Kenneth R. Schuster, 47, of Kenneth R. Schuster & Associates, P.C. 334 W. Front Street, Media (610) 892-9200.

With a law degree from Temple University and 25 years of experience under his belt, Ken Schuster can say without a doubt that he loves his job. “I’m one of the few guys who actually enjoys getting up and going to work.” You may hear lawyers gripe about the profession, but he says, “I am extremely satisfied and fulfilled. I enjoy my clients. We enjoy winning.”

Specializing in serious personal injury matters, including workers compensation, automobile accidents and wrongful death, allows Schuster to charge on a contingency fee basis. Doing so allows him to help people he normally couldn’t reach due to their financial constraints, which makes his job even more fulfilling; he can, he says, “help people who are the most unlikely to get help.”

Schuster’s typical client is a steady worker who needs workers compensation due to injury on the job. “They come to us for some explanation of their rights or benefits,” he says. His clients range from nurses to union steel workers and sports figures to blue-collar workers. In all cases, Schuster’s goal is to “make sure everyone gets what they are entitled to, regardless of the size of the claim and whether they have the resources to pursue it or not.”

No matter the client or the case, Schuster prides himself on being responsive. “We realize that lawyers have a lot of cases, but clients only have one case,” he says. “We try to represent each client as if it were our only client.” That doesn’t mean Schuster will take every case presented to him. “We screen every single claim very carefully and try to handle cases where people really need our help,” he says. “We also try not to bog down the system with unnecessary claims. We turn down more cases than we take.”

His advice for anyone who is thinking about calling a personal injury attorney is to call sooner rather then later. “When an impasse is reached, call for a consultation,” he says. There are also “times when it is equally important to give us a call if you have a question or a thought. We can represent someone if they come to us in the 11th hour, but it’s always better to come in early and understand your rights.”

Schuster’s dedication to his profession is not limited to just his clients, but all injured people. In an age of lawyer bashing, consumer bashing and tort reform, he’s noticed changes that have severely curtailed the rights of injured individuals. “We are opponents of any sort of Draconian tort reform, and we are members of the American Trial Lawyers and Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers.” He says. “We spend a lot of time and resources making sure we fight to maintain and preserve the rights of people who are injured.”