WOOD + LAMPING - Key Persons
Amy Schott Ferguson practices in the firm's Community Association Law Practice Area. She centers her practice around building relationships and making a difference in the lives of the people she helps.
Amy clerked at Wood + Lamping 32 years ago, and we're excited to welcome her back to help our clients solve the unique legal problems they face in community associations. Drawn to the variety of cases and meticulous nature of Community Association Law, Amy loves that her cases provide her with fresh challenges - it's never the same thing twice. Amy has handled all aspects of Community Association Law, including litigation, foreclosure, covenant drafting and enforcement, and Board and annual meetings over her nearly 30 years of practice.
Outside of the office and courtroom, Amy lives in Madeira with her husband and has two adult daughters, Isabella, and Olivia. In her spare time, she loves being outdoors and can often be found walking, attempting to garden, and exploring new places to eat and drink. She also volunteers at a local dog shelter, Save the Animals.
Andrew Kaake is a partner in the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Area. Through his years of experience representing employers, he has become well versed in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, harassment, medical leave, disability accommodation, drafting of handbooks and workplace policies, record-keeping, workplace investigations, and employee discipline. Andrew provides advice and counsel to a wide range of companies, from small family-owned businesses, to Fortune 500 corporations. Andrew has litigated employment matters before Ohio's federal and state courts, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. He is skilled and experienced in all aspects of employment litigation, including discovery, depositions, dispositive and pretrial motions, oral arguments (including arguing before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals), mediation, and trial advocacy.
Ben Cramer practices in the firm's Tax Law, Business Law, and Litigation Practice Groups. Ben focuses his practice on helping businesses, business owners, and individuals resolve civil and criminal tax disputes, navigate business concerns, and maximize tax benefits.
Ben represents clients in tax audits and defends against tax collection actions, such as tax liens, tax levies, and garnishments. He has helped clients who failed to file tax returns for three years, those who failed to file for thirty years, and everything in between. He is experienced in settling tax debt through offers in compromise, installment agreements, penalty abatement, tax litigation, and other settlement programs. He is experienced in using the bankruptcy process to resolve tax debt, and often collaborates with bankruptcy counsel.
Ben is a trusted advisor and outside counsel to dozens of businesses and their owners in tax matters and general business issues such as business formation, business sales and acquisitions, contract negotiation, business disputes, and other matters.
Ben is a frequent speaker on tax issues. His recent presentations include "Resolving Tax Issues with the Post-Pandemic IRA" and "Bankruptcy and Insolvency for the Tax Practioner." He has hosted roundtable discussions with IRS officials and local tax professionals, and was a featured speaker for the Southwestern Ohio Tax Administrator's Association regarding developments in municipal tax law.
C.J. Schmidt practices in the firm's Litigation and Labor and Employment Practice Areas. He also served as Wood + Lamping's managing partner for 11 years. C.J. has 35 years of experience handling general civil litigation with a concentration in labor and employment disputes of all types. He has extensive experience in federal and state courts, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Labor and arbitration panels. C.J. provides advice and counsel to small family-owned businesses, health care organizations, governmental entities, and Fortune 500 corporations in all manner of employment matters including hiring, terminations, leave, benefits, pay and unfair competition. He also has represented persons and entities in a wide variety of commercial disputes including non-competition agreements, breach of contracts, construction matters and ERISA matters. C.J. also has extensive appellate experience having argued appeals before the Ohio Supreme Court, Ohio appellate courts, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Sixth and Seventh Circuit.
C.J. and his wife, Betsy, reside in Hyde Park and have three grown children. C.J. serves on the Board of Advisors of the Goering Center for Family Business. He also serves as Corporate Secretary for the Craig and Frances Lindner Center of Hope. C.J. enjoys playing golf and paddle tennis in his free time. He is a native Cincinnatian and an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati.
