CINCINNATI - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Lawyer, Arthur H. Schlemmer

Arthur H. Schlemmer is a senior trial attorney with Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer. His practice focus is trying cases on behalf of the firm's corporate and individual clients on a variety of business related matters. Art also handles complex litigation cases involving serious personal injury and death. An avid motorcyclist himself, Art has a particular interest in representing motorcyclists who have been injured as a result of the negligence of others. Over the past many years, he has handled numerous motorcycle accident cases. His knowledge and thirty two years experience in motorcycle culture, accidents and insurance issues involving motorcycles makes him uniquely qualified to represent his clients and to relate to juries in motorcycle accident trials. Art has been a central member in the firm of Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer for over 40 years. He previously served as managing partner of the firm and was one of the driving forces in the firm's relocation to Oakley. Art is the father of three grown children. He and his family attend Crossroads Community Church in Oakley, where Art serves as general counsel for the church.

Job Titles:

• Attorney - Mediator

Chuck Hinegardner has been in practice over 25 years. He has participated in hundreds of mediations. He is a certified mediator and has served as a mediator for years. Mr. Hinegardner believes mediation is a valuable process that can be used prior to and during litigation. It allows the parties to focus on a resolution rather than litigation. Mr. Hinegardner's practice areas include civil litigation. As a litigator, Mr. Hinegardner has tried and handled numerous types of cases in Ohio and Kentucky including business contract disputes, motor vehicle personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability, and undue influence and inteference with inheritance clams. He takes a proactive approach to handling litigation matters, working closely with clients to develop a strategy for reaching the desired outcome.

Chris Longwell practices primarily in the areas of real estate, estate planning and general business law. Chris advises clients in connection with real estate purchases, sales, financing, and operation, as well as property tax appeals, receiverships, foreclosures, leasing, Landlord-Tenant issues and eviction matters. Chris also assists clients in creating their business and developing and maintaining a business structure that matches their goals, sale or purchase of a business, funding strategies and reviewing and drafting contracts. Because Chris has spent many years as in-house counsel, his clients seek his advice as general counsel to make business and legal decisions which have long-term implications. Finally, Chris helps his clients plan for their legacy by helping them assemble a comprehensive estate planning strategy, including simple or complex trusts, irrevocable trusts including Ohio Legacy trusts, special needs trusts, wills, and financial and healthcare powers of attorney. In addition to his legal practice, Chris Longwell is active in Milford/Miami Township. He is a long-time adult leader in Boy Scouts of America, serving at the local unit level as well as a three-year stint as membership chair of the Blue Jacket District, Dan Beard Council. Currently, Chris is advancement chair for Boy Scout Troop 468 in Milford. Chris is also very active in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Milford, Ohio, where he served as president of parish council and currently serves as Festival Co-chair. Chris also sits on or advises several charitable boards.

Job Titles:

• Real Estate and Business Attorney

Dan Bennie has extensive experience in the representation of real estate developers and entrepreneurs, builders, condominium and community associations, financial institutions and investors in real estate. Daniel Bennie advises entrepreneurial clients on a wide variety of legal matters, including business reorganization, loan modifications, acquisition and sales, estate planning and related issues that frequently arise with business owners, investors and their families. Daniel Bennie has lectured on real estate and estate planning matters and participated in seminars for the University of Cincinnati, the Community Association Institute, Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati, the Ohio Real Estate Law Institute and the Cincinnati Bar Association. Dan is also Vice President of Central Land Title Agency, Fully owned subsidiary of Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Estate Planning Attorney

Attorney David H. Lefton is a partner in the law firm of Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer, a law firm serving greater Cincinnati, Ohio and Southwest Ohio. For more than 25 years, David has helped his clients protect their financial futures, provide for their heirs, handle business concerns and resolve other legal problems. Combining personalized service and insightful advice, he has been named an Ohio Super Lawyer in the area of Estate Planning and has earned the highest ethical standards and professional ability rating that is given to lawyers by the respected Martindale-Hubbell Directory. David also is a leader in activities of both the Ohio State Bar Association and American Bar Association, and is involved in a variety of community service activities.

