Dorset Lawyers

Amanda Condon brings experience as an acting municipal court judge to her personal injury practice. She has earned a “Superb” AVVO rating and has been recognized as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in the U.S. Prior to joining Dworken & Bernstein in 2014, she worked at a small boutique firm specializing in personal injury. Amanda also previously served as a Magistrate in Lyndhurst Municipal Court, and from 2005 to 2012, was a prosecutor in Ashtabula County Eastern and Western County Courts. Amanda is currently an Acting Judge in Painesville Municipal Court.

This experience gives Amanda a unique perspective to...

Attorney Samantha Knapp earned a Juris Doctor from The University of Toledo College of Law. While maintaining a commendable GPA OF 3.5, she demonstrated exceptional legal acumen by earning a place in the prestigious Order of Barristers. The pursuit of excellence continued as she actively participated in the Irving R. Kaufman Memorial Securities Law Moot Court Competition, showcasing her prowess as a talented lawyer and forceful court advocate. Dedicated to public service, Attorney Knapp volunteered at the Toledo Divorce Clinic, providing valuable assistance to those in need. This commitment to community service was underscored by her certifications as a Certified Mediator...

Richard Selby heads our Commercial Litigation Department. He has extensive trial experience with Dworken & Bernstein in both state and federal court. In addition to his litigation experience, Ric regularly consults with clients on employment related issues and is called in to assist at trial with the Class Action department when those matters go to trial. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer Rising Star and was selected to be included in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers in America. In addition, he is a Contributing Editor to Attorney At Law Magazine featuring articles on Employment Law.

Ric joined Dworken...

Grant Keating is a partner practicing in the firm’s Business and Commercial Litigation department. He employs a pragmatic approach to litigation and has successfully represented a wide variety of businesses and individuals at trial, appeal and in ADR. Grant has extensive experience in the following areas of law: banking and loan restructuring, breach of contract, Clean Water Act, commercial lease disputes, construction disputes, creditor’s rights, defamation, director and officer liability, e-commerce, employment disputes, environmental litigation, foreclosures, international discovery assistance pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1782, mechanic’s liens, minority shareholder rights, Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act R.C. 1345.01 et. seq., professional negligence,...

Edward J. Hartwig is a native of Mahoning Valley and graduate of The University of Akron School of Law. Attorney Hartwig spent over a decade as a partner in a Youngstown law firm, eventually moving to private practice in 2012. He founded Hartwig Law, LLC, focusing on criminal defense, juvenile defense, personal injury, and other legal matters. Attorney Hartwig is widely recognized for his legal talents and abilities, earning inclusion in the list of Ohio Super Lawyer®, membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum® and a 10 out of 10 Superb Avvo Rating.

At the law firm of David V. Patton, Attorney at Law, I focus on providing exceptional representation, marked by integrity, excellence and service, to clients in Cleveland and throughout Ohio.

Certified Family Law Specialist, Gary Okin represents clients in matters of divorce, child custody, domestic violence, adoption and any other family law matters. Recognized as a Super Lawyer, Gary has consistently earned the highest ratings in the legal industry. Gary is admitted to practice before the Ohio Supreme Court and the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Gary is a contributor to several journals and Continuing Legal Education seminars. He is one of the first attorneys to be designated a Certified Specialist in the area of Domestic Relations Law by the Ohio State Bar Association.

Kristen M. Kraus has extensive experience in handling civil jury trials in both state and federal court. She has litigated cases in nearly every county in Northeast Ohio, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

Kristen joined Dworken & Bernstein upon graduation from law school in 2001. Since joining the firm, she has been representing victims of personal injury, as well as those injured in workplace accidents. A significant portion of her current practice is devoted to representing injured workers in workers’ compensation matters both at the Industrial Commission of Ohio and at the...

Attorney Justin M. Smith is the founder of J.M. Smith Co., LPA a law firm serving clients throughout Northeast Ohio in the practice areas of Consumer Bankruptcy, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury and Real Estate Law. Attorney Smith and his firm have helped clients through some of the most difficult situations they may encounter in their lives. This includes the decision to file bankruptcy, accusations of criminal charges and devastating personal injuries. J.M. Smith Co., LPA offers personalized service, support and advice to those in need of legal services. Attorney Smith is a graduate of Case Western Reserve School of Law...

Attorney Patrick Brickman focuses his practice on class actions and complex litigation. His cases primarily deal with unlawful conduct by government agencies, manufacturers, retailers, and employers. These actions touch on any number of legal issues across diverse areas of law, including real estate law, insurance law, commercial law, constitutional law, tax law, advertising law, wage & hour law, benefits law, and more.

