German-Speaking Attorneys

Ralph J. Sczygelski

Manitowoc, WI

Ralph J. Sczygelski has represented Wisconsin residents in over 4,000 cases, including experience in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He has been Bar certified in Wisconsin since 1991 and has practiced law in Manitowoc County for over 26 years, operating his own successful firm for over 20 years. He is dedicated to providing fair and effective legal representation, working to make legal counsel affordable and accessible.

Stephen Wauck

Chicago, IL

Stephen Wauck joined Katz Friedman on October 1, 2025. His practice focuses on representing injured workers in Workers' Compensation claims throughout Illinois and plaintiffs in personal injury cases. Prior to joining Katz Friedman, he worked for 14 years at another firm, concentrating in Workers' Compensation claims. He speaks fluent Spanish and German. He earned a BA in history from the University of Dallas and started law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law after a Fulbright scholarship year in Germany.

James Lee Bright

Dallas, TX

Attorney James Lee Bright is an Of Counsel attorney with over two and a half decades of experience as a criminal defense attorney. He is a current and past member of Super Lawyers® and has been recognized multiple times in D Magazine's Best of Lawyers edition. He is admitted to practice in Federal District Courts across Texas and the District of Columbia, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He has handled thousands of cases at both State and Federal levels, specializing in complex Federal practice.

LEE HOYLE

Richmond, VA

Lee grew up in Memphis working for his family’s window business. The experience taught him that client satisfaction is the highest goal, sometimes you have to get a little creative when things go wrong, and an attic in Memphis during the summer is about the worst place to have to work. Lee brought the work ethic and dedication he acquired on the job to the University of Richmond, where he immediately fell in love with language and argument. He majored in Philosophy and Political Science, competed on the Policy Debate Team, and studied both Spanish and German.

Dirk Larsen

San Francisco, CA

Dirk Larsen, admitted to the California Bar in 2006, represents businesses, public entities, and nonprofit organizations in commercial disputes, employment practices, personal injury, and civil rights cases. He has extensive federal court experience, including trial and appellate levels. He graduated cum laude from UC Hastings College of the Law and is a member of the Order of the Coif. He previously worked as a technical translator in Berlin, Germany.

Matthew R. Harding

Waukesha, WI

Matthew R. Harding has over ten years of experience representing businesses and individuals in a variety of legal disputes with a concentration on civil litigation. Matt has earned successful results for clients before Circuit Courts throughout Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District Courts in Wisconsin and Colorado, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He represents individuals injured in auto accidents, slip and falls, products liability, medical malpractice, dental malpractice, legal malpractice and civil rights abuses, as well as businesses and/or shareholders who suffer economic losses through breach of contract, fraud, misappropriation of funds and other financial misdeeds.

Nils Döhler

New York, NY

Nils Döhler is a Senior Attorney at Urban Thier & Federer, P.A., based in Barcelona, Spain. He is admitted to practice law in Spain and Germany, bringing over 15 years of experience. His practice areas include real estate and urban planning, mortgage and construction, financing and guarantees, civil and succession law, and international inheritance. He has a multicultural background with education in Germany and Spain, and is fluent in German, Spanish, and English. He has been recognized by Who's Who Legal Real Estate from 2016-2020 as a top attorney in Spanish real estate law.

Patricia M. Lee

New York, NY

Patricia M. Lee is a Senior Attorney with Urban Thier & Federer, P.A., based in the Orlando office. Her practice focuses on family and estate law, including child custody, support, alimony, equitable distribution, and international family law matters such as the Hague Convention. She has over 25 years of experience and is a referral attorney and mentor for the U.S. Department of State, Office of Children's Issues. She is a member of the Florida Bar and proficient in Spanish and German.

Gabriel Siniscal

Oakland, CA

Gabriel A. Siniscal is an associate attorney at Hildebrand, McLeod & Nelson. Gabriel graduated magna cum laude from Loyola Marymount University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, and minors in music and German language. Gabriel went on to graduate with honors from Loyola Law School, where he wrote for the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review and represented his law school in the ABA’s national moot court competition. Upon graduation, Gabriel passed two bar exams, and became licensed to practice law in both California and Nevada. Prior to joining Hildebrand, McLeod & Nelson, he served as a judicial clerk for the Supreme Court of Nevada and then returned to Los Angeles to practice general personal injury representing injured individuals. Watching his father grapple with the debilitating effects of a back injury as he grew up caused Gabriel to develop a passion for helping his clients recover from their injuries and receive the compensation they deserve. In his free time, Gabriel enjoys exercising, playing piano, and outdoor activities.

Juerg A. Heim

Greenwich, CT

Juerg A. Heim, born in Switzerland, practices business, commercial, and non-profit organization law. He received his J.D. from New York Law School in 1988 and joined Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara, LLC in 1989. He is admitted to the bars of Connecticut and New York and is a member of the Greenwich Bar Association.

Jill E. Reese

Indianapolis, IN

Jill Reese is Of Counsel at Wagner Reese, LLP, specializing in medical malpractice. She earned her B.S. in Secondary Education (German) from Indiana University in 1991 and her J.D. from Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington in 1997. She began her legal career in medical malpractice defense before transitioning to commercial litigation and employment law. After a sabbatical, she rejoined Wagner Reese in 2012, focusing on medical malpractice. Known for her attention to detail, she excels at analyzing medical records and crafting persuasive arguments. Jill is also a community leader, serving on non-profit boards including the Carmel Education Foundation, Discovering Broadway, Inc., and Carmel Clay Historical Society.

