My Professional Background

I am a long-time resident of the Hilliard/Dublin, Ohio area, having graduated from Hilliard High School in 1970. I received my B.A. Degree, Summa Cum Laude, from The Ohio State University in 1974, and my J.D. Degree, Cum Laude, also from The Ohio State University, in 1977. From 1977 to 1984, I was associated with a well- known and established law firm, located in downtown Columbus, which handled diverse and often high profile cases. In 1984, I established my own law office, practicing in the areas of family law, probate/estate planning, and franchise law. I have been listed in the Best Lawyers in America since 1995. Best Lawyers ratings are based on lawyers evaluations of my legal ability and ethics. I was also included in the November, 2003 issue of Columbus Monthly Magazine in an article on the Top Lawyers in Columbus, as I was in 1997 when the Columbus Monthly did a similar article. Every year for the past eleven years, I have been named an Ohio “Super Lawyer” , which is a listing of the top 5% of attorneys in Ohio as voted by attorneys in Ohio. Since 1999, I have been AV© Preeminent ™ Peer Rated by Martindaale-Hubbell©, which is the highest rating available for legal ability and ethics. Effective January 1, 2006, I am certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a Specialist in Family Relations Law.
I was one of the founding members of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Central Ohio which is now known as Central Ohio Academy of Collaborative Divorce Professionals. I am also currently a member of the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. I am also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Columbus Bar Association. I previously served on the Columbus Bar’s Board of Governors, as well as on numerous committees that include the Long Range Planning Committee, Admissions Committee, Professional Ethics & Grievance Committee, and Family Law. I currently serve on the Columbus Bar Association’s Fee Arbitration Committee which resolves fee disputes between attorneys and clients without resorting to the courts. I also have served as a Trustee of the Columbus Bar Foundation.

While an undergraduate at Ohio State, I received the Phi Beta Kappa Scholarship for my senior year. Honors and awards during law school included membership on The Ohio State Law Journal, The Joseph M. Harter Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy and the American Jurisprudence Award for Estate Planning as well as membership on the American Bar Association Law School Accreditation Review Committee. Following law school, I was Secretary, President-Elect and President of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law Alumni Association and also a member of the National Council of the law school. I am also a graduate of the Columbus Area Leadership Program.

Certified Legal Specialties

• Specialist in Family Relations Law, Ohio State Bar Association, 2006 – Present

Bar Admissions

• Ohio, 1977
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio, 1978
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1987

Education

• The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Columbus, Ohio
  • J.D. – 1977
• Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
  • B.A. – 1974
  • Major: Political Science