Mentor Lawyers

Paulette F. Balin has been practicing law since 1978. She was raised in Timberlake, OH and went to Laurel School in Shaker Heights. In 1975 she graduated magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve University and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She received her law degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1978, and passed the Ohio Bar in 1978 and Florida Bar in 1980. Paulette first opened her practice in Cleveland, Ohio in 1980. She has broad experience and success in handling Social Security Disability, SSI, and Long-Term Disability cases. Her legal experience covers cases addressing a large...

Jon D. Axelrod is the founder of Axelrod Law Offices in Willowick, and he has shaped the firm to reflect his deepest values. Mr. Axelrod believes that attorneys should provide effective legal direction while giving compassionate care to the client. He understands that legal decisions carry a great deal of distress and pressure, whether the client is considering bankruptcy, undergoing a divorce, or is accused of a crime. His primary aim is to provide peace of mind to his clients. Our firm accomplishes this through our personal relationship with each client and our devotion to providing the strongest legal care...

I’m from a family that helps those who need help. I know that I could be the one that needs help, so I treat others as I would want to be treated, the Golden Rule. I believe in helping those that meet me halfway. So, if you do your part, I will do mine. This goes for people who need disability benefits & those in trouble with their taxes. I can help both groups of people, and the team of disability lawyers in our firm will always give you our best! I have been working in disability...

Attorney Heather Moseman grew up in the Midwest and applies the values learned there to the practice of law. She aims to make sure that the legal problems that are presented to her are solved in the most cost-effective and straightforward way possible. Heather obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy from Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota. She applied her degree in the service of the chronically disabled, chronically mentally ill and for senior citizens for seven years in both Chicago, Illinois and the Cleveland area. In 2000, Ms. Moseman determined to help people on a...

I started practicing disability law because I enjoy fighting for the little guy and I can relate to how a person's health can derail an entire family. I come from a solidly blue-collar background and did not even know what a lawyer was when my uncle was in a terrible accident in 1993 that left him permanently disabled. I remember how confused we all were when the government denied his application for Social Security Disability benefits after many months of waiting. It was pretty clear to our family that a person who could not walk to the bathroom without severe...

We serve Lake County, Cuyahoga, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. We are often serving clients in local municipal courts as well as the county courts. We strive to understand each clients unique needs in family and landlord tenant matters. We have experienced attorney's that all offer a 30 minute free consultation. We are discreet and care about each client. We never forget that the client is number 1 priority and appreciate those entrusting our office with their legal needs.

Attorney Hector G. Martinez, Jr., is the principal of the law firm, The Martinez Firm. He attended The Ohio State University (B.S. in Business Administration - 1993) and Case Western Reserve University School of Law (J.D. -1997). His practice focuses on criminal defense, with an emphasis on drunk driving defense. Mr. Martinez is N.H.T.S.A. certified, having attended the N.H.T.S.A. Standardized Field Sobriety Testing course in 1999. He is a member of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Lake County Bar Association. He is a frequent lecturer on Ohio Traffic Laws, as well as...

Tim Misny is an experienced Ohio personal injury lawyer. For over 30 years, Mr. Misny has worked to fight for his personal injury and medical malpractice clients to obtain fair compensation.

Aggressive pursuit of personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice cases. "AV" rating (highest rating possible) by Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory.

Experience Magistrate, Lake County Domestic Relations Court March 1992 - December 31, 2002 Magistrate, Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court July 1997 - December 1998 Acting Judge, Painesville Municipal Court March 2008 - continuing Education Bachelor of Business Administration, Kent State University, 1983 Juris Doctor, Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University, 1989 Admitted to practice before the Courts of the State of Ohio, the Federal District Court and the United States Supreme Court. Professional Organizations Lake County Bar Association Ohio State Bar Association Ohio Womenâs Bar Association Family Law Committee, Lake County Bar Association Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges (former member) Ohio Association...

Life-long Clevelander. Passionate about my family. Have spent my entire career trying to help guide other families through rocky times, whether with divorce/dissolution or child support; or through probate. Also, over a decade of experience drafting carefully executed and individualized Estate Planning documents for individuals and families.

Patrick J. Perotti is recognized for outstanding achievements in consumer class actions and employment discrimination, locally and nationally. He is the architect of the firm’s Ohio Lawyers Give Back initiative to distribute unclaimed class action funds to charities. As an award-winning national leader in the fields of consumer class actions, employment discrimination, and wage and hour litigation; with verdicts and settlements exceeding $1 billion dollars, he is regularly selected to lead class suits in Ohio and around the country. His reputation developed from a demand for outcomes which not only offered compensation to class members but also stopped unlawful government...

