THE IALOC BOARD 

Anthony Modarelli, President

Anthony was born and raised by full-blooded Italian parents in Youngstown, Ohio. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Villanova University, where he met his wife, Jo Anne, who is also of Italian descent. Graduating from Chapman University's School of Law, Anthony is licensed to practice law in California and Nevada, litigating personal injury and business matters in both states.  Over the years, Anthony has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in 2019 and 2020, by National Trial Lawyers as a Top 40 Under 40 Plaintiff's Lawyer for 2018 and 2019, and by MyVegas Magazine as a Top 40 Under 40 professional in Las Vegas. 

Anthony attended his first IALOC meeting while a law student, as a guest of founding member, Joseph D'Antony. Since that first meeting, Anthony's involvement in IALOC has grown over the years. He now serves as IALOC's President for 2020. Anthony is grateful for IALOC and the countless friendships and mentors he now considers part of his "famiglia". In addition to IALOC, Anthony is a member of the National Italian American Bar Association ("NIABA"), President of Project Youth OCBF's Associate Board, and President of the Orange County Alumni Club of Villanova University.

Joseph Ferrucci,  Past President

Joe Ferrucci graduated from Cal State University, Fullerton in 1993 with a degree in Business Administration (accounting concentration) and then attended Pepperdine University School of Law, where he graduated in 1996.

After graduating law school, Mr. Ferrucci worked for law firms in Los Angeles and Irvine representing insurance companies and their insureds in various types of civil litigation matters. In 2003, Mr. Ferrucci formed his own firm and has specialized in representing small to medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs and investors in business and real estate litigation matters. He is currently a member of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and a teacher for the Orange County College of Trial Advocacy. He is also a member of the CSUF Executive Council Board.

Mr. Ferrucci has published several articles in both local and national trade association publications and business journals on construction and business issues.

Frank Licata, Treasurer

Janice Chieffo, Secretary

Janice Chieffo is a retired Deputy District Attorney for the County of Orange. She graduated from John Marshall Law School in 1985 and moved to California to begin her legal career. She began working as a civil and business litigator in Los Angeles, until 1989, when she accepted a position as a criminal prosecutor for the City of Los Angeles, where she remained until 1996. Thereafter, she moved to Laguna Beach and joined the Orange County District Attorney as a Narcotics, Welfare Fraud and Gang prosecutor. Janice retired in 2015 from the Orange County office of the District Attorney and started her own travel agency, A Moveable Feast Travel, LLC., where she creates custom itineraries for her luxury travel clients. Janice has designed the upcoming LEX ROMANA trip to Puglia, in 2020.

Mike Santoni, Historian

Back in 1975 when he finished college, Mike Santoni knew that he was going to be a detective. After realizing he didn’t want to go into the public sector, he became an apprentice as a private investigator. Ever since, he has used his analytic mind to crack case after case. After over 40 years experience, there are few cases that can stump him. He is a mentor to his colleagues and plays an instrumental role in the planning of execution of cases at Santoni Investigations.

Mike is a committed member of the IALOC and is proud to join its Board.

Joseph S. D'Antony, Consigliore

Joseph D'Antony is the "Founding Father" of the IALOC forming Lex Romana in 1977.  Mr. D'Antonty has been an integral part of the IALOC since is creation and was instrumental in getting the IALOC recognized as an official Affiliat of the Orange County Bar Association.  For his efforts in forming and reviving the IALOC, Joseph D'Antony was granted a life-time seat on the IALOC Board of Directors holding the esteemed position of “Consigliore.”  Click here for a complete history of the IALOC.

Spending 33 years litigating cases from both a plaintiff's perspective and from a defense perspective, Joseph S. D'Antony believes that cases are handled more efficiently through alternative adjudication. He has seen the anguish and the turmoil experienced by his clients commencing with either the serving of the complaint or from experiencing an injustice and ending several months later with a contested trial or settlement. With a civil trial, each party has to relive the experience over and over again. He believes that the mediation/arbitration process can resolve matters more expeditiously and usually with a better and more satisfying result for both parties. After 33 years as a successful civil trial litigator for both the defense and plaintiff's bar, My. D'Antony has retired to become an arbitrator/mediator. Not only does he have have a strong background in civil matters, but he also brings his experiences as a registered pharmacist in the states of Ohio and California.

