With over 15 years of experience in the legal field, Rua Richardson has seamlessly transitioned from Paralegal to Director of Finance and Human Resources at Merkel & Conner. Her expertise in accounting has been invaluable in managing the intricacies of financial and human resource operations, enabling her to make a significant impact on the firm’s mission to support those in need.
Rua finds deep fulfillment in her work, knowing that her efforts directly benefit individuals who may lack a voice in the legal system.
Outside of her professional life, Rua is a devoted wife, a proud mother of two sons, and a loving grandmother.
In her free time, Rua enjoys reading, traveling, and exploring the outdoors, always eager to embrace new adventures and broaden her horizons.
Sonya plays an essential role in the operation of the firm. Sonya works in a variety of ways within our firm, all of which help to bring organization and direction to the day-to-day affairs. Her knowledge, compassionate nature, and strong interpersonal communication skills allow clients to feel at ease when dealing with difficult situations, and she goes above and beyond to meet each person’s individual needs. Sonya’s love for her family and friends, especially her husband and two children, can be seen in all that she does. Her dedication to strengthening both her personal and professional relationships makes Sonya an indispensable member of our team.
Samantha Ehrmantrout is a committed and compassionate legal professional with a strong drive to make a meaningful difference in clients’ lives. Within just one year, she advanced from Legal Assistant to Paralegal at Merkel & Conner, embracing every opportunity to grow and expand her expertise.
Outside of work, Samantha treasures time with her fiancé and their new baby girl. A football enthusiast and food lover, she enjoys creating lasting memories with family and friends, blending her passion for good company with her favorite pastimes.
Julie started law with Kevin W. Conner in the 1990s, working as a legal assistant/paralegal. Over the years, her role has evolved, and she now oversees the marketing and branding efforts for Merkel and Conner.
Julie takes great pride in cultivating relationships with people, including referral sources such as chiropractors, orthopedists, massage therapists, and business owners. She enjoys networking and has been a member of BNI and Toast Masters. However, what Julie enjoys most is interacting with clients, especially when she has the joy of hand-delivering a life-changing settlement check.
In her personal time, Julie loves to travel, learn, listen to audiobooks and podcasts, workout and spend quality time with her family. Julie’s love for travel and health care advocacy has brought her to over 15 countries where she was a speaker and business developer in the International Medical Tourism Industry. Regular travel continues to enrich her life and personal development. Julie has served on many community service and church boards, including League of Women Voters, Kids Voting USA, Legislative Committee for PTA, Parks & Recreation board, Volunteering with community food service organizations and serving her church as Director of Children’s Church, to name a few. Like Kevin, Julie also loves the development, discipline and training aspects of sports, however her path was dance and gymnastics where she also owned a studio/gym for 15 years and worked as a certified USGA (Gymnastics) coach.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
