330.493.8833
Sarah E. Reed
Esquire
As an associate with Layman Law Group, Ms. Reed assists our clients with a wide variety of corporate legal needs and transactions. She has significant experience in mergers & acquisitions, corporate law, business succession planning, and estate and trust planning. She regularly assists sellers and buyers in asset and equity acquisitions, buyouts, and redemptions with purchase prices ranging from $500,000 to $37,000,000 and plays an active role in advising clients through every stage of their transactions, from planning and negotiating letters of intent through post-closing transitions. Ms. Reed routinely handles business entity formations, including limited liability companies, corporations, partnerships, and charitable foundations, drafting sophisticated operating agreements, shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, and other governing documents to meet the unique needs of our clients. She is passionate about strategically helping our business clients identify and reduce their liability exposure by performing legal audits, compliance services, and business emergency plans. She negotiates and drafts non-disclosure agreements, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, finance and security agreements, employment agreements, and other business documents. In addition to her depth of experience in business law, Ms. Reed has a substantial background in trusts and estates which uniquely enables her to understand, integrate, and implement the business succession and estate planning wishes of our clients. Ms. Reed enjoys leading our firm’s Business Care Plan™ membership program, and is licensed to practice law in Ohio and Florida.
Ms. Reed earned her B.A. in History (cum laude) from Malone University, and her Juris Doctorate from The University of Akron School of Law. During law school, Ms. Reed served as an Assistant Editor and a Production Editor of the Akron Law Review. She received CALI Excellence for the Future awards in Professional Responsibility and Drafting for Estates. She served as a volunteer with Wills for Heroes and was a member of the Akron Law Federalist Society.
Ms. Reed is a member of the Stark County Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, and The Florida Bar.
Currently, Ms. Reed is serving as the President of the Board of Community Outreach of Love (C.O.O.L.) and is a prayer partner for Safe Harbor Ohio. She is a graduate of the Leadership Stark County Signature Program (27th Class) and the Leadership Stark County Spotlight Program. She is a member of Stanwood Community Church where she actively participates in music leadership, women’s ministry, and children’s ministry.
Ms. Reed is a past member of yStark!, Stark Community Foundation Trust & Estate Planning Committee, and Leadership Stark County Justice Day Committee. Ms. Reed formerly served as President of the Board of Orrville Community Chorus, Inc. She is a past board member of the Malone University Alumni Career Services Advisory Council and the Malone University Young Alumni Council. Ms. Reed is also a past member of the Rotary Club of Jackson Township, where she served as Club Liaison to the Jackson High School Interact Club.
Prior to joining Layman Law Group, Ms. Reed served as Corporate Counsel for a local corporation, and was previously an associate member of a mid-sized regional law firm in its Trusts & Estates and Business practice groups.
As a principal with Layman Law Group, LLC, Mr. Layman provides significant tax, asset protection, estate planning, business succession planning, corporate law, and trust and estate administration expertise to the firm’s clients. In addition to being admitted to practice law in Ohio and Florida, Mr. Layman maintains his CPA license in the State of Ohio.
Mr. Layman has been certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the Ohio State Bar Association. This certification makes Brian one of a small group of attorneys in Ohio to have earned this distinction. The Ohio State Bar Association has also appointed him to the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section Council (Chair), which consists of approximately 80 attorneys who study and make recommendations regarding legislation in this area of the law. Mr. Layman is a member of WealthCounsel, which is a national collaborative organization that provide cutting edge estate planning tools and techniques.
Mr. Layman has been selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America , has been designated a Super Lawyer, and has been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel. He also maintains an AV rating (very high to preeminent) in Martindale Hubbell. Mr. Layman earned his B.S. in Accounting, Master of Taxation and Juris Doctorate (summa cum laude) from the University of Akron. While attending law school, Mr. Layman served on Law Review as the Assistant Editor and as Editor in Chief of the Akron Tax Journal. Mr. Layman’s published article on Dynasty Trusts has been cited on multiple occasions by the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Joint Committee of Taxation.
