206 W. 4th Street 3rd Floor Suite 300
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Phone: 714.361.4185
Fax: 714.333.4332

1901 Harrison Street Suite 1100
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510.844.7800
Fax: 510.844.7801

333 University Avenue Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95825
Phone: 916.565.7690
FAX: 916.565.7689

21820 Burbank Blvd. Suite 305
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Phone: 818.407.1413
Fax: 818.407.1444

17 Squadron Blvd. Suite 201
New City, NY 10956
Phone: 914.262.1795
FAX: 914.650.1260

One International Blvd. Suite 400
Mahwah, New Jersey 07495
Phone: 914.262.1795
Fax: 914.650.1260

One Liberty Plaza 165 Broadway, 23rd floor
New York, New York 10006
Phone: 914.262.1795
Fax: 914.650.1260

1650 Market Street Suite 3600 Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 267.319.7933
Fax: 914.650.1260

ATTORNEYS

LORI A. WENDEROFF
Lori A. Wenderoff is the founding member and managing partner at The Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Ms. Wenderoff attended California Western School of Law where she was Editor-in-Chief of Law Review and graduated cum laude in 1984. She began her legal career in 1984 as an Associate County Counsel for Los Angeles. From 1986 to 1996 Ms. Wenderoff was a partner at Allen, Rhodes & Sobelsohn where she represented insurance companies, third party administrators and self-insured employers in all aspects of workers’ compensation claims. From 1996 to 2006, Ms. Wenderoff was a sole practitioner defending workers’ compensation claims for various clients including municipalities, school districts, hospitals and national retail stores. In 2006 she joined with Mark B. Solomon and formed Wenderoff Solomon, LLP. In 2015, Wenderoff Solomon, LLP was dissolved, and The Wenderoff Law Group, APC was founded.
Ms. Wenderoff has served as a Judge Pro Tem at the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board and is a frequent lecturer in the workers’ compensation arena.
Email:  Lori A. Wenderoff   
BRIAN A. ZEIDEN
Brian A. Zeiden is a partner at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Mr. Zeiden graduated from UC Hastings College of the Law in 2000. He began his legal career as an insurance defense civil litigation associate at Calendo, Puckett, Sheedy & DiCorrado in Glendale, California. In 2004, he began representing claimants in Social Security Disability appeals before administrative law judges and at the federal district court level. In 2015, Mr. Zeiden began practicing exclusively in workers’ compensation as an applicant’s attorney. Returning to his defense roots, Mr. Zeiden has joined the Wenderoff Law Group in 2016, representing insurance companies, third-party administrators and self-insured employers in all aspects of workers’ compensation claims.
Email:  Brian A. Zeiden   
JEFFREY I. GAINES
Jeffrey Gaines is a partner at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Mr. Gaines graduated University of La Verne School of Law in 1991. Mr. Gaines has worked exclusively in the Workers Compensation arena. He has worked as defense attorney represent Fortune 500 corporations, self insured employers, professional employer organization and major insurance carriers on all aspects of workers compensation claims. Mr. Gaines has extensive experience in Special Investigation Unit claims involving applicant and provider fraud, including working with local district attorneys regarding referral of fraudulent claims. Mr. Gaines joined the Wenderoff Law Group, APC in March of 2018.
DEBRA L. DOBY
Debra Doby,  CEO/Managing Partner, concentrates her practice on New York and Longshore Harborworker’s worker’s compensation, with a subspecialty in construction and safety matters. On top of her service litigating and advising her clients, Debra has written and presented on subjects including cannabis, opioids, overprescription of medications and safety.
Drawing on both her undergraduate degree in chemistry as well as her insights into workers’ compensation issues and trends in pain medication prescription practices nationally, Debra created our Medication/MSA Reduction Program (MRP) — a comprehensive program designed to help claims professionals reduce claimants’ use of prescription medications and excessive treatment. The program also helps identify and mitigate claims that have the potential to spiral out of control in terms of cost and exposure. She frequently writes and presents on the subject for industry publications and conferences.
Email:  Debra Doby   
ELIZABETH YOHE

Elizabeth Yohe, is a partner at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Ms. Yohe graduated from Tulane Law School,

specializes in Florida workers’ compensation exclusively and represents national and local clients, including

insurance companies, third party administrators, and self insureds. She frequently lectures on Florida worker’s

compensation issues.