Certified Family Law Specialist, Gary Okin represents clients in matters of divorce, child custody, domestic violence, adoption and any other family law matters. Recognized as a Super Lawyer, Gary has consistently earned the highest ratings in the legal industry. Gary is admitted to practice before the Ohio Supreme Court and the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Gary is a contributor to several journals and Continuing Legal Education seminars. He is one of the first attorneys to be designated a Certified Specialist in the area of Domestic Relations Law by the Ohio State Bar Association.

David was selected as an Ohio Super Lawyer for the years 2012, 2013 & 2014. David E. Nager is the managing partner of Nager, Romaine & Schneiberg Co., L.P.A. He has been in private practice since 1990. His primary areas of practice include workers' compensation, personal injury and medical malpractice. He has successfully argued thousands of cases before every level of the Industrial Commission of Ohio. He has handled hundreds of cases before various courts throughout Ohio. He has successfully argued cases on the State Appellate level, as well. He has obtained compensation for thousands of injury victims totaling tens...

Amanda Condon brings experience as an acting municipal court judge to her personal injury practice. She has earned a “Superb” AVVO rating and has been recognized as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in the U.S. Prior to joining Dworken & Bernstein in 2014, she worked at a small boutique firm specializing in personal injury. Amanda also previously served as a Magistrate in Lyndhurst Municipal Court, and from 2005 to 2012, was a prosecutor in Ashtabula County Eastern and Western County Courts. Amanda is currently an Acting Judge in Painesville Municipal Court.

This experience gives Amanda a unique perspective to...

Dan Williams represents clients in criminal matters, including juvenile, adult misdemeanor and felony, DUI/OVI defense, and expungements. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 2012. He represents clients throughout NE Ohio including Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties. After working tirelessly for the past three years advocating for the rights of indigent criminal defendants throughout Lake County, Dan joined Dworken & Bernstein. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Miami University, Dan moved to Chicago where he worked as an Account Executive for a nationwide mortgage lending company. But his pride in his hometown never wavered, and he returned to Cleveland...

Erik L. Walter is a bold advocate for business clients in the areas of environmental law, oil and gas, commercial transactions, zoning and litigation for both individuals and corporations. He sits on numerous nonprofit boards in the community. Prior to joining Dworken & Bernstein Co., L.P.A., Erik was a shareholder with the law firm of Knaggs, Harter, Brake & Schneider, P.C. located in Lansing, Michigan. Prior to joining Knaggs, Harter, Brake & Schneider, P.C. in 1999, Erik served for nearly three years as the law clerk for the Honorable William E. Collette in the Ingham County Circuit Court located...

Joshua J. Strickland’s practices primarily in real estate and business transactions. He represents small and medium size businesses, real estate developers, landlords and non-profits in all of their business needs. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer Rising Star. Josh focuses his practice in the areas of general business including formation, mergers and acquisitions, financing, employee relations, commercial transactions, intellectual property, construction development, and sales. His residential and commercial real estate practice includes sales, leasing, zoning, land use, oil and gas, environmental law and real estate, eminent domain and taxation.

As a family law practitioner, Anna Parise helps clients through divorce, child support, spousal support, and custody. Highly rated in peer reviews throughout her career, she is active in bringing family law legal services to those who cannot afford it. Anna’s legal practice includes domestic relations, divorce, family law, child support, spousal support, and custody. Anna is also frequently appointed by trial courts in Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Lake Counties as guardian ad litem to protect the interests of children. Formerly with a small boutique firm specializing in labor law, Anna joined Dworken & Bernstein Co., L.P.A. in 2005 becoming partner...

Kristen M. Kraus has extensive experience in handling civil jury trials in both state and federal court. She has litigated cases in nearly every county in Northeast Ohio, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. A significant portion of Kristen’s practice is focused in the area of labor and employment litigation where she handles a variety of matters including age, race and gender discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, violations of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act, sexual harassment claims, retaliation claims, whistleblower claims, breach of contract claims and unemployment claims, as...

Richard Selby heads our Commercial Litigation Department. He has extensive trial experience with Dworken & Bernstein in both state and federal court. In addition to his litigation experience, Ric regularly consults with clients on employment related issues and is called in to assist at trial with the Class Action department when those matters go to trial. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer Rising Star and was selected to be included in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers in America. In addition, he is a Contributing Editor to Attorney At Law Magazine featuring articles on Employment Law.

Ric joined Dworken...