State and Local

Mark is a trial attorney and founder of Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm where he represents individuals or families who have suffered an injury or the loss of a loved one. He has civil litigation experience in the areas of motor carrier/transportation liability (tractor-trailer wrecks), motor vehicle accidents, product liability, premises liability, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, employment discrimination, and insurance bad faith. Mark was voted as one of Georgia’s Elite Lawyers by his peers. He has also been voted by the people of the Columbus Community as a Reader’s Choice Award Winner in the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Mark has litigated cases across the State of Georgia and other states including, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Texas and New Jersey. Garnering Courtroom Experience as a Former Prosecutor Mark’s career began at the Office of District Attorney where he prosecuted numerous cases and was specifically assigned to prosecute child victim crimes. Mark acted as lead prosecutor in over 50 jury trials in Superior Courts of Georgia with an astonishing success rate. Mark was a sole practitioner attorney for almost five years. In his sole practice, Mark gained extensive experience in representing the injured victim due to others' neglect. Mark, also, handled numerous criminal defense cases including the successful trial defense of an individual accused of murder. Additionally, Mark handled contested and complex domestic/divorce cases. All in all, Mark has developed a great skill in the presentation of his cases at trial. The History of Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm In January 2006, Mark was a founding partner of The Law Firm of Bennett and Casto. Mark’s practice focus on injured persons expanded to include personal injury, workers compensation, Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse, medical malpractice and employment discrimination claims. Ten years later, in April 2016, Mark founded Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm on the premise of providing superior service to his clients. Believing that it is hypocritical to sue medical doctors when also asking these doctors to care for his personal injury and worker’s compensation clients, Mark will not file a claim against a doctor for medical malpractice, but rather the hospital or other negligent parties. Successful Appellate Practice Mark also has handled numerous cases on appeal. He has argued in person before the Georgia Supreme Court and Georgia Court of Appeals. He has never lost an appeal in which he was allowed to argue in person before the Appellate Judges.

Steven F. Fairlie has been designated a Pennsylvania “SuperLawyer” in both Personal Injury and Criminal Defense and placed on their lists of the Top 100 Lawyers in Pennsylvania for more than a decade straight, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, Top Rated Attorneys in Pennsylvania as published in The Wall Street Journal, Philadelphia Inquirer, and the The Legal Intelligencer, The National Advocacy for DUI Defense Top 100 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Attorneys, and is a holder of Martindale-Hubbell’s prestigious “AV” rating and Client Distinction Award, designating preeminent lawyers based upon legal ability, ethics, and client satisfaction. He has been rated a perfect 10.0/10.0 on AVVO.COM and is one of a just 35 attorneys in Pennsylvania to be named a “Lawyer on the Fast Track” by The Legal Intelligencer in 2006. He has been named a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (awarded to less than one-half percent of judges, lawyers, and scholars in America), received the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys Top 10 Attorney Award, and been named a Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer by the American Society of Legal Advocates. He has won many other awards for his trial work that are simply too numerous to list here. He has successfully handled numerous civil (slip and fall, auto accidents, land development litigation, etc.) and criminal trials (narcotics, DUI, capital murder, robbery, rape, etc.). Prior to private practice, he worked on the Narcotics Team and the Major Crimes Team of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office from 1996 to 2000. He successfully argued for the death penalty in 1999 and was lead prosecutor in a case involving $55 million of cocaine. Subsequently, as a defense attorney, he took the appeal of a client sentenced to death and convinced the prosecutor to vacate the death sentence. He used forensic tire print evidence to prove another client not guilty of attempted murder. In yet another case he uncovered evidence which reduced the offer on a robbery case from 25–50 years down to 2 years probation. He represented one individual charged with 3 separate charges of DUI and had the first case dismissed at the Preliminary Hearing, the second accepted into the A.R.D. program, and the third case dismissed after a trial judge granted suppression of all evidence in the case. Mr. Fairlie has obtained not-guilty verdicts in major jury trials involving shootings, burglaries, rape, etc. despite positive eyewitness identifications of his clients. On appeal, he has successfully argued for reversal of a death sentence in one case and a sentence of 70 years in another case. Recent successful plea negotiations include 2 1/2 to 5 years in the case of a man who struck his wife in the head with a hammer and strangled her and 6 to 12 years in a First Degree Murder case. Mr. Fairlie went to trial on a case involving more than $50 million of land transactions and settled the case in the second week of trial. He has obtained six-figure settlements in numerous personal injury cases, including car accident, back injury, and dog bite cases. Mr. Fairlie often serves as a speaker or course planner for various organizations such as the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s Annual (2007–2025) Criminal Law Symposium in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Montgomery and Bucks County Bar Associations, and various law enforcement training programs. He also teaches numerous other continuing legal education seminars for lawyers every year. He earned his B.A. in Government and Law from Lafayette College in 1991 and his J.D. from The Dickinson School of Law in 1995 where he was a member of the Appellate Moot Court Board, the Environmental Law Journal, and a Chairman of the Student Bar Association. He has been Co-Chairman or Chairman of the Montgomery County Bar Association’s Criminal Defense Committee since 2001, a member of the Montgomery County Bar Association’s Judiciary Committe and Trial Lawyers’ Section, a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Professionalism Committee and Civil Litigation Section, a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Hotline Panel of Experts Committee, a member of the Montgomery County Sexual Assault Task Force, a member of The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and an Associate Member of the Philadelphia Bar Association. Mr. Fairlie’s areas of practice include personal injury, car accidents, criminal defense, and DUI defense. Mr. Fairlie enjoys scuba-diving, hunting, fishing and coaching youth sports.