Email: Elizabeth Yohe  
JESSICA FELDMAN

Jessica Feldman, Partner, concentrates her practice on New York Workers’ Compensation and represents insurance companies and self-insured employers before the New York Workers’ Compensation Board. Jessica has served clients in various industries such as Construction, Heath Care, Retail, Hospitality and Municipalities in all matters related to Workers’ Compensation. Jessica has been the lead attorney for thousands of hearings before the New York Workers’ Compensation Board and has procured favorable outcomes, including numerous disallowances and fraud findings on her clients’ behalf. She is involved in all phases of litigation from inception to closure.

Jessica has successfully litigated complex claims such as coverage disputes, claim denials, indemnity disputes, medical treatment issues, occupational disease, repetitive injuries, fraud, hearing loss, labor market attachment, permanency, and settlement.

During law school, Jessica won negotiation competitions that involved over 100 students. Additionally, she represented children in superintendent suspension hearings, special education matters and related disciplinary proceedings.

Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, being a “foodie”, watching reality tv and having the “best assistant”, her Pitbull dog, Rosie.

Email: Jessica Feldman  
KARINA S. GORDON
Karina S. Gordon is an associate attorney at The Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Ms. Gordon graduated from Loyola Law School in 1990. She began practicing in workers’ compensation in 2000, handling all aspects of workers’ compensation claims. Ms. Gordon joined The Wenderoff Law Group, APC in 2015.
Email: Karina S. Gordon   
LINDSAY LEVENTHAL
Lindsay Leventhal is an associate attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Ms. Leventhal graduated from New York Law School in 2011. Ms. Leventhal has spent the majority of her legal career working in labor and employment litigation. Ms. Leventhal is admitted to practice law in both New York and California. Ms. Leventhal has joined the Wenderoff Law Group in 2020, representing insurance companies, third-party administrators and self-insured employers in all aspects of workers’ compensation claims.
MONIQUE OUELLETTE
Monique Ouellette is an associate attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group. Ms. Ouellette graduated from The George Washington School of Law in 1998. She has been practicing workers compensation defense since 2000, handling all aspects of workers compensation claims. Ms. Ouellette has worked mostly for workers’ compensation defense firms other than one period as in-house counsel for a major insurance company. She has worked with insurance companies, third party administrators, and self-insured companies. Ms. Ouellette joined the Wenderoff Law Group in May 2020.
EDWINA J. HEINE
Edwina Heine is an associate attorney at The Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Ms. Heine graduated from San Fernando Valley College of Law in December of 1981. In 1982 Ms. Heine began practicing in workers’ compensation as house counsel at The Hartford. Thereafter, she was an associate attorney and partner at Goldstein, Gurvitz & Silver from 1998 to 2002, handling all aspects of workers’ compensation claims. From 2002 through 2015 Ms. Heine was house counsel for Zenith Insurance Company and Berskshire Hathaway Homestate Company. Ms. Heine then joined the Lesley Feldman Law firm as an associate attorney. Ms. Heine joined The Wenderoff Law Group in August 2020.
Email:  Edwina Heine   
MARK A. METZELAR

Mark Allen Metzelar is an associate at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC.  Mr. Metzelar obtained his Bachelor of Science [in Business] degree from California State University Northridge, in June of 1984. In 1985, he began his career in Workers’ Compensation, while  employed at Republic Indemnity Company of America – first as a Senior Claims Adjustor, and then moving into the position of  Defense Hearing Representative. In November of 1997, Mr. Metzelar joined one of the largest defense workers’ compensation law firms in California, and across the nation – Adelson, Testan & Brundo Law – where Mr. Metzelar would remain for the next 23 years. He began his employment at ATB Law as a paralegal and hearing representative. While employed at ATB Mr. Metzelar graduated University of Laverne / San Fernando Valley School of Law, obtaining his Juris Doctorate Degree, in 2004. Mr. Metzelar was admitted to the State Bar of California Association, and in 2005 officially became an Associate Attorney at ATB Law, where he continued to represent  insurance companies, third-party administrators, and self- insured employers in all aspects of workers’ compensation claims. He went on to successfully becoming a Senior Associate, and ultimately, Senior Partner at this firm for the past 10 years. Mr. Metzelar has well over 35 years of solid expertise and quality client relationships and service, in the defense arena. Mr. Metzelar joined the Wenderoff Law Group in November of  2020.

