We are proud to announce that nine KDDK partners have been included in The Best Lawyers in America© 2017; and that Kent A. “KAB” Brasseale II was named the Best Lawyers 2017 real estate law “Lawyer of the Year” in Evansville!
First published in 1983, The Best Lawyers in America has become regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which almost 50,000 leading attorneys cast nearly five million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed. “Lawyer of the Year” awards are presented annually to a single outstanding lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area[1].
KDDK attorneys selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 are:
- Jon Goldman: Employment Law – Management and Labor Law – Management. Jon has advised employers for over 35 years on compliance with federal and state employment laws such as the National Labor Relations Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and wage-hour laws. He also advises public and private universities in a broad range of federal and state statutory and regulatory issues and in matters before the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. He has extensive experience in collective bargaining, noncompetition/non-solicitation and trade secret disputes and other issues that arise between employers and their employees. Jon practices before the National Labor Relations Board and has tried jury employment claims in federal and state courts as well as before U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Sixth and Seventh Circuits. Jon earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University (IU) and his Juris Doctor from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law.
- Mike Schopmeyer: Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Construction Law, and Real Estate Law. Mike Schopmeyer has significant experience in brownfield redevelopment and clean-ups, business supply contracting, industrial and headquarter construction projects, property tax incentives, real estate acquisition, leasing, condemnation and environmental legal actions. He is an American Arbitration Association Level II Arbitrator. Mike earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Evansville in 1980 and his Juris Doctor from the IU McKinney School of Law in 1983.
- Jeffrey K. Helfrich: Commercial Transactions/UCC Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Jeff Helfrich advises and represents clients in the purchase and sale of businesses; commercial and residential real estate transactions; proper business entity selection; business organization structuring; and negotiation, drafting and review of business contracts and complex loan transactions and documentation. He is licensed to practice law in Indiana and Kentucky and has been as an instructor for the Real Estate Certification Program and the Indiana Association of Realtors since 1989. Jeff earned his Bachelor’s Degree from IU in 1982 and his Juris Doctor from the IU McKinney School of Law in 1985.
- Jeffrey W. Ahlers: Litigation – Environmental. Jeff Ahlers is an experienced attorney who represents clients on environmental and real estate matters and complex business and commercial disputes; defends businesses and insurance companies in personal injury and product liability cases; defends businesses and management in employment and discrimination claims; represents units of government, and litigates personal injury claims on behalf of victims. An Indiana Registered Civil Mediator, Jeff earned his Bachelor’s Degree from DePauw University in 1984 and his Juris Doctor from the Valparaiso University School of Law in 1987.
- Kent A. “KAB” Brasseale II: Real Estate Law. KAB Brasseale’s chemical engineering degree and decades of legal experience equip him to represents clients in matters involving real estate development; brownfield redevelopment; construction contracts; oil, gas and coal lease transactions; mineral asset sales and acquisitions; mineral project capitalization; trademark and copyright registrations and infringement claim resolution; and confidentiality agreement negotiation and claim prosecution. Licensed to practice in Indiana and Illinois, he has been a Real Estate Certification Program Instructor since 1996. KAB earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Purdue University in 1990 and his Juris Doctor from the IU Maurer School of Law in 1993.
- Mark S. Samila: Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law. Mark Samila is a business lawyer whose practice includes tax and estate planning, financial services (including bank and bond financing, creditors’ rights, workouts and bankruptcy) and business law. Formerly a tax and management consultant to privately-owned businesses for Ernst & Young, Mark is licensed to practice law in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri and is an Indiana certified civil mediator. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree cum laude from the University of Missouri in 1986 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri in 1989.
- Robert F. “Ted” Barron II: Health Care Law. Ted Barron, who is licensed to practice law in Indiana and Kentucky, counsels healthcare clients on contractual matters, regulatory and compliance issues, various operational matters, and employment issues. Ted also assists business entities in a variety of general business and employment matters and represents clients in prosecuting and defending cases involving employment agreements, non-competition agreements and trade secrets provisions. Ted is fluent in Spanish and also speaks Portuguese. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from IU in 1979, his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, in 1990, and his Juris Doctor cum laude from the IU Maurer School of Law in 1996.
- Shannon S. Frank: Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law. Shannon Frank represents closely held companies in a variety of matters, including buy and sell transactions, business organization, contracts, sale and leasing of properties, and employment issues. She also assists many builders, subcontractors and suppliers in the construction industry; and assists clients with their estate and wealth transfer planning and during the probate and trust administration process. Shannon earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the IU Kelley School of Business in 1987 and her Juris Doctor from the IU Maurer School of Law in 1990.
- Jake R. Fulcher: Labor Law – Management. Jake Fulcher represents public and private employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, handling arbitrations, representing clients at all levels of administrative proceedings (including matters before the EEOC, NLRB, and the DOL), and reviewing and drafting employment contracts, consulting agreements, handbooks, severance packages, etc. He devotes much of his practice to daily client counseling, developing best practices, and providing management and supervisor training on a variety of issues. Jake earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Southern Indiana in 1999 and his Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law in 2001.
About Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn, LLP Founded in 1908, Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn, LLP (KDDK) is a full-service law firm dedicated to effectively serving the legal needs of regional, national and international clients, including privately-held businesses, public companies, financial institutions, governmental bodies, healthcare providers, individuals, insurers, manufacturers, non-profit organizations, professionals, religious institutions, trusts and estates, and universities. We strive to be long-term counselors and partners to successfully meet each client’s unique needs. For more information about KDDK, please visit www.KDDK.com or call (812) 423-3183. KDDK is a member of Meritas, one of the world’s largest alliances of prequalified independent law firms.
[1] https://www.bestlawyers.com/About/FAQ/Inclusion