In 1991, I earned a Juris Doctorate Degree (law degree) from the University of Dayton School of Law. While attending law school, I received the American Jurisprudence Award from my Insurance Law professor for obtaining the highest grade in the class. I was licensed to practice law in Ohio that same year (1991) and immediately established a private law practice in downtown Dayton, Ohio across the street from the courts. I have been in the same office building for over 32 years! I also proudly served as a Magistrate in the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court from 1992 until 2000 for The Honorable Judge George Gounaris. During my 32 year career, I have focused my law practice on Divorce, Criminal Defense, OVI/DUI Defense, Traffic Law and Personal Injury cases so that I could become proficient in these areas and provide the best possible legal services. I received the Appointed Counsel Award from the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court for my representation of indigent defendants, and the Top 10 Attorney Award (for Ohio) from the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys. I have been interviewed by local and national news media, including The Associated Press, and had the distinct privilege of arguing in the Supreme Court of Ohio. Some of my cases set legal precedent, which means they impacted the status of the law in Ohio. I was invited into the prestigious National Trial Lawyers, Top 100, and Ohio Super Lawyers which is only attainable by a small percentage of attorneys in Ohio. I am rated "Distinguished" by Martindale Hubbell, and "Superb" by Avvo.com which is the highest rating for attorneys. I am rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, and listed in Who's Who in American Law. I have earned the respect of my peers in the legal community, and have built long-lasting, professional relationships with judges, prosecutors, attorneys and other individuals that serve in our system of justice. My MISSION has always been, and will always be, to make sure my clients are treated fairly no matter their race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age or any other trait that sets them apart from others. I certainly have the experience and success that my clients need, and I am very happy to help them through difficult times.

Wendy R. Morgan is the founder and owner of The Law Firm of Wendy R. Morgan. Wendy has been practicing law since 1981 and has been concentrating in Family Law since 1986. Judges and attorneys have praised Wendy for her ardent advocacy and her ability to "find the angle" in even the most difficult and complex cases and when all other lawyers fail. Wendy is an expert and experienced litigation attorney Wendy is also an extremely skilled negotiator; successfully negotiating extremely favorable settlements for untold numbers of clients over the years. Wendy is also known for her understanding and compassion for her clients and the ability to know what they need and how to successfully strategize to accomplish their goals. Unlike many attorneys who do family law and divorce by "chance" Wendy's passion for divorce and family law has always been "chosen". Wendy received her law degree in 1981 from Chicago-Kent College of Law. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Loyola University in 1977 with a double major in political science and philosophy. Even before graduating from law school, Wendy second chaired several felony criminal trials with esteemed criminal attorney, Sam Adler. While still in Law School, Wendy gained significant insight into the domestic relations division and family law when she was chosen by the late Honorable Judge Willard Lasser in the Circuit Court of Cook County to act as his legal intern. Wendy's passion for divorce and family law arose from this internship. While Wendy has been concentrating in the field of family law since 1986, in Wendy's earlier years she also gained a broad background in other fields of law which has enhanced her overall legal spectrum of knowledge and skills and provides her s special edge over other attorneys in her field. She gained extensive experience as a general practitioner with an emphasis in both Family law and Bankruptcy law. In addition to extensive trial work in the Circuit Courts, Wendy has also successfully practiced in Federal Court and has gained experience and skills as an appellate attorney. Wendy has also successfully appeared for oral argument before the Appellate Court on several occasions. She was qualified and admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 2003. Wendy has served as a lecturer for both legal and non-legal organizations in the State of Illinois, Nationally and Internationally. Wendy has written several articles on custody, paternity and other areas of family law. She has frequently has appeared on both cable television and radio on panels and discussions on family law topics. Many of her trials have been published in Divorce Digest. Wendy is one of few attorneys in this area who has extensive experience in the area of interstate and international child custody disputes. Wendy has been admitted to numerous states to practice "pro hac vice" with respect to interstate custody disputes and has successfully prevailed. Wendy also has gained extensive experience handling international custody disputes. She has recently worked with state police, the FBI and international law enforcement entities and has successfully recovered children who have been kidnapped and removed from the United States to Mexico. Wendy has received awards for service to the community. She has also been recognized for her work as a facilitator in the Circuit Court of Cook County and for pro-bono work in DuPage County. OTHER ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIPS: Wendy just recently returned from a Rotarian Humanitarian Project in Guatemala where she worked with Mayan Children teaching English as a Second language and self-defense. In Guatemala she also had the opportunity to work with the Madre Whistle world organization, which fights against gender violence and murder of women, a serious problem in Guatemala and third world countries. Wendy is an active member of numerous professional and legal organizations, some of which are listed below. Wendy has been elected President of the Rotary Club of Mount Prospect/ Prospect Heights for the 2013-14 Rotary years and has been previously secretary of her Rotary club. Wendy has been both President and Secretary of the Rand/Olive Condominium Association and President of the Northwest Symphony Serenade Association. Wendy holds a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Wendy received extensive training in voice and performs both as a soloist and in various local and religious choir groups and with the Rotary World Choir. Wendy's additional hobbies include skiing, snowmobiling, scuba diving and snorkeling. Wendy is a member and supporter of the following Legal Professional Organizations: Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Trial Lawyers Association of America Illinois Bar Association Northwest Suburban Bar Association Chicago Bar Association American Bar Association DuPage County Bar Association Lake County Bar Association

