Press Release

Dinsmore & Shohl LLP is pleased to announce Andrew Barras, Nicole Daniel, Sean Garin, Stephen Mattingly, Craig Neiheisel and Daniel Zinsmaster have been elected to partnership effective Jan. 1. Alicia Bond-Lewis has been named partner of counsel. 

“It’s inspiring to see each of these attorneys advance in the profession and achieve this accomplishment,” said Managing Partner and Chairman George Vincent. “They share Dinsmore’s focus on client service and have a passion for the practice of law, and I know I speak for everyone in the firm when I say I am proud to welcome them to the partnership.”

Partners:

Andrew Barras – Cincinnati

A litigator with extensive courtroom experience, Barras represents a wide variety of clients, including public and private companies, county governments and municipalities, small businesses and individuals. He has counseled clients in matters regarding contract disputes, fraud, defamation, products liability, securities and white collar criminal defense. He has also handled cases involving antitrust, intellectual property, corporate governance and securities.

Outside of his practice, Barras advises law students in national trial advocacy competitions as an instructor at the University of Cincinnati School of Law. He received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law.

Nicole Daniel – Chicago

Daniel’s practice includes a hybrid of litigation and transactional real estate. Her diverse client roster, which include developers, financial institutions, title insurers, landlords, tenants, corporations and investors, is a testament to her knowledge base and ability to handle a wide range of legal matters. She also has experience representing both start-ups and established businesses on all aspects of growth and development, including corporate formation strategy, negotiating commercial leases and acquisitions and divestures.

Daniel’s practice covers all aspects of litigation, including drafting motions and managing discovery, building strategies for judicial hearings and preparing for trials and negotiating settlements. Corporations, lenders and home owners turn to Daniel when defending and prosecuting breach of contract and fraud claims, lien priority disputes, chain of title issues, mortgage fraud, fraudulent conveyances, easement rights and foreclosures. She earned her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Sean Garin – Pittsburgh

Garin is a member of the Public Finance practice group and Finance department. His experience includes representing governmental entities, underwriters, banks and  501(c)(3)s in tax-exempt financing projects including water and wastewater systems, courthouses, schools, solid waste disposal facilities, municipal buildings and economic development ventures.

Garin received his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law.

Stephen Mattingly – Louisville

Mattingly is a member of the Litigation department and focuses his practice on commercial litigation and tort matters, with an emphasis on trial practice.  His litigation experience includes commercial disputes, intellectual property litigation, wage and hour litigation, and the defense of complex personal injury and health care negligence cases. 

Mattingly has appellate experience before the Kentucky Court of Appeals, the Kentucky Supreme Court and the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. He earned his J.D. from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law.

Craig Neiheisel – Cincinnati

Neiheisel is a member of the Intellectual Property department, concentrating his practice on U.S. and international patent preparation and prosecution, freedom-to-operate studies, and counseling for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies.

He has drafted patent applications spanning a wide array of electrical, computer, software and mechanical technologies, with a particular emphasis on automotive, control system, artificial intelligence and robotic technologies.  He routinely conducts patentability, validity, infringement and freedom-to-operate studies, and has experience rendering opinions resulting from such studies. Neiheisel earned his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Daniel Zinsmaster – Columbus

Zinsmaster focuses his practice in the health care arena, representing clients in administrative and disciplinary proceedings, as well as regulatory investigations and compliance. Prior to joining Dinsmore, he practiced for nearly seven years with the State Medical Board of Ohio, advising Board members and agency personnel on issues related to the Medical Practices Act of Ohio, Chapter 119 Administrative Procedures, and federal rules and regulations implicating the area of health care. Zinsmaster currently counsels hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices and other providers through internal compliance reviews, government audits/investigations, voluntary disclosures and settlement negotiations with state and federal government agencies.

Zinsmaster received his J.D. from Capital University Law School, during which time he clerked at the Legal Office of the Ohio Governor and the Business and Regulations Division of the Columbus City Attorney’s Office.

Partner of Counsel:

Alicia Bond-Lewis – Cincinnati

A member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice group, Bond-Lewis regularly defends banks, mortgage lenders, loan servicers and other financial institutions in federal and state courts throughout the United States. She is knowledgeable in matters involving trusts and fiduciaries, the Uniform Commercial Code, and federal and state consumer protection laws.

Bond-Lewis is a co-chair of Dinsmore’s minority attorney affinity group as well as a member of the recruiting committee. She is also active in the Cincinnati community, serving on the boards of the Federal Bar Association (Greater Cincinnati/N. Kentucky Chapter), YWCA of Greater Cincinnati and Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. She earned her J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.