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
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 Liberty Plaza 165 Broadway, 23rd floor
New York, New York 10006
Phone: 914.262.1795
Fax: 914.650.1260
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone: 818.407.1413
Fax: 561.408.0133
ATTORNEYS
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mary Myers is a Junior Partner 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.
Aston Wallace is an Junior Partner 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.
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.
Jeffrey Hua is an Associate Attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. Mr. Hua graduated from Chapman University School of Law in 2020. Prior to joining the Wenderoff Law Group, Mr. Hua has been practicing civil litigation. Mr. Hua is admitted to practice law in California, Nevada, and Washington D.C. He joined the Wenderoff Law Group in December 2024.
Victoria Simon is an Associate Attorney at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. She earned her bachelors degree at the University of California, Irvine, in 2015 and graduated manga cum laude from Western State College of Law in 2024. With extensive experience in CA workers’ compensation law since 2016, Ms. Simon previously worked as a hearing representative, specializing in lien resolution, where she developed a deep understanding of workers’ compensation claims and procedures. She joined the Wenderoff Law Group in December 2024.
Arden Akarakian
Arden Akarakian is a dedicated and results-driven Associate Attorney at Wenderoff Law Group, APC, specializing in workers’ compensation law. After graduating from Southwestern Law School in 2011, he immediately immersed himself in the field, gaining comprehensive experience by representing both applicants and employers. With a deep understanding of the workers’ compensation system, Mr. Akarakian has successfully advocated for multi-billion-dollar global corporations, earning a reputation as a tenacious advocate and a strategic problem solver. His commitment to delivering exceptional results has made him a trusted legal ally for clients navigating complex claims and disputes. Mr. Akarakian joined the Wenderoff Law Group in February of 2025.
Gregg Scott is a Paralegal at the Wenderoff Law Group, APC. He earned his Associate degree and Paralegal Certificate at Cerritos College in 2012, and graduated with highest honors. Mr. Scott began his career in Worker’s Compensation defense in 2002 as a legal secretary at the Law Offices of Jeffrey Katzoff, and then as a legal secretary and hearing representative for Weitzman and Estes for 12 years before he joined staff counsel at AIG as a paralegal in the workers’ compensation division. Mr. Scott joined the Wenderoff Law Group in November of 2024.
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