Wakeman Estate Planning Lawyers

John P. Thomas concentrates his practice in the areas of probate and estate litigation, elder law, estate and trust planning and administration. He has been named a 2010 Rising Star in Ohio Super Lawyers, and received the Ohio State Bar Foundation 2015 Community Service Award for Attorneys 40 and Under in District 18.

He formerly served as Treasurer of The Association of Specialists in Aging, which promotes the well-being of older persons in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula Counties. He is a past Board member of the Boston College Alumni Association in Cleveland, and a member of the St. Ignatius High...

I started my criminal defense legal practice with the belief that everyone is entitled to aggressive, quality representation. If you have been charged with a misdemeanor, felony, assault, domestic violence, homicide, drug offense, DUI, OVI, DUS or other criminal charge, I will fight for your legal rights. If you have been accused of a crime, I will aggressively negotiate for you or take your case through trial. If you have been accused of a crime, do not talk to the police. I am a criminal defense trial lawyer dedicated to maintaining close relationships with all my criminal, traffic, OVI, DUI, and...

Since 1999 I have labored to establish divorce settlements that are firm but fair and parenting-time schedules that work. Relocating and long-distance parenting plans. I resolve high-conflict situations, protective orders, and deal with parental alienation. I also have litigated a number of high value cases in both Summit and Stark Counties.

My firm also has handled a great number of high value transactions involving mineral rights, land leases and easements with energy companies. We have done joint ventures, partnerships, S corporations, LLCs, commercial and industrial developments, condominium developments or conversions and office building sales and purchases. Likewise, I...

Attorney Linda J. Lawrence received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati in 1990 and is an Ohio State Bar Association Board Certified Family Law Specialist. Our dedication to our clients and thorough preparation of their cases have ended in positive results for many individuals throughout Ohio. She’s active in the community and serves on the boards of numerous organizations including Grady Hospital Foundation, Franklin County Abused Children Advocacy Board, Lutheran Social Services of Ohio and Delaware Chamber of Commerce. Business First magazine has also listed her as one of the “40 Under 40” outstanding community and business leaders...

Kenneth L. Sheppard, Jr. is the President and Owner of Sheppard Law Offices, Co., L.P.A. Kenneth graduated from Ohio Northern University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History. While at Ohio Northern, Ken was a member of three honor societies and two national mock trial teams. He then entered Ohio Northern University Law School and graduated in 1999 with a Juris Doctor degree. After law school, Mr. Sheppard earned his LL.M. (Master's Degree) in Taxation from the University of Denver in 2000. Attorney Sheppard is admitted to practice law in Ohio. He is also licensed...

Attorney Rodd S. Lawrence received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Vanderbilt and was admitted to the both the Ohio Bar and the U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio Bar in 1988. He’s a member of the Columbus Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He has more than 20 years of experience practicing real estate and small business law. Rodd practices along side his wife Linda at Lawrence Law Office and they are 4 children together.

• Board-Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law
• 22 years' Estate Planning, Trust and Probate law experience
• Founding Member and frequent speaker, WealthCounsel, LLC
• Fellow, Esperti Peterson Institute for Advanced Wealth Strategies Planning
• Fellow, The Laureate Circle
• Member, Professional Advisory Committee, The Columbus Foundation
• Member, ePlanners Educational Alliance
• Board Member, Christian Legal Society of Central Ohio
• Accredited Attorney – U. S. Veterans Administration
• Honoree, Leave A Legacy Award – Central Ohio Planned Giving Council
• Rated AV “Pre-eminent” by Martindale-Hubbell / Lawyers.Com
• Rated “10.0 - Superb” by...

Attorney Mitchell (Mitch) Adel is the managing partner of Cooper, Adel, Vu & Associates. Mitch’s close relationship with his extended family has given him a deep appreciation for the issues we all face as we age. He is passionate about finding solutions that protect and preserve the wealth of his extended client family and for those they leave behind. Mitch has a mission to educate seniors and their families about elder law issues which he does through weekly educational seminars throughout Ohio and by contributing to publications such as USA Today, Forbes Magazine, Consumer Reports, Yahoo Finance, the Cincinnati Enquirer...