Mr. Layman and four of his colleagues crafted a comprehensive asset protection bill for Ohio and was present with Governor Kasich when he signed the bill, the centerpiece of the legislation was Ohio’s version of a Domestic Asset Protection Trust known as a Legacy Trust. Mr. Layman co-authored, FOR OHIO DOCTORS: Shedding Light on Asset Protection, Tax and Estate Planning, the comprehensive resource for all of an Ohio physician’s wealth planning needs. Mr. Layman has published several articles, is a frequent speaker and is actively involved in professional and civic organizations. Mr. Layman is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, Florida State Bar Association and Stark County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Layman serves on the Stark County Bar Association Probate (co-Chair) and Elder Law Committees, the Stark Community Foundation Trust and Estate Planning Committee (Chair), the University of Akron Foundation, Planned Giving Committee and Akron Children’s Hospital Ambassador Committee. Mr. Layman is a Director of The Aultman Foundation (Chair), The Aultman Health Foundation, University of Akron Foundation.
Laura is a dependable paralegal who provides our attorneys with assistance in probate estates and trust administration. Her organizational skills enable her to work alongside our attorneys handling pleadings, maintaining deadlines, and making sure our clients are updated and feel comfortable from beginning to end. She is dedicated to making sure communications with our office, the clients, and the courts go smoothly so deadlines can be met and everyone is on the same page. Laura is a graduate of The Ohio State University with 15 years of experience in this field.
Laura E. Golias
Probate Paralegal
As an associate with Layman Law Group, Ms. Evans focuses her practice primarily on estate, trust, succession, and special needs planning, along with estate and trust administration. She also represents individuals, small businesses and business owners in matters related to business and commercial law, as well as real estate matters.
Ms. Evans is a member of the Akron Bar Association and the Ohio State Bar Association. She is an active member of the Akron Bar Associations’ Estate Planning, Probate, and Elder Law Section. She has been licensed to practice law in Ohio since 2010.
Ms. Evans earned her B.A. in English with an emphasis in writing from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She earned her Juris Doctorate from The University of Akron School of Law. While at Akron, she served as an Assistant Editor for the Akron Law Review from 2008-2009 and as its Symposium Editor from 2009-2010. Throughout law school, she was a member of the international legal honor society Phi Delta Phi and served as its Vice President from 2009-2010. She was the Academic Success Program Assistant for Professor Reilly’s Torts classes from 2009-2010.
Prior to joining Layman Law Group, Ms. Evans worked in a small general practice firm in Akron, Ohio in the areas of estate and special needs planning, probate and trust administration, real estate, small business law, and personal injury matters.
Whitney works with our clients to confirm and generate their estate planning documents that were designed during meetings between the client and our attorneys. After the estate plan is in place, Whitney works with clients and their advisors and financial institutions to fund their trust. For our LifePlan Members, Whitney prepares the clients’ estate plan reviews each year. Whitney also handles the back office administration.
Jacqueline C. Mahland
Attorney
As an associate attorney, Ms. Mahland focuses her practice on probate and trust administration and real estate law. She has extensive experience assisting clients when a loved one has passed away and brings her compassion to each matter she handles.
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Ms. Mahland received her Bachelor’s in English from Washington & Jefferson College, with Honors, in 2010. She attended the University of Akron School of Law and graduated in 2015. After law school, she joined another small firm where she gained valuable experience assisting clients with estate planning, small business, and real estate matters.
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Ms. Mahland is a member of both the Ohio State Bar Association and the Akron Bar Association. She has served as the Chair of the Estate Planning, Probate, and Elder Law Committee and remains actively involved in the Akron Bar Association. She has also served as an instructor of continuing legal education courses with the Akron Bar Association as well as the National Business Institutes.
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Outside of work, Ms. Mahland enjoys volunteering with a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation facility where she also serves as a member of the board of directors.
Katrina works almost exclusively with our LifePlan Membership clients to confirm and transfer their real estate and business interests to their trusts or make the proper designations to avoid probate. Katrina works closely with our attorney to review and prepare documents to transfer interests in Ohio and Florida real estate, corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies. She also assists in maintaining company records books and preparing minutes and resolutions of owners and directors.
Jill recently joined the team at Layman Law Group as a “Jill of all trades,” assisting staff and clients with a wide range of tasks. Jill often accepts calls from new or existing clients who wish to schedule appointments and prides herself on being friendly and helpful. Jill can also be found organizing documents and maintaining the file system so each client’s documents are easily located.
Jill Kendrick
Client Services Representative
Neysa is the newest member of our team. She is in charge of scheduling appointments, maintain and update attorney calendars. Neysa greets clients and visitors professionally, determining the nature and purpose of visit. She can also be found maintaining client files, scanning documents and preparing Ohio deeds.