Cassaundra Edwards practices exclusively in community association law and advises homeowners' associations and condominium associations on the following:
Fair Housing concerns
Liability issues
Nonprofit corporate procedures
Insurance questions
Governing document interpretation and amendments
Delinquency collections
Chad Levin is a partner with Wood + Lamping LLP in the firm's Business Law Group and the firm's Estate Planning, Trusts, and Wealth Transfer Practice Area. Chad is a seasoned business attorney who represents and counsels closely held businesses and their owners with respect to a wide variety of matters, including entity selection and formation, tax planning and compliance, management and governance, executive compensation, buy-sell agreements, commercial contracts, real estate and leasing, mergers and acquisitions, employment matters, and litigation and dispute resolution.
In addition, Chad is an experienced estate planning attorney and works with individuals and families to implement wills, financial powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney, living wills, revocable trusts, as well as irrevocable trusts, charitable trusts, multi-generational gift plans, and estate-tax minimization strategies. Chad also represents fiduciaries (executors, administrators, guardians, and trustees) concerning probate, estate administration, and trust administration, as well as in the preparation of fiduciary income tax returns and estate and inheritance tax returns.
As an extension of his estate planning practice, Chad has developed a niche in the areas of elder law and special needs planning, including durable powers of attorney, guardianships, long-term care planning, Medicaid and SSI eligibility and planning, and the drafting and implementation of self-settled and third-party special needs trusts.
Chad enjoys meeting with clients and helping them solve legal challenges in a practical way that puts them at ease. He's been fortunate to build rapport and friendship with clients, often through his understanding and holistic approach to their situations.
Chad is active in the legal community and has served on the Cincinnati Bar Association and Northern Kentucky Bar Association boards. He is also active in the non-profit community, serving as Immediate Past President of Pro Seniors and on the boards of other non-profits. Chad is a Cincinnati native who enjoys music, sports, travel, and spending time with his family and mini goldendoodle, Auggie.
Chad Levin is a partner in the firm's Business Law Group and the firm's Estate Planning, Trusts, and Wealth Transfer Practice Area.
Job Titles:
- OSBA Certified Specialist
Christina Clowers Flanagan is an OSBA Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law. Christina counsels families on their estate planning needs ranging from probate avoidance to more complex issues such as tax planning, asset protection, children with special needs, and succession planning for closely-held businesses. Christina also has experience with estate and trust administration, assisting clients with will and trust disputes, and applying for guardianship. Christina graduated from Texas Christian University in 1994 and worked in the mutual fund and retirement plan industries for three years. She then spent several years as a stay-at-home mom before enrolling in the University of Cincinnati College of Law where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2011. Christina was named a Super Lawyers® Rising Star for 2018, 2019, and 2021. Christina is a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association's Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers Class of 2020. She is a Sustaining Member of the Junior League of Cincinnati, most recently serving on the Nominating Committee. Christina previously served the JLC as Chair of the Transfers Committee and on the Membership Council. She also previously served on the Board of Directors for the St. Xavier High School Rugby Team and the Muse Machine (Dayton, Ohio) and was a member of the Dayton Bar Association's Leadership Development Committee from 2015-2016. Christina lives in Columbia Township with her dog, Birdie, and cat, Roy. Her son, Liam, graduated from St. Xavier High School in 2016 and attended TCU. Her daughter, Erin, graduated from Mount Notre Dame High School in 2017 and the University of South Carolina in 2021.
Dale Stalf is a past Chair of the firm's Litigation Practice Area and focuses his practice on the representation of small and medium-sized businesses and individuals in state and federal lawsuits involving breach of contract, construction defects, products liability, restrictive covenants, employment practices, violations of the Consumer Sales Practices Act, insurance coverage issues and business torts. He also regularly represents individuals who have suffered personal injury, wrongful death, or other damages in accidents or as a result of professional negligence. Dale is licensed to practice in Ohio and Kentucky.
Dale has been regularly recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© for his practice in Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Litigation - Construction, and was named its 2019 "Lawyer of the Year" in Cincinnati for Litigation - Construction.
Dale has also been included on the Ohio Super Lawyers® list published by Law & Politics magazine for his practice in Business Litigation since 2009, regularly earning the distinction of being named to its Top 50 Cincinnati Super Lawyers® and Top 100 Ohio Super Lawyers® lists.
