Graydon Head & Ritchey Llp

Since joining the firm in 1997, Mike's focus has been in commercial litigation, creditors' rights, insurance and construction law. Mike has worked on the successful resolution of a variety of disputes involving construction failures, insurance issues and defense of preference claims. In addition to his work in diverse litigation matters, he has also focused on the application of document imaging and various litigation support technologies. Mike is a recent graduate of the Cincinnati Bar Association's Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers (CALL) Class. Originally from Connecticut, Mike, his wife, Julie, and their daughter, Summer, are residents of Clifton.

Connie is responsible for directing the Firm's marketing strategies, corporate communications, customer service and quality improvement initiatives.

Jennifer joined the Firm in 2006 as the Chief Administrative Officer. In that capacity, Jennifer manages the Firm's day-to-day operation and business affairs, overseeing accounting, human resources, marketing, professional development and technology. Jennifer has a broad range of career experiences encompassing general management, client management development, human resources consulting and marketing. Prior to GH&R, she served as a General Manager for a career transition company serving the Fortune 1000. She managed operations and client development in the Midwest and Southern U.S.

Chris is responsible for GH&R's Butler/Warren Office, which serves the growing business community between Cincinnati and Dayton. He concentrates his practice in the areas of general business, real estate, environmental and construction law. Chris provides legal counsel to large institutional landowners, construction owners, contractors and design professionals. He routinely advises large commercial lending institutions on environmental issues. Chris also serves the diverse needs of the business community in the Butler/Warren County areas. He was named one of The Best Lawyers in America in 2007 as well as being named an "Ohio Super Lawyer." Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Chris is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Bruce practices in the area of labor and employment law dealing with such matters as employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, affirmative action, wage-hour compliance, OSHA compliance, collective bargaining, grievance-arbitration proceedings, unfair labor practices and union avoidance. He provides strategic counseling to clients in all areas of employment law to minimize potential liability. When disputes arise, Bruce assists clients in resolving disputes at the earliest point possible through mediation and arbitration. Should matters escalate to the courtroom, Bruce is an experienced advocate, having represented many employers, including health care providers and transportation companies in proceedings before various governmental agencies, as well as in state and federal court. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Bruce is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Bruce was named one of "Ohio's Super Lawyers" in 2004 and 2005, and is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Chris has practiced law in the estate planning area in Greater Cincinnati for over 20 years. Chair of the Estate Planning Practice Group, she practices in the areas of estate planning and estate administration. She counsels clients in the management and disposition of property during lifetime, at death and after death as well as in the related tax and personal considerations. Chris also has been involved in the negotiation and drafting of prenuptial agreements. Chris is a frequent lecturer and has published a variety of articles on a wide range of subjects in the area of estate planning and meets regularly with several informal groups of estate planning attorneys to network and stay on top of trends and issues facing estate planners. She has been named one of The Best Lawyers in America in the trusts and estates section, and, based on the grading and comments of her peers, Chris is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2004 and 2005, she was chosen by her peers as one of "Ohio's Super Lawyers." Chris is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. In 2003, the Ohio State Bar Association certified Chris as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. In 2007, Chris was named one of The Best Lawyers in America for her work in Trusts and Estates. Chris is a co-chair of the firm's Women's Professional Development Group. Since she deals with very personal client issues, Chris's work philosophy is to emphasize the importance of good rapport and communications with her clients. She is passionate about her family and her daughter, Maria, whom she describes as, "a happy child who loves to make me laugh." A little known fact about Chris: she was part of a women's intramural football team in law school.

Dan currently serves as a member of the firm's Executive Committee. He practices in the general business area representing closely-held businesses on a wide variety of issues including financing, mergers and acquisitions, contracting, and technology transfer and protection issues. He works with many high-tech companies, including hardware and software manufacturers. Dan also practices in the area of real estate and construction law, primarily assisting developers, design professionals, contractors and subcontractors with deal formation strategies and contract negotiations. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Dan is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

In 2005, Dan was chosen by his peers as a "Rising Star" in Ohio's Super Lawyers magazine. Only 2.5 percent of Ohio lawyers received this honor. One reason Dan received such an honor is his commitment to client service. According to Dan, "every client sees their own problem as your most important issue that day, so I do my best to treat every matter that I work on accordingly." Dan makes it his highest priority to respond to all client contacts promptly, to pay attention to non-legal issues that may affect his clients' decisions and to treat everyone with whom he interacts with respect. Dan was born in Islamabad, Pakistan, but his wife, Amy, daughter, Isabelle, and he now reside in Deerfield Township. They enjoy traveling, gardening and sailing.

Jerry is Chair of the firm's Business Transactions Practice Group. He practices in the areas of general corporate law, commercial financial transactions, real estate, corporate finance and environmental law. He has extensive experience in counseling clients about corporate matters, financing transactions, real estate acquisitions and developments, lease transactions, tax-free exchanges, and construction projects. Jerry represents a large regional bank in various financing matters, including commercial loans, letter of credit financing, industrial revenue bonds and general real estate matters. He is also involved in real estate issues concerning taxation and tax-exemption applications and represents corporations in both financing and acquisition transactions involving banks. A licensed title insurance agent in the State of Ohio, Jerry counsels clients regarding title insurance coverages, particularly in complex and multi-state transactions. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Jerry is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Harry's practice focuses on creditors' rights and real estate law. In 2005 and 2006, Harry was chosen by his peers as a "Rising Star" in Ohio's Super Lawyers magazine. Only 2.5 percent of Ohio lawyers received this honor. One reason Harry received such an honor is his commitment to client service. He is notorious for returning phone calls and emails promptly and considers dealing with his clients his favorite thing about his job. A volunteer for St. Lawrence School and a mentor at the University of Cincinnati, Harry and his family are residents of Lawrenceburg, Ind. There, he is a volunteer coach at the Dearborn County YMCA. An Elder high school grad, he is a member in the Elder Business Professionals Association.

