KDDK - Key Persons
Andrew Wurdeman joined the firm in 2023 and has experience in civil litigation, family law, and guardianship matters. As a litigator, he devotes much of his time to client counseling and seeking creative solutions that bring his clients' matters to an efficient and favorable resolution. Andrew will primarily focus on litigation, insurance defense, and support of the firm's debt collection practice.
Andrew began his legal career in Lincoln, Nebraska, after graduating with distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2020. Following the birth of his first child, Andrew joined a firm in Evansville so that he and his wife could return to the area to be near family.
Education
2020: University of Nebraska College of Law, J.D. with distinction
2017: Ball State University, M.A., Muncie, Ind., English Language and Literature/Letters
2015: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., B.A., Psychology, English Language and Literature/Letters
Ashley R. Hollen - a responsive attorney whose attention to fine details benefits the clients she serves - assists clients with a broad range of legal issues in the areas of real estate, business, environmental, mergers and acquisitions, estate planning, and collections and creditors' rights laws. Ashley has extensive experience with a variety of real estate issues including acquisition and disposition from negotiation through closing, assisting homeowner associations, and counseling clients on land-use issues. She enjoys assisting clients with due diligence on real estate transactions including assisting with review of environmental reports and investigations. Ashley advises privately-held businesses and non-profits on a wide range of matters including entity formation, ownership and member issues, business restructuring, buying and selling of a business, commercial contracting, corporate governance, acquisition and disposition, mergers, and private placement. Finally, as a young parent, Ashley understands the importance of having the proper estate planning documents in place to ensure individuals' wishes are known and can be lawfully carried out, provide for the strategic transition of assets to children, and protect disabled or incapacitated family members.
Education
2008: University of Evansville, Evansville, Ind., B.S. magna cum laude, Political Science
2011: Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Ind., J.D. magna cum laude
Brandon Curl is a detail-oriented and dedicated attorney who works hard for his clients. Brandon's practice primarily focuses on advocating for his clients in the areas of general civil litigation.
Brandon is an Army veteran and while serving managed day to day operations of human intelligence and signals intelligence operations. A native of Marengo, Indiana, Brandon was awarded a scholarship to play golf in college and remains an avid golfer. He is also a fan of IU football and basketball, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Education
2020: Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kans., J.D.
2013: Cochise College, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., A.A.S. Intelligence Operations Studies
Brian Williams has practiced business litigation, economic development, contract and employment litigation, real estate, estate planning, and trust litigation for nearly 40 years. He brings a keen understanding of people and organizations to his legal practice. Brian is an effective advocate for his clients in the court room or at the mediation table, as well as an effective advocate for a new business seeking to locate in this community. Having honed his skills in the court room and as a civic leader, Brian's advocacy skills empower clients to achieve their goals in an effective manner. Brian previously served as one of the firm's Co-Managing Partners.
Education
1978: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., B.A.
1981: Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Ind., J.D.
Mike Schopmeyer has nearly 40 years' experience practicing as a business attorney, with his whole career at KDDK. His skills center on closing and resolving business, construction, environmental, and real and intellectual property deals and disputes. Honed from service as a private practitioner, government attorney, arbitrator, and civic leader, Mike's financial acumen empowers clients to more swiftly reach durable solutions. As a result, he delivers economic advantages for our clients. Mike's goal in attending law school was not to practice law, but to be an in-house corporate attorney. What he found at KDDK was joy in serving a more diverse group of business clients in a broad spectrum of industries. This keeps Mike motivated in the private practice of law.
Education
1980: University of Evansville, Evansville, Ind., B.S., Business Administration, Finance Major
1983: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Ind., J.D.
Jackson Treadway brings a competitive spirit and a commitment to community engagement back to his hometown of Evansville. Jackson's initial focus will be serving clients in the firm's employment and labor practice, litigation, and business clients. He will also support the firm's insurance and debt collection practices.
The Evansville native returns after attending university in both Bloomington and Indianapolis. A former hockey player, Jackson enjoys following Indiana University athletics, outdoor grilling, and golf.
Education
2022: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Ind., J.D.