Upon his graduation from Xavier University, Dale served as a platoon leader in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He was then selected by the Department of the Army as one of only 21 officers Army-wide to attend law school under its Funded Legal Education Program. After receiving his law degree from the University of Cincinnati, Dale served in the Army Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps as a military prosecutor for the 1 st Armored Division in Germany and finally as an attorney-advisor in the Office of the General Counsel to the Secretary of Defense at The Pentagon.
Dale lives in Western Hills with his wife Tammy. They have four children and eleven grandchildren. In his spare time, Dale plays saxophone in Santa's Goody Bag Band, which brings "the music of Christmas to Cincinnati all year long" and raises money for a number of children's charities.
Dale Stalf heads the firm's Litigation Practice Area and focuses his practice on the representation of small and medium-sized businesses and individuals
Daniel Cox is a partner and manages the Default Litigation Practice Area which handles accounts in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. The majority of his practice focuses on assisting clients to manage their commercial and residential Default Litigation and Default related matters including Foreclosure, Bankruptcy, Forfeiture, Evictions, Appeals, Code Violations, Lender Liability Litigation, Loss Mitigation, Mediations, Best Practices and Risk Management. He focuses on providing consultation and risk analysis in the effort to reduce costs and minimize risk per account to protect his client's interests.
Daniel is a 1999 Graduate of the University of Cincinnati earning a degree in Biology, a 2003 Graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and a 2011 graduate of the Ohio State Bar Association's Leadership Academy and was a Fellow for the Ohio State Bar Foundation in 2012-2017. In addition, Daniel served as a Special Master for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio - Western Division.
Daniel and his wife Kristen have three children who are active in Soccer, Softball and Wrestling thus they are constantly traveling to attend tournaments throughout the United States and Europe.
Daniel Perry is a highly experienced attorney specializing in estate planning, tax, and business law. He's licensed to practice in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee.
His estate planning experience includes handling matters related to representing executors, trustees, beneficiaries, and clients in probate and estate administration matters, including trust administration, preparing estate tax returns, and decedent income tax returns. Additionally, Daniel has provided counsel on complex corporate taxation issues, private equity transactions, and a range of strategies for Medicaid planning to maximize the protection of non-exempt assets. For his business law clients, he's counseled them on corporate transactions such as M&A, joint venture formation, stock offerings, limited partnerships, and notes.
Daniel graduated from University of Dayton School of Law. He lives in Northern Kentucky with his wife, Catherine, their three children, and their family dog.
Education
Associate of Arts from Holy Cross College (2003)
Bachelor of Arts from Purdue University (2006)
Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law (2011)
Daniel Perry is a highly experienced attorney specializing in estate planning, tax, and business law. He's licensed to practice in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
Donald Mallory is a partner at Wood + Lamping, and his practice focuses on insolvency debtors' and creditors' rights with a concentration on credit union representation, bankruptcy reorganizations, out-of-court workouts, financial and organizational corporate restructuring, complex litigation, and general business matters. He has significant experience representing debtors, secured lenders, trustees, and trade creditors in proceedings under Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and insolvency-related litigation such as receiverships and Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors.
Edward D. Bender is the chair of the firm's Estate Planning, Trusts, and Wealth Transfer practice area. The estate planning area commonly includes planning for business owners, and Ed counsels them on their succession planning issues as well as their general corporate matters. Ed advises individuals, banks and trust companies in their roles as fiduciaries for probate estates and private trusts. He has extensive knowledge of the four areas of taxation that are of concern to people who are planning their estate: the estate tax, the income tax, the gift tax, and the generation-skipping transfer tax. Ed's clientele is diverse, ranging from high net worth individuals considering a Domestic Asset Protection Trust, to parents with minor children who need a Contingent Trust for Minors, to persons who have a non-U.S. citizen spouse needing a Qualified Domestic Trust.
Ed has written and lectured on these topics for community groups and at continuing legal education seminars for other attorneys. Martindale Hubbell/LexisNexis has recognized Edward as AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.
Ed lives in Pierce Township with his wife, and his three children. Ed volunteers his time and is involved in various activities at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish and the Cardinal Bernardin council of the Knights of Columbus.
Edward (Pete) P. Akin, Esq., joined Wood + Lamping in February 2025. He previously practiced for over 20 years, mostly as a partner, at a boutique law firm focused on serving builders, developers and real estate related matters.
