Deceased.
- College of Wooster
- Cleveland State University, BA in 1956
- Cleveland Marshall College of Law, LLB in 1960
Of Counsel
Admitted in Ohio
rmcnellie@carlisle-law.com
- Case Western Reserve University, BA in 1970
- Cleveland Marshall College of Law, JD in 1975
- Admitted to practice by Ohio Supreme Court in 1975 and U.S. District Court in 1976
- Member of American Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Ohio Land Title Association
- Lecturer on foreclosures for Professional Education Systems, Inc., National Business Institute, Inc., and Ohio State Bar Association
- Licensed Title Insurance Agent
Mr. McNellie joined our law firm as a law student in 1970 examining real estate titles for foreclosure matters. After graduating law school, Mr. McNellie joined the law firm as an associate handling foreclosure matters throughout Ohio. In 1978 Mr. McNellie became a Shareholder and managed the foreclosure, eviction, home retention and REO departments of our firm. In 2016, after spending his entire career at the firm, Mr. McNellie became of counsel to the firm. Mr. McNellie maintains an office at the firm and remains committed to the continued success of the law firm. Mr. McNellie will continue to be available to our clients and will continue to mentor the firm’s employees.
Deceased.
- Baldwin Wallace College, BA in 1971
- Cleveland Marshall College of Law, JD in 1975
- Admitted to practice by Ohio Supreme Court in 1975 and U.S. District Court in 1975
- Member of American Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association and Ohio Trial Lawyers Association
Mr. Rini started his career as a prosecutor prior to joining our firm in 1983. In 1990, Mr. Rini became a Shareholder and has represented mortgage lenders in hundreds of litigated matters to the bench and juries throughout Ohio while managing the firm’s litigation department. In 2016, Mr. Rini became of counsel to the firm. Mr. Rini maintains an office and remains committed to the continued success of the law firm. Mr. Rini will continue to mentor and provide consulting services to our Litigation Department.
Retired
Admitted in Ohio
pulrich@carlisle-law.com
- University of Akron, BA (magna cum laude) in 1988
- University of Akron College of Law, JD in 1991
- Admitted to practice by Ohio Supreme Court in 1991, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in 1991, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Appellate Circuit in 1993, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in 1995, and United States Supreme Court in 1996
- Vice Chair of Bankruptcy Section – United States Foreclosure Network (“USFN”) (2022 to present); Ex Officio Member of Education Committee for USFN 2023; Member of Bankruptcy Section for American Legal and Financial Network (“ALFN”) (2021-present); Member Mortgage Committee for National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (2023 to present); Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (Chair, 2011-2012, Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section; Chair, 2011 to 2013, Subcommittee on Vacant Properties; Co-Chair, 2013 to 2017, Sections and Committees Oversight Committee; Chair, 2015 – present, Golf Outing Committee), American Bankruptcy Institute, and International Women’s’ Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation
- Served a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (2012 to 2015)
- Lecturer on bankruptcies for numerous groups, including the USFN, ALFN, American Bankruptcy Institute, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Akron Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association and Credit Education Coalition
- Named a 2018 Top 25 Women of Law Honoree by DSNews Blackbook
- 2018 AV Preeminent Rated through Martindale-Hubbell
Mrs. Ulrich started her career representing secured lenders in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and acting as special counsel for Chapter 7 Trustees in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases. In 1994, she joined our firm as a senior associate in our Bankruptcy Department and changed her focus primarily to representation of secured lenders in consumer bankruptcy cases. In 2001, she became a shareholder and currently manages our Bankruptcy Department.
Shareholder
Admitted in Ohio
jsassano@carlisle-law.com
- Bowling Green State University, BA in 1988
- Cleveland Marshall College of Law, JD in 1993
- Admitted to practice by Ohio Supreme Court in 1993, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in 1998
- Member of Ohio State Bar Association and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Mr. Sassano was a staff attorney from 1994 to 1997 to two judges of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. He joined our law firm in 1997 as an associate practicing real estate law with an emphasis on creditor representation in foreclosure actions. Mr. Sassano was instrumental in gathering a coalition of lenders and various Cuyahoga County politicians, including several suburban mayors, to provide a source of funding for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to expedite the foreclosure process. He became a Shareholder 2007 and currently manages our foreclosure, mediation and loss mitigation departments.
