Legal Services & Lawyers

The Law Office of Ama N. Appiah represents those seeking assistance in immigration, representation in domestic or international adoption cases, child advocacy, and state or immigration appeals.

Ms. Appiah earned her Bachelor of Science degree at the State University of New York College at Buffalo, cum laude. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Appiah worked as a legal assistant and paralegal for the U.S. Small Business Administration - Disaster Assistance Office in Niagara Falls, NY. The Disaster Assistance Office provided federal loans and grants to those who suffered physical damage to their homes and physical and/or economic injury to their businesses as a result of a natural disaster.

Attorney Appiah earned her law degree from Albany Law School in Albany, NY, in 2003. It was there that she gained extensive appellate experience. She interned for a substantial amount of time for the Albany County District Attorney's Office Criminal Appeals Division. Ms. Appiah also interned for the Hon. Thomas J. McAvoy in the U.S. Northern District Court of New York, as well as the Corporations Division of the New York State Department of State.

Upon moving to Florida in 2003, Ms. Appiah worked for a solo practitioner whose practice focused on criminal and civil litigation. Since 2005, Ms. Appiah has contracted with the Tenth Judicial Public Defender's Office as a Special Assistant Public Defender on felony criminal appellate cases.

In 2005, Ms. Appiah also became a Program Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program. The Guardian ad Litem Program represents the best interests of children in cases alleging abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect. Ms. Appiah represented the Program in the juvenile dependency division of the circuit court in cases resulting in reunification, permanent guardianship, termination of parental rights, and adoption. Ms. Appiah worked as an Appellate Senior Program Attorney for the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program from 2007 to 2009. She represented the Guardian ad Litem Program in District Courts of Appeal throughout the state of Florida.

Ms. Appiah has participated in several pro bono services throughout central Florida for those who are indigent and low income. She has participated in a number of family law clinics at Florida Legal Rural Services in Polk County. She has participated in a number of "Community Day" law clinics, as well as a "Citizenship Day" immigration law clinic in Pinellas County. Additionally, Ms. Appiah has been trained in human trafficking representation by the Orange County Bar Association in Orange County.

The focus of the Law Office of Ama N. Appiah is immigration cases, family law cases involving dependency and/or adoption, and international law cases involving child advocacy or adoption-related issues. However, we also represent parties in state and immigration appellate cases. The Law Office of Ama N. Appiah is particularly equipped to accommodate the representation of non-English speaking clients that speak Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Twi, and Vietnamese, through the use of interpreters.

Peter A. Sartes is a shareholder of the Law Offices of Tragos & Sartes. Mr. Sartes is one of Tampa Bay's most resourceful, up-and-coming attorneys. His vast formal education includes a finance degree and an MBA along with his law degree. His extensive education coupled with his years of training in tactic and strategy gained during his tour of duty as a United States Army Cavalry Officer provided the foundation necessary for his development into an effective trial strategist.

Since joining the Law Offices of George E. Tragos in 2001, Mr. Sartes has represented clients in both criminal and personal injury cases. His diverse background makes him a coveted asset in the firm's arsenal. His ability to scrutinize details, assess case strengths and recommend courses of action have proven to be essential in defending all types of criminal prosecutions, as well as preparing for complicated civil litigations. Mr. Sartes' expansive financial background makes him particularly capable of deciphering complex financial documents to identify issues necessary to successfully defend tax, fraud, and financial cases.

Throughout his legal career Mr. Sartes has represented a broad spectrum of clients including the first international arms dealer to be indicted during Operation Iraqi Freedom, a client involved in the fifth largest drug seizure in US history, and everyday people fighting to protect their rights in local courts.Mr. Sartes attended both the University of Toledo and Stetson College of Law and is admitted to practice in both Florida State and Federal courts. He was an associate at CB Richard Ellis, the worlds leading commercial real-estate brokerage firm, before deciding to fulfill his dream and pursue a career in law.

His legal career began at the Public Defender's Office in his home town of Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Sartes is the former Chairman of the Traffic Court Rules Committee of the Florida Bar, and currently serves as the liaison to the Rules of Judicial Administration Comittee of the Florida Bar, and as the Sixth Judicial Circuit representative on the Florida Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors.

He has served as the Past- President of the Young Lawyers Division of the Clearwater Bar Association, and he has also served as the Chairman of the Clearwater Bar Association Technology Committee. Mr. Sartes holds a BV rating from Martindale-Hubble which is the maximum rating a lawyer can receive who has been admitted to the bar for less than 10 years. He has also been published in The Journal, of the Appellate Section of the Florida Bar, the Florida Bar Journal , The Florida Defender, the journal of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Res Ipsa, the publication of the Clearwater Bar Association.

Tampa Criminal and DUI Defense Attorney

Jason Sammis is a shareholder with the Sammis Law Firm, P.A., in downtown Tampa. Jason represents individuals charged with felony and misdemeanor criminal offenses in Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL, and the surrounding counties including Pinellas County, Pasco County and Polk County, Florida.

Jason Sammis received his undergraduate degree at University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia and his Juris Doctorate degree at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. At the University of Florida, Jason was a member of the Florida Law Review and was chair of the Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Board. Jason is admitted to the state bars of Georgia and Florida, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Middle District of Georgia, the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and the United Sates Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Contact Jason Sammis at 813-250-0500 if you would like to discuss any felony or misdemeanor criminal case including drunk driving or DUI, suspended driver license, habitual traffic offender revocation, violation of probation, drug crimes, or domestic violence. Whether your criminal case is pending in Tampa, Plant City, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, New Port Richey, Dade City, or Bartow, Florida, call the Sammis Law Firm to discuss your case. Representing clients charged with crimes in Hillsborough County, Polk County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, and the surrounding areas throughout central Florida.