Authors

Meet our team of trusted legal experts below that write all of our Law Library and Blog content. All of the LegalMatch writers have a law degree or significant experience in the legal industry.

  • Jose Rivera, J.D.
    Jose Rivera, J.D.Managing Editor

    Jose (Jay) is a Senior Staff writer and team Editor for LegalMatch. He has been with LegalMatch since March of 2010. He contributes to the law library section of the company website by writing on a wide range of legal topics. His articles aim to provide understandable, easy-to-read explanations for legal questions frequently raised by those with legal inquiries. Jose also contributes to LegalMatch's Law Blog, covering current events and developments in the legal field. He authored an e-book for LegalMatch entitled "Everything You Should Know About Hiring a Lawyer". Jose holds a J.D. from U.C. Davis School of Law and a B.A. in Sociology from U.C. Berkeley. He also has experience in general digital marketing, SEO, and content management. While not working, Jose enjoys listening to music and studying jazz guitar.

  • Ken joined LegalMatch in January 2002. Since arriving, Ken has worked with a wide assortment of talented lawyers, paralegals, and law students to grow LegalMatch's Law Library into a comprehensive source of legal information, written in a way that is accessible to everyone. Prior to joining LegalMatch, Ken practiced Law for four years in San Francisco, California, handling a wide range of cases in areas as diverse as Family Law (divorces, child custody and support, restraining orders, paternity), Real Estate (property ownership, landlord/tenant disputes for residential and commercial property), Criminal Law (misdemeanors, felonies, juvenile, traffic infractions), Personal Injury (automobile accidents, medical malpractice, slip and fall), Entertainment (recording contracts, copyright and trademark registration, licensing agreements), Employment Law (wage claims, discrimination, sexual harassment), Commercial Law and Contracts (breach of contract, drafting contracts), and San Francisco Bankruptcy (chapter 7 personal bankruptcies). Ken holds a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law, and a B.S. in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. He is admitted to practice law before the State Bar of California, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Ken is an active member of the American Bar Association, San Francisco Bar Association, and the California Lawyers for the Arts.

  • Jaclyn Wishnia
    Jaclyn WishniaAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Jaclyn started at LegalMatch in October 2019. Her role entails writing legal articles for the law library division, located on the LegalMatch website. Prior to joining LegalMatch, Jaclyn was a paralegal and freelance writer. After several years of working for both criminal defense and entertainment law firms, she enrolled in law school. While in law school, her law journal note was selected for first-round publishing, and can be found on various legal research databases. Jaclyn holds a J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, specializing in both intellectual property law and data law; and a B.A. from Fordham University, majoring in both Journalism and the Classics (Latin). You can learn more about Jaclyn here.

  • Daniel Lebovic
    Daniel LebovicAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Prior to joining LegalMatch, Daniel worked as a legal editor for a large HR Compliance firm, focusing on employer compliance in numerous areas of the law including workplace safety law, health care law, wage and hour law, and cybersecurity. Prior to that, Daniel served as a litigator for several small law firms, handling a diverse caseload that included cases in Real Estate Law (property ownership rights, residential landlord/tenant disputes, foreclosures), Employment Law (minimum wage and overtime claims, discrimination, workers’ compensation, labor-management relations), Construction Law, and Commercial Law (consumer protection law and contracts). Daniel holds a J.D. from the Emory University School of Law and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Cornell University. He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York and before the State Bar of Georgia. Daniel is also admitted to practice before the United States Courts of Appeals for both the 2nd and 11th Circuits. You can learn more about Daniel by checking out his Linkedin profile and his personal page.

  • Justine Mikaloff
    Justine MikaloffAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Justine is a licensed attorney and freelance writer from North Carolina. After law school, she served as a law clerk for the North Carolina Court of Appeals—an experience that she counts as one of the most rewarding of her career. When not at work, she reads voraciously, participates in fiction writing contests, and cheers for her local baseball team. She also keeps a blog where she discusses the intersection of technology, cybersecurity, and everyday life. To learn more about Justine’s professional career, check out her Linkedin page.

  • Travis Peeler
    Travis PeelerAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Travis earned his J.D. in 2017 from the University of Houston Law Center and his B.A. with honors from the University of Texas in 2014. Travis has written about numerous legal topics ranging from articles tracking every Supreme Court decision in Texas to the law of virtual reality. In his spare time off from the legal world and quest for knowledge, this 3rd degree black belt and certified instructor aspires to work with various charities geared towards bringing access to entertainment and gaming to all persons.

  • Jason Cheung
    Jason CheungAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Jason is an associate attorney with Kronenberg Law PC, where he serves as counsel for corporations and property owners. He previously advised clients in family law, probate and estates, and landlord-tenant law. Jason graduated from the University of San Francisco in 2015 and from the University of California, Berkeley in 2010. Read more about him on his Linkedin profile.

  • Kristen Johnson
    Kristen JohnsonAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Kristen received a B.A. in History from California State University - Northridge, and then moved to Michigan to study and graduate from Michigan State University College of Law. Kristen wrote on a wide variety of topics, from corporate law to constitutional issues. She also edited and trained writers who were a part of the Writing Team. To learn more about Kristen and her accomplishments, you can follow her at her Linkedin page.

