Login | April 20, 2024
KNR adds more attorneys to several of its offices
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: February 11, 2022
The plaintiff-side personal injury law firm of Kisling, Nestico & Redick (KNR) marked the end of 2021 by continuing to grow its legal team, adding five more lawyers during the final months of the year.
Attorneys Jonathan C. Breyfogle, Andrew J. Koscianski, Evangelos S. Sisalouis, Olivia M. Torisk and Matthew P. Banks all joined KNR between September and November of 2021.
“As we come out of the pandemic, we are finding increased business opportunities and we are adding lawyers to all of our offices,” said KNR Managing Partner John J. Reagan, who is located in the firm’s main office in Fairlawn. “The attorneys bring varying levels of experience to the firm and we are excited to welcome them all.”
Two of the five attorneys hired started in Akron, with Breyfogle joining KNR as an associate in September after leaving the firm now known as Hoglund & Mrozik, where he focused on Social Security disability matters.
“KNR is a great firm that does a lot to give back to the community, which was a big part of the reason I wanted to work here,” said Breyfogle. “From their turkey giveaway to other events they have a positive impact on the residents.”
Raised in Monroe, Michigan, Breyfogle received his bachelor’s degree in anthropology and history from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
He then joined the Peace Corps, where he spent over two years stationed in the West African country of Burkina Faso, returning to the United States in the late 1990s and getting a master’s degree in history from Florida State University.
Breyfogle obtained his juris doctorate from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2006.
He began his career at Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, later moving to Erie, Pennsylvania where he worked for a small personal injury firm and then as a case manager for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
“I really enjoy personal injury work and I look forward to helping people,” said Breyfogle, who plans to transfer to the Cleveland office. “My main goals are to do well for clients and advance within the firm.”
Koscianski started working as an associate in KNR’s Akron office in October 2021.
A native of Parma, Ohio, he received his bachelor’s degree in communication from Cleveland State University and his juris doctorate from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
He began his legal career in 2019 at Koscianski & Koscianski Co. in Parma.
“It was a family practice and we did a little bit of everything,” said Koscianski. “I definitely want to focus on personal injury work and I like being part of KNR because it’s a bigger firm with more opportunities.
“I want to help clients who are down on their luck to obtain compensation and be able to live more satisfying lives,” Koscianski said. “My hope is to grow as an attorney and take on bigger and bigger cases.”
“Both Jonathan and Andrew came to us with previous personal injury experience,” said Reagan. “Jonathan has over 14 years of experience in not only personal injury claims but also Social Security disability and bankruptcy. His diverse experience lends itself well to our practice. Similarly, Andrew’s prior experience handling domestic relations matters and landlord-tenant disputes, in addition to his personal injury cases, puts him in a great position to serve our clientele.”
Torisk and Sisalouis both started at KNR while they were still in law school, joining the firm as associates in the fall of 2021.
“Both Olivia and Evangelos did great work for our firm as law clerks while they were attending law school,” said Reagan. “Once they graduated and passed the bar exam, we decided to bring them on as lawyers because they are both bright, hard workers, which is what we need.”
Sisalouis joined KNR’s Poland office on Nov. 16, 2021, which coincidentally happened to be his birthday.
“I am primarily focusing on personal injury litigation,” said Sisalouis. “My goal is to help people through the litigation process.”
Raised in Campbell, Ohio Sisalouis moved to Greece with his family at age eight, returning to Campbell when he was 16.
He graduated from Youngstown State University, where he had a triple major in political science, economics and philosophy.
Sisalouis became a law clerk at KNR in the summer of 2018 and received his juris doctorate from The University of Akron School of Law in 2021.
“KNR is a great place to work,” Sisalouis said. “Two of my mentors in the Poland office are also Greek. Watching Michael Maillis and Nomiki Tsarnas practice has given me insight and prepared me to dive into litigation myself. My time as a clerk was similar to an apprenticeship thanks to them.
“I am also working on getting licensed in Greece so I can use my knowledge of the language to help serve the Greek community.”
Once he settles into his new role, Sisalouis said he would like to volunteer again at Community Legal Aid.
“During law school, I helped out on some pro bono immigration cases,” said Sisalouis. “I am hoping to get involved again in the near future.”
Torisk, who is located in the Cleveland office also started in November.
A native of Struthers, Ohio she received her bachelor’s degree in political science with a focus on foreign affairs from Youngstown State University.
She began working as a law clerk at KNR when she was a rising 2L at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
“I feel like I’ve learned everything I know about PI work from KNR,” said Torisk. “The senior attorneys have always been excellent mentors since I began here as a law clerk.
“I’ve had an interest in medicine from a young age, which fits in well with doing personal injury work,” said Torisk. “I really like being on the plaintiff’s side and working with the client to build up their case.”
During law school, Torisk also did an internship at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, where she worked under Judge Cassandra Collier-Williams, primarily doing research for cases on the commercial docket.
“My main goal right now is to learn and absorb as much as I can and work on honing my litigation skills to do the best for my clients and the firm,” said Torisk.
Banks joined the Columbus office of KNR as a litigation attorney in November of 2021.
A native of Youngstown, he received his bachelor’s degree from Miami University in Ohio, where he majored in Zoology and minored in political analysis.
While in college, Banks enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve as a supply administration clerk in 2001. He was later commissioned as an officer in the Marine Corps Reserve.
After obtaining his juris doctorate from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing in 2008, he began his legal career as a JAG in the Marine Corps, serving active duty from 2009 to 2018 and achieving the rank of major. During that time, he also deployed to Afghanistan to serve as a legal advisor on detainee operations.
Banks received an LL.M. in government procurement and environmental law from The George Washington University Law School in 2014 and became a licensed patent attorney in 2021.
His experience also includes handling commercial litigation as a senior associate at Ward & Berry in Washington D.C., running a solo practice and serving as a legal advisor to the U.S. Air Force.
“Before coming to KNR, I was looking to make a pivot in my legal career,” said Banks. “I had previously helped veterans who had been injured during military service, but I wanted to broaden the scope and start helping everyday people. Also, after living away from Ohio for 15 plus years, I was anxious to move back to be closer to friends and family.
“After some research, I quickly learned that KNR is one of the largest, most successful and most widespread personal injury law firms in Ohio,” Banks said. “I was also happy to find that KNR is a veteran-friendly environment. KNR has been very welcoming and I’m grateful to be working with such great lawyers, paralegals and staff.”
Matt has a great deal of experience outside of the personal injury space,” said Reagan. “Importantly, he’s spent most of his career in the Marine JAG Corps where he gained valuable courtroom experience. As an experienced trial lawyer, Matt will be a great advocate for our clients.”