As chair of the Firm's Tax Practice Group, Hank works extensively in the federal income tax area, particularly corporate tax, partnership tax, and individual tax planning. He has also handled numerous IRS audits involving a broad range of issues. In addition, Hank has significant experience in the executive compensation/employee benefits area designing and implementing qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, and has a keen understanding of ESOPs. Hank has been actively involved in advising tax-exempt organizations with respect to various issues, including classification issues and unrelated business income tax issues. Hank was named of The Best Lawyers in America for 2007 for his work in Tax Law. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Hank is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Mike practices in the areas of bankruptcy, loan workouts and creditors' rights and serves as a member of the firm's Executive Committee and as Chair of the Bankruptcy & Creditors' Rights Practice Group. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar and is on the Bench Bar Conference Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Ohio. Mike was chosen by the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals to be one of the lawyers in the Southern District of Ohio to serve on the last two Merit Selection Panels who review candidates for the position of bankruptcy judge. Prior to joining Graydon Head, Mike was in private practice concentrating in the areas of bankruptcy, creditors' rights and commercial litigation, with a focus on lender representation. Mike was named one of The Best Lawyers in America in 2007 for his work in Banking Law and Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Mike is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. Mike has been very active in the Cincinnati Bar Association Bankruptcy Committee and is a past chair. Mike offers outstanding client service. He refers to his clients as "great" and relishes his role as counselor. He has said, "I also enjoy working with other talented lawyers, both colleagues and opposing counsel." His client service philosophy includes providing prompt, efficient service and continually updating clients on the progress of matters. He has said, "If a client ever had to ask me for the status of a matter, I would think I have failed since I have not kept them up-to-date." Mike and his wife have been married 25 years and have three teenage daughters, in whose lives Mike is very involved. He attends all of their games and performances and is active in their high school, Ursuline Academy. He has also been very active in his parish, St. Mary, and has served in many roles including coach, parish lector and the worship commission. Mike is also passionate about college basketball and card playing he's been part of a card-playing group that has met regularly for 28 years.

Jeff serves as Co-Chair of the firm's Business & Finance Client Service Department. He practices corporate law with an emphasis on corporate finance, health care and real estate. He represents a large regional bank in various financing matters, including commercial loans, letter of credit financings, industrial revenue bonds, health care financings and specialized collateral documentation and review. Jeff represents corporations in both financing and acquisition transactions. He also represents fiction authors in obtaining and negotiating publishing contracts. Jeff was named one of The Best Lawyers in America in 2007 for his work in Banking Law. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Jeff is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. Jeff has a helpful attitude that spills over into his client relationships. "I always try to be upbeat and positive with my clients," he says, adding that he wants clients to know that he appreciates the opportunity to assist them with their matters. Outside of the law, Jeff is most passionate about his wife, Amy Tolnitch, and his daughter, Styrling. Amy is an accomplished author and recently sold her second novel. Jeff is a fan of her work, as well as sports of all kinds, especially NASCAR.

Jeff has lead the GH&R Softball team since 2002, and, although he's ardent about the team's success, he's most passionate about his family and watching his son and daughter grow up.

John is the senior trial lawyer in the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Client Services Department and chairs the International Practice Group, focusing on international dispute resolution. He has served as lead trial lawyer in numerous complex commercial, international, banking, securities, products liability, insurance and trust litigation cases, including class actions. John has practiced in state and federal courts and before arbitration tribunals in approximately 35 states and foreign countries. In the past five years, John has represented clients in a wide variety of business disputes, including successful representations in an International Chamber of Commerce arbitration against a large Korean company, a federal court litigation against a Canadian government-owned corporation, an arbitration in Hong Kong that was settled through mediation coordinated through the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, a securities arbitration customer claim resulting in a multimillion dollar settlement, the defense of a federal court consumer class action, and a case where a large sum of stolen funds was recovered by coordinating court actions in Turkey, Cyprus, Portugal and the Cape Verde Islands. He is also experienced in obtaining evidence abroad under Letters Rogatory and The Hague Evidence Convention as well as obtaining evidence in the U.S. for use in foreign proceedings. John recently has had extensive experience involving both the enforcement of and defense against enforcement of foreign country judgments in U.S. courts and the enforcement of U.S. judgments abroad. John is a frequent speaker on enforcement of judgments and on international commercial arbitration. Recently, he has presented at programs given by the Center for International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria (2001 and 2004); the Cincinnati Bar Association in Cincinnati (2004); the American Arbitration Association in Cincinnati (2004); The Hamilton Law Association at Niagara on the Lake, Ontario (2005); The American Bar Association in Chicago (2005); Program on Foreign Investments in Buenos Aires, Argentina (2005) and Latin American Congress on International Business and Arbitration in Mar del Plata, Argentina (2005). Throughout his career, John has been active with the American, Federal, Ohio State and Cincinnati Bar Associations. He currently chairs an American Bar Association subcommittee on International Arbitration and regularly attends and speaks at bar association conferences. In 2004, he served as CLE chair for civil programming at the Federal Bar Association Annual Convention. John also frequently represents clients on appeals in state and federal courts and is a Life Member of the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference. He was also recently appointed to chair the Rules Advisory Committee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Prior to joining GH&R, John served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Philip Pratt, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, John was named one of "Ohio's Super Lawyers" in 2004 and 2005, and one of The Best Lawyers in America for business litigation and international arbitration in 2006 and 2007. He is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Joe has a broad range of experience, having previously practiced in the areas of litigation and closely-held corporations. Since 1980, Joe has practiced almost exclusively in the real estate area including acquisitions, development, zoning, annexation, management, leasing and sales. He has represented both local and regional developers and, for a time, was president of a real estate holding company. Joe is a licensed title agent. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Joe is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. Joe finds it important to stay well-informed about his clients so he is, "able to understand and even anticipate their needs." His involvement with trade organizations such as NAIOP and OLTA help him do that. Joe is particularly passionate about his children and grandchildren and enjoys spending time with them at his cottage in northern Michigan.

Karen practices in the area of corporate law with an emphasis in mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining GH&R, Karen served as staff counsel to Ryder System, Inc. in Miami, Fla., where she focused on contract negotiations, customer disputes and acquisition matters. She earned her law degree, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law in 1996 and received her B.S.B.A. in Finance from East Carolina University in 1986. Karen is a non-practicing Certified Public Accountant. She spends her free time serving as a Board Member of Cincinnati Area Senior Services, and she and her dogs perform pet therapy to patients in hospitals and nursing homes. Karen and her family live in the Northgate area. Karen co-chairs the firm's Women's Professional Development Group.