Shareholder
Admitted in Ohio
- Wheeling Jesuit College, BA in 1996
- Case Western Reserve College of Law, JD in 1999
- Admitted to practice by Ohio Supreme Court in 1999, U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern District of Ohio in 2000
- Member of Ohio State Bar Association and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
- Trustee of the Marc Deighton Scholarship at Walsh University
Mr. Deighton joined our law firm in 1998 assisting in our foreclosure department. In 1999, he became a licensed attorney and has since practiced in the areas of foreclosure, eviction, title claim defense, real estate contracts and creditor’s rights. Mr. Deighton has appellate victories in every Ohio appellate court, including the Ohio Supreme Court, Ohio Federal District Court and the United States 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. His current position is the senior litigation associate. Mr. Deighton has presented on the issues of foreclosure litigation, appellate practice and evictions before various attorneys’ education seminars and banking conferences.
Shareholder
Admitted in Ohio
- Wittenberg University, BS (Cum Laude) in 2005
- Capital University School of Law, JD in 2008
- Admitted to practice by Ohio Supreme Court in 2008; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in 2009
- Member of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Ms. Delaney started her career in the area of bankruptcy, representing debtors in both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases. Prior to joining the firm, she represented tax certificate purchasers in several Ohio County foreclosure cases and joined our firm in 2013 as an associate attorney working primarily on tax certificate foreclosure cases. She became a shareholder in 2021 and now handles both tax certificate and mortgage foreclosures throughout Ohio.
Shareholder
Admitted in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio
jnhiggins@carlisle-law.com
- University of Kentucky, BA, with honors in Psychology, 1995
- Raymond A Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville, Master of Science in Social Work, 2000
- Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville, JD, 2004
- Admitted to practice in KY 2004, Indiana 2006 and Ohio 2019
- Admitted to practice in the Bankruptcy Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky and the Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana as well as the District of Nebraska
Mr. Higgins practices in the area of foreclosure, bankruptcy, eviction, collections and general civil litigation. From the date of his bar admission in Kentucky, he has focused in large part on representing property tax lien investors in the Commonwealth in regard to all aspects of their portfolios and lien enforcement. As the years progressed, he expanded his practice in the tax lien area to Indiana as well as consulting in multiple states. Mr. Higgins currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board for the Jefferson County Law Library in Louisville, KY as well as a member of the site selection committee for Habitat for Humanity of Metro Louisville. He founded the Law Office of Jerry N. Higgins, PLLC in 2006 as well as Higgins Land Title Solutions, LLC (title and escrow agency) in 2021. Mr. Higgins joined our firm as a shareholder in 2023 following the successful merger his former firm with Carlisle Law.
Admitted in Ohio and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
ckennedy@carlisle-law.com
- Bowling Green State University, BA in 1992
- University of Akron College of Law, JD in 2001
- Admitted to practice by Ohio Supreme Court in 2002; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in 2003; U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in 2005, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Member of Ohio State Bar Association, Akron Bar Association and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Mr. Kennedy joined our law firm in 2005 as an associate. Mr. Kennedy’s practice focuses on creditor representation in consumer bankruptcy cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Northern District of Ohio and Southern District of Ohio. Mr. Kennedy also has experience practicing in the areas of domestic relations, guardianships, juvenile law and criminal law.
