Personal Injury

Mr. Petri has been a long-time resident of Indiana. He attended high school in Hammond, Indiana. He later attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, after which he served several years in the U.S. Governmental Service. His experiences in the service inspired him to enroll in law school, and the skills he gained during his service were an invaluable foundation for the practice of law. He graduated from Indiana University School of Law in 1966, and was immediately elected Prosecuting Attorney for Owen County. He served as Prosecuting Attorney until 1974. Since 1974, Mr. Petri has owned and operated his own legal practice, known today as Vernon J. Petri & Associates. Mr. Petri has significant professional and leadership experience. He has served a term as President to the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Association, as well as several years on the organization’s board of directors. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association. Lastly, he has served on the National Board of Directors of the Breast Implant Litigation Group of the American Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Petri has been named to the Million Dollar Forum, which is exclusively reserved for attorneys who earn verdicts and settlements in excess of $1,000,000. Even in the face of adversity, he has consistently obtained favorable verdicts for his clients. In his 40+ years of practice, he has fought to expand the rights of those injured in Indiana by exploring new theories of negligence, and in many cases, appealing them all the way to the Supreme Court of Indiana.

Eric Staton lived in Illinois until he was in the second grade, then in Spring, Texas, until his junior year in high school. His family moved to Littleton, Colorado in 1990, where he finished high school at Heritage High School. After high school, Eric studied English and Philosophy in Regis University, so the practice of Law appealed to him because he wanted a career that utilized his strengths in writing and analytical thinking. Eric studied Law at Rutgers School of Law. Eric was mentored in the area of workers’ compensation by one of the best lawyers who ever practiced in that area in Colorado, and he focuses his legal practice primarily on workers’ compensation claims, wrongful death claims, and injury claims of all types. Eric Staton has been a licensed Colorado lawyer for over twenty (20) years and has been with the Mintz Law Firm, LLC since March 2005 as a personal injury lawyer.

John Lake is an experienced, knowledgeable and compassionate attorney who is well-equipped to take care of you and your case. You will be well-advised regarding your legal rights, so you can confidently move forward with your pursuits.

My interest in practicing Law sprouted in my undergraduate studies. Though I was born and raised in the Dallas area, I received my Bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University in Economics and Philosophy. I obtained my J.D. from Mississippi College School of Law. During law school, I not only met my law partner but also my life partner, Genevieve. We have been practicing law together since 2005, and we moved our law firm to South Texas to be closer family and friends. I enjoy problem solving, and with my 20 years of experience as a practicing attorney, I have learned how to apply this to my legal practice in a way that is beneficial to my clients. I help my clients navigate the tumultuous waters of divorce, child custody and property distribution issues. I excel at engaging courts in prosecuting personal injury claims, such as bodily injury due to car accidents, injury due to another's negligence, or breaches of contract or other business dealings. I am invested in getting the best results possible for all of my clients and assuring a satisfactory outcome for their cases.

Nickell Law Firm was founded in 2014 with a mission to provide the best client service to criminal defendants and personal injury clients. We strive to make a positive difference in our client’s lives, giving them a second chance for a better tomorrow. Whether accused of a crime or injured in an accident, we do everything we can to make sure that our clients are not limited in their future prospects. Lead Attorney Elliott Nickell lives with his wife in Saint Paul, MN, their chosen home. In his spare time, Elliott enjoys sailing, cooking, and spending time with friends.

Attorney Brian S. Ruff comes to Clark Law and Associates with over 20 years of experience in personal injury law.  He graduated from Willamette University College of Law, where he was the Vice-President of the Student Bar Association, and became an attorney in 1998.  However, Brian has worked in the legal industry since 1993. Brian has been guiding injury victims through the complicated maze of the claims process, fighting for their right to recover compensation from the country’s largest insurers, for most of his career. Early on, he spent five years as an insurance defense lawyer and brings with him the unique behind-the-scenes experience that came with it. Brian and his wife have two children and own a home in Clackamas County.  In his free time, Brian enjoys photography and astronomy.  He is also a Portland Timbers season ticket holder and a vocal member of the Timbers Army. 

Attorney Berman graduated from New York University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He earned his Juris Doctorate, with honors, from the University of Connecticut Law School in 1979. He was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 1979, and is a member as well of the Hartford County Bar Association, the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. Attorney Berman has served as legal counsel to the State Senate Democrats in the Connecticut General Assembly. He has served as a court appointed arbitrator and trial referee. Attorney Berman's practice consists primarily of matters in trial or litigation, particularly auto-accident injury claims.

As a former extern with the Clark County District Attorney's Office, he learned firsthand how “the other side” prosecutes cases. Now he's able to “think like a prosecutor” and anticipate their strategies. Even Nevada's police rely on Mike to defend them when their officers get into trouble... the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers (NAPSO) is one of Las Vegas Defense Group's standing clients. As a criminal defense attorney, Mike has experience in motion practice at the trial and appellate levels in both criminal and juvenile courts. Mike has represented clients in numerous matters including Traffic Tickets, DUI, Battery Domestic Violence, Shoplifting and Drug Crimes. He received advance training on how to fight sexual assault cases (Savannah, GA, Oct. 2013). Mike has also first or second-chaired numerous jury trials including a murder trial and an attempted murder trial. Mike has also successfully represented clients in post conviction appeals in front of the Nevada Supreme Court and has two published opinions to date (State v. Gonzalez, 298 P. 3d 448; 129 Nev. Adv. Op. 22 (2013) and Barral v. State, 131 Nev. Adv. Op. 52 (2015)). Mike tirelessly investigates the evidence in each criminal defense, personal injury, and family law case. He is always ready to go to trial. However, usually this preparation and tenacity allows him to secure favorable resolutions with opposing counsel that spare his clients the stress of trial. Prior to graduating magna cum laude from the Boyd School of Law at UNLV, Mike gained practical experience by clerking in the Henderson firm of Rands, South & Gardner as well as externing with the D.A's office. Hailing from the Midwest, he received his B.A. in Education from The University of Michigan and preceded his legal career by teaching Social Studies and English in Detroit and Las Vegas. Las Vegas criminal defense attorney Mike Castillo represents clients throughout Nevada with a focus on Clark County. He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NADCL), the American Bar Association and the Clark County Bar Association. He lives in the Summerlin area with his wife.

Aggressive legal representation NW IN Family Law, W Comp, P Injury & General Practice-Wills, PO etc.