Kent primarily practices in the litigation, employment and media areas. He has handled a variety of employment matters before state and federal courts and administrative agencies as well as a wide variety of commercial litigation matters, including breach of contract disputes, real estate, employment/wrongful discharge and personal injury litigation in state and federal courts. He frequently uses mediation and arbitration as a cost effective means of dispute resolution and has mediated or arbitrated hundreds of cases to resolution. Kent also handles a variety of First Amendment issues that impact both the print and broadcast media and has overseen the firm's community pro bono legal activities. Kent is a strong believer in regular, prompt communication with his clients and co-workers and the professional achievement that has made him most proud is the strong client relationships and friendships he has developed over the years. Based on this and the grading and comments of his peers and friends, Kent is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2005 and 2006, Kent was chosen by his peers as a "Rising Star" in Ohio's Super Lawyers magazine. Only 2.5 percent of Ohio lawyers received this honor. In 2004, the Cincinnati "Business Courier" named Kent (along with his wife, Karen) two of Cincinnati's top "Forty Under 40" and the W.E.B. DuBois Academy in Over-the-Rhine named him "Volunteer of the Year." Kent also received state-wide recognition as recipient of The Ohio State Bar Foundation's Year 2000 Community Service Award, The Ohio State University College of Law 2001 Community Service Award and the 2002 John E. Pepper Education Community Service Award. He is currently a mentor to three students in the Cincinnati Public Schools and spends a significant amount of time in our inner-city Over-The-Rhine neighborhood. Kent is also a graduate of the United Way Volunteer Leadership Development Program and the Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers. The Arc-Hamilton County (MR/DD) presented Kent with the Leader & Advocacy Award in 2004 and the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division awarded him with the Outstanding Affiliate Leader award. Kent resides in Mt. Lookout with his wife, Karen, son, Robby, and daughter, Angeline. All four are big Ohio State Buckeye fans. Outside of work, Kent enjoys biking, running, swimming and coaching his kids' teams. Kent has completed the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon and finished his first 1/2 Iron-man in August, 2004, in under six hours.

Kevin practices in the Business and Finance Client Service Department's Financial Institution and Business Transaction Practice Groups. His fourteen years experience provides a broad range of focus in the areas of broker-dealers, investment advisors, insurance, mutual funds, hedge funds, bank regulatory matters and general corporate law. Immediately prior to joining GH&R, Kevin served as Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel for a publicly traded investment management and mutual fund company. He also previously served as Vice President and Counsel for a large regional bank for which he served, in addition to other responsibilities, as the chief legal officer and compliance manager for its broker-dealer, investment advisory and insurance subsidiaries. Additionally, Kevin has presented at the National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance Conference on the topics of equity index annuities and sales of insurance products on bank premises. During the course of his career, Kevin has served on the following industry committees: American Bankers Association Securities Association Lawyers Committee; American Bankers Association Insurance Association Lawyers Committee; Securities Industry Association General Counsel Roundtable; The Bond Market Association Legal and Compliance Committee; The Committee of Annuity Insurers Tax Reform Task Force; and The Committee of Annuity Insurers 403(b) Task Force.

Lee enjoys providing top-notch client service and, over the years, has developed personal and professional relationships with clients allowing him to better understand and address their needs. He describes his client service philosophy as, "Helping clients achieve their goals; working closely with clients to resolve their issues; getting to know and understand the clients' business and processes; and, when working with healthcare clients, have a 'patient first' mindset." Lee and his family are residents of West Chester and are involved in their church, St. Maximillian Kolbe parish. He is also an avid Cincinnati Reds fan.

Mike is the former Chair of the Firm's Executive Committee. His practice has concentrated on the representation of closely-held businesses and their owners/operators, assisting entrepreneurial and family companies in connection with financing and venture capital, technology transfer and protection issues, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, domestic and international distribution, employee issues, shareholder disputes, and succession planning for management and ownership. Mike represents both domestic companies in their international expansion and foreign companies entering the United States. When asked to describe his favorite thing about his job, Mike responded, "In addition to the variety of issues and people I deal with daily, the job of working with business owner and operators who have a deep passion for their business is what I enjoy most." Mike describes his client service philosophy as trying to see each issue through the eyes of the client. "This helps me empathize with them," he says, "and develop a strategy that takes into account not just the legal issues, but also the costs, implications for their business in the long run and effect on them personally." Since 1993, Mike has been chosen by his peers to be listed in "The Best Lawyers in America" for corporate law. In 2002 he received the Hamilton County Community Mental Health Board's Community Friend of Mental Health Award. In 2003, the Goering Center for Family and Privately Owned Business presented Mike with a special service award in recognition of the many roles he has played in his service to the Center. He has been included in "Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions) since 2003, was named a "2005 Leading Lawyer" by "Cincy Business" magazine, has been recognized as an "Ohio Super Lawyer" by "Law and Politics" magazine since 2003, and based on the grading and comments of his peers, Mike is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Mike's practice is commercial dispute resolution. Mike counsels clients who find themselves in many different types of legal problems. A typical day may find Mike's time split between handling a basic landlord-tenant matter for a legal aid client before concentrating his efforts on the more complex disposition of a trade secret, ERISA, or antitrust dispute. Mike also represents clients who find themselves the target of more complex class actions. To achieve desired results for his clients, Mike employs varying methods of dispute resolution, including mediation (with or without a third party neutral) and arbitration. When these alternative methods are unsuccessful or undesirable, and a trial or traditional "litigation" is required, Mike's clients find that he is an exceptional pre-trial, trial, and appellate advocate. Mike is best described as a pragmatic and passionate advocate who is both aggressive and principled in his approach to resolving problems. As a first matter, Mike works with a client's adversary to find an efficient solution to a business problem. Much of Mike's practice consists of emergency business disputes. Mike is many times called upon to help defend "bet the company" lawsuits and suits seeking the protection and preservation of a company's assets (including its people, trade secrets, and confidential information). These disputes include covenants not to compete, trade secret issues, intellectual property, breach of contract, interference in business relations, antitrust disputes, and a host of other issues. Mike also leads GH&R's employee benefits (or ERISA) litigation team, which practice includes disputes over disability insurance benefits. Throughout his professional career, Mike has achieved significant success for clients. Just within the past year, Mike has obtained multiple $1+ million dollar verdicts and/or settlements. At the same time, Mike has also successfully defended clients who have been the targets of suits seeking damages in excess of $1 million dollars. Examples include: (i) Mike's representation of a client company and its president (who formerly served as president of the plaintiff) in a trade secret misappropriation and Lanham Act suit wherein Mike obtained the dismissal of all claims brought against his clients without any financial considerations; and (ii) Mike achieved a similar result (agreed dismissal with prejudice without any financial considerations of a claim seeking in excess of $1 Million in damages) in an arbitration proceeding before the AAA involving the sale of a business. Mike also is GH&R's pro bono coordinator and was honored in 2000 with the Lawyer of the Year Award by the Legal Aid Society of the Cincinnati Bar Association. Mike is recognized throughout the community as a gifted trial attorney and, based on the grading and comments of his peers, he earned an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. Mike was a 2-sport athlete in college: participating on both the Notre Dame Men's Varsity Swimming team and the Notre Dame Water Polo club. While in law School, Mike served as Notre Dame's Assistant Men's and Women's Swimming Coach. Since 1990 Mike has continued his coaching passion at his family's parish, St Mary's Catholic Church in Hyde Park. Michael has been married to his wife, Melanie, since 1994. They have two children, Katie and Liam. When not working, Mike can most likely be found at his children's school reading to the class, having lunch in the cafeteria, or coaching basketball. Outside of work, Mike has attempted to maintain a competitive and athletic lifestyle. He has participated in several marathons of the conventional kind and in 2003, Mike and his four brothers successfully swam the English Channel to raise awareness for a genetic disorder that has affected their sister.

