we in the border region come and go from Mexico to El Paso and from El Paso and because of this we have a unique appreciation and love for immigration, its people, and how it benefits us all.
Ana Cordova, Legal Assistant
Ana Cordova is the newest edition to our team here at The Matthew James, Attorney At Law. Ms. Cordova was born and raised here in West Texas and is currently a junior at UTEP focusing in political science and international politics. She is currently studying in preparation to attend law school and desires to focus on criminal and immigration.
Rob Johnson, Esq., Of Counsel
Rob Johnson joined The Matthew James in an of-counsel capacity addressing federal matters. Mr. Johnson has over a decade of legal experience, most recently focusing on all aspects of government contracts law including work with federal acquisition regulation (FAR) matters and state specific procurement affairs as in house counsel and as an executive. Rob’s background and experience include service as a law clerk in the Baltimore City Circuit court and subsequent experience as in house counsel to both the Baltimore City and Prince George’s County Public school systems where he worked as transactions counsel on procurement and contracting affairs. He has worked as the Purchasing (Procurement) Director for Prince George’s County Public Schools where he directly managed bids, bid protests, contract negotiations and disputes, and internal and external audits. In negotiating the healthcare contract for the system of over 18,000 employees Rob was able to leverage the system’s $2 billion buying power into savings for the system of over $1 million dollars during the course of the 5 year contract term.
As Procurement Director for the State of Maryland’s 2nd largest public school system and the nation’s 26th largest, Rob has overseen multiple school renovation and construction projects contract negotiations and administrations including the $24 million Tulip Grove project. He worked with the Capital Projects division on construction contracts, best value procurement projects done under the Army Corps of Engineers Job Order Contracting (JOC) process, change orders, and co-chaired a board initiative to certify more small firms as MBEs, DBEs, and veteran owned entities eligible to bid on and work on projects. Furthermore, Rob has had exposure to and experience with the federal government’s other transactions authority (OTA) and it’s deployment relative to the $36 billion in construction contracts let by federal agencies in 2018.
Rob attended and graduated from UMBC in 2003 earning a B.A. in Political Science. In 2008 Rob earned his Juris Doctorate degree and admission to the Maryland State Bar.
Rob was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan to the Juvenile Grants Planning Council within the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. He has served on the Board of Directors for Innovative Learning, LLC and the advisory council for the Mays-Woodson Early Learning Center. In 2014 Rob was named to the Baltimore County Spending Affordability Commission. In addition to formerly serving as Vice Chair of the Baltimore County Human Relations Commission, and Board member to the Night of Peace Family Shelter, Inc., Rob engages in volunteer work with the Combined Communities Advocacy Council of Greater Randallstown, Liberty Road Community Council, Reisterstown Improvement Association, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, and the Liberty Road Recreation and Park Council’s youth basketball program.
The son of two lifelong educators and ministers and the grandson of a former member of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, founder of Abundant Life Towers Assisted Senior Living Facility in Baltimore, and the Center for Creative Learning; Rob learned early on the value and importance of public service. “Serving others is a reward in itself, and using one’s skills to help others achieve better life outcomes is the highest form of selflessness.”
Murad Khan, Esq., Of Counsel
Murad Khan is a successful attorney, entrepreneur, and business strategist. Currently, he serves as the Managing Partner of Lion Law LLP, and works with The Matthew James, in an of-counsel capacity.
Mr. Khan brings a decade of passion and experience working as an advocate for law and justice; he believes that all individuals deserve vigorous and first-rate legal representation. Previously, Murad worked for the nation’s largest Plaintiff firm in New York City, achieving favorable outcomes for their clients. He worked along-side the country’s best mass tort attorneys. He brings that same experience and knowledge to fight for his clients at Lion Law LLP. In addition to managing the firm, Murad currently represents individuals who were prescribed drugs with undisclosed and dangerous side effects or those who received defective medical devices.
In 2008, Mr. Khan co-founded Khan Johnson LLP, a well respected, law firm dedicated to winning for their clients by providing real-world legal and business solutions. At Khan Johnson LLP, Murad managed litigation, corporate transactions, election law, entertainment law, and various other practice groups. Murad also serves as a partner at the consulting firm of Hastings Strategies where he developed expertise in corporate strategy, change management, and technological innovation. Murad successfully delivered for his clients by managing dozens of multi-million dollar projects, negotiating hundreds of complex deals, and spearheading the development and launch of several tech apps. Over his career, he has provided consultancy and representation to hundreds of individuals, businesses, non-profits, political campaigns, and technology start-ups.
For almost two decades, Murad has served as a political strategist and has held various positions with President Barack Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and several other Governors, U.S. Senators, and U.S. Congressman.
Murad is actively involved in his community and is proud to be involved in several pro-bono programs. With the College Success Foundation, Murad helps mentor youth from challenging financial backgrounds and helps prepare them for a successful college transition. Mr. Khan holds a B.A. in Political Science, a M.A. in International Relations, and a J.D. from American University. He is a member of various organizations and is invited so speak frequently on legal, political, and business panels.