Ned Dorsey is a highly experienced labor and employment attorney.
Fern Goldman has extensive experience representing clients in real estate, commercial, and corporate transactions. Before joining Wood + Lamping in 2017 Fern worked for large and medium-sized regional firms as well as serving as in-house senior counsel for PNC Bank.
Fern's legal background includes:
Real estate purchases and sales
Commercial leases
AIA Construction Contracts
Financing-representing lenders and borrowers in real estate, construction, commercial, and dealer floor plan loans
Automotive dealer representation
Loan workouts and restructures
Fern works with a Chicago law firm, Kershner Sledziewski Law, LCC in an Of Counsel arrangement representing an Illinois financial institution with commercial and real estate loan documentation and clients with real estate transactions.
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Fern moved to the Midwest after earning her JD at New York University. Fern has two daughters, one a lawyer in Chicago and the other a merchandise planner in New York. When not working with clients or visiting family, Fern enjoys going to the theatre, seeing live music, and hiking.
Education
New York University J.D.
Brandeis University B.A.
Languages
English
Gary Davis is a partner, and since 1994, Gary has headed the firm's Corporate and Business Law Practice Area. He began with Wood + Lamping in 1981 after spending two years in the Tax Department with the international accounting firm of Deloitte. In the first few years at Wood + Lamping, his practice consisted primarily of income and estate tax matters.
Gary currently serves as outside general counsel for numerous closely held businesses. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and is licensed to practice law in both the State of Ohio and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Gary Davis is a partner and has headed the firm's Business Law Practice Area for a number of years.
Hanna focuses her practice on local government, real estate, litigation, and community association law.
Hanna is a 2021 graduate of the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), where she majored in Urban Planning. Hanna's background enables her to bring a unique perspective and breadth of knowledge to many legal matters. She graduated from Northern Kentucky University's Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 2024.
Hanna worked in Development Services with Hamilton County during her time at UC, and then with Manley Burke LPA as a Planning Intern. Once entering law school, she continued as a law clerk, drafting various ordinances and zoning code amendments for local communities, and letters to governing bodies seeking zoning relief.
Hanna was born and raised on the west side of Cincinnati. She was sworn in as an attorney and married within the same week in November 2024. Hanna enjoys finding creative outlets such as painting and drawing, cooking, and seeing live music. She and her husband also love the Bearcats and the Bengals. Who Dey!
Hank Menninger chairs the firm's Bankruptcy, Business, and Creditors' Rights Practice Area. He has extensive experience representing individuals and restructuring businesses in bankruptcy proceedings. He serves as a member of the panel of Bankruptcy Trustees for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio, and is certified by the American Board of Certification in the area of Consumer Bankruptcy*. He has served as a state court appointed receiver, including an important stint as Receiver in the celebrated Kenwood Towne Place foreclosure proceeding in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas. He has had involvement in one form or another in nearly every large Chapter 11 case filed in Cincinnati over the past thirty years, including the reorganization proceedings involving Federated Department Stores, Eagle Picher Industries, Brendamour's Sporting Goods, Elder Beerman Department Stores, Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum, the Cincinnati Cyclones, R.L. Torbeck Industries, Claddagh Pubs, Ameristop Convenience Stores, Berean Christian Stores, Odom Industries, Able Care Medical Services, as well as the Calumet Farms case in Lexington, Kentucky. Hank is licensed to practice in state and federal courts in both Ohio and Kentucky.
Hank has been included on the Ohio Super Lawyers® list by the publishers of Law and Politics Magazine every year since 2004. He has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© since 2009 in the fields of Bankruptcy and creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy. Hank has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky University and lectures frequently on legal topics relating to bankruptcy and real estate practice. His article "The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA) and Attorney Sanctions - A Sixth Circuit Overview and Analysis", co-authored with Thomas J. Blatz, Jr., was published in Volume 33 of the Northern Kentucky Law Review. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute. He has served as Chairman of the Real Estate Law Committee of the Cincinnati Bar Association, Chairman of the Cincinnati Bar Association's Practical Law Institute, and as a member of the Planning Committee of the annual Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar. He is also an approved Real Estate Title Insurance Agent for the Chicago Title Insurance Company.