Mike practices in all areas of construction law, including litigation, arbitration, mediation, dispute resolution, mechanic's liens, insurance disputes and contract negotiation. He has pursued and defended claims for and against all of the primary participants involved in construction projects, including owners, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, suppliers, sureties and insurers. Mike also serves as the Chair of the Northern Kentucky Bar Association Construction Law Section and he is a member and frequent speaker at Allied Construction Industries.

Mike's practice is concentrated in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, fiduciary taxation, and business succession planning. Prior to joining the firm, he spent six years in the Trust Departments of two financial institutions working in the areas of estate and trust administration. Mike is a member of the Cincinnati Estate Planning Council, the Graydon Head & Ritchey Community Service Team, is President of the Board of Trustees for ProSeniors, Inc., and is on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Northeast Cincinnati. Mike is also a Certified Financial Planner and a Fellow of the Cincinnati Bar Association Academy of Leadership for Lawyers. He is on the Planning Committee for the CBA Advanced Estate Planning Institute. Originally from Kettering, Ohio, Mike and his family are residents of Kenwood.

Paul provides litigation services to municipalities and local governments as well as corporate and individual clients in the areas of municipal, regulatory and zoning law, commercial litigation and business torts. He has practiced law in Northern Kentucky since 1997, representing municipalities, local governments and businesses in commercial litigation, and defense of civil rights and personal injury actions.

Peter joined the firm in 2002 with seven years of experience in estate planning, most recently with a firm in Cleveland, Ohio. He concentrates his practice in assisting clients for the succession and management of property during their lifetime, at death and after death. Peter's earlier experience counseling clients at a "Big 5" accounting firm provides him with a unique perspective in assisting clients who are planning for the succession and transfer of wealth. Originally from Armonk, N.Y., Peter currently resides in Mt. Lookout.

Co-Chair of the Firm's Business and Financial Client Service Department, Dick practices exclusively in that department with an emphasis on securities law, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture, capital, corporate finance and corporate governance. He has also served as lead issuer's counsel in various public securities offerings in which GH&R clients obtained more than $2 billion in proceeds. He has negotiated and closed numerous acquisitions, mergers and/or sales of public and closely held companies. In addition, Dick routinely counsels boards of directors and executive management on a variety of corporate governance and securities law issues. Dick's favorite thing about practicing law is, "being part of the client's team and being a valued counselor." His proudest professional accomplishment was when he lead the securities work for Jacor Communications and helped them grow rapidly into a multi-billion dollar company before eventually being acquired by Clear Channel. His dedication to his clients and the service he provides them shows in the accomplishments he has received. In both 2001 and 2002, Dick was one of less than 100 U.S. attorneys recognized as a "Client Service All Star" for delivering "truly outstanding client service" based on client nominations in a survey of Fortune 1000 companies, conducted by The BTI Consulting Group. Dick was one of only 21 lawyers to receive this distinction in two consecutive years. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Dick was named one of The Best Lawyers in America from 2005-2007 for his work in Corporate Law, an "Ohio's Super Lawyer" in 2005 and 2006, and is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. Outside of the office, Dick enjoys spending time with his family. He has coached his son's Odyssey of the Mind team to four consecutive Kentucky State Championships.

After a career on Capitol Hill as Legislative Director to then-Congressman Jim Bunning, Rick Robinson joined the Northern Kentucky office of Graydon Head in 1993. He took his Washington experience on the House Banking Committee and began representing banks in the region on matters ranging from transaction documentation to representing individual bankers in regulatory actions. Robinson also has developed a civic affairs practice. Rick also assists the Firm's clients in complex litigation matters, including those arising from internal business investigations, anti-trust matters and creditors' rights. He is a registered Federal lobbyist and has represented public officials and indiciduals before state and federal election finance agencies and ethics panels. Carrying on Graydon Head's tradition of community service, Rick is very active in community service. Currently, he serves as Chairman of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the American Cancer Society national board of directors. In his time away from the office, Robinson is an author. His first novel, a political thriller entitled 'The Maximum Contribution,' is a fictional cumulation of 30 years in politics and is available at bookstores everywhere or directly through Publisher Page, Inc.

