KIMMET & HAFENSTEIN - Key Persons
Adam Berger joined Connor, Evans & Hafenstein LLP formally in 2010 after having done work for the firm periodically prior to that date. He stayed with the firm through the name change to Connor, Kimmet & Hafenstein LLP. He currently assists clients with Ohio Workers' Compensation Claims.
In his position with the firm, he has concentrated in the area of Ohio Workers' Compensation where he represents injured workers at administrative hearings before the Industrial Commission of Ohio. In addition, Adam focuses on assisting clients with settlement matters and works with the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) and Employers on a regular basis as he negotiates to obtain the highest possible settlement dollars for our clients. As part of working with our clients in the process of settling claims, he does also work with Medicare and Medicaid to help ensure that our clients are protected from future problems with those agencies. Adam also handles matters related to Violations of Specific Safety Requirements (VSSR) before the agencies.
Adam earned his law degree from Temple University in 1994. Prior to attending law school, Adam graduated from and received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from The University of Pennsylvania. He also studied abroad at the London School of Economics.
Adam is a Columbus Crew SC season ticket holder, an avid fitness buff and enthusiast of the local arts, music and restaurant scene.
Chris Connor began working for Connor, Evans & Hafenstein LLP in 2008 while attending Capital University Law School and stayed with the firm through the name change to Connor, Kimmet & Hafenstein LLP. After graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2009, he joined the firm and began handling cases in several practice areas with a focus on Social Security and Personal Injury. Prior to attending law school, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The Ohio State University in 1995.
Since joining the firm, Chris has handled hundreds of Social Security cases through the appeals process, both at the Reconsideration level and at the Hearing level in front of an Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration. During that time, he has developed an effective approach for ensuring that benefits are awarded to disabled workers who are entitled to them. Chris has also had great success handling Personal Injury cases for our clients by either reaching settlements with insurance companies or by pursuing judgments through civil litigation.
Contact Chris if you have questions about filing for Social Security benefits (SSD or SSI) or if you have a Personal Injury claim and he will be happy to assist you.
Karen Turano joined Connor, Kimmet & Hafenstein LLP in 2016 and became a Partner at the beginning of 2021. Prior to joining the firm, she worked with another law firm in the Columbus are for approximately 10 years and brought that experience with her.
Karen concentrates her practice area on representing injured workers with matters involving the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and appears at all levels of hearings before the Industrial Commission of Ohio. She has also practiced before the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund, the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and the Ohio Court of Claims in Victims of Crime Compensation where she has assisted clients in obtaining benefits. In addition, Karen assists with litigation before the various Courts of Common Pleas throughout the State and has argued successfully before the Tenth District Court of Appeals of Ohio and fought for clients before the Ohio Supreme Court in Mandamus actions.
Karen is married to a City of Columbus firefighter and has 4 young children. As a result of her husband being a firefighter, she has a detailed understanding of the daily encounters and struggles of firefighters. She takes distinct pride in representing firefighters in their battle for workers' compensation benefits and claims for occupationally related cancer.
She has developed a reputation for successfully handling matters for firefighters and has developed an expertise with respect to the new legislation in Ohio for Occupationally Related Cancer diagnoses and assisting clients with pursuing such claims before the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the Industrial Commission of Ohio. Karen was asked to testify before the Ohio House and Senate in 2016 on behalf of the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters and the Ohio Association of Justice in support of the presumptive legislation for firefighter cancer.
Karen attended Capital University Law School and earned her degree in 2007. While in law school, Karen was a volunteer with The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy and participated in Capital University Law School's externship program with the Franklin County Domestic Relations Court, Juvenile Division.
Prior to attending law school, Karen graduated cum laude from and received her Bachelor of Arts in History from The University of Georgia. While attending the University of Georgia, she was honored by being selected as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
Karen can be reached directly either at (614) 779-0679 or via e-mail at kturano@cehlaw.com.
Practice Areas: Workers' Compensation
Katie Kimmet joined the firm in 2006 and has been through several iterations of the firm until becoming a partner in Connor, Kimmet & Hafenstein LLP where she assists clients with Ohio Workers' Compensation Claims.
Katie focuses her practice primarily on assisting clients with matters pending before the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the Industrial Commission of Ohio. She advises clients with respect to workers' compensation claims resulting from work injuries or occupational diseases and represents injured employees at hearings before all levels of the Industrial Commission of Ohio. Katie has extensive experience with the full range of issues which arise under the Ohio Workers' Compensation system and also is primarily responsible for the Mandamus actions filed for our clients before the Tenth District of the Ohio Court of Appeals as well as the Ohio Supreme Court. Her dedication to our clients and her knowledge of the law has resulted in numerous favorable court decisions.
Katie earned her law degree from Capital University Law School in 2005, graduating Order of the Curia. While in law school, she clerked for the Upper Arlington City Attorney and was a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Jennifer L. Brunner.
Prior to attending law school, Katie graduated from Upper Arlington High School in 1998 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Miami University of Ohio in 2002. During her time at Miami University, Katie enrolled in the study abroad program and spent a semester living and studying in Luxembourg which allowed her to travel throughout Europe.
Katie is married with two young children and enjoys spending her non-work time with her family. Her other interests include running, reading and cooking. Katie is also a volunteer with Kitchen Kapers, a group which raises funds to improve the lives of those living with cancer.
Ken is one of the founding Partners and is responsible for both the management of the firm and is the head of the Workers' Compensation practice.
He has been an OSBA Board Certified Specialist in Ohio Workers' Compensation Law since 2003.
He has been recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyer since 2005.
He has received an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings since 2014.
He was named central Ohio Top Lawyer 2016 as determined by AVVO.
He is a member of the Workers' Injury Law Group, W.I.L.G., which is a national organization dedicated to protecting the rights of injured persons throughout the country.
Ken has represented both injured workers and employers at all levels of the administrative process, including dealing with the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) as well as appearing before the Industrial Commission of Ohio (IC) since 1995. He has also been involved in litigation before the Common Pleas Courts throughout Ohio and has been involved in Mandamus Actions before the Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court.
Ken is a graduate of Wittenberg University (Summa Cum Laude, 1991) and a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Law (1994). He has also taught a Business Law Class as an Adjunct Professor at Wittenberg University during 2010 and 2011 and has participated in the evaluation of Senior Business Majors final projects on several occasions at his alma mater.
Samuel Herdman joined Connor, Kimmet, and Hafenstein LLP in 2022 as a law clerk during his last year of law school. After graduating and becoming a licensed Ohio Attorney, Samuel joined Connor, Kimmet and Hafenstein LLP in 2023 as an associate attorney. He currently assists clients with Ohio Workers' Compensation Appeals before the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas.
Samuel is married to Gwen, who is a Columbus City Schoolteacher. They enjoy spending time going to the gym, cooking, playing card games, and watching movies together.
Samuel graduated from Ohio University in 2020 after earning a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Communications. Thereafter, he earned his law degree from Capital University Law School in 2023 and sat for the Bar Exam in July of 2023.