Wooster, OH

David Knowlton

After graduation from The College of Wooster in 1989, Dave gained trial experience immediately as a clerk for Wayne County Common Pleas Court. After Dave received his Juris Doctorate from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in the spring of 1992, he was admitted to the practice of law in the fall and began his career with the Firm. Over the course of his career, Dave has refined his practice to focus on the areas of Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, and Criminal Defense, including Felony, Misdemeanor and DUI cases. He has successfully handled hundreds of criminal cases in courts across the state, from the municipal level to the Supreme Court of Ohio. He has also successfully handled a number of Federal cases in the United States District Courts, including defending Title IX cases brought by colleges. Dave has also appeared and argued before the Ohio Supreme Court.

Bryan Barnard

Bryan is a lifelong resident of Wooster and a third generation local attorney. After his graduation from Wooster High School in 1993, he attended Ashland University where he obtained a B.S.B.A in Finance in 1997. He worked for a time in the private banking sector, and then enrolled in the Claude W. Pettit College of Law at Ohio Northern University. He graduated with his Juris Doctor and was admitted to the practice of law in 2003. After law school he worked with his father, Ken Barnard, for a number of years. He later accepted a position with the Wayne County Public Defender’s Office where he gained extensive trial experience. Bryan started with Kennedy, Cicconetti & Knowlton in 2011 and was named a shareholder in 2014. Bryan’s practice includes civil litigation, personal injury, wrongful death, criminal defense, and estate planning and administration.

Richard F. Brian, now retired from Brian Law Offices, received his J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law in 1982 and a B.A. summa cum laude from Western State College in 1979. He successfully argued a case before the Ohio Supreme Court, leading to a major change in Ohio Workers Compensation Law. He has been recognized as a SuperLawyer and served on various committees for the Ohio Association of Justices.

David M. Chester

Attorney David M. Chester has been a personal injury lawyer in Ohio for most of his legal career. After suffering a childhood injury at the hands of a careless driver, Attorney Chester understood the suffering that an injured victim endures. When he decided to become a lawyer, representing injured Ohioans was the obvious choice. From a single office, David built a law firm with 16 offices located in Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Youngstown, and surrounding areas. Early life experiences helped reinforce the fact that injured victims need compassion as well as competent, professional, aggressive representation. It is this philosophy that has defined Attorney Chester and brought him the success he currently enjoys. Attorney Chester received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Pre-Law from Bowling Green State University. He obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Cleveland State University College of Law, where he graduated 2nd in his law school class. After winning numerous law school awards, he finished in the top 3% on the Ohio Bar exam. He then moved from his home in Parma, Ohio south to Akron, Ohio where he established his main office. Attorney Chester is licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio and the Northern District of Ohio Federal Courts, and he is a member of the Ohio Association of Justice, a group of Ohio trial lawyers dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured Ohioans. Attorney Chester lives in Northeast Ohio where he enjoys movies, going to sporting events, swimming, and racketball.

Steven J. Brian is a partner at Brian Law Offices. He applies his years of personal injury legal practice to every case and is dedicated to helping clients obtain maximum compensation. He has been selected for inclusion in Ohio’s Super Lawyers list for top rated personal injury lawyers in 2019-2020.

Thomas Haskins

Attorney Thomas F. Haskins hails from Barberton, Ohio, and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron graduating with Magna cum laude honors. Tom stayed at the University of Akron for law school where he was the Law Review Articles Editor and also co-chaired the International Law Symposium. During law school, Attorney Haskins worked as a paralegal for a local law firm. Tom has been licensed to practice law since 1976 and since then has been involved in his own litigation practice. Attorney Haskins began working with the Chester Law Group as litigation co-counsel and general counsel in 1999. Attorney Haskins is licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio, The United States Federal Court Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, United States Bankruptcy Court Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, The United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and The United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the Akron Bar Association and the American Bar Association as well as the Ohio Association for Justice. Tom also serves on numerous committees including the Common Pleas Court Committee and Lawyers Assistance Committee. Thomas is a personal injury attorney with work including motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death, premises liability, and construction accidents. Thomas Haskins has devoted his career to helping injured victims. Tom enjoys fishing, travel and spending time with his wife Elizabeth, his three children, and grandchildren.

Jennifer L. Weeks

Attorney Jennifer L. Weeks has been working with the Law Offices of David M. Chester and Chester Law Group since 2008. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida in 1990 and her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 2006. While in law school, Ms. Weeks was a member of Cleveland-Marshall’s prestigious Mock Trial Team which she led to the school’s first-ever regional final. Ms. Weeks is licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio and a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association. She is skilled at obtaining fair compensation for our injured clients and prides herself on not only being an attorney but a true counselor at law. Prior to her career as an attorney, Ms. Weeks was a fifth-grade schoolteacher at St. Ignatius Elementary School in Cleveland, Ohio where she was nominated by her students for a local news channel teaching award. Ms. Weeks lives in Northeast Ohio where she is raising a son. Jennifer is an avid tennis player, hiker, and movie buff.