Having graduated from Elder High School (Class of '68), the University of Cincinnati (B.A., Class of '72), and the Salmon P. Chase College of Law of Northern Kentucky University (Order of the Curia, J.D. Class of ‘77) Hank lives in Harrison, Ohio with his wife. He has three adult sons, one of whom (Michael J. Menninger) is a practicing attorney. He is an active member of St. John the Baptist parish, and has served as an elected member of the Harrison City Council. He has been active in the community, having served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund Board. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Cincinnati Bar Association Foundation, and as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association. He was honored by the Chase College of Law Alumni Association with its prestigious "Professional Achievement Award" in 2007 and in 2019, he was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Greater Harrison Chamber of Commerce.
Howard Richshafer joined Wood + Lamping in 2008, and his practice is focused on civil and criminal tax problems, estate planning and probate, tax court trial work, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate business matters. Howard is also a licensed Ohio CPA (inactive). Over the past 40 years, Howard has represented clients experiencing all types of civil and criminal tax problems with IRS. Those problems include IRS audits, IRS criminal investigations, enforced collection of unpaid tax liabilities involving levies, liens, and seizures of assets and income.
Job Titles:
- Area Leader for the Emerging Growth Companies
James Harrison practices in the firm's Business Law Practice Area, and serves as the firm's Managing Partner.
He has represented and counseled hundreds of businesses and organizations, including start-ups and emerging growth companies in all aspects of business law, including mergers, acquisitions, sale or other equity events as well as strategy around operations, funding, and exit. James is a business advisor to dozens of businesses and has ownership, board and management interests in numerous technology companies.
Currently, James serves as the Practice Area Leader for the Emerging Growth Companies practice as well as the Intellectual Property Practice Area. James is recognized by Martindale-Hubbard as an AV rated attorney, the highest rating available by his peers.
James is licensed in the State of Ohio and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He is an avid Cincinnati Reds fan.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist
- Vice - Chair of the Jewish Home of Cincinnati
Ms. Frankel began the practice of law in 1978, after clerking for a Judge for two years in the Hamilton County Ohio Court of Common Pleas. Jan is a trusted advisor to clients in the areas of estate planning, elder law, retirement planning, charitable giving, and estate and gift tax. Additionally, she works with families on all aspects of estate and trust administration. She cares about her clients like family personally guiding them through the legal aspects of their unique situations. As a practicing lawyer for 42 years Ms. Frankel has had a wide array of experiences and contacts that make her an invaluable partner to her clients.
Ms. Frankel is an Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. She is active in the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Section of the Ohio State Bar Association, and is a longstanding board member of its Section Council. Jan is also a member of the Cincinnati Estate Planning Council. She has been selected for inclusion in Ohio Super Lawyers® annually since 2007 and has been selected for inclusion in Top 25 Cincinnati Women Lawyers. She has been included in the Best Lawyers in America which recognizes the top 4% of attorneys in the country. She continually has an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell. She is a past chair of Wood + Lamping's Estates and Trusts Practice Group. Jan received her BA from Stephens College and her JD from Northern Kentucky University.
Jan lives in Wyoming, Ohio with her husband, John Cobey and has two grown sons. Jan is a past board member of the American Jewish Committee, The Hillel Foundation of the University of Cincinnati and Rockdale Temple. Ms. Frankel has been active on the Planned Giving and Development Committees of the Cincinnati Zoo, the Children's Home, and Walnut Hills High School. She has been a board member of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati and Cedar Village Foundation, a healthcare and retirement community.
Jan is currently Vice-Chair of the Jewish Home of Cincinnati, a grant-making organization committed to advocating for seniors needs by investing in innovative programs and services. She is also on the steering committee of StarPoint Home Care which provides non-medical home care services helping individuals live with dignity and respect whether at home, in a hospital, or in an assisted living facility.
Jeff Forbes has been a member of Wood + Lamping's Local Government Practice Group since joining the firm in 2001. He currently serves as the leader of both the Local Government and Real Estate Practice Groups. Throughout his career, Jeff has focused primarily on representing local governmental entities, including cities, villages, and townships. He presently serves as Law Director or Solicitor for the City of Mason, the Village of Waynesville, the Village of Greenhills, the Village of Terrace Park, and Symmes Township.
