Our Staff
Law Clerks
Brooke Ann Gruver, Law Clerk
Brooke Ann Gruver, a WVU College of Law graduate, has always been passionate about helping others and is dedicated to pursuing justice for our clients. Learn more about Brooke.
Matt DeVore, Law Clerk
Matt DeVore graduated from the University of Akron School of Law in 2014. He has ten years of experience in the legal profession and has previously worked for Legal Aid of West Virginia, the Fourth Circuit Public Defender Corporation, and a privately-owned employment law firm. Learn more about Matt.
Mackenzie Hill, Summer Law Clerk
Mackenzie Hill is a third-year law student at West Virginia University College at Law. She is an inaugural member of the 3+3 program through which she earned her Bachelor of Sciences in economics. Mackenzie is a native of Williamstown, WV. During law school, she is involved in many facets including advocating for veterans through the Veterans Advocacy Clinic. In her free time, Mackenzie enjoys skiing, reading, and watching F1 racing or sports.
Paralegals
Bob Swiger, Head Paralegal/Trainer
Paralegal Bob Swiger started his career in law after obtaining his Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies from West Virginia Business College in March 1996. He immediately went to work for James Wilson Douglas, L.C., an attorney focusing on family law located in Sutton, West Virginia, where he was a paralegal and office manager. Bob worked for Mr. Douglas until October 2005, when he went to work for Judge Robert Reed Sowa of the Family Courts of Upshur, Lewis and Braxton Counties as the Family Court Case Coordinator until December 2016. While working for the Family Courts, he was on the Board of Directors of the Tri-County Visitation Center. In January 2017, he went to work as a paralegal for Isner Law in Elkins, West Virginia. Finally, Bob came to work for Klie Law Offices in September 2020.
Bob is a native of Harrison County, West Virginia. In his spare time, he enjoys science fiction and fantasy, comedy, spending time with his family and making primitive furniture and crafts. Bob is married and has 3 children and 2 grandchildren.
Jennifer Maxwell, Senior Paralegal
Sr. Paralegal Jennifer Maxwell started her career in the legal field over 29 years ago as a legal assistant. A West Virginia native and huge animal lover, Jennifer and her husband reside in Masontown with their two rescued American Pitt Bull Terriers, Chela and LuLu, four horses, several kitties, and a chinchilla. Jennifer loves spending time with her family, especially her three nephews, and going for long ATV rides with friends. Most Sundays you can find Jennifer baking cakes, pies, or critiquing her homemade bread recipe.
Jennifer Davenport, Paralegal
Jennifer resides in Meigs County Ohio with her husband of 15 years and their five children. She has two boys and three girls ranging from 15 months to 20 years with her eldest a junior at West Liberty University. Most of her spare time is spent enjoying family activities. Her hobbies include watching her children compete in their sporting events and traveling to the different games and locations. She also enjoys trying new out of the normal restaurants with her husband. She has spent ten years working in the medical field, and recently completed her associate degree in criminal justice. She looks forward to the new chapter and experiences at Klie Law Office.
Lyndell Hamilton, Paralegal
Lyndell and her husband recently purchased a home in Western Maryland and live there with their two dogs. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s degree from Liberty University. She has enjoyed working in the legal field since finishing college. Lyndell and her husband love to travel and explore new places, but also love spending time at home by the pool with their dogs.
Marcus Huffman, Paralegal
Marcus is a former intern of Klie Law who now assumes a Paralegal position at the same firm that sparked his journey toward attending law school. He is a recent graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College with a B.S. in English, as well as with taking interests in history, biology, and legal studies along the way.
Marcus uses his free time to write, as his work has been published in a few literary and art journals dedicated to projecting Appalachian art. He has even served as a lead copyeditor for multiple publications and organizations while in college. When not at a desk writing, he can be found cooking in his kitchen, where he enjoys imitating the cuisine of great culinary minds, such as Thomas Keller.
Hannah Gallo, Paralegal
Hannah Gallo was born and raised in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. She loves to travel; Hannah spent two years living in Nottingham, England. And has visited The Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium. She moved to the U.S. in 2011 with her husband, Tony. They live in Clarksburg with their daughter, Mia, and four cats.