Job Titles:

• Mediation Attorney
• Retired
• Retired BPBSAdmin 2021 - 09 - 27T20

David Wade Peck has for many years been selected by his peers as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" and as an "Ohio Super Lawyer". David Wade Peck's distinguished record while serving as senior litigation counsel for Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer (Attorneys Cincinnati) has been achieved over 35 years. During this time, David Wade Peck represented the interests of national corporations, insurance companies, entrepreneurs, injured and deceased persons, farmers, business owners, and persons undergoing divorce. Since 1998, while maintaining an active private practice, the focus of his attention has turned to mediation, the art of helping people stay out of the courtroom. Peers, other attorneys in Cincinnati and judges have recognized David Wade Peck as one of the area's top mediators. An active church member, David Wade Peck is a commissioned Stephen Minister and serves in several church capacities. He is also active in social justice and church-supported organizations including the Emmaus Community, Interfaith Hospitality Network, the AMOS Project, and Wesley Ministries. Volunteerism is an important part of life for both David Wade Peck and Jan, his wife of many years.

Mr. Kaufman can provide multiple legal services depending upon your needs, litigation representation, Collaborative Law representation, mediator, arbitrator and Guardian Ad services. He practices family law in Hamilton, Clermont, Warren and Butler Counties, Ohio.

Job Titles:

• Attorney With Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer
• Member of the Cincinnati Bar Association
• Title Agent

Jill McGrail is Cincinnati born and raised. Hailing from the west-side, Jill is one of seven children and is a graduate of Seton High School. Ms. McGrail graduated summa cum laude from Mt. St. Joseph University. She then attended the evening law school program at the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at NKU and was admitted to practice in 2005. While attending law school, she worked full-time for Thomas H. Bergman, a transactional real estate attorney in Cincinnati. She started with Mr. Bergman in 1996, working her way up from filing clerk to legal assistant to paralegal to associate to partner. Their firm was Bergman & McGrail, LLC in Blue Ash. After 21 years with Mr. Bergman, Ms. McGrail ventured off on her own in April of 2017, hanging her own shingle, McGrail Law, LLC, in downtown Cincinnati. McGrail Law, LLC was a boutique firm concentrating in real estate, general business representation and corporate law. In April 2021, Ms. McGrail began her next new chapter, joining the law firm of Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer and their title company, Central Land Title Agency Co. Her areas of practice continue to be real estate, general business representation and corporate law. Ms. McGrail is also a title agent licensed in Ohio and Kentucky and was the founder and owner of the title company, Rushmore Title, LLC, which began operating in 2005. She closed the operation as of May 1, 2021 as she now works with Central Land Title Agency Co. Ms. McGrail is an authorized agent of Old Republic National Title Insurance Company and First American Title Insurance Company. Ms. McGrail is a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, the Ohio Bar Association, the American Bar Association and C.R.E.W. Ms. McGrail has been married for 25 years. She and her husband, Sean, have two children - a son, Bryan, and a daughter, Maggie. She's an avid runner and loves running marathons, her favorite being Boston. She also loves singing, sports and athletic events, reading, traveling, cooking and the fine arts.

Job Titles:

• Family Law Attorney

Jimmy Lefton is a goal oriented Family Law Practitioner. Working with clients and identifying their objectives allows Mr. Lefton to customize his legal service and advice to best serve the needs of the client. Most clients would rather avoid the time, cost and drama of litigating Family Law matters. Therefore, Mr. Lefton works very hard with his clients to explore every opportunity to resolve issues out of court. Jimmy is a trained collaborative divorce lawyer and member of the Cincinnati Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Jimmy Lefton also handles major personal injury matters including Auto Accident, Slip and Fall, Dog Bites, Wrongful death, Birth Injury, Brain Damage other catastrophic injuries. While attending law school, Jimmy Lefton worked as an Assistant Attorney for the City of East Lansing, Michigan. Also while in law school, he was elected to a two year term on the school's Law Review. Prior to joining Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer, Jimmy Lefton worked as an assistant Prosecutor for Joseph Deters in the Hamilton County Prosecutors Office. He also worked with Richard Katz, a sports and talent agent and principal in Katz Management Group, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jimmy Lefton is married with 3 children. He is very active in his community. He spent many years coaching youth sports including baseball, football and basketball. He is a former board member of the Sycamore Athletic Club, Youth Basketball Organization.