Marc L. Shapiro, Esq. is the founder of The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A. With 27 years of experience, Marc L. Shapiro Esq. has served SWFL with integrity, passion, and a commitment to his clients. Have you been injured in a car accident? Trust The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A. to represent you and your family. Marc L. Shapiro is a Personal Injury Attorney that cares about representing his community and clients with integrity. Marc practices primarily in the areas of Plaintiff’s personal injury and wrongful death cases, complex commercial real estate litigation, title insurance disputes, foreclosure defense, mortgage law, bank workouts, short sales, and commercial and residential landlord-tenant disputes. Marc also represents and advises real estate investors and entrepreneurs in their transactional dealings including real estate closings, entity structuring, and planning for both tax purposes and asset protection. Marc has been cited in local media on various legal topics and he has appeared on local news stations. Marc also makes frequent appearances on the legal eagle section of the radio show “Real Estate Best Buys”.

Attorney Joseph Michael Dickerson and his team of professionals deliver legal solutions for your life and business. Since 1995, Mr. Dickerson has helped hundreds of families and business owners protect everything they have worked so hard for. Will the attorney you hire make a difference when handling your estate planning, real estate, or business transaction needs? If all you are looking for is a quick signature on the bottom of a document, probably not. But if you need to make sure handling your legal papers or dispute today will help you eliminate problems in years to come, there is no question the right attorney can make a difference. Many people only think of hiring a lawyer when something needs to be fixed. I see things differently. I am attorney Joseph Michael Dickerson of Laredo, Texas. Colleagues tell me I'm a different kind of lawyer. I like building things rather than breaking things apart. Since graduating from St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio in 1995, I have always focused my career on helping people prevent problems now, so they don't have to fix them later.