Mr D'Antony has settled and resolved difficult cases acting as a pro temp settlement conference judge in the Orange County Superior Court and as a mediator on the Los Angeles County Mediation Panel. In addition, Mr. D'Antony has acted as a neutral in arbitrations and this experience lends itself to mediating cases from a non-adversarial position. Mr. D'Antony's experiences in the many variables of a lawsuit have prepared him for ADR.

The majority of Mr. D'Antony's experience has been in the field of medical malpractice, personal injury, and general liability matters. His concern for the parties is conveyed in his approach in working to bring the parties to a position of conclusion. The uncertainties of litigation as well as the expense, emotional and financial concerns for the future are a heavy burden for the parties as they approach a civil trial.

Diana Cimino, Parliamentarian

Diana Cimino is a first generation Italian-American, and grew up in upstate New York.

She attended Arizona State University, earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Business, and earned her Juris Doctorate from Western State University College of Law. Her firm, Cimino Law Offices, located in Laguna Beach, focuses on business and employment law, including business transactions, contract and business disputes, employment law, and complex business transactions including as mergers and acquisitions.

Diana has been a member of Italian America Lawyers of Orange County for 14 years, where she serves as the Parliamentarian. She is also on the Board for Rotary International of Laguna Beach. Additionally, she is a member of the California Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, the National Italian American Bar Association, the American Association of University Women, and the Laguna Beach Business Club. Her other activities include the Orange County Girl Scouts, where she is the troop leader, and she serves as a delegate on the Board of the Orange County Girl Scout Council.

Diana previously lived in Venice, Italy and is fluent in Italian. She lives in Laguna Beach with her husband Tom, and her two teenage daughters.

Michael D'Angelo, Historian

As a graduate from University of California, Irvine and Loyola Law School, Mr. D’Angelo has over 23 years of experience litigating eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and other complex real estate matters. Mr. D’Angelo worked predominantly for private property owners and business owners in eminent domain and inverse condemnation matters.

Mr. D'Angelo enters his third year on the Board and has been a long-standing member, sharing his love for his Italian heritage with others. 

Sherry D'Antony, Board Member At Large

Sherry Graybehl D’Antony is a partner at the law firm of Bohm Wildish, LLP.  Her areas of practice include Employment Law and Family Law.  Prior to joining the law firm of Bohm Wildish, LLP, she was a partner at the law firm of D'Antony, Doyle & Moore.  Prior to that, Ms. Graybehl D'Antony was at the law firm of Ferruzzo & Ferruzzo for nine-and-a-half years where she handled all matters relating to family law and employment law.

Ms. Graybehl D'Antony is a California Certified Family Law Specialist since 1995.  She was rated one of the top Family Law attorneys in Orange County by Martindale-Hubbell.  She was also hailed by the National Association of Professional Women as having “Outstanding Excellence and Dedication to her Profession.”  One of Ms. Graybehl D’Antony’s more notable cases includes a $360,000 damages award for a client bringing a battery case against her ex-husband who infected her with a sexually transmitted disease.  In another case, Ms. Graybehl D’Antony was granted a nonsuit in favor of her client, ITT Cannon, in a wrongful termination case.

Ms. Graybehl D’Antony served as a Board Member for the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists for 2 years.  She also served as President of IALOC in 2011 and again in 2012.  Additionally, she is has been a proud IALOC Board Member since 2006. 

Ms. Graybehl D’Antony is an avid runner and has completed over 14 marathons and 4 half marathons.  To relax and recuperate from the stress of her profession, she and her husband Joseph D’Antony travel to their home in the Abruzzo region of Italy.  There, they enjoy a slower pace of life along the peaceful Adriatic coastline.