Job Titles:

• Business Attorney
• Lawyer

Cincinnati Lawyer, Jonathan C. Bennie, practices primarily in the areas of real estate and business law, with a portion of his practice devoted to litigation. Jonathan advises clients in connection with real estate purchases, sales, financing, and operation, as well as property tax appeals, receiverships, foreclosures, evictions, and condominium and community association matters. Jonathan assists clients with various business transactions and helps clients resolve their civil disputes that have arisen within a commercial context, involving a contractual or organizational dispute.

Job Titles:

• Lawyer

Job Titles:

• Attorney

attended the University of Cincinnati Law School and then obtained a Masters of Law degree from University of Miami in Florida. Kyle C. Brooks law practice areas include Corporate and Business law, Transactional Work, Tax Planning, Estate Planning, Trust work, Guardianship and Probate law. Kyle C. Brooks represents a range of corporate clients some with annual revenues of $50 million or more to new start up businesses. Kyle Brooks also serves as a family counselor to many families both local and abroad on a wide variety of legal matters. Education: Babson College, B.S. 1985 University of Cincinnati, J.D. 1988 University of Miami, L.L.M. 1989

Mark L Newman devotes his legal practice to assisting injured and disabled individuals pursue workers' compensation, social security disability, and personal injury claims. He also assists individuals and families achieve their estate planning goals. Mark Newman has been representing injured workers for 30 years and enjoys being the voice of the injured worker who is often battling a large company or the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation to obtain the benefits they deserve. Mark has an intricate understanding of the Ohio workers' compensation system which allows him to obtain excellent results for his clients while easing their anxiety about dealing with the complex and bureaucratic workers' compensation system. Mark Newman has attended thousands of hearings before the Industrial Commission of Ohio on behalf of injured workers and has assisted individuals obtain the benefits they deserve including temporary total, permanent partial, wage loss, permanent total disability, and settlements. He also helps disabled individuals file for social security disability benefits. He represents individuals at the Initial Determination Level, Reconsideration, and at Administrative Law Judge hearings. He understands that filing a claim for social security disability can be a long and frustrating process so he gives each client the personal attention they deserve and obtains all the evidence necessary to present at hearing. Prior to joining Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer, Mark was a partner at the law firm of Bella, Newman & Associates for 10 years. Mark is married and has two young sons. He is very active in his community where he is a member of the Board of Directors of Isaac M. Wise Temple and University of Cincinnati Hillel. He also coaches many youth sports teams including basketball, baseball, and soccer.

Job Titles:

• Family Law Attorney

Job Titles:

• Employment Attorney
• Member of Mount Washington Presbyterian Church
• Retired

Cincinnati employment attorney, Peter Burr has practiced in the Cincinnati area for 23 years, the last 20 of which have been focused on representing clients with employment law issues such as workplace discrimination and harassment, unpaid overtime and contract negotiations. Peter A. Burr has won trials in both state and federal courts on various claims including sex harassment, disability discrimination, and age discrimination in the workplace. Peter Burr has helped several clients obtain multi-million dollar settlements. Peter Burr is an active member of Mount Washington Presbyterian Church, where he previously served on the Personnel Committee, and currently is in the role of Clerk.

Job Titles:

• College of Law - Juris Doctor

Sarah Veith has developed a diverse legal practice during her career. Sarah A. Veith has extensive experience in dealing with creditor's rights issues and foreclosures and has represented both businesses and consumers in connection with such matters. She also has significant experience dealing with Ohio and Kentucky consumer protection laws and has litigated a number of cases throughout both states. Sarah's background in litigation allows her to provide helpful and meaningful insights to her clients faced with issues relating to her areas of practice. Sarah A. Veith resides in Anderson Township with her husband and three sons. Her boys attend Cardinal Pacelli School. Both Sarah Veith and her husband are actively involved with the school, volunteering for various activities and coaching sports teams.