Richard is Co-Chair of the Firm's Commercial Real Estate Industry Group and practices in the areas of real estate, environmental and construction law. He has extensive experience counseling clients and lecturing about real estate, acquisitions, developments and construction projects, including international transactions. Richard is also involved in real estate issues concerning commercial leasing, tax appeals, real property tax valuations, reduction strategies, IRS Section 1031 tax-free real estate exchanges, real estate investment and economic development inducement issues, including tax abatements, tax-increment financing, community reinvestment areas, enterprise zones and other governmental inducements. He has coordinated diverse real estate acquisitions and development projects, including medical office buildings, hospital and health care facilities, regional shopping malls, office park developments, strip shopping centers, international investments, residential subdivision and condominium developments, house purchases and sales, lease transactions for industrial, commercial, retail, agricultural, and residential property transactions. Richard is a member of the Firm's Executive Committee and is also an Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist in Business, Commercial and Industrial Real Property Law. Richard was awarded a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship Award in 1976 and has been an active member of the Cincinnati Rotary Club since 1996. Richard has taken on multiple roles and earned recognition for his volunteerism, including the "Heart in Hand Award" presented to him by the Cincinnati Rotary Club. Richard has also been named a 2006 & 2007 Ohio "Super Lawyer" and one of The Best Lawyers in America since 2005 for his work in Real Estate Law. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Richard is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Rob counsels clients on general business issues with a particular emphasis on strategic legal planning for closely-held businesses and their owners. He has a broad range of experience, having previously practiced in the areas of estate planning, oil and gas law and general corporate law. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Rob is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Bob serves as Chair of the firm's Human Resources Client Services Department. He works extensively in designing and implementing qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, executive compensation programs, equity-based compensation programs, health and disability benefit plans, dependent care assistance plans, and other employee benefit arrangements. Bob handles benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions, and litigation matters involving employee benefit programs. He has substantial background and experience in tax law and regularly advises clients regarding plan administration and compliance matters before the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor. Bob was named one of The Best Lawyers in America in 2007 for his work in Employee Benefits Law. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Bob is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. Bob's favorite thing about his job is the diversity of his client base which ranges from sole proprietorships to Fortune 500 companies. To understand his clients' compensation and benefits practices, one of the first things he often does in a new client relationship is spend time on-site at the client's business (on his nickel). Of the things that he's most proud in his personal life, Bob lists the growth and development of his kids, Lindsay and Jon, into young adults and his wife Tracie's accomplishments in the health care industry. After that, his running and cycling achievements, including five Boston Marathons. He and his family are active members of St. Anthony parish in Madisonville where he is Vice-Chair of the Finance/Buildings Committee.

Susan practices in the Litigation Practice Group with a focus in the areas of bankruptcy, loan workouts, and creditors' rights. Prior to joining GH&R, Susan served as Assistant Vice President and Counsel for a large regional bank's Legal Department. She earned her law degree, with honors, from Drake University Law School in 1996, and received her B.A., summa cum laude, in Economics and Spanish from St. Ambrose University in 1993. Susan is a member of the Ohio, Kentucky, Cincinnati, and Northern Kentucky Bar Associations. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Excel Development Co., is a graduate of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's C-Change Program Class of 2006, member of the Advisory Panel for Bold Fusion Discover Cincy and the Firm's Women's Professional Development Group. Susan and her husband reside in Cold Spring, Kentucky.

Tom serves as Chair of the firm's Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group. He has substantial experience with qualified and nonqualified retirement and deferred compensation programs. His employee benefits experience includes, but is not limited to, guidance in the design, formation, and implementation of qualified pension and welfare benefit plans under ERISA; general consulting on benefit matters; administrative and compliance advice; issues regarding plan qualification, private letter rulings and plan terminations; design and implementation of nonqualified employee plans such as funded and unfunded deferred compensation agreements and supplemental retirement plans; communication issues; plan audits; benefit issues involved in acquisitions and mergers; ERISA compliance and litigation; tax and benefit issues regarding independent contractors; cafeteria plans, health plans, dependent care assistance programs and VEBAs; Medicare coordination; and benefit issues involving the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and various other pieces of benefits legislation. Tom was one of the founding Board of Trustees of Crayons to Computers and, along with the Board, received the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce's 2001 Outstanding Community Service Award. In 2000, the Business Courier named Tom as one of the top "Forty Under 40" in Greater Cincinnati in recognition of his leadership in business and civic activities. Additionally, based on the grading and comments of his peers, Tom is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. In both 2006 and 2007, Tom was chosen by his peers as one of "Ohio's Super Lawyers." Tom, his wife, Bridget, and two children, Kelly and Will, reside in Anderson Township where they are involved in their community. There he is active with the Guardian Angels Church and serves as president of the Estates of Forest Hills Homeowners Association. A sports fan, he is dedicated to Notre Dame football and basketball and, prior to law school, caddied for 12 years, including professional tournaments.

Tom is a general corporate lawyer with a major emphasis on conducting negotiations for clients in several different areas of corporate practice. He has represented clients in the negotiation of financial transactions and domestic and foreign corporate acquisitions. He has handled foreign acquisitions, joint ventures and financings in Brazil, Columbia, Spain, The United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand. Recently, Tom has been retained to represent clients in the health care area including long-term care facilities and continuing care retirement communities and an alliance of those entities. In keeping with his emphasis on negotiations, another major part of his practice has been devoted to representing management in all phases of labor management relations including collective bargaining. He has appeared before the National Labor Relations Board and in federal and state courts for clients in the industrial, construction, health care and service industries. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Tom is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. Tom is dedicated to the community as well as the law. In 2001, the United Way of Greater Cincinnati presented Tom with the New Century Award for "Improving Our Community."