Email:  Mark A. Metzelar  
ASHLEY PAYNE

Ashley Payne is an associate attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group. Ms. Payne graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 2014. In 2016 she began her workers’ compensation career representing injured workers’. Since 2018 Ms. Payne has been practicing as a defense attorney representing employers and insurance carriers in many industries before the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. Ms. Payne joined the Wenderoff Law Group in November 2022.

Email:  Ashley Payne   
ERIC M. ELLISON

Mr. Ellison has over three decades of legal experience in the insurance industry. He started his career practicing general casualty defense where he gained significant civil litigation experience. Later in his career, he held the position of Vice President & Associate General Counsel for a workers’ compensation insurer and, subsequently, served as Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary for a privately held regional insurance company, while also serving on its Board of Directors. In addition to handling corporate transactional matters, he managed claims and corporate litigation, including insurance “bad faith.” He also started and managed the staff counsel operations for each of these companies.
Mr. Ellison practiced workers’ compensation defense for much of his career with a prominent state-wide firm and operated his own defense practice for several years serving as defense counsel for one of California’s largest self-insured private employers. He spent much of his career handling high exposure and complex matters and has tried dozens of cases throughout California. Mr. Ellison is a past member of the Association of Corporate Counsel and served on the ACIC and CWCI legal committees. Mr. Ellison joined The Wenderoff Law Group in 2023. 

Email: Eric M. Ellison  
IAN RIDGEWAY

Ian Ridgeway is an associate attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group. Mr. Ridgeway earned an LLM in International and European Business Law from the ICADE School of Law at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain in 2017. While there, he served as the National Linguistic Editor for the European law Student’s Association Legal Research Group. Subsequently, Mr. Ridgeway graduated cum laude from Pace Law School in White Plains, NY in 2018. While at Pace Law School he served on the Pace International Law Review. In 2019, he began his workers’ compensation career representing injured workers. Since 2020, Mr. Ridgeway has been practicing as a defense attorney representing employers, insurance carriers, and third party administrators in multiple industries before the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. Mr. Ridgeway joined the Wenderoff Law Group in May 2023.

Email: Ian Ridgeway   
ALEXIS CLOSE

Alexis Close is an associate attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Ms. Close’s legal experience as a paralegal throughout college, and law school gave her a vast knowledge of procedure and court process both state and federally. Ms. Close graduated from Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law in 2019 and Buffalo State College with a B.A. in 2014. Ms. Close focuses on diligent representation of employers and insurance carriers in various industries spanning retail, health care, and industrial clients before the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. Ms. Close joined the Wendorff Law Group in May of 2023. She enjoys spending time with her family and local events in the Western New York Area.

Email: Alexis Close   
MARY MYERS

Mary Myers is an associate attorney at The Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Ms. Myers graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2009 from UCLA and graduated from Chapman University School of Law in December of 2013. She has been a practicing member of the California Bar since 2014. She practiced civil litigation, primarily employment and labor matters, for several years before she began practicing workers compensation at the beginning of 2017. She was an associate at The Renzi Law Firm, a boutique workers compensation practice in Orange, CA for several years. She then joined staff counsel at AIG for four years in the workers compensation division. Ms. Myers joined The Wenderoff Law Group in November of 2023.

Email: Mary Myers   
ASTON WALLACE

Aston Wallace is an Associate Attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Mr. Wallace graduated from Loyola Law School in 2007. He has been practicing Workers Compensation for over 10 years, handling all aspects of worker’s compensation. He has worked for defense firms, in-house with insurance companies as well as applicant’s firm, gaining knowledge of all sides of the law. He joined the Wenderoff Law Group in November of 2023.

Email: Aston Wallace   
STAN MCCONNELL

Stan McConnell is an Associate Attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Mr. McConnell is a graduate of Mitchell Hamline College of Law and the University of Minnesota. Mr. McConnell spent a significant part of his legal career working as a legal practice consultant with some of the largest law firms, and corporations, based in California. Mr. McConnell is admitted to practice law in California. Mr. McConnell represents third-party administrators and self-insured employers in all aspects of workers’ compensation claims.

Email: Stan McConnell   
DONALD BROPHY – Hearing Representative
Donald Brophy is a Hearing Representative at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC and a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Law. Mr. Brophy has worked in numerous areas in the Workers’ Compensation system throughout his career. Mr. Brophy was a Process Server, Medical Lien Recovery Negotiator and Senior Claims Examiner prior to joining the firm in 2016. Mr. Brophy currently handles appearances and lien defense/negotiation matters in Northern California.
Email: Donald Brophy   

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