Alexandra Wagner

Houston, TX

Alexandra Wagner is an attorney who has dedicated her career to advocating for injured individuals and public agencies against corporate misconduct. She began her career at Ness Motley (now Motley Rice and Rogers Patrick), contributing to the successful $200+ billion payout from Big Tobacco. She specializes in briefing and motions practice, working with law firms nationwide on cases involving defective product design and manufacture, defective building construction, pharmaceutical price-gouging, employee mistreatment, and other corporate misconduct. She is based in Dallas, has raised four children, and is involved in local public education and community life. She speaks fluent German, some Spanish, and a tiny bit of Russian and French.

Parker Y. Florin

Palm Harbor, FL

Parker Y. Florin holds a J.D. and an LL.M. in Advocacy from Stetson University College of Law, where he was recognized for academic distinction and trial advocacy. He is licensed to practice in Florida and admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, focusing on employment law.

D. Andrew Rawlings

Idaho Falls, ID

Andrew’s practice focuses on land use/real estate issues, estate planning, and probate. He uses his skills in administrative proceedings, judicial review, litigation, appeals, and document drafting to help clients solve problems, plan for the future, and achieve their goals. He graduated second in his class from the University of Idaho College of Law, Magna Cum Laude, with a concurrent Master of Accountancy degree in 2014.

Douglas Wilson Merrill

Elyria, OH

Attorney Douglas Merrill was born and raised in Elyria, Ohio. He is a 1992 graduate of Elyria High School. Mr. Merrill later attended Ashland University graduating with a Bachelor's of Science degree in History. In 2000 Mr. Merrill graduated from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law, and immediately began practicing in the area of Criminal Defense. Since Mr. Merrill began practicing law he has traveled to many of the Courts in the Northeast and Northwest parts of Ohio.

Jochen Korves

Maitland, FL

Jochen Korves is a German attorney and Partner at Jackson Law International, based in the Münster office. He assists in U.S.-German cross-border legal matters. His practice encompasses a variety of commercial and corporate law matters, including commercial litigation, insolvency law (reorganization and restructuring), and contract law. Additionally, he handles diverse general litigation matters throughout Germany, such as personal injury, medical malpractice, employment law, hunting law, real estate and construction law, and criminal law. He completed his legal studies at Westphalian Wilhelms University of Münster and became a member of the Hamm Bar Association in 1998.

Timothy Zeller

Tampa, FL

Timothy Zeller graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science. His interest in Immigration Law stems from his experiences as a first-generation immigrant and witnessing his family's American Dream. He attended Stetson University College of Law, emphasizing skills in advocacy, business, and administrative law. He has a passion for business and employment immigration, rooted in his work with exceptional individuals from immigrant backgrounds in startup and entrepreneurial settings. He believes that those who excel in their fields should always be welcome in the United States. In his free time, he enjoys reading, exercising, and watching old movies.

Leonard grew up in a suburb of Chicago as the oldest of seven children and as a result developed his advisory and communication skills at an early age. He attended Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois and then University of Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana. Before attending Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, he traveled abroad for 6 months, attempting to be understood in Spanish, German, French, and Greek with limited success. He is a trial lawyer with experience in criminal defense, family law, probate, and personal injury litigation. He was a pro-term Circuit Court judge appointed by the governor. For 45 years, he traveled statewide in this capacity and also presided over the Clackamas County night court for almost 45 years. Len and his wife have three daughters attending elementary and high school in Lake Oswego. The Kovac girls are all musicians, athletes, and scholars, keeping their parents busy with their obligations to orchestras, pep bands, soccer teams, and school and dance teams.

Lars Bergstrom

Greenwood Village, CO

Lars Bergstrom is an accomplished trial attorney who has represented many clients as lead counsel in civil and criminal trials in state and federal courts in Colorado and Nebraska. He worked for many years and was a partner at one of Colorado's top insurance defense firms. He now uses his knowledge and experience working with insurance companies to help injury victims. Military service members and veterans occupy a special place in Mr. Bergstrom's heart. He spent 20 years on both active duty and in the reserves with the Army JAG Corps. He has represented hundreds of Service Members facing courts-martials and adverse administrative actions and has litigated military justice cases throughout the United States. He has lectured on many issues related to military justice. Lars enjoys hiking and skiing and spending time with his wife, two teenage boys, and his dog.

SCOTT R. HALL

Chicago, IL

Scott R. Hall joined the firm in 2022, concentrating his practice in insurance defense, coverage litigation, and medical malpractice defense. He has experience in probate, collections, guardianships, estate planning, insurance subrogation, family law, municipal law, creditor’s rights in bankruptcy, workers’ compensation, and employment law. He served as Managing Editor of the Law Review at Northern Illinois College of Law.

Lesley A. Cayton

Lexington, KY

Lesley Cayton joined the Gary C. Johnson team in 2024, bringing over a decade of experience in medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. She handles complex personal injury cases, including environmental exposure, medical malpractice, wrongful death, car accidents, and nursing home negligence. She graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2009 and magna cum laude from Transylvania University in 1995 with degrees in German and Anthropology. She is an active member of the Kentucky Justice Association and the American Association for Justice.