CRUG LAW - Key Persons
Beverly has been practicing law since 2002. Her practice encompasses all types of personal injury and property damage claims, including motor vehicle accidents, premise liability, residential and commercial construction defect claims, as well as matters involving insurance coverage, product liability, and examinations under oath. Beverly's experience also includes having been a Staff Attorney for Judge Janet R. Burnside of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Beverly is admitted in Ohio and Federal court.
When Beverly is not working she enjoys running, hiking and traveling.
Carrie was born in Oklahoma, but has been a Cleveland native for most of her life. With analytics and logic her strong suit, Carrie devotes her law practice to the field of insurance coverage.
Carrie has one adult daughter, an OSU grad, who still calls the Horseshoe home. When not entrenched in writing coverage opinions, Carrie is probably training for a triathlon. Carrie also plays the guitar and sings, and enjoys yoga, traveling, specialty coffee, and wine.
Dan Whitehead has been practicing law for over 25 years. After graduating Capital University Law School, he started his career as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Anthony Valen in the 12th District Court of Appeals. Since then, he has been practicing in civil defense. Dan has taken numerous cases through jury trial, bench trial and has completed oral argument in numerous courts of appeal of Ohio.
Outside the office, Dan enjoys running and cycling with his friends. He has completed several half marathons and 100-mile century rides. When not outdoors, he enjoys reading, especially focused on Ohio history.
Dave hails originally from Sebring, Ohio, but currently lives with his wife, Pamela and their two daughters, Ally and Andrea, in Medina, Ohio. An avid Ohio State Buckeye fan and frequently broken-hearted Cleveland sports fan, Dave is loyal and will always fight to the bitter end. You can often find him walking the Courthouse hallways muttering to himself on Monday mornings in the fall about a bad call or a blown play. Usually, by Wednesday he'll have convinced himself that all is well and that "we'll get ‘em this week."
In Dave's spare time, he also enjoys golf, shooting sports, hiking and canoeing.
David has been counseling commercial and personal-lines insurers on all manner of coverage issues for over 30 years. Clients often turn to him for pre-litigation counseling and strategizing on important issues, in effort to avoid litigation or resolve cases that call for early resolution. When litigation becomes necessary, David represents insurance clients on coverage issues in State and Federal trial and appellate courts throughout Ohio. His extensive experience and knowledge of Ohio law enable to him provide prompt and efficient advice on often complex coverage issues.
Outside the office David enjoys hiking, mountain and road biking, cross-country and downhill skiing, golf, reading, and cooking.
Originally from Virginia, David moved to Cleveland to pursue a legal education at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. It didn't take long for him to recognize everything that Northeast Ohio has to offer and embrace the city of Cleveland as his new home.
At Cleveland-Marshall, David focused his studies on civil litigation and trial work. David was a member of Cleveland-Marshall's Civil Litigation Clinic as well as Cleveland-Marshall's Trial Advocacy Team, which allowed him to hone his trial skills through participation in multiple competitions.
David values the client-attorney relationship, and strives to achieve the best outcomes for his clients with a focus towards the smartest, quickest path to a solution. David treats his clients with loyalty, understanding, and compassion throughout the litigation process. His practice encompasses all types of personal injury and property damage claims.
When not in the office, you will often find David exploring Northeast Ohio with his wife and kids. David enjoys all Cleveland sports, and can regularly be found trying out new restaurants, tending to his gardens, or enjoying a local beer by the grill on a nice weekend.
Dave believes that establishing trust is the most important characteristic of a good relationship. That is why he works hard to create and nurture strong bonds of trust with his clients and colleagues. As such, Dave works closely with his clients to analyze their case early and together to successfully resolve their litigation.
Throughout Dave's career he has represented clients in almost every state court in Ohio and arbitrated before the American Arbitration Association. Participating in more than 30 trials, countless arbitration hearings and mediations, the majority of Dave's practice is as defense counsel for insurance companies, their insureds, manufacturers, trucking companies, railroads, utility companies, landlords, small business owners, general contractors and subcontractors in such trades as plumbing, HVAC, masonry, concrete, roofing, electrical, excavation, paving, framing, and geothermal. In fact, Dave's peers have designated him a "Super Lawyer" since 2012 for his expertise in handling Construction, Real Estate and Environmental litigation throughout Ohio. In 2020, he was also honored to be included on the list of Best Lawyers in America® for construction law.
Eric is a partner with the Cleveland Office and has spent his entire career as a litigator. Whether it is defending insureds against personal injury claims, defending insurers against first-party bad faith claims, or authoring coverage opinions, Eric has always enjoyed giving it his all to his work.
Eric's toughness and dedication was on display as four-year varsity football player for the College of Wooster following on the heels of being a high school standout in football, basketball and track (earning seven varsity letters as a Strongsville Mustang). His hard work did not go unnoticed at the college level where he earned a post-graduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation and also received the North Coast Athletic Conference's Scholar Athlete Award for his class. It has all translated to his professional career over the past decade.
Eric lives in Broadview Heights with his wife and three daughters. Eric is a sports nut and particularly enjoys the Cleveland Guardians. In his spare time, when he is not consuming sports, Eric enjoys working out and spending time with his family.
Jacob enjoys litigation. Jacob received both his undergraduate degree and J.D. from The Ohio State University. While studying there, he cultivated his interest in an analytical, data-driven approach to casework. This approach has certainly helped in his ability to evaluate and analyze cases to determine a best approach to resolve issues. As a young attorney, Jacob is thankful for the privilege of working with a diverse group of clients and has taken great satisfaction in assisting these clients in resolving their legal issues.