Tom is chair of the Firm's Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. His practice consists primarily of commercial and business-related litigation, with an emphasis on business-to-business dispute resolution, particularly in the areas of manufacturing, construction, and real estate. He has appeared in numerous state and federal courts around the country and has tried multiple cases to verdict. Tom is very active in the area of entrepreneurial and knowledge-based economic development and representation, being a Founder and former President of The Madison E-Zone, Northern Kentucky's Innovation and Commercialization Center. He is also very active in the non-profit community. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Tom is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Jill recently joined Graydon Head as the firm's Marketing Director. In this role, she is responsible for integrating and implementing the strategic marketing goals for the firm. Jill has over eight years experience in marketing, communications and graphic design, but has focused her career on providing the marketing function for professional service firms in the Cincinnati, OH and Boston, MA business communities.

April joined the Firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group in 2006. Her practice is focused in labor and employment law, and employment immigration. Prior to joining the Firm, April served as a Human Resources Manager of an international retail optical company, and practiced immigration pro bono. Her experience as a Human Resources Manager gives her a unique perspective that allows her to understand and appreciate her client's needs and issues. She has also served as an associate attorney at a firm in Dayton, Ohio, and a law clerk for the United States Attorney, Southern District of Ohio. April also served on active duty in the United States Army as a Personnel Officer at various posts, including a tour as an English Instructor at the United States Military Academy, West Point. April was born in Puerto Rico, and now resides in West Chester with her husband and two children. April is a member of the Firm's Community Service Team and Women's Professional Development Group.

Aine practices in the area of real estate law and is a member of the Firm's Commercial Real Estate Industry Group and Banking and Financial Services Industry Group. She assists clients with the acquisition, sale and leasing of commercial and residential properties. She is a native of Cincinnati and practiced here after completing her clerkship with Chief United States District Court Judge R. Allan Edgar in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is a 2002 graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Law where she served as the Student Articles Chair of the Law Review. Aine received a B.A. in History from Davidson College and, as an undergraduate, spent six months studying history at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Aine is admitted to practice law in Ohio and before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. She is a member of the firm's Women's Professional Development Group and Community Service Team.

Barbara joined the Firm in September 2006 working in the estate administration, probate and tax areas. She received her Bachelor's degree from Buffalo State College in 1976 and her paralegal certificate from Roosevelt University, in Chicago in 1980.

Brian's practice consists of employment litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Brian gained experience as a litigator in the workers' compensation area. In addition, he worked for Graydon Head & Ritchey as a Summer Associate in 2000.

Brian's practice focuses primarily in the areas of creditors' rights, contested foreclosures, lender liability defense, bankruptcy, and collection and liquidation. Prior to joining GH&R, he served as an associate in the litigation department at another large law firm. Brian also spent time as a Staff Attorney for Judge John P. Bessey. He earned his law degree in 1997 from Capital University Law School, and received his B.A. in International Affairs in 1993 from the University of Cincinnati. Brian is a member of the Ohio and Kentucky Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, where he is active in the Bankruptcy, Real Property and Corporate Council Committees.

Bruce practices in the area of labor and employment law dealing with such matters as employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, affirmative action, wage-hour compliance, OSHA compliance, collective bargaining, grievance-arbitration proceedings, unfair labor practices and union avoidance. He provides strategic counseling to clients in all areas of employment law to minimize potential liability. When disputes arise, Bruce assists clients in resolving disputes at the earliest point possible through mediation and arbitration. Should matters escalate to the courtroom, Bruce is an experienced advocate, having represented many employers, including health care providers and transportation companies in proceedings before various governmental agencies, as well as in state and federal court. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Bruce is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Chris has practiced law in the estate planning area in Greater Cincinnati for over 20 years. Chair of the Estate Planning Practice Group, she practices in the areas of estate planning and estate administration. She counsels clients in the management and disposition of property during lifetime, at death and after death as well as in the related tax and personal considerations. Chris also has been involved in the negotiation and drafting of prenuptial agreements.

In 1871, shortly after Cincinnati's Roebling Suspension Bridge was opened and the Tyler Davidson Fountain on Fountain Square was built, Stanley Matthews and William Ramsey established the law firm now known as Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP. In addition to U.S. Supreme Court Justice and firm founder Stanley Matthews, our roster over the years has included many distinguished members, including the celebrated Lawrence Maxwell, who was appointed Solicitor General of the United States by President Cleveland, and lawyers who became notable judges, such as Louis J. Schneider and Robert L. Black, Jr. For a brief period, Robert A. Taft, later to become a U.S. Senator, and a presidential contender, practiced with the firm.

Jack practices in the areas of commercial litigation, media and First Amendment law, and employment law. He has considerable practice experience in courts throughout the state, as well as federal courts and bankruptcy courts. His work has included litigation of disputes over a variety of contracts, First Amendment issues, wrongful terminations and non-competition covenants. Jack also has an extensive background in creditors' rights and collection litigation. He has represented commercial and residential landlords in a variety of matters including evictions, rental disputes and discrimination claims. In addition, Jack's practice has also included libel and insurance defense litigation. He is especially proud of his work on public records cases. He has handled dozens of cases and helped establish a very favorable law requiring that records be available to the public. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Jack is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2005, Jack was named a "Leading Lawyer" by Cincy Business Magazine. In February 2005, Governor Bob Taft appointed him to the Ohio Privacy/Public Record Access Study Committee. Jack was named one of The Best Lawyers in America in 2007 for his work in Commercial Litigation and First Amendment Law. Jack is very proud of his service in education. He has both tutored at Washington Park Elementary, an inner city school, and worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati law school since 2001. He has also volunteered for the last four years for the Catholic Inner City Schools Education Fund. Recently, Jack was selected as a Trial Advocacy instructor with the Cincinnati Bar Association. Jack is a talented writer and in addition to serving as the editor of the firm's e-newsletter, InfoLaw News, he enjoys writing poems for children. He also enjoys Notre Dame football, Cincinnati Reds baseball and XU basketball. He has donated about seven gallons of blood through Hoxworth, although not all at once. Guilty pleasures include LaRosa's pizza, Graeter's ice cream and Skyline Chili. (Did we mention Jack is a Native Cincinnatian?) His real passion, however, is his family his wife, Kathy, and four children, Katie, Joe, Ben and Ellie, who he refers to as his "greatest achievement."