Before Klie Law Offices, Hannah spent nine years as the activities director in a senior living facility. When she is not working, Hannah loves to read, garden, cook, and listen to podcasts. A fan of many series – including Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones – Hannah is teaching herself Mandarin to further her understanding of Chinese Dramas and culture.
Ethan Herrick, Paralegal
Ethan Herrick is from New Martinsville, W. Va. He graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies in Law and Legal Studies, Criminology, and Philosophy. Ethan loves to take his dog Milo for hikes, listen to music, and read. He is eager to grow and open to new experiences and opportunities.
Heather Epperheart, Paralegal
Paralegal Heather Epperheart started her career in employment law after obtaining her Associate Degree in Legal Office Assisting from WVJC in March of 2021. She is a mother of three rambunctious boys and native of Southern West Virginia. She enjoys hiking, baseball, baking, and reading on rainy days. Heather’s passion is fighting for those who have suffered injustices, as Janna Cachola said, “No voice is too soft when that voice speaks for others.”
Legal Assistants
Tammy Adams, Legal Assistant/Reception
Tammy has lived in Meigs County, Ohio near the Ohio River for 26 years. She enjoys spending time with family, and having eight grandchildren keeps her very busy. She enjoys going on discovery walks with her grandkids and discovering lots of new things, whether it be a cool rock or stick. Once upon a time, Tammy drove a school bus, which kept her busy while raising five kids. Tammy treasures the time she has with her family.
Chase Blair, Legal Assistant/Reception
Chase Blair resides in Fairmont, West Virginia. He is pursuing an A.A. in paralegal studies at Pierpont Community and Technical College. Chase is a graduate of Calhoun County High School as a member of the Class of 2022. In his free time, he is either doing schoolwork, or spending time with family and friends on the golf course or outdoors. He always seems to find time to enjoy a movie and some coffee at the end of every day.
Lynn Lendabarker, Legal Assistant/File Clerk
Lynn Lendabarker has spent the majority of her career in libraries, “buried in the stacks.” She has spent her time making information available and accessible to anyone who was searching for it.
She is originally from the State of Maine, spent some time in the U.S. Navy, moved to Chicago for 30+ years to raise her two daughters, and has relocated to West Virginia because she fell in love with the state and its people.
She has three amazing grandchildren, two of whom are Mountaineers through and through. She currently lives in Burnsville with her husband Ray and her stubborn cat, Snoopy.
She is looking forward to waking up every day in her happy place in West Virginia!
Emily Hellems, Legal Assistant
Emily Hellems has lived in West Virginia her entire life. She studied Criminal Justice at Potomac State College, earning her Associate’s degree. Emily then went on to study Criminology at West Virginia University, earning her Bachelor’s degree. Emily joined Klie Law Offices team in July 2023.
She enjoys crocheting and spending time with her cat, Lilly. Emily also loves to spend time with her family and close friends. She loves live music, the color pink, and crystals!
Katie Benson, Legal Assistant
Katie was born and grew up in Parkersburg, West Virginia. She is excited to engage with work she is passionate about. Outside of work, she enjoys playing the piano and reading. With four younger siblings, she is very close with her family and loves to spend time camping, playing board games, and watching movies with them.
Christen Dole, Legal Assistant/Receptionist
Christen Dole relocated to Buckhannon with her two teenage sons Tj & Noah, after growing up in Baltimore, MD. She has spent her career providing administrative support for a variety of industries including construction and manufacturing. She is excited to embark on this new career supporting our team of legal professionals. She is a huge fan of true crime podcasts, watching the Baltimore Ravens play football, and a good ole’-fashioned belly laugh!
Autumn Stone, Legal Assistant
Autumn Stone is a 2024 graduate of Glenville State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration management. Autumn is a native of Clay County, WV, but resides in Harrison County, WV, with her dog (Chef), cat (Big Man), and partner. Autumn has always had a passion for the legal field since childhood and is excited for the opportunity to grow in the field. Her hobbies include reading, writing, and going on adventures.
Nicole Duncan, Legal Assistant
Nicole was born and raised in New York. She moved to West Virginia in 2020 to pursue her bachelor’s degree in criminology at WVU. Nicole is a first-generation student and is thrilled to finish her studies in December 2024. Nicole is the youngest of 4 sisters and grew up in a very family-oriented household. She has always been very passionate about the legal field, and the opportunity to help others puts a smile on her face. In Nicole’s free time, you can find her playing guitar, being outdoors, spending time with friends, or watching mystery/thriller movies.
Administrative Staff
Samantha Hanson, Operations Manager
Samantha Hanson has proudly worked for the Klie Law Offices team since 2015. She is a West Virginia native who resides in Buckhannon with her husband, Matthew, and their two cats. Samantha is a 2015 graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College and an alumna of Zeta Tau Alpha, for which she currently serves as treasurer. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing golf with her husband, being creative and eating donuts from the local Donut Shop.
Scott Buchanan, Marketing Operations Manager
Scott hails from New Jersey, but has made West Virginia his home for over 20 years. He’s a graduate from West Virginia Wesleyan College with majors in both theatre arts and communications. His love for technology and passion for storytelling has helped create conversations around local businesses and organizations for over 15 years.
He currently lives in Buckhannon with his wife and daughter, three ungrateful cats, and dozens of tropical fish. Scott’s downtime includes spending time with his family, streaming on Twitch and YouTube, playing video games, contributing to community theatre, and introducing the world of 3D printing to everyone he can.
Michelle Zickefoose, Client Services Manager
Michelle Zickefoose has lived in Buckhannon her entire life, and couldn’t imagine a better place to live. She has been with Klie Law Offices since 2016, and she enjoys helping each and every client who walks through the door.
When she’s not at work, you can find her hanging out with her husband and their two children, or reading a good book. She loves attending her children’s sporting events, shopping, and baking. She is also a huge animal lover and has several furry friends at home. She is coffee obsessed and is always listening to loud music.
Mary Ella Cogle, Regional Office Manager
Mary Ella Cogle, better known as Office Momma, thrives on taking care of everyone around her. She and her husband, Billy, reside in Camden, West Virginia where they raise beef cattle. Mary Ella finds joy in spending time with her children and grandchildren, Warren (wife Jennifer) and grandchildren Kenley Anne, Addie Mae, and Reid Thomas of Charles Town, WV; Samantha (husband Cole), of Lost Creek, WV, and Madison, currently in the class of 2026 at VA/MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, VA.
She enjoys volunteering with community organizations, crafting, and fun in the sun. She loves Jesus, her family and serving in any way that she can. She feels very fortunate to have found a “home” at Klie Law Offices and right here in the middle of this great state.
Kari Fordyce, Legal Intake Specialist
Kari Fordyce is a lifelong resident of Wood County. She recently joined our team after being a stay-at-home mom for several years. Kari is looking forward to interacting and helping every client in any way she can.
In her free time, you can find her wrangling her two children. Otherwise, she can be found in the kitchen cooking or baking a family favorite. Kari is always up for a family get together, a road trip or a good nap.
Iris Kolenich, Client Services Specialist
Iris began with Klie Law as an intern while attending West Virginia Wesleyan College, where she earned a degree in Communications and a minor in Musical Theatre. After graduating, Iris transitioned to our client service team where she embraces a traveling position—allowing her to meet with folks all over the state who need to be heard and someone to trust with a problem they are facing.
Serving is important to Iris, from our clients to the West Virginia National Guard as a Specialist. Most of her life has been spent in Buckhannon and she just recently moved to Clarksburg. Her favorites include trips to explore new places or hiking paths, attending events from drag racing to game nights, and most important of all, family and the time spent together.
Wendy Day, Billing Specialist
Wendy Day lives in Buckhannon, WV. She graduated from WVWC with a B.S. in Business Administration. The majority of her career has been in the oil and gas industry. She loves her dogs Elsa and Jack Jack. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her husband, read, and watch documentaries.
Nirmala Buldeo, Billing Specialist
Nirmala Buldeo is a Financial Management graduate from South Africa with over 15 years of work experience in the Corporate Financial sector. She likes motivating people and believes to grow we need to constantly challenge ourselves and adapt to change. Nirmala and her husband love spending time with their dog Coco, family, and friends. She also enjoys cooking and traveling; some of her favorite visits and good food include pastries in Paris, pasta and gelato in Rome, seafood in Venice, chocolates in Belgium, stroopwafel in Amsterdam, and chai latte in Dubai.