Jeff Teeters is the chair of the firm's Litigation practice area. He provides counsel and litigation services in the areas of business and commercial, antitrust, trade secrets, non-compete agreements, unfair competition, shareholder, director and officer disputes, and insurance coverage. Covering a wide range of industries, Jeff has handled well over 100 injunction hearings related to covenants not to compete, franchise disputes, insurance coverage, real estate, and trade secrets.
Jeff has been well recognized by his peers for his work in the business and commercial litigation field. He received the Ohio "Rising Star" designation from 2005 through 2007 and has been designated as an Ohio "Super Lawyer" each year from 2011 through the present for business litigation. On an even broader scale, Jeff is listed among the "Best Lawyers in America" from 2014 through the present in the field of commercial litigation.
He is also active in the profession and the community. In addition to serving on committees for the Cincinnati Bar Association. He also serves on the editorial board for the ABA Litigation Section's online quarterly magazine, Litigation News. Jeff has served on several civic and nonprofit boards, including recently serving six years chairing the board of Graceworks which provides a senior living retirement community and nursing home, home care, affordable housing for seniors, the senior companion program, and housing and care for adults with intellectual disabilities, in more than 50 locations in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Jeff and his wife, Robin, live in Hyde Park, and their children live in Dayton, OH, and Charleston, SC.
Jing Zhang practices in the firm's Global Business and Immigration, Commercial Finance & Contracts, and Business Law practice groups. She is passionate about helping clients succeed. Clients take Jing as their "trusted friend" and "business partner." In order to provide a high level client service, it is not uncommon for her to respond to clients through emails or phone calls late at night or on weekends to satisfy clients' global needs.
Jing focuses her practice on immigration and international business. She was born and raised in China and is a native speaker of Chinese. She attended University of Cincinnati College of Law, where she received a Juris Doctor degree. Her background endows her with a global perspective and understanding of clients' problems and needs. She is determined to help solve clients' problems under her motto of "Local Standing, Global Reach."
Jing nurtures a growing network with China. She has represented U.S. companies in international transactions with Chinese businesses. With her extensive networks with attorneys in China, she is able to guide American companies that plan to do business in China.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board
He devotes much of his practice to providing advice to employers and governmental bodies in labor relations, including organizing campaigns, collective bargaining, contract administration, arbitrations, and matters before the National Labor Relations Board and SERB. Ned also has extensive experience in employment law matters. His experience encompasses employment contracts, race, sex, pregnancy, and disability discrimination, sexual harassment, family medical leave, wage and hour disputes, non-competition agreements and related litigation, and employee benefits issues. Ned is also an experienced trial and appellate attorney. He is counsel of record in over 30 published decisions in federal and state courts, and has argued labor and employment law matters before nearly every circuit of the United States Court of Appeals across the U.S. (Please see Representative Experience listing below.) Ned also has significant experience in representing corporations with general corporate and business issues.
While attending law school at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., Ned clerked for John Fanning, the Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. After graduation, Mr. Fanning's recommendation landed Ned a position with NLRB's elite Appellate Court Branch. There, he briefed and argued dozens of labor law cases throughout the United States. In addition to representing many smaller employers in various matters, he successfully defended a Fortune 100 company through to jury verdict in a sexual harassment case brought jointly by two women. Ned has also often represented employees in claims against their former employers. Ned frequently addresses employer groups on various employment and labor law issues. Since the early 1990's, Martindale Hubbell/LexisNexis has recognized Ned as AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.
Ned and his wife live in Maineville. He has two grown children. Ned has been active in various clubs, and is an avid (but not good) golfer.
Jon practices in the firm's Community Association Law Practice Group. Jon's practice draws on his experience with litigation, legal writing, research, and advising and assisting community association clients.