Jamie counsels clients in the areas of employee benefits and executive compensation. He has worked with clients of all sizes to design and implement qualified retirement plans (including ESOPs), nonqualified deferred compensation plans, incentive compensation plans, and welfare benefit plans. He also has significant experience in working with the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor on compliance issues. Jamie also has extensive estate planning experience, which enables him to advise clients on estate planning issues that arise when a large part of a client's estate consists of retirement plan assets. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Jamie is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Jeff joined the Firm in 2006 as a member of the Commercial Litigation Department. Jeff earned his J.D., cum laude, in 2006 from of the University of Cincinnati College of Law. There he was a member of the University of Cincinnati Law Review and was awarded the Lois Rosenthal Award from the Rosenthal Institute for Justice/Ohio Innocence Project to Fellows exhibiting the highest level of skill, determination and Passion for Justice. He earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of Cincinnati in 2002.

Jeff earned his J.D., cum laude, in 2006 from of the University of Cincinnati College of Law. There he was a member of the University of Cincinnati Law Review and was awarded the Lois Rosenthal Award from the Rosenthal Institute for Justice/Ohio Innocence Project to Fellows exhibiting the highest level of skill, determination and Passion for Justice. He earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of Cincinnati in 2002.

Jenni joined the Firm as an extern in March 2002 before being officially hired in May of that year as a Legal Nurse Consultant and Paralegal. Jenni works in the litigation, labor and employment and workers' compensation areas assisting in depositions, mediations and trials, and all aspects of medical evaluations and work-up. She earned her Registered Nurse degree in 1988 from The Christ Hospital School of Nursing in Cincinnati, Ohio, and her Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate in 2002 from Sullivan University in Lexington, Ky. Jenni has her nursing license with Ohio State Board of Nursing and is a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association and the Cincinnati Paralegal Association. Jenni is active outside the office, as well. She tutored at Washington Park Elementary School along with a number of GH&R attorneys and staff members, and has participated in Light the Night charity walk (benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) and Adventure for Wish Kids Run/Walk, Law Day activities at Washington Park Elementary School and is member of the GH&R Women's Professional Development Team. She also enjoys sports and spending time with her son, Adam and her husband, Michael.

Jen practices in the areas of corporate law and real estate law and is a member of the Firm's Banking and Financial Services Industry Group and Commercial Real Estate Group. She has assisted corporate clients with mergers and acquisitions, entity formation, buy-sell agreements an other contract issues and has assisted a large regional bank in various financing matters, including commercial loans and letter of credit financing. Jen also counsels clients in the acquisition, sale and leasing of commercial and residential properties. Jen is an active member of the Firm's Women's Professional Development Group and Community Service Team, and, along with many other members of the Firm, spends time as a tutor for the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative at Washington Park Elementary School.

Joe is a member of the Firm's Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. Before joining the Firm he was employed as a minister for churches in Indiana and Illinois. Joe earned his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School where he served as an Article Editor on the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy, and was also a member of the Christian Legal Society and the Federalist Society. In addition, Notre Dame employed Joe following his first year of law school to redesign its Legal Research and Writing class. Joe is married to Pam, and they have three wonderful children: Amanda, J.C., and Marisa. He and his family call Mason "home," but they still "cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame" come football season.

Judy has been with the Firm since 2002 working in the estate planning and administration. She works in all areas of estate administration and probate. Judy worked for the Firm in the early 70s but left to raise a family. During that time, Judy owned her own design business for 10 years. After that, she was Vice-president of a local appellate service assisting attorneys nationwide with federal appeals. She did this for the 8 years prior to coming back to GH&R. She is also a member of the GH&R Women's Professional Development Group. Judy attended Ohio State University majoring in Design & Art.

Kara joined the firm's Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department in 2005. Kara's practice includes various areas of business litigation, including unfair competition, false advertising claims and employment litigation. She most recently practiced with a Dayton, Ohio, firm where she focused on complex business litigation. Kara also represents clients with international dispute resolution issues. She is a member of the United States District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, and the Ohio, Cincinnati and Dayton Bar Associations and an active member of the Firm's Women's Professional Development Group.

Kathy is an active member of the Cincinnati Bar Association (CBA) where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. She also serves as the past-chair of the CBA Young Lawyer's Section. Kathy is also the American Immigration Lawyers Association Young Lawyers Section Cincinnati liason. Kathy is the co-chair of the Firm's Community Service Team and a member of the Firm's Women's Professional Development Group. Kathy is an avid movie buff, and she and Judge Sundermann instruct at the CBA, the University of Cincinnati and the National Judicial College on the issue of Law and Popular Culture. Kathy also teaches Street Law at the University of Cincinnati. She, her husband, Andrew Miller, and her dogs, Inca and Maya, are residents of Paddock Hills.

Kirby joined the Firm in 2007. She has been working as a litigation paralegal for 24 years specializing in personal injury, workers compensation, social security disability, insurance and domestic law. Her litigation experience is extensive with a strong emphasis on medical/legal document review, discovery, depositions, mediations, arbitrations and trial preparation. Kirby received her Bachelors degree in Paralegal Studies from Eastern Kentucky University. She is a member of the Northern Kentucky Paralegal Association and GH&R's Women's Professional Development Group.

Lyn is a member of the Firm's Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. Prior to joining the Firm, Lyn's practice included various areas of litigation, including employment law, eminent domain, personal injury, general business law, and commercial law. She has also represented clients at the appellate level in both federal and state courts. Lyn is an active member of the Northern Kentucky Bar Association (NKBA), where she served as Co-Chair of the Young Lawyers Section. In her capacity as Co-Chair, Lyn served on the NKBA Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Firm's Women's Professional Development Group.

Lyndsey is a recent graduate of Northwestern University School of Law where she earned her LL.M. in Taxation. In 2004, Lyndsey received her Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law Order of the Coif. There she was an associate member of the Law Review, president of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance group, and won the Eugene M. Corbin Memorial Award, and Reeta Brendamour Prize in Tax Law Studies and appeared on the Dean's List all semesters. In 2000, she graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with her bachelor's degree in accountancy. Lyndsey is an active member in the Firm's Women's Professional Development Group and Community Service Team. Lyndsey is a resident of Hyde Park.