2019: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., B.A. Political Science
Jake Fulcher is a management-side labor lawyer who devotes a significant part of his practice to negotiating labor contracts and defending employers in labor arbitrations. Jake's practice also includes union avoidance strategies, as well as counseling clients with labor agreements and the interpretation of those labor agreements in the day-to-day management of a business. Jake regularly counsels employers on employment-related matters, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Jake prefers a proactive solution in lieu of litigation, but if litigation occurs, Jake defends employers in employment-related cases in both state and federal court and regularly appears in front of administrative agencies such as the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Education
1999: University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, Ind., B.S.
2001: California Western School of Law, San Diego, Calif., J.D.
Job Titles:
- Business Attorney
- Co - Managing Partner
Jeff Helfrich is a business attorney with over 30 years' experience whose practice includes mergers and acquisitions, real estate, commercial finance, business organizations, and healthcare law. Jeff has represented clients in the purchase and sale of businesses locally and on a nation-wide basis, and has represented banks as well as commercial borrowers in the negotiation, preparation, and review of loan documentation. He also represents business owners in a variety of general business matters, including the formation of new businesses, the negotiation of business and real estate contracts, and resolving shareholder disputes.
Education
1982: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., B.S., Accounting
1985: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Ind., J.D. cum laude
Jeff Ahlers is an experienced attorney who represents individuals, businesses, insurance companies, units of government, and professionals in complex business and commercial disputes involving commercial, tort, contract, environmental, mineral, employment, construction, real estate, civil rights, and other areas of law. Also an Indiana Registered Civil Mediator, Jeff is committed to representing clients zealously and effectively.
Education
1984: DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., B.A.
1987: Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Ind., J.D.
Jon Goldman has represented employers in all areas of employment and labor law; and has represented both public and private universities in a broad range of federal and state, statutory and regulatory issues. Jon's experience includes routinely handling matters before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor and the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights. Jon has jury trial experience in Indiana and Kentucky and has defended employers in discrimination, wrongful termination, labor arbitration, NLRB and other employment cases. Jon has also represented employers in union avoidance and union representation election campaigns. Jon previously served as one of the firm's Co-Managing Partners.
Education
1973: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., B.A.
1974: Brown University, Providence, R.I.
1977: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, Ill., J.D.
Job Titles:
- Student Teacher of the Year Award, Vanderbilt University
Maria Bulkley is a partner at Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn, LLP where she has practiced business and real estate law for over 25 years. Maria also practices in the areas of land use planning and zoning, land development, mediation, and family law. She assists clients with agreements essential to all aspects of business law and real estate development. Maria is a registered mediator for domestic relations and general civil matters. In addition, she represents clients in family law matters with an emphasis on dissolutions of marriage involving complex marital estates. Maria is also trained and experienced in Collaborative Family Practice.
Education
1994: University of Evansville, Evansville, Ind., B.A. Spanish, B.S. Finance / Economics /International Business
1997: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Ind., J.D.
Mark McAnulty represents employers in all areas of employment law. Licensed to practice in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri, Mark has represented clients in administrative and judicial proceedings throughout the tri-state area. Mark counsels clients regarding hiring and disciplinary issues, as well as compliance with local, state and federal employment laws. Mark also works with clients in reviewing and drafting employment contracts, non-compete agreements, and employee handbooks.
Education
1992: Murray State University, Murray, Ky., B.S.
1995: Southern Illinois University School of Law, Carbondale, Ill., J.D.
Michael DiRienzo helps clients effectively resolve disputes and continue to build their businesses. He routinely assists clients in the areas of bankruptcy, collection and creditors' rights law, and complex commercial litigation involving business, environmental, construction, and real estate disputes and condemnation proceedings in state and federal courts in Indiana and Illinois. Michael also uses his litigation experience to give his clients special perspective and advice on legal strategies regarding complex commercial transactions involving acquisitions, distributorships, commercial leases, and protection of confidential information.
Education
1997: Franciscan University of Steubenville, Steubenville, Ohio, B.A.
2001: Notre Dame Law School, Notre Dame, Ind., J.D.