Patrick attended the University of Dayton for his undergraduate work, and the University of Akron School of Law for law school, where he was an advocate on the Moot Court Team and an Associate Editor for the Akron Law...

Cathleen is an accomplished civil trial attorney and a principal in the firm Bolek Besser Glesius LLC. She has been representing individuals in employment disputes for more than twenty years. Cathleen is listed in the 2014, 2013 and 2012 publications "Best Lawyers," her firm has been listed those same years in "Best Law Firms," and she has been included in Ohio Super Lawyers and Ohio Rising Stars Magazines multiple times. Since 2005, the Legal Directory, Martindale Hubbell, has given Cathleen its highest rating, AV®. Martindale Hubbell assigns the AV® certification mark only to those attorneys who have been ranked...

With more than two decades of experience practicing law in both the private and public sectors, Michele McBride Simonelli has the knowledge necessary to handle highly personal client matters with honesty, discretion, and zealous advocacy. Her background as a Judicial Staff Attorney for the Ohio District Courts of Appeals for both the Eleventh and Seventh Districts as well as managing her solo practice has provided her with unique experience and insight into the administration and practice of law in a broad scope of matters. Michele’s experience includes researching, analyzing, and drafting judicial opinions for a three-judge panel in a variety of...

Bridget tirelessly advocates for her clients, ensuring that the law is accessible to them. Hailing from Hudson, Ohio, she focuses her practice in the areas of family law, real estate, and employment law. She has a passion for juvenile custody disputes and regularly litigates cases in juvenile court. When she isn't litigating, she spends her time with her golden retrievers, Finn and Stella.

While many attorneys will state that they practice law throughout the State of Ohio, Attorney Hux is likely part of a much smaller amount of attorneys who have actually lived in the Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland areas. This means that Attorney Hux actually knows the people of Southwestern Ohio, Central Ohio, and Northeast Ohio, in addition to the unique challenges each region brings.

Attorney Hux’s desire to help those in need has always been a cornerstone of his identity. That desire to help people, coupled with an innate ability to connect with people from all walks of life, has led...

DON HOWARD ,Esq. Juris Doctor. Marshall Law School 1977 Ohio Bar 1977 U S District Court Northern Ohio plus 2nd and 6th Circuit of the U S Court of Appeal Civil and Criminal Law No charge for initial consultation. Personal Injury - Probate - Family Law 216 849 - 4604 Office Shaker Hts. Ohio Will interview by Zoom or FaceTime after initial phone call. All major credit cards. No initial fees on personal injury or probate cases. LOCATION: (intersection of...

Frank Bartela works to hold corporations and governments accountable to consumers and taxpayers in his class action and business litigation practice. He graduated cum laude from Case Western Reserve University Law School in 2011. Frank Bartela is an Associate in the firm’s Class Action practice group. His practice is focused on the litigation of complex civil actions including consumer class actions as well as wage and hour actions. In this capacity, Frank fights to represent the interests and protect the rights of his clients both in Ohio and across the country. Currently, his cases deal with unlawful conduct by government...

Howard Rabb concentrates on estate, general business and bankruptcy matters. He regularly advises clients on business, estate and debt strategies. A lifelong Clevelander, he has a “Superb” AVVO rating.

Estate Planning: Howard’s practice involves an analysis of the goals of the client, an understanding of all relevant family relationships, and a comprehensive list of all of the clients assets. After obtaining this information, he will advise his clients as to whether a living trust or testamentary trust makes sense in order to address probate, distribution, or tax concerns. Typically, the estate planning will include wills, health-care power of attorney, living...

Caroline’s legal practice operates at the forefront of the intersection of defamation law and media. She is well-versed in the intricacies of working with media organizations to address client issues arising from disputes with editors, publishers, and other key members of news organizations. Before and while attending law school, Caroline studied and worked alongside journalists, both in the United States as a legal researcher and internationally as an intern journalist. She understands the difficult challenges and First Amendment protections that both media organizations and individuals face in balancing the vital role news organizations play in society and the potential harm that...

Jon D. Axelrod is the founder of Axelrod Law Offices in Willowick, and he has shaped the firm to reflect his deepest values. Mr. Axelrod believes that attorneys should provide effective legal direction while giving compassionate care to the client. He understands that legal decisions carry a great deal of distress and pressure, whether the client is considering bankruptcy, undergoing a divorce, or is accused of a crime. His primary aim is to provide peace of mind to his clients. Our firm accomplishes this through our personal relationship with each client and our devotion to providing the strongest legal care...