Originally from Cincinnati, Jon began practicing community association law in Cleveland after law school before returning home to continue his practice in 2019. Jon loves the face-to-face nature of community association representation and the chance to help his clients solve their problems in all areas of community association law. Over the years, he has built a niche specialty in association assessment collection, including foreclosure, covenant drafting and enforcement, Fair Housing Act compliance, litigation, and more. Jon has been awarded the Super Lawyers Rising Star in Real Estate Law for 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Jon and his wife, Sarah live in Hyde Park. Jon and his wife enjoy cooking, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Karolina practices in the areas of Bankruptcy, Business Restructuring, Creditors' Rights, Litigation, Estate Planning, Real Estate, and Trusts primarily out of our Lawrenceburg, Indiana office. Born to Hungarian immigrants, her life and career are marked by her passion for helping individuals and organizations faced with financial difficulties. Following that passion, she began her career in Pennsylvania's competitive arena, learning the trade of assisting clients with Bankruptcy, Wills, Trusts, and Real Estate matters.
Today, she continues that practice in Midwest Ohio and Indiana, thinking outside the box to guide clients through financial difficulties, planning for unexpected illness or injury, and ensuring legacies are preserved for loved ones. Along the way, Karolina has contributed to legal publications, presented at public and private seminars, and educated her colleagues and clients in Ohio and Indiana.
Outside of work, Karolina lives in Lawrenceburg, IN where you'll find her walking along the river trails, and living up to her nickname "Sunshine."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Community Associations Institute
Kathleen Farro Ryan practices in the firm's State and Local Government Practice Area. Her practice consists primarily in the representation of local governments, private property owners, organizations, and developers. Kathy is the law director for Evendale, Glendale, Arlington Heights, and the Village of Lockland in Ohio. Her representation of clients focuses on the following areas:
Local Government
Land Use and Zoning
Drafting of Zoning Codes and Subdivision Regulations
Historic Preservation
Eminent Domain
Real Estate Tax Exemption
Agricultural use exemptions in township zoning and property tax
Government Affairs
Regulatory Takings
Construction & Development
Site Selection
Inverse Condemnation
Fair Housing Matters
Nonprofit corporate procedures, governing document interpretation and amendments
Cassie is a member of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and frequently discusses legal issues unique to community associations at the CAI legal expert seminar.
Lisa Conn practices in the firm's Community Association Law Practice Area. Her practice centers around community associations and condominium laws, drafting revised covenants, attending board and annual meetings, and litigating enforcement and other association-related civil cases.
After seven years of practicing civil litigation in California, Lisa returned to Cincinnati, her hometown. She joined the firm of Cuni, Ferguson & LeVay Co., L.P.A. where she built on her career-long focus in litigation, working with her clients closely from the start of the controversy. Her work extends into the Ohio Valley Chapter of the Community Association Institute, previously serving on the board of directors and presenting at seminars. Lisa is enthusiastic about helping community association clients find solutions to problems and relishes the challenges she faces daily.
Outside the office and courtroom, Lisa lives in Madeira and is a proud parent of her daughter Emma and canine daughter Mollie. She loves to travel and has visited an impressive 29 countries so far. She also enjoys watching her daughter play basketball.
Louis Katz is actively involved in the management of his home Village of Amberley. He served on the Amberley Village Council as well as its' Magistrate. He is also a founding Board Member of the Amberley Green Preservation Society. He is a former Board Member of the Hillel Foundation and past President of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Magen David Adom (Israel's Red Cross Service). He is also a former Cemetery Board Member. Louis is also a member of Big Brother/Big Sister Cincinnati and was an active Big Brother to three Little Brothers. He was the attorney for Cincinnati Ski Club. In memory of his parents, Louis established the "Adele and Alfred Katz Constitution Day Endowment" at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, which brings in a speaker of national recognition to the Law School for Constitution Day every September 17th. Louis has been recognized in his community of Amberley Village with a Certificate of Excellence and the community celebrated July 9th as "Louis H. Katz Day".
Education
University of Wisconsin B.A., 1970
University of Cincinnati - College of Law J.D., 1973
Louis Katz concentrates his practice in Estate Planning and Probate as well as Real Estate Law. Louis excels in working with individuals as they make important decisions concerning their health care, property, and dependents. He has helped hundreds of families plan their estates with an emphasis on tax and probate avoidance, while maintaining family harmony. Louis also has experience in succession planning, pet trusts, family foundations, and legacy bequests.
