capital law 2014

A P U B L I C A T I O N O F C A P I T A L U N I V E R S I T Y L A W S C H O O L

SPRING 2014

TheCapitalUniversity

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Oh, the places you’ll go!

Oh, the places you’ll go!

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Features

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The Capital University Lawyer

Awards and HonorsThe 2014 Alumni Award Recipients

Students’ JourneysStudents look back on three years of law school

A Privilege and an HonorDean Rich Simpson reflects on his upcoming retirement and the Law School’s future

Recognizing Support Columbus City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. receives the 2014 David D. White Award

Opportunities New concentration and Midwest Center for Energy Law and Policy position Capital at vanguard of dynamic legal trend

14 Innovative FacultyCapital’s faculty goes beyond teaching legal theory with creative approaches to education

12 Alumni InvolvementJohn Chester’s support helps Capital acquire a second moot courtroom

By the NumbersCapital’s alumni, state by state

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Practical ExperienceExternship experiences open student Ryan Stillion’s eyes to professional opportunities in health care

24 For the RecordAlumni achievements and accolades

4 Lawyers and LeadersFive alums from the past decade discuss the diverse opportunities afforded by a legal education

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From the Dean

If there is a theme running through this edition of The Capital University Lawyer, it’s that we are focused on the future. It’s only fitting that this

column is dedicated to that topic, too.

After four years as dean of the Law School, I will be retiring in June. Having previously worked in private practice for more than three decades, I can honestly say the last four years have included some of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career.

I have fallen in love with Capital University Law School. I love its mission.

I love the commitment of the faculty, staff, students and alumni. I love mentoring the students, both as dean and as a teacher. And I have loved interacting with the alumni in Central Ohio and around the country.

I will remain one of the loudest cheerleaders for the school. I will continue

to teach from time to time and will remain involved with the CapLaw community.

But after much soul-searching, my wife and I have decided there are many other things we want to do. Many of them are fam-ily related, including spending time with our six grandchildren. We also will both continue to be involved in the community.

While the Law School has accomplished a lot in the past four years, the job is far from finished. The hardest part about my decision to retire is that there is so much more to achieve here. However, I have come to realize an important truth: You can’t base a retirement decision on when the job is finished, because the job is never finished. There is always something else to be accomplished. Eventually, you must pick a time that is right for you and your family.

So, that’s what’s in store for me. What about Capital’s future?

Professor Rachel Janutis, who has served as the Law School’s associate dean since 2010, will serve as interim dean (and the school’s first female dean) while the university performs a nationwide search for a perma-nent replacement. Associate Dean Janutis is highly regarded by our students, faculty and administration for her work as both a future-focused teacher and an administrator. She is well-versed in the challenges and opportuni-ties facing legal education, and has always been one of Capital University Law School’s strongest advocates.

I see this great institution thriving. It will continue to be a superb regional law school and a leader in terms of providing practical legal education. It will continue to produce lawyers and leaders who change the world.

Serving as dean has been an honor and a privilege. I could not have asked for a more rewarding capstone for my career.

Rich Simpson, Dean

“I see this great institution

thriving. It will continue to

be a superb regional law

school and a leader in terms

of providing practical legal

education. It will continue to

produce lawyers and leaders

who change the world.”


LAWYERS AND LEADERS

Lindsay Ford Ellis, L‘07Some students come to Capital dreaming

that their education will take them places. For Lindsay Ford Ellis, Class of 2007, her legal education helps ensure thousands of other people reach their destinations every day. She currently serves as associate counsel for the Central Ohio Transit Authority.

Ellis came to law school with no firm idea about where she wanted her professional career to take her, but she knew Capital would open doors for her.

“I think Capital does a great job of preparing students for the practice of law and especially for all the writing that I do every day. My legal drafting, general practice, and electronic legal research classes were some of the best classes for teaching me how to research and write in the ‘real’ world. I had Professor (Jacqueline) Orlando for Legal Research and Writing. At the time, it was the toughest class I had,” Ellis said.

Writing was critical in her first job at Crabbe, Brown & James LLP, as well as during her next big opportunity as a judicial attorney for Ohio Supreme Court Chief Jus-tice Maureen O’Connor. It remains a vital skill in her current job with Central Ohio’s mass transit system.

“Now I am able to understand the importance of the Legal Research and Writing class and why it should be one of the most difficult courses in law school,” Ellis said.

That does not mean her education ended at graduation.

“The biggest lesson I have learned since I graduated has been the importance of having mentors and building relationships,” Ellis said. “Throughout my career, I have been privileged to work with very smart lawyers who invested in me and took me under their wings. I would not be where I am without their mentorship and guidance.”

Ellis maintains an active relationship with the Law School to this day, includ-

Oh, the places you’ll go!Graduates from the past decade reflect on diversity offered by a legal education

One hallmark of a legal education is the diversity of career op-

portunities it offers. From traditional routes such as private

practitioner and in-house counsel to alternative routes in

compliance and consulting, the number of ways Capital University

Law School’s alumni apply their degrees is inspiring. In this edition

of The Capital University Lawyer, we explore that diversity with five

alumni who graduated and started their careers in the past decade.

“I believe it is important for alums to be active and visible at the Law

School because students need to know we are part of their network and support system.

Capital is only as successful as its alums. If we do not give back financially, the Law

School cannot succeed and remain viable.”

– Lindsay Ford Ellis

ing serving as President of the African American Law Alumni Association and as a member of the Alumni Association Board.

“What differentiates the Capital experience from other law schools is the collegiality,” Ellis said. “Although law school is a competitive environment, Capital encourages collegiality among students.”

Matt Warnock, L’07As an attorney in Bricker & Eckler LLC’s

Energy and Public Utilities Group and co-chair of the firm’s Shale Task Force, Matt


Lindsay Ford Ellis, L’07


“Many of the faculty members are or were practicing lawyers. That allows them to incorporate real-world

situations into what is often a theoretical education. In addition to providing me with the fundamental skills necessary to practice law, Capital made sure that my

peers and I were prepared to succeed on the bar exam.” – Matt Warnock

Warnock is at the vanguard of some of the most rapidly evolving legal issues today.

“When I graduated from law school in 2007, I had no idea where my career would take me,” Warnock said. “If you had asked me what area I would be practicing in five to seven years after graduation, I’m sure energy – and oil and gas – wouldn’t have even been on the list.”

With the advent of hydraulic fracturing and other developments in energy law, Warnock is at the forefront of these evolv-ing issues. He even helped the Law School develop its new Midwest Center for Energy Law and Policy and serves as an adjunct for Capital’s new course in oil and gas law. (See story on Page 18.)

The key, he said, is not to know with certainty where your career will take you, but to be able to recognize and take advantage of unique opportunities along the way.

Matt Warnock, L’07

“My timing proved to be fortuitous, as the oil and gas boom in Appalachia was just starting to explode when I entered my fourth year of practice,” Warnock said. “Having the opportunities to learn a new area of law, experience the art of business development, and grow a practice from the ground up were once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”

He credits his Capital experience for preparing him for these opportunities.

“Capital provides a very practical education for its law students, which is due in large part to faculty members who truly care about the success of their students both in law school and in their careers.”

Even in a tight job market, people considering law school can benefit from the fact that a legal education has incredibly diverse potential applications.

“Going to law school does not mean that you have to be a practicing attorney,” Warnock said. “Obtaining a J.D. opens a lot of doors professionally and can be used in a similar manner to an MBA.”

Daphne SaneholtzWhen Daphne Saneholtz was in law

school, she knew she did not want to practice law in the traditional sense. She certainly never anticipated working for such a large and well-established firm as

Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP after graduating in 2005.

But Saneholtz said she loves the job she landed at Vorys Health Care Advisors, a subsidiary of the law firm.

“The biggest challenge I faced (at Capital) was a lack of career resources for a law student seeking a nontraditional legal career,” she said. “I was lucky to stumble into an initial career doing lobbying and public policy work for a large hospital, and that set me on the path to my current career. But when I actually sought career advice upon completion of law school, no one really knew what to do with me because I didn’t want to practice law.”

That shortcoming has since been addressed, she said, and today Capital is doing a great job of preparing students for the changing legal profession and offering them perspectives from nontraditional law graduates.

“While Capital prepared me to be a critical and analytical thinker, that’s mostly true at law schools across the country,” Saneholtz said. “What was unique about

Daphne Saneholtz, L’05

”The students who attend Capital Law are driven, determined and creative problem solvers, so the

opportunity to succeed is in part because of those characteristics. That, coupled with Capital’s proximity

to state government, trade associations and service industries – and its location in the heart of downtown Columbus – gives it an edge over other law schools. This provides opportunities for students to explore

externships in different and interesting settings that will set them apart from their counterparts in other schools.”

– Daphne Saneholtz


Capital was that the environment – the professors and my classmates – made me a more well-rounded individual. It’s amazing how easy it is to find a path, both professionally and civically, when you’re surrounded by people who are excelling in so many different arenas.”

David Barthel, L’05For Class of 2005 graduate David

Barthel, the path to a successful career in private practice has roots on Broad Street in downtown Columbus and in federal judicial clerkships he obtained after graduating.

“Federal clerkship opportunities are difficult to obtain in that hundreds of applicants compete for each one,” said Barthel, whose work at Carpenter Lipps and Leland LLP focuses on complex business litigation. “Capital’s small classroom environment allowed me to build relationships with professors and attorneys in the Columbus area who were able to provide strong recommendations. In addition, Capital’s singular focus on the fundamentals of legal research and writing – and the skills required to become a successful legal practitioner – was very attractive to judges.”

Those federal clerkships became the bridge between Barthel’s legal education and his entry into private practice.

“In today’s competitive world, a successful lawyer is one who is self-reliant,

entrepreneurial, and driven,” Barthel said. “These qualities, in combination with a Capital University Law School education, increase the opportunities available to you.”

Barthel said one of Capital’s strengths continues to be its unique and dynamic student body, which includes recent college graduates, seasoned professionals from diverse careers, and both full-time and part-time students.

“This provides a rich law school education as well as excellent networking opportunities with students who already have strong connections within the community,” he said.

Kristen E. Chek, L’06Before she graduated from Capital

University Law School in 2006, Kristen Chek would never have imagined where her J.D. would take her.

“I envisioned working in a traditional firm, wearing a suit and going to the courthouse a couple times a week,” said Chek, who works as General Counsel for Columbus-based Ohio Mulch Supply Inc. “Little did I know that the legal profession is nowhere near as glamorous as the movies make it out to be or that I would end up knowing way more than any normal person about mulch, soil and compost products.”

Chek said her career path is not unique. Many of her close friends from Capital have made a transition to in-house counsel and non-traditional legal positions.

“I think this speaks to today’s legal landscape,” she said. “Companies cannot afford to be reactive when it comes to legal matters. Having an attorney on staff allows proactive measures to be taken.”

The transition from a traditional firm atmosphere to being in-house counsel was not without its own challenges.

“Each type of work has its own set of overarching concerns. While working in-house you have to take into consideration things like budgets and sales. But I’ve learned more about business than I could have gotten from any MBA program out there.”

Fortunately, her law school education prepared her for the unexpected.

“I believe that law school, in general, prepares students for a wide variety of professions. It’s not just in what legal concepts students learn, but also how to manage time wisely, multitask and deal with deadlines in high-stress situations,” she said. “Unfortunately for me, there wasn’t a ‘How to be General Counsel for a Local Mulch Company’ class offered at Capital during my time there, so I am glad that I learned how to ask the right kinds of questions.” n

Kristen E. Chek, L’06

David Barthel, L’05

“There have been few other experiences in my life that have been more influential than law school was for me. Regardless of what type of career path you choose, whether it be litigating in a courtroom or advising a boardroom full of people, a law degree

instills a critical thinking foundation and encourages the ‘OK-I-can-figure-this-out’ confidence that no

other degree could provide.” – Kristen Chek


AWARDS AND HONORS

Capital University Law

School will honor five

alumni and the school’s

externship program at the 9th

Annual Alumni Recognition

Luncheon.The event will be at noon on Friday, April

11, at the Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square, 75 E. State Street. Tickets are $45 per person or $450 for a table of 10. More than 300 alumni and friends of the Law School are expected to attend.

Georgeann G. Peters, L’83, will receive the Josiah H. Blackmore II Dean’s Award, which recognizes outstanding service to the Law School and the Dean’s Office.

Peters, a partner at Baker Hostetler, has more than 30 years of experience handling all aspects of employee benefits, executive compensation, and ERISA and tax compliance for both large and small clients. She assisted in the merger of two of the nation’s largest healthcare systems, has led the Baker Hostetler team that was hired by an automotive industry client for a new “de-risking” approach for traditional pension benefits, and has assisted both existing clients and new industry groups in developing cost-effective strategies to comply with the Affordable Care Act.

She is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Busi-ness in the area of Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation. She is co-leader of Baker Hostetler’s National Employee Benefits Team.

She is a member of the American Bar, Ohio State Bar and Columbus Bar associa-tions. She is a member and past chair of the Capital University Law School Board of Counselors, a member of the American Heart Association Circle of Red, and a former member of the board of directors of the Kings Arts Complex.

Alumni AwardsCapital University Law School to honor alumni

Lewis C. George, L’89, will receive the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award. The award recognizes alumni for significant achievements in their legal occupations and notable contributions to the legal profession, the community and the Law School through activities and accomplishments.

George is chief counsel and deputy director at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). He oversees the Office of Legal and Acquisition Services, which includes 100 attorneys and other professionals working in legal services, state hearings, and contracts and acquisitions. He also manages all legal operations for ODJFS and provides guidance and advice to the director and executive staff.

During the last 19 years, George has served as chief counsel at the Ohio De-partment of Youth Services, Ohio Depart-ment of Public Safety and ODJFS. During that time, he has served as a chief counsel

for four governors and 12 members of the governor’s cabinet. He helped create and implement a statewide training program for all governor’s cabinet agencies. This in-teractive training program prepared agen-cies for a variety of labor and employment-related issues, and ensured uniformity and consistency among state agencies.

Before joining the Department of Youth Services, George was an adult-felony prosecutor in Licking County, Ohio, and worked in private practice.

At ODJFS, he led the development and implementation of a mediation program for the Office of State Hearings. He served five years on the parish council for the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Columbus, is a member of the American Association of Public Welfare Attorneys (AAPWA) and serves on the Central Regional Committee for AAPWA.

In addition, he has taught at Franklin University for 10 years and was awarded a 2013 Teaching Excellence Award.

Georgeann G. Peters, L’83 Lewis C. George, L’89


State Sen. W. Scott Oelslager, L’02, will receive the Alumni Outstanding Service Award. The award is presented to a graduate who has performed significant voluntary service beyond the call of business or professional duty to the community or Capital University Law School.

Oelslager represents the 29th Ohio Senate District, which encompasses most of Stark County. He brings 25 years of experience to the legislature, where he works to promote economic development and job creation on behalf of the people of northeastern Ohio.

Before holding office, Oelslager worked as an aide to former Ohio Congressman Ralph Regula. He also served as director of public relations for Malone College. He was appointed to the Ohio Senate in 1985, where the people of Stark County subsequently returned him for four additional terms.

In 2002, he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Civil and Commercial Law Committee. In 2010, he was again elected to the Ohio Senate.

Oelslager’s vast institutional and legal knowledge led him to be named chair-man of the Senate Finance Committee for the 130th General Assembly. He also is currently serving as vice chairman of the Reference Committee and member of the Medicaid, Health & Human Services Com-mittee, the Civil Justice Committee, the Commerce & Labor Committee, the Rules Committee, and the Tax Reform Ways and Means Subcommittee.

Oelslager has been honored numerous times for his work in the General Assembly. He has received the J. S. “Sandy” Sander Award of Merit from the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce and the Doris L. Allen Minority Caucus Outstanding Legislator Award from the Ohio Education Association. He was named a 2011 Champion for Children’s Health by VOICES

State Sen. W. Scott Oelslager, L’02 Natalie Trishman Furniss, L’02

for Ohio’s Children. He has also been named Legislator of the Year by the Ohio Nurses Association and the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Natalie Trishman Furniss, L’02, will receive The Young Alumnus of the Year Award. The award recognizes a CapLaw graduate born on or after July 1, 1973, who has made significant achievements in his/her legal occupation and notable contributions to the legal profession and the community.

Furniss is a partner in Bricker & Eck-ler LLC’s Litigation Group. She serves as co-chair of the firm’s Insurance Industry Litigation Group and as chair of the firm’s recruiting committee. Her national litiga-tion practice includes insurance litigation and financial product litigation for several large national insurance and financial prod-uct companies.

She was selected as a member of the Ohio State Bar Foundation Fellowship Class of 2007. That group created a program and reference materials for young adults to better understand their legal rights and obligations upon aging out of the foster care system.

In 2010, Furniss was selected from a national group of applicants as one of 23 attorneys to participate in the American Bar Association’s TIPS Leadership Academy.

She is an active participant in several ABA committees, including the ABA TIPS Ethics Committee and the Taskforce on Leader-ship and Diversity Initiative. She also is the chair of the American Bar Association’s TIPS Life Insurance Committee.

Furniss has a strong interest in the arts and supporting arts organizations. She serves as a member of the board of direc-tors of The Lancaster Festival and is a past member of the board of directors for the Girl Scouts Ohio Heartland Council, the United Way of Fairfield County and BalletMet Columbus. During her tenure on the BalletMet board, she assisted in estab-lishing a young professionals’ organization, MetPremier.

Ohio Super Lawyers has recognized her as an Ohio Rising Star in 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2013. She is a member of the Defense Research Institute (DRI) and the American Health Lawyers Association, as well as a member of the federal, state and local bar associations.

Daniel B. Miller, L’06, will receive the Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award. The award is presented to a gradu-ate who has made significant achievements in his/her occupation and has made notable contributions to the legal profession or the Law School.

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Miller is a senior associate with Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur LLP. He primarily represents clients in commercial litigation matters, including intellectual property dis-putes, breach of contract cases, workplace personal injury cases and unfair competi-tion cases. Miller also has represented builders in cases involving claims of defec-tive construction, breach of warranty and violations of consumer protection statutes. He has significant experience with eminent domain proceedings, telecommunications regulation and reinsurance contracts.

Before joining Porter Wright, Miller served as a law clerk for the Hon. John D. Holschuh Sr., U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio, from 2006 to 2007.

Miller serves on the Clintonville Area Commission, which makes recommendations related to the Clintonville area to Columbus City Council and facilitates communication and cooperation between neighborhood groups, city officials and developers.

He has been recognized in the Rising Stars Edition of Ohio Super Lawyers in 2012, 2013 and 2014. He is a member of the Ohio State, Columbus, Federal and the American Bar associations.

He is a member of the Columbus Cancer Clinic Young Professionals, the Columbus Computer Community Outreach Program, the Capital University Alumni Association

Board and the Capital University Alumni Association Bar Mentoring Program. He serves on the Leukemia & Lymphoma Soci-ety’s Team In Training.

The Capital University Law School Externship Program will receive the third annual Impact Award. The program’s director, Professor Susan Simms, will accept the award.

The Impact Award is given annually to the Capital University Law School program or person that contributed most to the legal development and career of the person making the nomination.

The externship program is comprised of more than150 sites around Central Ohio. CapLaw students work at these sites with practicing attorneys, gaining experience in courts and other legal settings while earning course credit.

The program helps participating students develop professional skills in the fastest, most effective way possible – by experience. It is an integral part of the experiential learning that takes place at the law school and one of the ways Capital University Law School prepares its students to become polished legal practitioners. n

EVENTS CALENDARThursday, March 6, 5:00-7:00 p.m.25TH ANNUAL DAVID D. WHITE RECEPTION

Alumni and friends event

For 25 years Capital University Law School and the African American Law Alumni Association have presented the David D. White Award to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the African American community. The award is presented at an annual reception hosted by a Columbus area law firm or organiza-tion. This event helps support the David D. White Scholarship Endowment at Capital University Law School, created in 1989 by the African American Law Alumni Asso-ciation. The 2014 recipient is Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr., Columbus City Attorney.http://law.capital.edu/DavidDWhiteAward andScholarshipReception/

Thursday, March 6, 8:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.WELLS CONFERENCE ON ADOPTION LAW


The National Center for Adoption Law and Policy, in collaboration with Capital Univer-sity Law Review, is pleased to sponsor the 10th Annual Wells Conference on Adop-tion Law. Each year the Wells Conference attracts professionals and academics who are pioneers and innovators in the fields of child welfare and adoption law. http://law.capital.edu/Wells/

Friday, April 11, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.9TH ANNUAL ALUMNI RECOGNITION LUNCHEON


This annual event recognizes Capital University Law School alumni who have made an impact on the Law School, the field of law and the community. More than 300 alumni and friends of the Law School attend this annual gathering at the Shera-ton Columbus Hotel on Capitol Square. www.law.capital.edu/AlumniRecognition Luncheon/

COMING FALL 2014

Hall of Honor Receptionhttp://law.capital.edu/HallofHonor/

Esther H. Brocker Award Receptionhttp://law.capital.edu/EstherHBrocker/

Daniel B. Miller, L’06 Susan Simms

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Columbus City Attorney

Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. has

been named the 2014

David D. White Award recipient by

the African American Law Alumni

Association and Capital University

Law School.This is the 25th year the award has been

presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the African American community. The award reception helps support the David D. White Scholarship Endowment at Capital University Law School, created in 1989 by the African American Law Alumni Association.

In their nominations, alumni David Ingram, L’11, and Jarrod Skinner, L’05 said, “(Pfeiffer is) a true believer in the value of diversity. One of (his) core goals is to achieve a staff as diverse as the City of Columbus. The City Attorney’s Office has traditionally hired more African American attorneys than many of the law firms in Columbus. More importantly, his

office has retained a significant portion of these attorneys.”

Pfeiffer is also an Advisory Committee Member of the Columbus Bar Association’s Managing Partners Diversity Initiative and serves on the African American and African Studies Community Extension Center Advisory Board.

The award and scholarship memorialize the outstanding accomplishments of the Law School’s first African American graduate, David D. White.

White graduated from the Columbus School of Law (now Capital University Law School) in 1931. He was the first African American attorney licensed to practice in Columbus. He practiced for more than 57 years as a partner in the firm of Bell, White and Ross. He was a member of the Columbus Bar Association Board of Governors, the Ohio Public Defender Commission, the Ohio State Bar Association’s Council of Delegates and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

White passed away in 1992. He was honored in 2011 as one of the first inductees into the Law School Hall of Honor. n

CapLaw alumni David Ingram, L’11, left, and Jarrod Skinner, L’05, center, nominated Columbus City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr., right, for the 2014 David D. White Award.

Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. will receive the 2014 David D. White Award on Thursday, March 6, at the firm of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, 65 E. State Street. Contact Terri Botsko at [email protected] for further information or to register for the event.

Richard C. Pfieffer Jr. named 25th David D. White honoree David D. White Award

Recipients 1990 David D. White, L’31 1991 William T. Johnson, CU’68, L’72 1992 Louis Bernard LaCour, L’61 1993 Clenzo B. Fox, L’66 1994 Hon. John A. Howard, L’49 1995 Janice G. White, L’77 1996 Robert J. Weiler, L’83, H’05 1997 John W. Waddy Jr., L’78 1998 Janet E. Jackson1999 Hon. Robert M. Duncan2000 Hon. Yvette McGee Brown2001 Carl D. Smallwood2002 Larry H. James2003 Sen. Ben Espy2004 Jack G. Gibbs Jr., L’812005 Hon. Algenon L. Marbley, H’002006 Patsy A. Thomas, L’942007 Mayor Michael B. Coleman, H’012008 Douglas J. Haynes, L’81 (posthumously)2009 Floyd D. Weatherspooon2010 Hon. H. Alfred Glascor2011 Jack A. Guttenberg2012 Janet L. Green Marbley, L’792013 Jerry O. Allen, CU’75, L’84

RECOGNIZING SUPPORT


ALUMNI INVOLVEMENT

When the Columbus Bar

Association recently

evaluated its facility

needs, the organization ran into

a quandary: what to do with its

courtroom? “It was apparent that the courtroom,

beautiful as it was, was rarely used as an actual courtroom,” said Jill Snitcher McQuain, L’99, CBA executive director. “And, when it was, it was used to film commercials, mock trials or mediations. We decided to convert the space to a more versatile meeting room.”

Because Capital University Law School Dean Rich Simpson has been such a long-time friend of the CBA, McQuain shared her concerns about the courtroom. Weeks later, the CBA offered to donate the furnishings to Capital if the Law School would pay for the costs of removal.

That’s where John Chester Jr., fourth-generation Chester attorney, stepped in.

Chester, a 1989 CapLaw graduate, was approached with an opportunity to help bring the CBA’s courtroom to the law school. He jumped at the chance.

Chester said he views preservation of the CBA’s courtroom as a means of giving back to the legal profession and supporting his alma mater in a way that helps prepare

future students for their work in actual courtrooms. At the same time, his support recognizes the legacies of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, all attorneys and all named John J. Chester.

“My father was a mentor to many young attorneys, especially trial lawyers. He also supported both Capital University Law School and The Ohio State Uni-versity Moritz College of Law. I thought we should continue that tradition, and this seemed ap-propriate,” Chester said. “Having a resource like this will help stu-dents become familiar with being in a modern courtroom so they will be comfortable once they graduate and go into practice.”

In addition to courtroom fix-tures such as the cherry jury box, judge’s bench and witness stand, the Chester Courtroom will be

equipped with the same kinds of high-tech projection equipment and other technolo-gies used in modern courtrooms.

Capital plans to wire the courtroom to mirror Franklin County courthouse pre-sentation equipment and other technolo-gies. Exposing Capital students to these resources will allow them to gain valuable trial presentation experience. That will be a bonus for CapLaw graduates when they enter real courtrooms.

The Chester Courtroom is the second moot courtroom in the building at 303 East Broad Street. According to Dean Simpson, the first courtroom, named in honor of Shirley M. Nault, is heavily used. Having a second courtroom with state-of-the-art technology will allow the Law School to offer students greater learning opportunities. It also may allow Capital to host more moot court competitions, as well as offer greater continuing education opportunities for practicing attorneys.

“Much like John Chester benefited from the legacies of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, future generations of CapLaw graduates will benefit from this generous show of support,” Simpson said.

For Chester, acknowledging his family’s legacy in the Columbus legal community was secondary to helping Capital’s students.

“For me, it’s important that graduates come out of law school fully prepared to try cases. And, of course, a rising tide lifts all boats. Helping Capital produce highly prepared graduates increases the value of my law school diploma, too. The story is, ‘Capital University Law School has done so much for me. Why wouldn’t I want to give back?’” n

The John J. “Jack” and Cynthia Chester Courtroom One family’s legacy will prepare students for real-world trials

John Chester Jr.


The Chester family legacySince 1884, members of the Chester family have practiced law in Columbus

John Jonas Chester was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1884 via the preceptor system, which allowed people to “read law” at an established law firm and then take the bar exam. A trial attorney, he built a reputation in corporate and business law and also campaigned unsuccessfully for political offices, including secretary of state, probate judge and U.S. Congress during his 52 years of practice.

In 1921, his son, John J. Chester Jr. was admitted to the Ohio bar at age 23. Within two years, he became the youngest man to ever head the Columbus prosecutor’s office, a post he held for eight years. As city prosecutor, Chester prevailed in the infamous “Snook Trial,” where an OSU professor was found guilty of murdering his student paramour.

In 1948, the third John J. “Jack” Chester, fresh out of Yale Law School and newly admitted to the Ohio bar, joined his father in practicing law. For 60 years, Jack Chester was a formidable business law and trial attorney. Referred to as a “lawyer’s lawyer,” he was appointed special counsel to the President of the United States in 1974 during the Watergate trial.

In 1995, Capital University awarded Jack Chester an Honorary Doctor of Laws for leadership within the legal community. Chester taught a popular trial preparation course at The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law for many years and established the Chester Professionalism Institute at the Columbus Bar Foundation in 2002.

Today, his son, John Chester, Jr. continues his family heritage and his association with Capital University Law School. Underwriting the new moot courtroom is one way he is following the family tradition of giving back.

The John J. “Jack” and Cynthia Chester Courtroom honors his parents’ many philanthropic endeavors. The late Cynthia Chester was a tireless volunteer who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local organizations, including the Ohio Historical Society and the Columbus Museum of Art. n


INNOVATIVE FACULTY

After surviving the first year full of

case reading and legal analysis,

second-year law school students

often yearn for the “real world.”

So, in 2013 Capital University Law

School’s faculty members asked themselves

how they could expose students to an

array of professional skills by incorporating

them into the classroom and by taking the

students to see law in action. Professor Jim Beattie was one of the faculty members

implementing this new approach in his Constitutional Law II class. Beattie said it is critical to ensure First Amendment concepts such as forum analysis and content-based-versus-content-neutral regulations are not just esoteric ideas.

After his students read assigned core cases, Beattie took them on a field trip to watch oral arguments in Ohio’s “Occupy Wall Street” case (City of Cleveland v. McCardle).

“The Ohio Supreme Court justices grappled with the very issues we debated in class. Was the Cleveland park a public forum? Was the city’s permit requirement content neutral?” Beattie said.

“It was interesting to listen to the oral arguments and to notice that, in some instances, the attorneys wanted to focus on certain aspects of the case while the justices were trying to focus on different aspects,” student Christine Duraney said. “It became obvious that being an effective advocate for your client requires the ability to move away from your prepared remarks in order to adequately address the issues the justices feel are relevant.”

While Beattie took his students into the courtroom, Professor Rick Wood brought the realities of Wall Street into the Law School.

An understanding of money management is a key competency for a lawyer, Wood said. So, he devised a special workshop to demystify the complex world of financial investment.

Wood challenged his students to advise a model client: a woman in the middle of her professional career with $1 million to invest. Students learned about investment vehicles such as managed and non-managed funds and how to evaluate those vehicles. Then, they went online and used a virtual investment club game, putting their investment advice into practice.

“It’s not just about earning the highest returns,” Wood said. “It’s important that the risk profile and the yields of the investments selected for the client match the client’s tolerance for risk and return on investment.”

For student Kyle Gerlach, 2015 J.D. candidate, the workshop broadened his understanding of the market and business: “I am building a well-rounded understanding of the marketplace. That knowledge will be invaluable in future business ventures.”

Professor Peggy Cordray brought the real life case of the “NYC subway pusher” into her Evidence classroom. In this highly publicized case, bystanders took a photo of a man who was about to be killed after being pushed on the tracks in front of a NYC subway train.

Cordray challenged her students to think like prosecutors and defense lawyers. How would they authenticate that photo? And what about the suspect’s past? Were his prior arrests and convictions ad-missible? How could the defense argue that a tourist’s video of the incident was so unfairly prejudicial that it should be excluded?

Rather than simply lecturing about these issues, Cordray “flipped” her classroom. She created videos that emphasized the rules of evidence. Students watched these videos and took interactive quizzes before they came to class to discuss the case.

“By having the students learn the basics about the rules online, I was able to free up class time for them to actually apply the rules

Teaching out of the boxInnovations bring practice into the classroom and students into the field

Student Christine Duraney, 2015 J.D. candidate, left, was one of the students who heard oral arguments in City of Cleveland v. McCardle in Professor Jim

Beattie’s Constitutional Law II class.


Professor Peggy Cordray developed videos related

to a New York subway murder for her students to

watch before coming to her “flipped” Evidence class.


to the evidence issues in the high-profile Davis case,” Cordray said.

Students David Simon and Karia Ruffin were enthusiastic about Cordray’s approach.

“The Davis hypos challenged me to thoroughly understand the intricacies of each evidence rule,” Simon said.

Ruffin agreed: “I gained insight into the role that evidence plays in developing a case. I saw how different pieces of evi-dence arise in a case and how to determine admissibility.”

In the spring of 2014, the same students will confront another reality of practice: drafting litigation documents.

In Associate Dean Rachel Janutis’s Civil Procedure Rules class, the students are being asked to litigate a simulated lawsuit involving a plaintiff injured by a defective golf cart. Along the way, students will work in groups to draft a complaint or an answer; a motion to join a third-party defendant or a response; and a litigation hold.

They also will interview a key witness and “bill” their time spent working on the project using the ABA’s Uniform Task-Based Management System.

“I believe it is essential that students know how to accomplish the core tasks that confront a new lawyer,” Janutis said.

“Professor Janutis provides the epitome of a modern classroom,” student Shadi Traish said. “We learn practice and theory. And, when reviewing a new concept, I can look at practice problems and model answers posted online, watch one of her videos on YouTube, or ask a question on a dedicated Facebook page.”

Another new project, also in its second year,

is the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project class taught by Professor Dan Kobil. The course sends Capital law students into Columbus schools to teach high school students about their First Amendment rights. These students

CapLaw 2014 J.D. candidate Lakshmi Satyanarayana, left, and Corinne

Conard, 2015 J.D. candidate, right, introduce Central Ohio high school students to legal concepts through

the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project class, taught by

Professor Dan Kobil.

Professor Rick Wooddeveloped workshops

focused on the basics of financial investment, which will be critical when they

are serving clients.


review Supreme Court case law and educational materials developed by past participants in the program from other law schools. Topics covered in class include free speech issues in public schools, prayer in schools, searches of public school students, federal efforts to ban guns near schools and affirmative action in education.

“When I saw that Capital was the first law school in Ohio to offer the Marshall-Brennan practicum, I knew that I would have to take advantage of this unique educational opportunity,” said CapLaw student Lakshmi Satyanarayana, who is participating in the program this spring. “Not only will I be enhancing my knowledge of constitutional law and criminal procedure, but I will also be doing something that doesn’t happen often in the typical law school class: giving back to the community. Teaching high school students about constitutional issues will sharpen my communication

skills and will allow me to make a difference in someone’s life. To me, that will be my most rewarding experience in law school.”

These innovative approaches to teaching build on Capital’s long tradition of training practice-ready lawyers.

For example, for some time Professor Stan Darling has co-taught his 1L Torts class with Mike Dortch, L’90, attorney at Kravitz, Brown & Dortch. Bringing a practicing attorney into the classroom helps make litigating tort cases come alive for students.

And Professor Lance Tibbles’ Health Law course combines a traditional “casebook”

approach with practical experience by pairing students with local health law attorneys. These practicing lawyers mentor the students as they research current health law practice issues.

Of course, students also gain real-world experience through externships. From 2011 through 2013, CapLaw students participated in more than 335 externships. This year, under the direction of Professor Susan Simms, law students served in externships as varied as Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman’s Policy Office, MI Homes’ in-house counsel office, and the Bronx, N.Y., district attorney’s drug gangs division. n

“I believe it is essential that students know how to accomplish the core tasks

that confront a new lawyer.”– Associate Dean Rachel Janutis

Associate Dean Rachel Janutis


OPPORTUNITIES

Ohio is experiencing a boom in gas production, thanks in no small part to the advent of new technologies that include hydraulic shale fracturing. There are more than 130 pipeline projects planned or in development in the state, with an annual contribution to Ohio’s economy expected to reach $6 billion in the near future.

This boom is creating a wealth of new jobs in the legal profession, too, an opportunity Capital University Law School is seizing by creating a new concentration in energy law and policy and launching the Midwest Center for Energy Law and Policy.

“It’s critical for a law school to constantly evaluate the current and future employment needs of the legal profession and to adjust its curriculum to prepare its students for those jobs,” said Dean Rich Simpson. “There is a growing need for lawyers trained in energy and gas law, and Capital is at the vanguard of preparing its students to meet that need.”

Students interested in careers in energy law can pursue CapLaw’s new concentration, which will include courses like Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law, Land Use Controls, Environmental Law, Air Pollution Law and

Policy, Hazardous Waste Law and Policy, and an Environmental Law Practicum. The law school also is developing an advanced oil and gas law course and an oil and gas legal drafting practicum.

Energy law practitioners will be teach-ing many of the courses. Those teachers include Matt Warnock, L’07, who is a member of Bricker & Eckler LLP’s Energy and Public Utilities group and co-chair of the firm’s Shale Task Force, and M. Howard Petricoff, a partner at Vorys, Sater, Sey-mour and Peas LLP.

“Farmers have a saying: Make hay while the sun shines,” Simpson said. “Right now, the sun is shining on the energy industry and there is a growing need for lawyers in that field.”

In addition to the new concentration, the Law School is launching the Midwest Center for Energy Law and Policy to promote the study of Ohio’s energy laws and regulation. The center will be a neutral forum for discussion about how to balance the demand for energy resources, including the associated economic benefits, with the demand to reduce the environmental impact of such activities.

The center is already having an impact: Last fall it co-sponsored a panel discussion

Boom timeNew concentration and center position Capital at forefront of energy law

at the Law School about career prospects in the energy sector. The event, featuring a group of established practitioners, allowed students to tap into the expertise that surrounds them in Central Ohio and learn more about pathways into energy law and policy careers.

The center also is planning a Fall 2014 symposium that will cover the legal issues surrounding hydraulic fracturing. Going forward, the center will identify new internship and externship opportunities

“There is a growing need for lawyers trained in energy and gas law, and Capital

is at the vanguard of preparing its students to meet that need.”

– Dean Rich Simpson

Capital University Law School is taking advantage of

the country’s shale gas revolution to create distinct

educational opportunities – and employment advantages –

for its students.


Howard Petricoff, right, and Professor Fenner Stewart are among those adapting Capital’s

curriculum and offerings to meet the growing need for lawyers trained in energy law.

for students and develop a specialized mentorship program.

Professor Fenner Stewart, faculty advisor for the energy law concentration, said leveraging Ohio’s energy boom will serve students by enhancing the Law School’s reputation in the energy sector and by providing knowledge that will be key to landing and succeeding in energy law jobs.

“We have the only program like this in Ohio,” Stewart said. “We are going to be the go-to law school for students, practitio-

ners, policy makers and other stakeholders in Ohio’s energy sector.”

Capital’s students also are seeing the potential benefits of this new direction the Law School is taking.

“Capital University Law School offers an outstanding opportunity to study energy law,” said Charles Campisano, Class of 2015 J.D. candidate. “It could give me an edge with job prospects in a growing and dynamic legal field.” n

2 0 / T H E C A P I T A L U N I V E R S I T Y L A W Y E R2 0 / T H E C A P I T A L U N I V E R S I T Y L A W Y E R

STUDENTS’ JOURNEYS

Editor’s note: In the fall of 2010, when we launched The Capital University Lawyer, we envisioned an ongoing series of articles following the academic trials and tribulations of four students from their first year of law school through graduation. This spring, as these students work through their last semester of school, study for the bar exam and prepare to enter the job market, we asked them to give us their current thoughts in their own words.

Jennifer WoodsLaw school has made me more vocal.

It has brought me out of my shell. It has forced me to do things that were not in my comfort zone, which has helped me gain confidence in myself and get comfortable in my own skin.

I have learned how to explain my visual impairment, and then turn around and show people that it does not affect my ability to do something.

My initial expectation on how difficult law school would be aligned with what I have experienced. It has gotten easier over time, but it did match what I expected in the beginning.

Some of my greatest challenges were unique to me because of my impaired vision. I had to learn how to do things in ways other people may not have to deal with. I have had the added challenge of trying to make the world work for me in a world that is not made for me.

I think the biggest challenge in law school is time. It takes me longer to read something. All we do in law school is read, and I had to learn how to get over my constantly tired and hurting eyes. I had to find ways that worked for me to avoid this issue.

I have done a couple of externships, which helped supplement what I learned in

the classroom. They took knowledge that I had been taught and helped me learn how to apply it.

Students thinking about law school should be prepared. It is a huge commit-ment. It isn’t something to go into lightly. While rewarding, it can be very challenging. Know that your time is going to be spent doing a lot of studying and that you might have to sacrifice some of your personal fun and life to do well.

Jessica DooganI worked for several years before com-

ing to law school. Making the change from working full time to being a full-time student was difficult for me. I also had the added challenge of moving several hours away from home, which I had never done before, to a city where I didn’t know anyone.

Things like the work level, what a lawyer actually does, how a law school class is run, and the basics of what law school entails shocked many of my classmates the first year. I had the luxury of having some friends who had just finished their first year when I was starting law school, and their experiences and insights gave me a fair idea of what I was getting myself into.

I have had the privilege of gaining quite a bit of real-world experience. I did a lot of pro bono work my first year because I had a hard time adjusting to not having a job. I have also worked as a file clerk at a small collection and bankruptcy firm and was able to extern at the

Franklin County Commissioners’ office. I was hired there after the externship hours were completed. Now I am working at a workers’ compensation firm and for the Law and Leadership Institute (a program that prepares students from underserved com-munities for success through a compre-hensive four-year academic program in law, leadership, analytical thinking, problem solving, writing skills and professionalism) as a site coordinator and student instructor.

I have gained a lot from all of these experiences. Through my work with the Law and Leadership Institute, I have learned that I love being involved in the

Journeys end… and new ones begin

Joseph Arnold


lives of young adults and serving as a role model and source of encouragement. Those high school kids are so dedicated and focused that they put a high school version of me to shame.

I also have had the opportunity to work at two different firms that are reliant on a vol-ume business. Even though I had worked as a paralegal before law school, the firm I worked for did not do volume work because a very small portion of business there was contingency-based.

I also worked with the Franklin County Commissioners, which gave me a bit of public sector policy experience and a small glimpse into how being in an office for which you are elected works. I was working with the commissioners when one of the commissioners was running for re-election and had the opportunity to help out with campaign events, so I gained valuable insight into how that process works and the importance of campaigning during an election year.

Overall, I would say that the diverse nature of my experience thus far has opened my eyes to areas of law I would have never expected. It also has given me insight into various types of law practice,

and the difference in how each type of business is run.

Joseph ArnoldLaw school has been an incredible

experience. I think the difficulty and time requirements of the course work were on par with what I envisioned. What I maybe didn’t foresee was how many opportunities there were for externships and internships

and how that would affect the overall time demands of school. However demanding, the professional opportunities I’ve been able to take advantage of have been as valuable to me as the in-class instruction.

Over the past three years I have been able to take advantage of a number of different opportunities to gain professional legal experience. During both summers, I interned in the Office of the Chief Legal

L-R: Jessica Doogan, Joseph Arnold and Jennifer Woods.

“Capital is a family. You can foster real relationships with professors and

staff, and everyone at the school genuinely cares about your success

as long as you care about your success. When I visited, this environment was by far the first thing that stood out to

me, and it was what made my decision to come here so easy. It has continued to be my favorite thing about attending.”

– Jessica Doogan


Officer at Nationwide Insurance. Additionally, throughout the school year I have externed at the Supreme Court of Ohio, been a research assistant for the Death Penalty Division at the Ohio Public Defender’s Office, and volunteered at the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clinic. Each of these opportunities has helped me determine what type of law I would like to practice, as well as provide practical opportunities to improve my legal writing and reasoning skills.

One thing that I have appreciated about Capital is that the professors are willing to try innovative teaching methods to make sure students are getting the most out of every class. For instance, in Criminal Procedure we were given the opportunity to make an oral argument on probable cause before a federal magistrate. Additionally, I have had a number of doctrinal classes where the professors have assigned different drafting assignments that give practical perspectives to the issues addressed in class. There is no question that innovative teaching methods like these take exceptional planning and effort, but it is a great example of the quality of some of the faculty.

I think I foresaw law school as simply teaching me a fair amount about a few dif-ferent substantive areas of law. I’m not sure that I appreciated how much time would be spent developing reasoning and writing skills. I think that I am much more analytical than I was three years ago. Along the same lines, I think the way I approach life in general is much more systematic and strategic.

Demi JohnsonMy biggest challenge throughout law

school has been getting used to change.

Transitioning my relationships with others – and even transitioning jobs – has been a challenge because those things represented comfort zones for me. I learned to start relying on myself for comfort rather than looking to others or continuity as a security blanket.

Law school has changed me in a lot of different ways. I joke with my non-law school friends and say I am not the person I used to be. That is actually quite true. Law school has been extremely stressful at times, but I am a stronger person for it. I have dealt with pressures I had never experienced before. I was challenged emotionally by the relation-ships I developed with my peers.

Although I have not mastered it, I am starting to understand the importance of a balanced

life. I have gained a level of independence I never had before, which I think above all is one of the most important things I will take away from my law school experience.

I have tried to get a variety of real-world experiences while attending law school. I enjoyed finding pro bono opportunities, especially working in the Volunteer Resource Center at the Legal Aid Society of Columbus. It helped me focus on why I became interested in pursuing the law in the first place, which was to help people. In class, we’re somewhat removed from the people we learn about in the casebooks. My experience at Legal Aid brought a human element back to my understanding of the law.

I would advise someone considering a legal education to really consider what it means to go to law school. It is easy to decide based on what you see as the end result, or because you can’t decide on what you want to do with your life. But law school is no joke. It’s hard work, every day, which is easy to forget or downplay if you have not experienced it. That being said, if someone truly wants to go to law school and join this profession, the day-to-day struggle to get there will be worth it.

This whole experience has been a roller coaster ride, chock full of good and bad, but it has been worth it and I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything. n

“I still think that what differentiates Capital University Law School is the

practical education we get. I know some of my peers at other schools never draft a contract or see an MPT before taking the bar exam. I definitely appreciate the efforts Capital takes to make its students

‘practice ready’ while in school.” – Demi Johnson

Demi Johnson


Ryan Stillion entered

law school intending

to pursue a career as a

criminal defense attorney. After

working two years as a part-

time law clerk in the felony

division of the Franklin County

Public Defender’s Office, Stillion

became disenchanted with

criminal law and decided to

explore other areas. Three externships in health-related

placements changed his life’s trajectory, he said. Today, the fourth-year evening student’s ultimate dream job is to run a hospital.

“Although I loved the excitement of my job and my coworkers, I slowly became jaded because I was not affecting change like I’d hoped,” Stillion said. “I felt like I was merely providing damage control. It was time to branch out.”

Inspired by the political discourse surrounding the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Stillion signed up for the first of what would become three health care related externships. During the summer of 2012, he took an externship in the legal department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

“Every day at Nationwide Children’s Hospital was filled with new and different experiences,” he said. “The health care arena is a vast, complex field that is constantly in flux. I had great mentors at the hospital who essentially taught me a crash course in hospitals and health law. I couldn’t learn enough about hospitals, and I still can’t.”

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

Making a differenceExternships shift student’s career dreams to health care

Student Ryan Stillion’s externship experiences have redefined his professional goals from criminal defense to health care law.

The next summer, he participated in an externship at the Ohio Hospital Association. Then, in the fall of 2013, he externed at the non-profit and non-partisan Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO), which analyzes key health issues for policymakers and state agencies. While at HPIO, Stillion completed the Business and Financial Concepts for Lawyers class at the law school taught by Ron Shuff, a CapLaw alumnus who previously worked as counsel for a Fortune 500 company.

“I learned at my externships that busi-ness skills will be required for nearly any position I’ll ever want to hold, so I jumped at the opportunity to take this class. I majored in English Literature and politi-cal science as an undergraduate, so I had no business training or business sense. I

am very glad I took the class during my externship because it filled in my knowl-edge gaps, expanding my understanding of topics I researched.”

Stillion’s next steps are to take the Ohio bar exam in July and to start earning a master’s degree in health care administration this fall to learn the business aspects of running a hospital.

“Walking into Nationwide Children’s Hospital every day was an emotional experience,” Stillion said. “I walked to the office past sick children hooked to IVs who still laugh and play like they aren’t sick. I see myself running a hospital and making a difference. I want the daily satisfaction of knowing that I contribute in some small way to healing those children.” n

“I learned at my externships that business skills will be required for nearly

any position I’ll ever want to hold.”


1970s

C. Clifford Allen, L’75, retired after 30 years of service to the Supreme Judicial Court and Court of Appeals of Massachusetts.

Edward “Skipp” Kropp, L’78, is now of counsel at Steptoe & Johnson, LLP.

James C. Banks, L’79, recently retired after 35 years practicing law with the firm of Banks & Sweeting, PA. He will spend his retirement building houses for Habitat for Humanity and building boats in New Hampshire during the summer.

Frank Titus, L’79, Colonel, U.S. Air Force (ret.) currently serves as the Ohio co-captain for Veterans for Smart Power, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. In that capacity, he organizes veterans who are interested in diplomacy and development to prevent international armed crises.

1980s

Stephen D. Jones, L’81, a partner with Roetzel & Andress in Washington, D.C., has

been named a 2014 Ohio Super Lawyer by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

Bradley L. Snyder, L’81, a partner with Roetzel & Andress, LPA, in Columbus, Ohio, has been named a 2014 Ohio Super Lawyer by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

Mitchell Banchefsky, L’ 83, is a partner at Frost, Brown, Todd, LLC, in Columbus, Ohio.

Judge Luann Cooperrider, L’83, Perry County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas, was recently awarded the C. J. McLin Award, given to an elected official who has improved community corrections within the State of Ohio.

Thomas L. Rosenberg, L’83, a partner with Roetzel & Andress, LPA, has been named a 2014 Ohio Super Lawyer by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

Kathleen Trafford, L’83, a partner with Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, LLP, has been elected to the Board of Regents of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). She also has been named a 2014 Ohio Super Lawyer by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

Kris Dawley, L’85, a partner at Ice Miller, LLP, has been recognized by Chambers USA in the Healthcare practice area.

Anthony P. Gledhill, L’86, has been appointed the new chief counsel for the United States Department of Treasury, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. His new position is in Washington, D.C.

Jon J. Saia, L’87, a partner with Saia & Piatt, Inc., has been named a 2014 Ohio Super Lawyer by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

Pamela S. Krivda, L’88, a partner with Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, has been named one of the 2014 Ohio Super Lawyers by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

1990s

J. Kristin Burkett, L’90, a principal in the Newark and Lancaster firm of Burkett & Sanderson, Inc., has been elected to serve a three-year term as District 9 representative on the Board of Governors of the Ohio State Bar Association.

Alumni NotesFOR THE RECORD

Frank Titus Stephen D. Jones Bradley L. Snyder Thomas L. Rosenberg


Christopher T. Carlson, L’91, has been promoted to VP/COO of Northwoods in Dublin, Ohio.

Bruce A. Bornholdt, L’93, is an associate attorney with Dodge & Associates, LLC, in Portland, Oregon.

Jeffrey L. Small, L’93, is an attorney II at Midcontinent Independent System Operator in Carmel, Indiana.

Brian E. Dickerson, L’96, partner with Roetzel & Andress, LPA, has been named a 2014 Ohio Super Lawyer by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

Tommie Jo Marsilio, L’98, a Portage County commissioner, has been reappointed to serve a second one-year term on the board of directors of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio.

Stephen Smith Jr., L’ 99, is a partner at Frost, Brown, Todd, LLC, in Columbus, Ohio.

2000s

Eve Ellinger, L’01, a partner at Ice Miller LLP, was named to the 2013 Columbus Business First Forty Under 40 list.

Jessica L. Davis, L’02, a partner with Roetzel & Andress, LPA, in Columbus, Ohio, has been named a 2014 Ohio Rising Star by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

Jonathan R. Secrest, L’02, a partner with Roetzel & Andress, LPA, in Columbus, Ohio, has been named a 2014 Ohio Rising Star by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

David J. