CMBA Law and The Land

We all know Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Deena R. Calabrese as an experienced judge with a background as a prosecuto r.   We know CMBA Past President Ian Friedman as a renowned criminal defense attorney. But did you know they are close friends? For starters, Judge Calabrese officiated for Ian's wedding, but they go back much farther, and share more than you know! Join us this w...

The Legal Aid Society of Greater Cleveland and the CMBA have a long history together. This week's My BarStory podcast features Legal Aid Director of Development & Communications Melanie Shakarian , and Josh Rovenger, Senior Attorney with Legal Aid. You can listen to why both of them believe being active in the Bar is so important and some personal stories to prove it. These two friends an...

To say that Lee Fisher needs no introduction is obvious. From serving as Ohio’s Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor to making our community stronger as a leader in local non-profits, Lee Fisher truly does have a living legacy of service. Now, as Dean of the Cleveland State University College of Law, he sits down with CMBA CEO Becky Ruppert McMahon for this special edition of My BarStory.

The CMBA, with funding from the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, changes lives with our legal and educational programs. Xavier Thomas-Hughes is a perfect example of a young man who experienced the value of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Summer Legal Academy, the Louis Stokes Scholars, and the support and mentorship that is unique to our Bar. Xavier tells us how he grew from Cleveland Schools stud...

Alan Kopit has an amazing career, as a long-time partner with Hahn Loeser & Parks LLC, as a White House Fellow, and as a TV lawyer on the Today Show. In this special edition of My BarStory, CMBA Director of Donor and Member Engagement Mary Groth digs deep into Alan’s fascinating history.

Alex Gertsburg , Managing Partner at Gertsburg Licata, and Frank Gallucci , Principal at Plevin & Gallucci, have known each other since law school at Cleveland State University. In this week's My BarStory , two long-time friends and colleagues share their very different stories of a life in the law.

We have a very special edition of the My BarStory podcast this week. We had the pleasure of hosting one of the CMBA's favorite couples, Bart and Kim Bixenstine. We love their story of meeting in law school, building separate careers, then practicing together with their own mediation and arbitration firm. It's a great conversation between two exceptional lawyers who are also Bar stalwarts...

David Weiner's life in the law has been an adventure. In our latest My BarStory, CMBA CEO Becky Ruppert McMahon talks with her friend about going from Georgetown Law, to power-clerking in Washington DC, to landing here in Cleveland at Hahn Loeser and Parks. They also talk about the importance of teaching, and the power of volunteering. 

The topic is Women Advancing to Bar Leadership , and telling this week's My BarStory are two voices from the bench: Shaker Heights Municipal Court Judge Anne Walton Keller, and 11th District Court of Appeals Judge Mary Jane Trapp. Both of these successful women credit the CMBA and the CCBA for their growth as leaders. They also talk about their shared friendship and memories of the late Judge...

Don't miss this insightful conversation with two lawyers from Dooley Gimbala McLaughlin Pecora. Director Russell T. McLaughlin and Senior Counsel Michael J. Loughman have each been practicing law for nearly 50 years! With that kind of legacy, their stories about changes to the industry and the Bar make for a fascinating My BarStory. Listen to hear how Cleveland lawyers were a much smaller gro...

Tucker Ellis Trial Department Chair Karl Bekeny and Calfee Partner K. James Sullivan often practice from "opposites sides of the V." Karl has represented insurance companies in court, while James represents policyholders. How did these two lawyers find common ground? Hint: The initials are CMBA! In this latest My BarStory, hear how Bar mentors changed their careers.

Faith and perseverance are the themes of this week’s My BarStory.  Magistrate Khalilah Lawson from the Cleveland Municipal Court, and Ashley Jones from Ashley Jones Law share those values. Each of them is the first in their family to attend college, and both of them know the power of “grit” in achieving success. They also share a passion for the C-M-B-A in bringing people together to serve our com...

We just wrapped up an amazing My BarStory podcast recording session with Eighth District Court of Appeals Judge Emanuella D. Groves and Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Lauren C. Moore. It's hosted by CMBA's Community and Pro Bono Events Specialist Chavone Nash , who says "it's a talk about the intersectionality of being a Black woman in Law and being a Judge, and being a Mom.”...

