• Business Law-At Andrews & Pontius LLC, we provide a wide variety of services to our business clients from assisting in selecting the type of organizational entity under which to operate, preparation of agreements, sale and purchase of businesses, obtaining financing and funding for business operations, and employee relations, to dissolution.
  
  
• Commercial Law-We handle a broad spectrum of commercial issues including the defense of discrimination claims and labor union suits, breach of contract suits, collections, landlord and tenant matters, injunctions to enforce restrictive covenants, mechanics' lien foreclosures, the enforcement of employment contracts, corporate or partnership dissolutions, and general commercial litigation.
  
  
• Corporate Law-In conjunction with our business practice, we assist corporations, partnerships, and other business entities with all of their needs, including:
  • Asset or stock sales
  • Business succession planning and shareholder agreements
  • Closely held businesses
  • Contracts
  • Financing
  • Joint ventures
  • Licensing
  • Litigation
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Governmental approvals
    
    
• Domestic Relations-Few legal areas are as emotionally charged as family and domestic law, primarily for the litigants, but also for the lawyers and judges involved in the cases. In divorce and child custody cases in particular, the adversarial process has increased tensions between the parties, which may not abate even when the process is complete. We approach family law matters with knowledge, experience and an aggressive and proactive style, but we also believe in reasonableness and cooperation and adjust our representation to suit the needs of the individual client.
  
  
• Elder Law-Our healthcare and our financial well-being. We can help you plan for both the present and the future through the use of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, and health care directives.
  
  
• Estate Planning-At Andrews & Pontius LLC, we help individuals protect their loved ones and plan for the distribution of their property and assets at their death through the drafting and updating of wills and trusts.
  
  
• General Trial Practice-Our firm currently serves as counsel to various national insurance companies. We have experience in handling cases involving insurance coverage and interpretation of insurance policy provisions. Insurance carriers likewise retain our firm to represent their individual and corporate insureds in various types of civil matters, including personal injury and property damage claims. We have served as defense counsel in cases filed in the Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga, Trumbull and Cuyahoga County Courts of Common Pleas, as well as in the United Stated District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division.
  
  
• Insurance Defense-Our firm currently serves as counsel to various national insurance companies. We have experience in handling cases involving insurance coverage and interpretation of insurance policy provisions. Insurance carriers likewise retain our firm to represent their individual and corporate insureds in various types of civil matters, including personal injury and property damage claims. We have served as defense counsel in cases filed in the Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga, Trumbull and Cuyahoga County Courts of Common Pleas, as well as in the United Stated District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division.
  
  
• Juvenile Law-We can help make sure that your child's rights are protected to get the best legal result possible. We advise clients in areas ranging from delinquency/criminal to dependency/DCF cases.
  
  
• Labor and Employment Law-We have significant experience in interpreting and construing state and Federal statutes and case law in areas such as employment discrimination, affirmative action, sexual harassment, employee benefits, whistleblower litigation, wrongful discharge, employment contracts, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Federal Employer's Liability Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and special laws governing municipal employment. We also handle matters involving collective bargaining, labor arbitration, labor disputes, labor legislation and regulation, labor relations board proceedings, unfair labor practices, union relations, wage and hour laws, and other matters for management clients.
  
  
• Litigation-Our firm can help clients determine whether or not medical malpractice has occurred when you or someone you love is injured as a result of negligence or misconduct of individuals in medical field. We can also help you with questions about and disputes with health care benefits, health insurers, and health providers.
  
  
• Medical Malpractice-Our firm has represented many individuals and families affected by the negligent acts of medical providers in Ashtabula, Lake and Cuyahoga counties. Sometimes it is hard to know whether or not you, or a loved one, has been injured due to a medical provider’s negligent act. That is why before a lawsuit is filed, each client’s case is reviewed by our experienced attorneys and experts in the medical field to determine if a medical provider’s negligent act caused the client’s injuries.
  
  
• Municipal Law-We practice in the State, Local & Municipal Law area and have expertise and knowledge in the areas state and local government and municipal corporations, including matters such as land use and zoning issues, municipal employment disputes, and injuries to personal or property by municipal employees. Attorney David E. Pontius has first-hand experience with municipal issues, as he has served as Solicitor for the City of Ashtabula and the Villages of Jefferson, Orwell and Rock Creek.
  
  
• Personal Injury- At Andrews & Pontius LLC, we represent individuals involved in controversies alleging a wrong or damage to another's person, rights, reputation, or property resulting from events or activities such as motor vehicle accidents, workplace negligence, products liability, nursing home negligence, slip and fall accidents, infliction of emotional distress, intentional misconduct, and negligence. Attorneys David E. Pontius and Pamela D. Houston are members of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers (OATL) and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA). Attorney Pontius is a past member of the Board of Governors of OATL.
  
  
• Probate Administration-Our firm handles probate matters, dealing with the legal process by which a person's debts are paid and assets are distributed upon his or her death. Individual state laws direct the probate court how to distribute the deceased's estate. State laws and procedures vary greatly, so, it is important to consult a firm with expertise in this area of the law to ensure that the deceased's assets are distributed correctly.
  
  
• Real Estate-We represent clients in all proceedings and transactions that deal with residential and commercial real property, including purchase and sale, mortgages and foreclosures, leases, and landlord/tenant disputes. We offer experience in all aspects of a real estate transaction, from the initial contract through closing.
  
  
• School Law-We represent boards of education in matters relating to areas of school law including collective bargaining, grievances, arbitrations, special education, and the defense of claims involving discrimination, student rights, and tenure. Our managing partner, Mark W. Andrews, is a member of the Ohio and National Associations of School Board Attorneys and has over 25 years of experience in this area of practice.
  
  
• Toxic Tort-Our firm has experience with claims of individuals who may have been injured by exposure to toxic and other dangerous substances. We represent clients in claims made for the recovery of money damages for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and punitive damages.
  
  
• Traffic Law/DUI-Traffic violations can have serious criminal consequences, particularly when a driver is accused of driving under the influence. A conviction on DUI/DWI charges may result in fines, the revocation or suspension of your driver's license, and possible jail time. In addition, your insurance company may increase your rates to an unmanageable level. In defending against an impaired driving charge, you have many rights as a criminal defendant, including the right to cross-examine the witnesses against you, even if they are police officers. An experienced criminal defense attorney can make all the difference in such a difficult case.
  
  
• Wills & Trusts-A valid will instructs an executor and the court as to the decedent's wishes for personal and real property distribution and guardianship provisions for children. A trust places assets under the management of trustee at either the creation of the trust or the individual's death. We help individuals protect their loved ones and plan for the distribution of their property and assets at their death through the drafting and updating of wills and trusts.

Andrews & Pontius LLC

4817 State Road-Suite 100
P.O. Box 10
Ashtabula, Ohio 44005-0010
Tel. (440) 998-6835 Fax. (440) 992-6336
E-mail: info@andrewspontius.com