Admitted in Ohio
btoman@carlisle-law.com
- College of Wooster, BA in 1986
- Cleveland Marshall College of Law, JD in 1989
- Admitted to practice by Ohio Supreme Court in 1989 and U.S. District Court in 1989
- Ohio State Bar Association Certified Residential Real Estate Specialist
- Lecturer on Real Property Law for Cuyahoga County Bar Association
- Arbitrator: Cuyahoga County Alternative Dispute Resolution Department, 1996 through 2003
- Magistrate: Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, Foreclosure Department, (2006)
- Member of Ohio State Bar Association
- Black belt and marathon runner
Mr. Toman joined our law firm in 2007 following his service as a Magistrate. Mr. Toman’s primary practice focuses on title insurance defense. Mr. Toman has been defending title insurance claims for over 20 years on behalf of lenders and property owners. He has obtained million-dollar settlements for personal injury clients. Mr. Toman is an experienced litigator in numerous areas of real property law.
Admitted in Ohio
wcostello@carlisle-law.com
- Miami University, BS in 1985
- Case Western Reserve University, School of Law, JD (Cum Laude) in 1988
- Admitted to Practice by the Ohio Supreme Court 1988 and United States District Court for the Northern District Of Ohio in 1991
- Member of the Ohio State Bar Association; Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and National Creditors Bar Association
Mr. Costello practices in the area of creditor’s rights. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Costello operated his own firm, Wm. L. Costello Co., L.P.A., in which he represented various clients in a variety of creditors’ rights and regulatory compliance issues. Mr. Costello joined our law firm in 2012 as the senior associate in our Collection Department.
Admitted in Indiana and Kentucky
mdailey@carlisle-law.com
- Indiana University- SE, BS 1993
- Salmon P Chase College of Law, NKU, 2005
- Admitted to practice Indiana Supreme Court, 2005; Northern & Southern Districts of Indiana 2005; Kentucky Supreme Court 2007; Western & Eastern Districts of Kentucky 2015; Supreme Court of Ohio 2013; Southern District of Ohio 2015; West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals 2013
Ms. Dailey has 10 years’ experience representing creditor’s rights in bankruptcy, foreclosures & general collections. She also spent time as a trial lawyer, trying cases in Kentucky, Indiana & Ohio. She serves on the Public Defender’s Commission Board & Board of Zoning Appeals in her home county.
Admitted in Indiana
dharvey@carlisle-law.com
- Indiana University, BA in Sociology and Criminal Justice, 2016
- Indiana University Maurer School of Law, JD, 2020
- Admitted to practice by the Indiana Supreme Court in 2020
Mr. Harvey is an associate with the firm, practicing in areas of tax lien foreclosure and quiet title actions. He joined Carlisle Law in February, 2023. Prior to joining Carlisle Law, Mr. Harvey was a general practitioner, focusing primarily on matters involving family law, landlord-tenant disputes, and other areas of property law. Mr. Harvey also previously served as a domestic relations mediator, handling cases involving divorce, custody, and juvenile paternity.
Admitted in Kentucky
- University of Louisville, BS in 2002
- University of Louisville, Brandeis School of Law, JD in 2005
- Admitted to practice by the Kentucky Supreme Court in 2005; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky in 2012; U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana in 2013
- Member of the Kentucky Bar Association
- Member of the Board of Trustees of St. Joseph’s Children’s Home
Ms. Meek is an associate with the firm focusing primarily on creditors’ rights in foreclosure and bankruptcy proceedings. She joined Carlisle Law in 2023. Prior to that, Ms. Meek practiced in the areas of foreclosure and real estate law for over a decade. She also has extensive practice experience in the areas of criminal defense, guardianship law, and family law and has argued before the Kentucky Court of Appeals as well as the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Admitted in Kentucky
snix@carlisle-law.com
- University of Louisville, BA, May 2008
- University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, JD, 2011
- Admitted into practice in KY in 2011
- Admitted into practice in WV in 2020
- Admitted into practice in the United States District Court for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky and Southern District of Indiana
Ms. Nix joined the firm in September of 2023 as an associate attorney. Ms. Nix began her career representing debtors in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases before transitioning to the representation of creditors and foreclosure practice in 2016. Ms. Nix also has experience as a title attorney in the residential and commercial real estate title industry. Ms. Nix now focuses her practice with the firm in the areas of foreclosure and creditors’ rights.