Chuck Adler joined the Firm in 1993 and became a Partner in 1995. He has a special interest in planning for individuals, families, and closely held businesses. Chuck counsels individuals and families on complex estate, charitable, financial, and retirement planning matters; on estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes; and on the organization and operation of private foundations. He also works with owners of closely held and family businesses on succession planning. Before joining the Firm,...

Ashton Bizzarri is a Partner in the Firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group. She focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning and trust and estate administration, while also representing clients in trust and estate litigation. Prior to joining the Firm, Ashton was an Associate Attorney at two Akron law firms, focusing exclusively on estate planning and trust and estate administration. She was also a Trust Officer at Key Private Bank, where she handled trust administrations, w...

Jim Bright has been practicing law since 1976. He applies his considerable expertise to advising individuals and families on estate planning, tax planning (including income and estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes), and charitable gift planning. He also provides counsel to trustees of private foundations on administration, initial formation, and tax qualification. Prior to the formation of SSSB, he served as President of Spieth, Bell, McCurdy & Newell Co., L.P.A. Jim is a Fellow of...

Tom Connick has established a reputation of handling complex and high-stakes litigation. His experience includes Insurance law, Catastrophic Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice, Class Actions, Commercial and Business Litigation, Appellate Advocacy, Mass Torts, Construction law, Consumer Fraud, Shareholder Litigation, Employment Law, and appeals throughout the State of Ohio and federal court, including the Ohio Supreme Court, where he has argued three times. Tom is also licens...

Elizabeth Crosby specializes in Labor & Employment Law and in Workers’ Compensation Law . As the challenges of labor and employment matters increase, employers benefit from Liz’s deep level of expertise with dual certifications in labor & employment law. She counsels employers and management in every aspect of employment law, including termination, handbook preparation, discrimination and wrongful discharge claims, wage and hour compliance, intentional tort, restrictive co...

Ted Dunn brings sophisticated strategy and extensive trial experience to his litigation practice. He represents businesses in complex disputes, including risk management, insurance coverage, contract disputes, professional liability, product liability, workplace intentional torts, and casualty and wrongful death cases. Ted also handles trademark infringement, trade secrets, unfair competition, and closely held entity disputes. Ted is licensed to practice law in Ohio, and is admitted to the Un...

Paul Fidler joined the Firm in 1996 and became a Partner in 2003. He works with individuals, businesses, and foundations, and his practice emphasizes estate planning and administration; trust administration; income taxation of estates, trusts, and individuals; planning for charitable gifts and foundations; and business succession planning. Paul is a frequent speaker and author on a wide range of estate planning topics. In particular, he has a strong expertise in qualified retirement plans and...

Veronica Garofoli focuses her practice in the areas of probate litigation, probate and estate administration, and estate planning. She provides representation for issues that can complicate the settling of an estate or trust, such as probate and trust disputes involving will contests, charges of undue influence, and breach of fiduciary duty actions. She also advises fiduciaries and families in guardianship, trust, and estate administrations. Veronica is experienced in reviewing, designing, an...