Job Titles:
- Fellow in Religion, Wabash College
Monica Edwards has extensive experience in the recovery of funds for environmental investigation and clean-up at petroleum-, chlorinated solvent-, and heavy metal-impacted sites. Monica represents clients on state and federal environmental matters and draws upon her scientific experience as a technical services chemist and prior environmental consultant in her practice of environmental law. Her background helps her assist clients in performing environmental due diligence, evaluating environmental risks, negotiating environmental settlement agreements, coordinating site clean-ups, prosecuting historical environmental insurance claims and recovering environmental defense and indemnity costs.
Monica's intellectual property experience includes the registration, assignment and renewal of trademarks and copyrights. She is also frequently involved with the development of intellectual property policies, the licensing and defense of intellectual property, and the negotiation of confidentiality agreements on clients' behalf.
Education
1994: Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, B.S., Chemistry
1996: Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, M.S., Hazardous Waste and Materials Management
2000: University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, Louisville, Kentucky, J.D.
Nick Golding brings attentiveness, dedication, and thoughtfulness to his primary practices of labor and employment law and business litigation. He helps counsel employers in labor negotiations and responding to union charges, as well as advising in employment-related matters involving the Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
A native of Evansville and graduate of Reitz Memorial High School, Nick joined KDDK in 2017 upon earning his Juris Doctor from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis, where he was a member of the Indiana Health Law Review (IHLR), writing as a Note Candidate in 2015-2016 and serving as Note Development Editor in 2016-2017. He was also a member of the Phi Delta Phi honor society, Health Law Society, and McKinney Running Club. He remains a strong fan and supporter of IU athletics.
Nick is licensed to practice law in both Indiana and Illinois.
Education
2017: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Ind., J.D.
2014: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., B.A. History, B.A. English, Minor in Business
Pat Thomas primarily practices as a civil litigator and defense trial attorney. Hardworking, dedicated and competitive, Pat assists individuals, businesses and governmental entities in claims pertaining to commercial law, contract, insurance, employment law, real estate, and personal injury. Pat has significant experience prosecuting and defending motor vehicle accidents, as well as resolving coverage issues. As Pat is licensed in IN, IL, and KY, he can assist clients throughout the Tri-State. While Pat helps clients resolve legal disputes prior to litigation, he also uses his significant trial experience to advocate for his clients in the courtroom.
Education
2009: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., B.S., Political Science, Liberal Arts and Management Program Honors Certificate
2013: Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Ind., J.D.
Ryan Schulz's practice focuses on business law, real estate law, construction law, estate planning and trial and litigation services. Ryan has helped counsel clients through complicated business and construction transactions and can be of assistance to any company in reviewing contracts, negotiating contracts, drafting contracts, and handling litigation involving a variety of business transactions, including construction, manufacturing, real estate and other business contracts. Hardworking and personable, clients enjoy working with Ryan and appreciate his responsiveness.
Education
2005: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., B.S., Sport Marketing and Management
2008: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Ind., J.D.
2008: Renmin University of China School of Law, Beijing, China, Chinese Law Certification
Seth Zirkle focuses his practice on all aspects of real estate, business, banking, and construction matters. Seth brings a wealth of experience in counseling clients on creative, and yet practical and successful, solutions, navigating perplexing issues to garner the best outcome.
Seth's passion for his practice is built on more than 15 years' experience representing clients as diverse as Midwest commercial property managers, Mid-South affordable housing developers, the U.S. General Services Administration, public housing authorities, and closely-held family businesses.
A Hoosier native, Seth returned to Evansville after having practiced in the greater Washington, D.C., area and Nashville, Tennessee, where he focused on commercial land use and business matters. When he is not providing clients with legal advice and direction, Seth enjoys reading books on history and theology and spending time with his daughters and wife, an educator and professional violinist whom he accompanies on the piano from time to time.
Education
2008: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Ind., J.D., Honors in Health Law
2005: Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Connecticut, M.A.R., candidate
2004: Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Ind., A.B., cum laude
Steve Hoar focuses his practice on business litigation, including disputes related to contracts, financial services, corporate governance, construction projects, manufacturing, and real estate. He uses his more than 25 years of litigation experience to gather the evidence necessary for building a case for trial while also exploring early resolution of disputes when appropriate.
Education
1994: DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., B.A. cum laude
1997: Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Ind., J.D.