  • Katie Hamblen
    Katie HamblenAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Katie practiced law for seven years, focusing in the fields of Education and Labor/Employment law. Her favorite part of the job was writing and editing, and she gradually transitioned to legal writing. She currently stays home with her children and works as a writer. When she isn't spending time with her family, or writing, you can usually find her reading. You can read more about her at her Linkedin page.

  • Krista Sheets
    Krista SheetsAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    In 2002 Krista received her Bachelor’s Degree from Penn State University, where she studied Psychology and Criminal Justice and graduated with distinction. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. In 2005 Krista earned her J.D. from the Temple University Beasley School of Law, where she was a member of the Environmental Law & Technology Journal. Krista is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and Washington. She has experience as a litigator, both in insurance defense and juvenile dependency cases. Krista also spent time volunteering for the U.S. Army JAG Corps Legal Assistance Office, where she counseled servicemembers and their families on a variety of legal matters. You can learn more about Krista by visiting her Linkedin page.

  • Kurt Zimmerman
    Kurt ZimmermanAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Kurt studied at the University of Colorado for undergraduate and the University of Denver for law school. He is admitted to practice law in Colorado, where he currently works and lives. Kurt focuses on business and financial regulation law. In his personal life he is an avid, but not particularly good, baker. To learn more about Kurt, check out his Linkedin profile.

  • Abigail Stark
    Abigail StarkAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Abby has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and supported men and women with developmental disabilities for over a decade before earning her Juris Doctorate in 2017. She still serves on the local committee responsible for reviewing the necessity of any rights restrictions imposed on individuals with developmental disabilities. Her favorite part of law school and practicing law is the research and writing. When not working, Abby loves being outside, spending time with family, watching documentaries, and cooking. You can learn more about her from her Linkedin profile.

  • Melanie Rumfelt
    Melanie RumfeltAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Melanie earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science from North Carolina Central University and graduated from the Charleston School of Law in 2018. Professionally, Melanie is focused on advancing her legal research and writing career, and, in addition to contributing to LegalMatch, she is a corporate document specialist in Greenville, South Carolina. During her free time, Melanie enjoys reading and gardening.

  • Jennifer Corbett
    Jennifer CorbettAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Jennifer joined LegalMatch in 2020 as a Legal Writer. She holds a J.D. from Cumberland School of Law and has been a member of the Alabama State Bar since 2012. She is a certified mediator and guardian ad litem. She holds a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice and a B.A. in Spanish, both from Auburn University. Jennifer’s favorite part of legal work is research and writing. Jennifer enjoyed being a Law Clerk for a distinguished Circuit Judge in Alabama. She is a stay-at-home mom and homeschool teacher of three children. She enjoys reading and long evening walks with her husband.

  • Susan Nerlinger
    Susan NerlingerAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Susan is a member of the State Bar of California. She received her J.D. degree in 1983 from the University of California, Hastings College of Law and practiced plaintiff’s personal injury law for 8 years in California. She also taught civil procedure in the Paralegal program at Santa Clara University. She then taught English as a foreign language for eight years in the Czech Republic. Most recently, she taught English as a second language for Montgomery County Public Schools in suburban Washington, D.C. Now she devotes her time to writing on legal and environmental topics. You can follow her on her LinkedIn page.

  • Ty McDuffey
    Ty McDuffeyAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Ty began working at LegalMatch in November 2021. Ty holds a Professional Writing Degree from Missouri State University with a minor in Economics. Ty received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in May of 2021. Before joining LegalMatch, Ty worked as a law clerk and freelance writer. Ty is a native of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, and currently resides in Kansas City.

  • Richard Rathke
    Richard RathkeAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Richard received his undergraduate degree in Spanish from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and later went on to receive his Juris Doctor (JD) from Thomas M. Cooley Law School where he was on the Dean’s List and received a Certificate in the Concentration of Litigation. Throughout Richard’s legal career, he has represented worker's compensation and personal injury clients. He has extensive experience writing on legal issues and creating legal content for websites, blogs, and social media.

  • Mariam Mahmood
    Mariam MahmoodAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Mariam earned her J.D. from Minnesota Law School in 2017. She joined LegalMatch in late 2019. Prior to Law School, she spent time assisting various federal legislative offices in the state of Minnesota. During law school, she explored topics in family law and government policy work. Currently, interning for the Maryland General Assembly and working on issues in the city of Baltimore. She is also a stay-at-home mother and loves spending time with her children. In her spare time, she enjoys sketching, painting, and trying new cuisine recipes.

  • Melissa Grant
    Melissa GrantAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Prior to joining LegalMatch, Melissa was a partner in a law firm in Minneapolis. She was a business litigator and she handled a diverse caseload that included contracts, manufacturing, partnerships and other business formations, and corporate disputes. As a volunteer lawyer she handled immigration, criminal and family law cases. Melissa loves to write - she always has a book project in the works.

  • Tyler Wilson
    Tyler WilsonAttorney & LegalMatch Legal Writer

    Tyler started at LegalMatch in 2023 as a content editor and proofreader and has now expanded into writing content for the company. In 2019, he graduated from Channel Islands University with a B.S. in Business Administration and a passion for writing. Prior to working at LegalMatch, he worked in sales as an Account Executive and Account Manager for various companies. Tyler is originally from Southern California and currently lives in Los Angeles. He enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.