HSK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the American Planning Association
Mr. Szeman earned his Juris Doctorate from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University in 1995 after completing his B.A. in Psychology at Lake Erie College (1992). He has been practicing law in Ohio since 1995. He additionally is admitted to the Ohio Northern District and Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Szeman's practice focuses on local government and counseling small to medium-sized businesses.
His private sector clients are small and medium-sized closely held corporations and entrepreneurial ventures focused on steady but prudent growth in their sectors. He is focused and committed to building close, long-term relationships by being readily accessible and responsive. While an experienced litigator, the new normal is that businesses are increasingly reliant on outside counsel for cost-effective review of routine matters in order to identify potential legal issues, address same, and avoid costly mistakes - keeping legal fees predictable, within budget, and staying out of court.
His public sector experience includes serving as Law Director of the City of Mentor, Ohio (2018 - present); Law Director of Madison, Ohio (2011 - present); Assistant Law Director / Zoning Counsel for the City of Mentor, Ohio (2003 - 2018); Legal Counsel for the Madison Joint Fire District (2010 -2014); Assistant Law Director of Madison, Ohio (2008 - 2010); Assistant Law Director of Kirtland Hills, Ohio (2002 - 2012); Police Prosecutor for the Lake County Community College District, Kirtland, Ohio (2002 - 2007); Special Counsel for the City of Geneva, Ohio (2001 - 2014), and has been an Instructor in the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Program at Lakeland Community College Police Academy (2002 - 2010); as well serving as an Assistant Lake County, Ohio Public Defender when he began his legal career (1995 - 1997).
Mr. Szeman's experience in local government law includes everything from routine administrative matters to the highly complex, such as one of the few instances in Ohio history of a municipal appropriation of a public utility (Geneva v. Consumers Ohio Water Co.). Day-to-day governance involves working closely with officials and administrators to address liability issues, employment and labor relations, contractual awards and disputes, and prosecution and code enforcement. And good governance requires long-term focus as well, identifying trends and future needs so that local codes and economic development initiatives keep pace with current technology, newer business models, and market trends.
His philosophy is to bring greater inter-disciplinary focus to local governance such that local regulations are based on extensive research and real-world data gathered from all relevant sources and disciplines. Recent code projects that have adopted this approach range from sign regulations to landscape requirements.
Mr. Szeman has been a member of the American Planning Association since 2003. He has given lectures at the 2013 Ohio APA Planning Conference (Time, Place & Manner Rules for Signs) and the 2015 APA Cleveland Planning and Zoning Workshop (Reed v. Town of Gilbert: Understanding the New Rules for Sign Regulation).
Joseph P. Szeman's practice focuses on local government and counseling small to medium-sized businesses.
Lisa Klammer has lived and worked in Lake County her whole life. She is an alumni of Mentor High School and was inducted into the MHS Hall of Fame in 2013. She received her undergraduate degree in Philosophy from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She subsequently earned her law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Ms. Klammer began her legal career as an Assistant Lake County Public Defender from 1999 to 2003. It was during this time that she was responsible for the defense of some of the most serious crimes under Ohio law. During this tenure, she handled in excess of 500 criminal and quasi-criminal cases in juvenile, domestic relations, municipal, common pleas and appellate courts. In 2003, Ms. Klammer entered the private practice of law and shortly thereafter, was appointed the police prosecutor for the City of Mentor. She has the distinction of being the first female prosecutor in the municipality's 50 year history. Her combined experience as a defense attorney and prosecutor enables her to evaluate criminal cases from a unique and comprehensive perspective.
Ms. Klammer has expanded her legal practice to better service her client's diverse legal needs. She now practices in the areas of criminal defense/OVI, family and juvenile law, landlord/tenant law, commercial and real estate transactions, general civil litigation and probate/estate planning. She practices primarily in Lake, Cuyahoga, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. In addition to her license in the State of Ohio, she is also admitted to the bar of the State of Oregon.
Ms. Klammer is certified by the Ohio Supreme Court as a Guardian ad Litem to protect children during legal proceedings. In this capacity, she is charged with the great responsibility of protecting the best interests of children during custody proceedings. In her spare time, she serves on local bar association committees, local non-profit boards and was a Volunteer Visitor for the Lake County Probate Court. Ms. Klammer would describe her participation in these associations as not only a "very real responsibility, but also a true privilege."
Education
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland, Ohio
Juris Doctorate, 1999
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, Bachelor of Philosophy, 1996
Richard A. Hennig (retired)
Richard retired from the practice of law in 2021 after a distinguished legal career. He proudly served for many years as Law Director for the City of Mentor as well as legal counsel to the Lake Metropolitan Housing Authority. His private practice focused on handling probate litigation, estate administration and estate planning matters.
Richard's eclectic legal background ranged from transactional experience with the City of Mentor involving residential, commercial and industrial developments worth tens of millions of dollars to attending to the details of qualifying indigent nursing home patients for Medicaid benefits. Further, as a long time member of the Florida Bar, Richard completed many Florida probate estates from his Ohio office. Richard provided clients his utmost commitment. His professional philosophy and expectation of letter-perfect work product paid dividends to all of the clients to whom he provided services.
Richard is a lifelong fourth-generation Mentor resident. In his spare time he enjoys taking care of his lawn or riding his Harley through the roads traversing the scenic Holden Arboretum.
Richard A. Hennig has a varied civil practice established over the last 30 years.