I graduated from Case Western Reserve University Law School and became a lawyer because I like to solve problems and I like people. The relationships with my clients are built through hours of listening and working together. That is what makes my job worthwhile. It is a great thrill when I get to tell clients that we’ve won a case and that they will be able to rebuild or improve their lives as a result of our hard work together.
“The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Inspiration in my life:
My parents.
When I’m not helping clients:
You can find me coaching, watching and spending time with my four children.
My advice for young professionals:
Do work for which you have true passion.
I like giving back because:
What is life really about if you’re not giving back to the world you live in?
The teams I love:
Browns, Cavs, Guardians, Buckeyes
Community Involvement
- Erie County Central Committee, Democratic Party, vice-chair
- Erie County Bar Association, Board of Trustees member
- Huron Baseball and Softball programs, board member
- Youth baseball and basketball, coach
- Erie County Community Foundation, board member
Areas of Practice
- Plaintiff's trial practice
- Personal injury
- Wrongful death actions
- Employment discrimination
- Insurance bad faith
- Breach of contract
- FELA (Federal Employer Liability Act)
- Criminal defense
Bar Admissions
- Ohio, 1997
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1998
Education
- Case Western Reserve University Law School, Cleveland, Ohio, 1997
- Boston College, 1994
Honors & Awards
- Selected for inclusion in the Ohio Super Lawyers® list, 2016 – 2022
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Erie County Bar Association, Board of Trustees member
- Ohio State Bar Association, member
- Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, member
- Erie County Central Committee, Democratic Party, vice-chair
- Advocates for Basic Legal Equality/Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Board of Trustees member; vice president 2011 – 2014
Representative Cases
- Turner v. Cathedral Ministries, 2015-Ohio-633 (6th App. Dist.)
- Thom v. Perkins Twp., 2012 Ohio App. Lexis 1377 (6th App. Dist.)
- Elevators Mutual Insurance Company v. J. Patrick O'Flaherty's, Inc., 125 Ohio St.3d 362, 2010-Ohio-1043 (Ohio 2010)
- Safeco Ins. Co. of Amer. v. White, 122 Ohio St.3d 562, 2009-Ohio-3718 (Ohio 2009)
- Henney v. Shelby City School District, 2006 Ohio App. Lexis 1251 (5th App. Dist.)
Publications