Attorney Svetlana Kats is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association with more then 12 years of progressive experience in Immigration Law practices.
We Provide Every Immigration Legal Service Including: Fiance Visas, Green Cards Based on Marriage, Employment-Based Green Cards, Work Visas, Investor’s Visas, Citizenship, Family-Based Immigration, Deportation Defense.

Attorney James C. Connell focuses his practice exclusively on criminal defense, including felonies, misdemeanors and OVI cases. With nearly a decade of experience defending a wide array of clients as a criminal practitioner in the Youngstown area, Jim’s knowledge of the intricacies of Ohio’s criminal court system leads him to the best path to favorable resolutions. Known by his clients as a strong advocate, Jim is committed to a client-centered approach aimed at protecting his clients’ legal rights. Jim pursues all defenses available in every case and remains committed to vigorously pursuing litigation when necessary. Attorney Connell earned his undergraduate degree from...

Shelley Fleming is currently focused on Consumer Class Actions, as well as claims pertaining to wage and hour laws, employment discrimination, and domestic relations issues. She conducts in-depth research on consumer protection claims and laws nationwide, and also drafts motions and appellate briefs. Prior to joining the firm, Shelley served as a Staff Attorney at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. In that position, she had the opportunity to conduct case management conferences, pre-trials, and settlement conferences. She attended civil and criminal trials and motion hearings. She drafted orders and opinions on discovery disputes, motions to dismiss and summary...

Mr. Kraus graduated from Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia) in 1981 with a B.A. in Political Science. He received his law degree in 1984 from Case Western Reserve University School of Law (Cleveland, Ohio). He practiced law in a small family firm, Kraus & Kraus, from 1984 until 2000. In 2000, Mr. Kraus joined Dworken & Bernstein as an associate attorney and in July 2003, was made a partner in the firm. He has been a member of the Lake County Bar Association, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Florida Bar. Mr. Kraus has also served as a mediator with...

David L. Engler has litigated highly complex civil rights, domestic relations, probate and criminal matters. His reputation is as a skilled courtroom litigator that fights for his clients. He is a former County Commissioner, City Councilman and current long-time County School Board member. He is admitted into the federal courts in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. He is currently litigating both civil rights matters in Kentucky and a complex custody case in North Carolina. He has represented clients in European civil disputes, negotiated a record deal for a top R&B group and once represented the...

Matt Besser is a discrimination lawyer in Cleveland, representing employees in employment discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, and wrongful termination cases. In addition to his work at Bolek Besser Glesius LLC, Matt is the General Counsel of the ACLU of Ohio. Matt holds the prestigious “AV Preeminent”® rating from attorney rating service Martindale-Hubbell. U.S. News' Best Lawyers Magazine has repeatedly named him one of the “Best Lawyers” in Cleveland for employment law, and named him the 2022 Cleveland Employment "Lawyer of the Year" for his work representing employees in discrimination cases. For its part, Super Lawyers Magazine has named him to its Cleveland...

I have led my law firm, Wilson & Wilson Co., L.P.A., and been a CPA licensed in Ohio for over 30 years, along with being a licensed attorney in Georgia for over 12 years. I have extensive experience in complex civil litigation, personal injury and medical malpractice representing mainly smaller litigants in David vs. Goliath situations by personally handling cases in an efficient and cost effective manner without sacrificing results. My experience as a CPA and many years as outside corporate counsel for a wide range of companies handling litigation, taxation, transactional and management advisory matters have given me...

Attorney Neuman is the son of Theodore and Edna Neuman and grew up on a farm in Geneva, Ohio. Theodore was a steel worker. Doug was the Valedictorian of the 1970 class of Geneva High School. He graduated from Vanderbilt University summa cum laude with a B.A. in Chemistry and History, and a minor concentration in mathematics. Attorney Neuman graduated from Case Western Reserve University Franklin Thomas Bacchus School of Law in 1977.

Attorney Neuman has been recognized for community service through the United Way, Boy Scouts of America, the Niles Historical Society, Residential Horizons, SCOPE, Niles Rotary, and as an...

A trial attorney with over seventeen years experience in the field of criminal law, Attorney Jeffrey Davis recognized the need for an experienced, skilled and aggressive criminal attorney to defend the rights and interests of individuals, and in 2007, formed Davis Law Offices, a criminal defense firm dedicated to the representation of the accused in Municipal, State and Federal Courts throughout Ohio. A native of the Mahoning Valley, Attorney Davis attended Boardman High School and Youngstown State University. He is a graduate of the prestigious Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he studied law under some of the...