Sarah M. Houseman is a Cincinnati attorney licensed in both Ohio and Kentucky. Currently, she practices law in the areas of civil litigation, commercial and business litigation, estate and trust litigation, insurance defense, premises liability, personal injury, wrongful death, and commercial and residential landlord/tenant law. Sarah is a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law where she served as an Articles Editor for the Kentucky Law Journal, vol. 103. She was also a member of Kentucky's Moot Court Board and Trial Advocacy Board where she learned the skills necessary to advocate effectively on behalf of her clients at both the trial and appellate levels. Sarah was actively involved in the Women's Law Caucus where she served as the Education Chair, working to educate members of current issues facing women in the legal profession. While attending law school, Sarah gained a diverse set of work experience. She clerked at the Kenton County Attorney's office where she assisted extensively with criminal, domestic relations, and property tax matters. During her final semester, Sarah worked in UK's legal clinic as a certified legal intern, helping to assist low-income clients with a variety of civil issues. Lastly, Sarah worked in UK's Volunteer Income Tax Clinic where she prepared both state and federal tax returns for low- income individuals, students, and families. Prior to attending law school, Sarah received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with honors, from the University of Kentucky where she graduated cum laude in 2012. Additionally, she was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority where she served as the Vice President of Programming. Aside from attending the University of Kentucky, Sarah has resided in Northern Kentucky her entire life. In addition to her legal practice, she is an avid sports fan and particularly enjoys cheering for the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cincinnati Reds, as well as the Kentucky Wildcats. Sarah also enjoys traveling, even spending an entire summer in Cape Town, South Africa where she interned at the Black Sash National Headquarters. She currently lives in Covington, Kentucky with her rescue dog, Sawyer. Sarah is actively involved in the community, including the Junior League of Cincinnati, DanceBlue, Check Your Genes, University of Kentucky Alumni Association, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and Lakeside Presbyterian Church.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Construction Law, Litigation Services, Personal Injury / Wrongful Death

is one of Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer's more senior civil trial attorneys. His extensive courtroom trial experience distinguishes his practice from many other Cincinnati attorneys who may call themselves litigators but who, in reality, only rarely confront a jury. Steven C. Davis has a proven track record of handling every phase of long and complex trial work. Steven Davis tackles a wide variety of cases including residential and commercial construction matters, personal injury cases, contract matters and insurance coverage disputes. Much of Steve Davis's current work involves the representation of parties in construction disputes including property owners, custom home builders, contractors, sub-contractors, community associations, realtors, architects, engineers and others in the construction industry. Steven C. Davis is a 1986 graduate of the University of Florida College of Law. Prior to joining the firm in 1995, he practiced law for ten years in Florida. Steve was born and raised in the Tampa area. He is married and has three sons. He is an avid sports enthusiast with interests ranging from marathon running, golf, tennis and all varieties of spectator sports.

Job Titles:

• General Counsel
• Business Attorney

Thomas Fisher is very active in his community, including service on several boards including the City of Newport Historic Preservation Commission (Member and Vice Chair) and the City of Newport Existing Structures Committee (Member.) Thomas Fisher is a Cincinnati business attorney. He provides practical advice to a wide range of clients in Kentucky and Ohio including start up and well established businesses, non-profit organizations and government entities. His guidance assists clients in assessing and prioritizing business, operational and legal issues and enabling them to make decisions to accomplish their goals. His clients seek his advice as general counsel to make business and legal decisions which have long-term implications. His experiences range from assisting start up and emerging businesses and well established business on all topics including entity selection, raising capital and financing, tax issues, mergers and acquisitions, developing compensation models, employment issues and incentives, family succession and estate planning, exit strategies for business owners, regulatory compliance, negotiating commercial leases and contracts, negotiating financing agreements, landlord tenant issues, licensing and protection of intellectual property and real estate development. Thomas Fisher also has served as general counsel to a local public housing authority in Kentucky. In this capacity he has assisted his client in all aspects of its operations under state and federal law, including the administration of a federal HOPE VI grant used for developing new housing opportunities by integrating housing into the community and redeveloping existing urban housing stock. He has negotiated and closed numerous HOPE VI/mixed public and private financing transactions, negotiated the acquisition and sale of real estate, and assisted in the creation of affiliated entities used by his client to develop affordable housing opportunities.