Andre Pennington is an accomplished Arizona, federal and military attorney that concentrates his practice on estate planning, wills, trusts, probate and trust administration and litigation. What makes Andre unique is that he has specialized estate planning training and experience from his time as an attorney for the United States Air Force, but also has extensive trial experience with over 75 jury trials to his credit at the state, military and federal level. This blend makes him uniquely qualified and able to effectively navigate the waters of your estate plan and administration. Since 2011, Andre has lived in Surprise, Arizona. He is married to his stunning wife, Amanda, and has six young children, two sons and four daughters. As a father, he rarely misses a family obligation and believes that family is one of the greatest gifts a person can receive and that protecting their future is of paramount importance. With that sentiment, he uses his years of estate planning, trial experience and expertise to guide, navigate, and protect your family’s interests in their most difficult time. He grew up in Southern California, graduating from California State University, Fullerton, and Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. He then started his legal career in 2006, as a trial attorney within the Colorado state courts. In 2007, he joined the United States Air Force and for over four years engaged in estate planning and trial work. During that time, he was recognized by leadership as being within the top five percent of trial attorneys in the Air Force. With a desire to have a more stable home life, he left active duty and transferred to the Air Force Reserves, where he is the rank of Major, and has been a trial advocacy instructor, government appellate counsel and estate planning attorney. Until 2014, Andre practiced as a federal trial attorney for the District of Arizona, handling the highest level of federal cases; when he left to take his current position and to go into private practice as a full-time estate planning, wills, trusts, and probate attorney. Andre has been recognized with numerous honors and awards that include voted Best Attorney in Sun City West by the Daily Independent 2021, selected as Litigator of the Year 2021 by the American Institute of Trial Lawyers, Lawyers of Distinction 2021, Best Attorneys of America 2021, Elite Lawyers 2021, Best Probate Attorneys in Surprise, Peoria and Goodyear by Expertise.com. Andre founded residential homes dedicated to the well-being of foster children; he was appointed as a part-time Judge for the Maricopa County Justice Courts (2015-2017); and co-founded and is a Director for Arizona’s Children Coalition. Andre is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; and he is a Coach and lifetime member at De Boa Jiu Jitsu Academy in Surprise, Arizona.

Tony began his practice in Mississippi as an associate with the Austin Law firm after practicing for one year in Tennessee. With the Austin Law firm he primarily handled matters of civil litigation and domestic relations. In 2001 he co-founded the firm Chamberlin-Nowak, P.C., a general practice firm that also served as counsel to the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors. In 2006 Tony merged his firm with Smith, Phillips, Mitchell and Scott to create Smith, Phillips, Mitchell, Scott and Nowak. Since 2005 Tony has focused his practice on government law. In addition to serving as the Board Attorney for the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors, the DeSoto County Recreational District and the DeSoto County Sheriff's Department. He also formerly represented the DeSoto County Convention and Visitors Bureau (d/b/a Landers Center). Tony also proudly serves as the Municipal Court Judge for the City of Hernando. He has been in that position since 2001. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire What should clients look for in a lawyer? There are several things clients should look for when hiring a lawyer. First, clients should hire a lawyer who has the knowledge and ability necessary to handle your case successfully. It is important to find a lawyer who has a proven track record of handling cases like the client’s and who has the staff and resources necessary to handle your case at the highest level. It is also important that clients hire a lawyer who they are comfortable with and will be available to answer any questions they may have about their case and who will keep them updated on the case as it progresses. How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? Local knowledge is extremely important and provides great assistance in the advancement of your case. Many times, different court jurisdictions implement different procedures and local rules as to how matters are handled. Different judges have different ways of conducting their courtroom. Having an attorney to represent you that understands these procedures and requirements and who has strong ties in the community provides strength to your case. Local knowledge is about relationships and engaging with people. As an attorney I have always been committed to helping others and in so doing understand that local knowledge plays a vital role in my representation. What information can you provide in a free phone consultation? Free phone consultations are a great way for prospective clients to get a feel for their legal rights and also get a feel for the attorney. The more information the client and attorney have at their disposal, the better the advice that can be provided. It is important for persons to have the chance to “interview” the lawyer, and a phone consultation is a great first opportunity. Further, an initial assessment as to rights and remedies given the particular facts of a case can be provided. Prospective clients can use the opportunity to ask the lawyer if they have handled that particular type of case before?; how many other similar cases have they handled?; Case results?; Does the lawyer represent himself or herself with a demeanor you think would benefit you?; Do they have the time and resources to fully dedicate themselves to the matter? The more a person puts into a free phone consultation the better prepared both the client and attorney will be to decide how to will move forward. What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? My firm has had a presence in the community for 30 years. Many of the attorneys are “local” and grew up in the area. There is great diversity in practice areas allowing representation of clients across a broad spectrum of matters. We like to emphasize the personal touch with the representation. While our firm has had success on a nationwide basis, we believe we still offer the hometown feel and commitment to all clients.

For over 2 decades, Mitchell Lloyd Feldman, Esq., has been a civil litigator, who has worked on the defense and the plaintiff side of cases. Over the last decade, Mr. Feldman has focused his practice representing employees and individuals. His cumulative experience and litigation skills are demonstrated by his AV preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. It is this highest possible rating. Mr. Feldman’s bench and jury trial experience includes cases involving the following: wage and hour claims, personal injuries and automobile accidents, workers’ compensation, employment contracts and whistleblower actions, and one criminal case. Mr. Feldman has handled cases throughout the state and Federal Courts in Florida, Georgia and cases in Connecticut, Illinois, and New York.

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.