John is an accomplished attorney at HHM, specializing in real estate law, business transactions, and business litigation. With a passion for delivering exceptional legal solutions, he is dedicated to assisting clients in navigating complex legal matters effectively. Possessing a Juris Doctor degree from Capital University Law School, John's commitment to legal excellence was evident during his time as a member of the Capital University Law Review. His rigorous academic training equipped him with a deep understanding of legal principles and a keen eye for detail. During his tenure in law school, John had the privilege of externing at the Ohio Attorney General's...

Anna emphasizes her practice in the areas of divorce, family law and estate planning. Anna is a founding member of The Cleveland Academy of Collaborative Professionals and a member of the Collaborative Practice Group of the Center for Principled Family Advocacy. Anna is also a certified family law mediator. Anna practices in the courts of Cuyahoga, Geauga and Lake Counties.

Paulette F. Balin has been practicing law since 1978. She was raised in Timberlake, OH and went to Laurel School in Shaker Heights. In 1975 she graduated magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve University and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She received her law degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1978, and passed the Ohio Bar in 1978 and Florida Bar in 1980. Paulette first opened her practice in Cleveland, Ohio in 1980. She has broad experience and success in handling Social Security Disability, SSI, and Long-Term Disability cases. Her legal experience covers cases addressing a large...

I am an AV-Preeminent attorney in Cleveland, Ohio, with 28 years experience as a civil litigation and trial lawyer. I focus my practice on discrimination, overtime, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and employee rights generally. I also represent businesses in commercial litigation matters. I am a dedicated, passionate advocate for people whose employment and civil rights have been violated. I believe that people need a lawyer who will level the playing field in disputes with their employer and the government. In addition to my practice, I am an adjunct Professor Law at Cleveland State University. I received a...

Steve Voudris is an Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist in Labor & Employment Law who focuses his practice on representing employees who have been wrongfully terminated, suffered discrimination in the workplace, or have not been paid their overtime wages, tips or any wages for any unpaid time (such as for training or for working through lunch). He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin Law School and Miami University. He spent the first six years of his legal career at the Cleveland office of Jones Day, one of the largest law firms in the world, and...

Egan is a licensed personal injury lawyer and principle personal injury attorney at Elk & Elk in Washington. He also actively practices in Ohio. Egan focuses his practice on pursuing personal injury claims caused by medical negligence, nursing home neglect and motor vehicle accidents.

Kim Alabasi has practiced in the area of Immigration since 2004. Notably, Ms. Alabasi speaks Spanish fluently. She earned her undergraduate degree in Spanish/Sociology from Marquette University and later went on to work in Mexico, first as a teacher in Puebla, Mexico for two years, followed by a job with the non-profit group IMIFAP in Mexico City, Mexico. Ms. Alabasi worked for 7 years as bilingual clinical social worker with the Hispanic Unit of the Center for Families & Children in Cleveland prior to obtaining her law degree in 2003 and starting Alabasi & Associates in 2006. Ms. Alabasi...

Matthew S. Flemming joined the Hoffman Legal Group in December 2013 after passing the Ohio State Bar Examination in November 2013. Due to his recognition within the legal community, Matthew was named an Ohio Rising Star in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 which is an award issued to only the top 2.5% of attorneys under the age of 40 in Ohio.

Matthew was born and raised in Northeast Ohio, graduating from Solon High School in 2005. In order to prepare himself for the challenges of guiding clients through the legal system, Matt enrolled in the University of Akron's School...

Jo A.Tatarko focuses on Commercial Litigation, representing clients in the areas of breach of contract, lease disputes, construction disputes, business disputes, and all other aspects of business litigation. Jo devotes 90% of her practice to litigation. In 2007 when Jo first joined Dworken & Bernstein, she was as a member of our Workers’ Compensation practice group. She represented individuals who were injured at work, both at administrative hearings before the Industrial Commission of Ohio and in Common Pleas courts in Ohio.

Irving Rosner is the head of Dworken & Bernstein’s Workers’ Compensation Department which helps the Firm’s clients who are injured at work. Prior to joining Dworken & Bernstein in 1986, Mr. Rosner was a trial attorney and prosecutor for the United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, in Washington, D.C. and in Cleveland, Ohio. In Mr. Rosner’s seven year stint (1979-1986) at the Justice Department, he tried complex cases against some of the nation’s finest litigators. Meticulous planning, preparation, and strong advocacy were essential traits that Mr. Rosner brought with him to Dworken & Bernstein when he...