Nick focuses on handling Lien and Foreclosure Collections, interpreting Condominium Governing Documents, and addressing various other facets of Community Association Law. His practice serves clients throughout Ohio.
Nick is a 2021 graduate of Ashland University with a B.A., double majoring in Political Science and History as an Ashbrook Scholar. He earned his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2024.
At UC Law, Nick was a legal intern for the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic (ECDC). ECDC helps to bridge the gap between the thriving ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in Cincinnati and the surrounding legal community. Through the ECDC, Nick gained valuable skills that he uses day-to-day.
Nick is originally from Central Ohio and enjoys learning about American and ancient history. You can likely find Nick at the Cincinnati Art Museum or out to dinner with friends.
Orly Rumberg practices primarily in Health Care and Business Law Practice Areas. Her practice provides essential support to the full spectrum of health care providers including physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, health systems, and long-term care clients with respect to corporate and regulatory aspects of health care delivery. She has experience in:
Compliance Issues
Risk Management
Fraud and Abuse Law
Medicare/Medicaid Regulation
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Joint Ventures, Mergers, and Acquisitions
Insurance Regulation
Contracting
Medical Staff and Credentialing Issues
Stark Law
Orly is a frequent speaker on health care compliance and regulatory issues throughout the Cincinnati area. Additional accomplishments include:
Managing Editor, Health Matrix, Journal of Law-Medicine, 1992-1993
Author of "Increasing the Supply of Cadaver Organs for Transplantation: Recognizing that the Real Problem is Psychological Not Legal," 3 Health Matrix, Journal of Law-Medicine, 219, 1993
Orly and her husband, Steve, have two children and live in Loveland.
Ray Pikna practices in the firm's Litigation, Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights, and Business Practice Areas. Ray has over 40 years of experience representing clients in state and federal trial and appellate courts in commercial litigation and in all aspects of bankruptcy cases and adversary proceedings, with an emphasis on the representation of parties in Chapter 11 reorganization cases and workouts. His clients in Chapter 11 cases have included debtors in possession in a wide variety of industries, secured and unsecured creditors, creditors' committees, governmental entities, and bankruptcy trustees. During the course of his career, Ray has appeared in over two dozen bankruptcy courts across the country and argued a case in the United States Supreme Court.
After graduating from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Ray began his career as a law clerk for the Honorable D.J. Kelleher, Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of Ohio, when the United States Bankruptcy Code first became effective. Ray is a regular speaker on bankruptcy topics at CLE programs throughout Ohio. He formerly served on the Advisory Board for the Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar, the Advisory Committee for the Local Bankruptcy Rules for the Southern District of Ohio, as chair of the bankruptcy committees of the Dayton and Cincinnati Bar Associations, and as Trustee of the Thomas F. Waldron American Bankruptcy Law Forum. Ray has been selected by his peers since 2012 for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America © 2011 - 2021 by Woodward/White of Aiken, S.C.) in the field of Bankruptcy and Creditor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Ray and his family reside in Montgomery. They are members of the Good Shepherd parish, where Ray sings in the choir.
Scott Slovin has practiced in the areas of tax, estate planning and wealth preservation, and business planning for individuals, corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies for over thirty-five years. He represents closely-held businesses, healthcare professionals, and executives in all of their legal needs. Scott has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2003 and in Ohio Super Lawyer® by Law and Politics Magazine for over 10 years as well.
Scott's many accomplishments include: extensive experience in tax litigation from the IRS Administrative levels up through and including a favorable decision in the United States Supreme Court (Cottage Savings Association v. Commissioner); purchase and sale of hundreds of professional practices and businesses of all types; representation and counseling of hundreds of businesses and organizations including start-ups and emerging companies in all aspects of business law; and succession planning for family businesses and estate and wealth preservation planning for business owners, professionals and others. Scott is known in Cincinnati and surrounding areas as the go-to attorney for the sale and/or purchase of both dental practices as well as McDonald's franchise restaurants.
Scott is past chair of the Cincinnati Bar Association Tax Section and the Southwestern Ohio Tax Institute. He has been a past speaker at the Institute and at other events. Scott is a past President of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Cincinnati, is currently serving on the Board of Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati, and is a member of the Cincinnati Rotary.