Our Bar is full of distinguished lawyers with amazing stories. But no one tells us a story like Cuyahoga County Bar Association Past President Jay Milano. In this special edition of My BarStory, Jay talks about why service to several local Bars has been a lifetime highlight. He also takes us on a journey through his career, with stories of Snoop Dog, having his life threatened in a courtroom, and...

Modern lawyers face challenges like Covid, but imagine a time when as many as 70 percent of lawyers were out of work, or overseas fighting in World War II. The war had a tremendous impact on lawyers and the legal profession. CMBA Community and Pro Bono Specialist Chavone Nash talks with Harold "Herk" Rauzi, author of our Legacy150 history article in the March 2023 Bar Journal. Herk also...

The 3Rs Program, teaching Rights, Responsibilities and Realities to students in Cleveland and East Cleveland schools, has been changing lives since 2006. In this episode of My BarStory, some of the founders of the 3Rs talk about the early days, and how they have touched more than 40,000 students since the program was founded. CMBA and CMBF Past President Hugh McKay was there was our leader, and he...

Our newest My BarStory podcast features CMBF Past President Lee Ann O'Brien, and former CMBF Director Rosanne Aumiller.  Both CMBA Business Affiliate Members leveraged their business experiences and legal connections when taking on leadership roles with the Foundation. Hear them talk about the rewards of affiliate membership and a whole lot more!

The Stokes Scholars program is a prime example of a CMBA program that is changing lives. CMBA and CMBF Past President Carter Strang introduces us to two Stoke Scholars alumni who are now leading the program toward an even more successful future.  Brandon Brown is an associate at Calfee, Halter & Griswold, LLP, who inspired Carter to create the Stokes Scholars.  Jzinae Jackson is an attorney at...

As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of our Bar in 2023, we continue to look for ways to serve those who need legal help now and in the future. The Cleveland Legal Collaborative's goal is to provide high-quality, affordable legal services for those who have limited financial resources. Join CMBA Past President and dedicated volunteer Rick Manoloff, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland Executive Di...

To dream the impossible dream To fight the unbeatable foe To bear with unbearable sorrow To run where the brave dare not go Those lyrics inspired one of Cleveland's most successful careers in litigation. Steven S. Kaufman has an amazing track record of delivering for his clients, including Hillary Clinton, the City of Cleveland, and his friend Lee Fisher. Dean Lee Fisher of the Cleveland Stat...

CMBF Fellows Rose Marie Fiore and Robin Wilson first met as opposing counsel, and developed a mutual respect and admiration. In celebration of our 150th anniversary in 2023, these accomplished attorneys talk about building confidence in their early careers, about their proudest moments as lawyers, and say some really nice things about CMBA! For more on Legacy 150, visit clemetrobar.org/legacy150. 

Marvin A. Sicherman is an icon in Cleveland's legal community, and an influential bankruptcy attorney who argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, and who created the financial and legal term "negative equity." At 88 years old, he is still licensed to practice law. Marvin tells stories of his law practice and the earliest days of  the bankruptcy court. His legacy of giving conti...

In March of 1873, Sherlock J. Andrews became the first president of the Cleveland Bar Association, which later joined with the County Bar to become your CMBA. Andrews was a leader in every sense of the word. He served as Congressman, Cleveland City Council President and a founder of Trinity Cathedral. Andrews was a staunch activist throughout his career, working to abolish slavery. Warren Rosman i...

30 years on the bench for the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals and a lifetime of mentorship that has touched countless lives: that is only part of the Living Legacy of retired Judge Patricia Ann Blackmon . Join CMBA CEO Becky Ruppert McMahon as she hears Judge Blackmon's story, from growing up in what she calls the "Jim Crow South" in Mississippi, to raising enough money for a...

Pioneers blaze a trail for others to follow. There is no doubt that Tucker Ellis Partners Irene Keyse-Walker and Rita Maimbourg opened new roles for women in the wild world of 1980's Cleveland law firms. Their stories of dress codes for women and separate dining rooms seem shocking today, but the two lawyers formed a bond and pushed forward. Today, they are optimistic about the future of wome...