Bruce and his wife, Dr. Mary B. Petrie, have four children. His community service has included diverse organizations serving the parks, legal services for the poor, and health and elder care. His interest in oil painting can be shared by visiting his online gallery www.brucepetrie.com.

Matt's favorite thing about his job is the diversity of his clients. "I work with clients with only one employee to Fortune 500 companies with employees across the globe," he says. Matt works with clients of all numbers, sizes, shapes and types. "It's fun to learn about all the great products our clients create and the services they provide." Matt is also known for his prompt service and his ability to keep the client informed as to new developments.

In 2005 and 2006, Nathan was chosen by his peers as a "Rising Star" in Law & Politics magazine. Only 2.5 percent of Ohio lawyers received this honor. Nathan received this honor in part due to his strong work ethic and commitment to client service.

Patty has been a paralegal in the Firm's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Client Service Department since 1995. She assists attorneys in both the Kentucky and Ohio offices in all aspects of civil litigation, including initial investigation, discovery, document production and review, and preparation for arbitrations, mediations and trials in both State and Federal jurisdictions. Patty is proficient in the use of various software programs and document databases used for the organization and presentation of case information and documents. She has over 20 years of experience, beginning her career in 1983 in North Carolina working in the areas of civil litigation, workers' compensation, personal injury and Social Security claims. Patty is also the office administrator of Graydon Head & Ritchey's Northern Kentucky office.

Rich is a member of the Firm's Construction Industry Group. His practice involves all areas of construction law, including dispute resolution, insurance matters, risk management and contract negotiation. In addition, Rich has a great deal of experience in the field of occupational and construction safety as well as dealing with various OSHA matters. Prior to joining GH&R, he worked as a director of safety for a construction company as well as serving as a contracts manager. Rich is an active participant with Allied Construction Industries where he is a member of the safety committee. Rich is a 2006 graduate of the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at the Northern Kentucky University where he served as an Associate Editor of NKU's Law Review. Rich is also a member of the Firm's Community Service Team.

Roger has been with the Firm since 1996, working in the real estate department handling commercial and residential closings, providing real estate related searches for Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP attorneys and clients from area courthouses and preparing title insurance policies. Roger earned his bachelors degree in accounting and business education from Ball State University in 1992. He is an Indiana and Ohio Title Insurance Agent and has served on the Firm's United Way campaign committee.

Prior to joining GH&R, Shannon focused her practice on economic development and government relations. Shannon is a 2005 graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Law where she served as a LexisNexis Associate and Co-Chair of the Public Interest Law Group. During her law school career, Shannon was an aide to former Cincinnati City Councilmember David Pepper and a Law Clerk in the City of Cincinnati Solicitor's Office where she collaborated with the General Counsel and Civil Litigation Departments. She also spent a summer at the Cincinnati Art Museum drafting human resource and individual and corporate giving policies.

Sharon practices in the areas of general corporate law, health care law, and commercial real estate. Her background includes more than 15 years of management and technology experience as the previous technology service group director of Clark Schaefer Hackett and Co., CFO of Romi Machine Tools and president of Genesis Data Systems, Inc.

Shaun is a 2006 graduate of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. There he was a member of the Delta Theta Phi Legal Fraternity, Sports and Entertainment Law Association, and served as managing editor on the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a B.S. in Economics and Psychology in 2002.

Sheila has been with the Firm since 1991. Her first four years with the Firm were in the probate and estate planning department. Since then, she has spent most of her time working with the litigation department where she is known as the "courthouse paralegal" and works on filing documents in the state and federal courts and administering tasks related to our local county courthouses and the surrounding Ohio counties. In addition to her work with the litigation department, Sheila spends much of her time working with the file room, records management and library. An avowed animal lover, Sheila enjoys spending time with her two cats and riding her horse. She received her Bachelors degree from Edgecliff College in 1977 and her paralegal certificate from Roosevelt University in 1986.

Stacy joined the firm in 2005 as a member of the commercial litigation group, assisting clients with the efficient and just resolution of personal and business disputes. Stacy's work also includes employment law, as well as First Amendment and public records issues. A former journalist, Stacy has first-hand knowledge of the media and First Amendment issues facing journalists and other media clients.

Venessa is a paralegal in the Firm's Creditors Rights Department. Prior to joining GHR Venessa worked primarily with a Labor and Employment firm focusing in labor union representation, ERISA Pension and Benefit Law, Employment Law and Litigation, Toxic Torts, and Class Action Litigation. Venessa graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2005 with a B.A. in Political Science and a Paralegal Certificate from the University of Cincinnati in 2006. While obtaining her B.A. in Political Science, Venessa spent a year interning for former Congressman Rob Portman. Venessa is a member of the Firm's Women's Professional Development Group and Community Service Team. Venessa is active outside the office as well. She currently sits on the Cincinnati Paralegal Association Board of Directors as Liaison and Public Relations Committee Chair; is a big sister mentor with Big Brother Big Sister of Greater Cincinnati, and a member of Give Back Cincinnati.

As Chair of GH&R's Construction Law Practice Group, Bill practices in the area of construction law including contract negotiation, dispute resolution and litigation. He is active in several organizations serving the construction industry such as the Kentucky Bar Association's Construction and Public Contract Law Section (former Chair), the American Bar Association's Forum on the Construction Industry, the Construction Users Roundtable, the Construction Owners Association of the Tri-State, and the American Arbitration Association. Bill also serves as a member of the Firm's Executive Committee. He was named one of The Best Lawyers in America in 2007 for his work in Construction Law. Based on the grading and comments of his peers, Bill is recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Bill is Chair of the firm's Tax and Estate Planning Client Service Department and counsels clients in planning for the management and disposition of property during lifetime, at death and after death. Over the years, he has also practiced in the real estate and general corporate areas. His experience in those areas relates well to estate planning, particularly counseling clients who are planning for ownership succession of their business. Bill's earlier experience as a bank trust officer provides the firm and our clients with added insight into the types of problems that can occur in the administration of trusts and estates. He has been named in The Best Lawyers in America in the trusts and estates section for the past five years and in 2004 and 2005, was selected by his peers as one of Ohio's Super Lawyers. Bill is also recognized with an AV Rating, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.