Outside the office, you will often find Jacob being taken on hikes by his dog, going on dates with his wife, or playing disc golf. He also enjoys listening to podcasts and watching movies. A native of central Ohio and a double Buckeye, the only important team is the Buckeyes!
Having worked alongside CRUG's named partners since his first year of law school, Jaren has learned from the best and gained invaluable experience in a variety of practice areas. Jaren is analytical and competitive by nature, but prides himself on his work ethic and preparation.
Jaren grew up in Lexington, Ohio. When he is not working, Jaren enjoys playing basketball, golf and tennis.
Kurt has been practicing insurance-related and general civil litigation for over 30 years and brings a unique perspective to the American legal system. Although born in Springfield, Ohio, he grew up in the sprawling metropolis of São Paulo, Brazil. He is fluent in Portuguese and is an avid fan of the Seleção Brasileira (the Brazilian national soccer squad). His favorite restaurant is any Brazilian "churrascaria", or steakhouse.
Kurt and his wife, Kathy, have 4 adult children and now welcome various foster children into their Elyria, Ohio home. Kurt is also an adult Sunday School teacher at Abbe Road Baptist Church and a member of the Elyria Sunrise Rotary club. Other than his 34-year marriage to Kathy and raising 4 great kids, he believes his most impactful contribution is helping create and maintain the annual Rotary Tour for MESA, a week-long cycling tour within Ohio's Rotary District 6600 which raises more than $40,000 each year to ship donated and surplus medical equipment and supplies to third-world countries.
Megan has nearly 15 years of experience litigating a variety of negligence cases, product liability suits, wrongful death suits, intentional tort claims, and malpractice cases. Megan has a vast array of skills and experience that is optimal for the representation of a wide variety of clients. She promises experience, dedication, hard work, and trust.
Megan is Cleveland born and raised. She lives on the east side of Cleveland with her husband and three children. When she is not in the office, you'll find her picking up LEGOS or reading books to her young children. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband, trying new restaurants, or enjoying a nice glass of wine on weekends.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Westfield "Blue Ocean Think Tank
Pat is a member of the Westfield "Blue Ocean Think Tank" and has repeatedly been named an "Ohio Rising Star" by Cincinnati Magazine/Northern Ohio Live's Super Lawyers Editions. Pat has won the 2013 Blue Ocean Award and OARS Award for innovation in litigation management and he's a two-time Golden Gavel Award recipient.
Emmett is one of the most experienced probate and criminal lawyers in Ohio; having tried more than 300 jury trials, both criminal and civil. You won't have to go very far in any direction to find someone who knows Emmett. Emmett brings a wide breadth of knowledge to his clients from the many years spent serving in the United States Army, Ohio National Guard, and from his roles as Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, Senior Trial Counsel for both Aetna & Nationwide insurance companies and medical malpractice defense counsel for St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland. Emmett is a decorated veteran from the first Gulf War; Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and also served as JAG Officer for the State of Ohio from 1989 to 2004. Emmett retired from military service in 2004 having attained the rank of Colonel.
Currently Emmett works across several counties helping clients resolve intricate and perplexing probate issues.
When Emmett isn't working, you'll find him somewhere on a beautiful golf course. He has been fortunate to play on some of the most famous courses in the world including the old course at St. Andrews in Scotland, Pebble Beach, California, Whistling Straits in Wisconsin and the Robert Trent Jones Alabama Golf Trail.
Rich and his wife, Renee have three children and reside in Powell, Ohio. They are passionate about their community, their church, books, music and Ohio State and Cleveland sports teams.
Sharon has served as a prosecutor for both municipal and county levels in Northeast Ohio. During her time as a prosecutor, Sharon demonstrated a keen ability to effectively handle difficult and emotionally charged situations. Sharon worked diligently to attain swift resolution of her cases, whether through trial or negotiations. After leaving prosecution, Sharon worked as a staff attorney for Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Tonya R. Jones. Sharon supported the Judge in the administration of her docket. Serving as a staff attorney has provided Sharon with a view of litigation from the Bench's perspective which has uniquely enabled her to better prepare and litigate defense casework.
Sharon was admitted to the practice of law in the State of Ohio in 2016. Sharon graduated from the University of Akron School of Law where she received the CALI Excellence for Future Award for the highest grade in Trial Advocacy. Sharon graduated from Kent State University magna cum laude with her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice.
Sharon and her family love Ohio's emerald, green park systems. They regularly enjoy activities in the Metro Parks, Cuyahoga Valley National Parks, and other park systems throughout the Great State of Ohio. When Sharon and her family are not outside, they are wearing soccer (football!) jerseys and cheering for their favorite teams.
A lifelong Buckeye, Sunny attended The Ohio State University for both her undergraduate education and law school. While in law school, Sunny was awarded the Judge Joseph H. Harter Memorial Award for achievement in trial advocacy. Additionally, Sunny worked for a major Ohio insurance corporation in both the claims department and house counsel.
Sunny has a diverse civil litigation practice which focuses on insurance coverage claims, bad faith, construction litigation, product liability, and personal injury. Sunny has ample litigation experience in both state and federal court, with a specialty in matters having a substantial discovery burden, and specifically federal court discovery management. Sunny has been named a "Super Lawyers: Rising Star®" every year since 2017.
Sunny has been part of the litigation and trial teams in some of Ohio's largest insurance cases, including opiod coverage, COVID-19 BI claims and long-tail exposure cases. She also has experience in the courts of appeal. As a result of her experience, Sunny has also been involved in training other Ohio lawyers in the challenges presented in practice areas.
When Sunny is not working, she enjoys traveling with her husband and friends. Sunny's hobbies include reading, running 5Ks, hiking, and photography. She also loves sharing photos of her wirehair dachshund, Charlie.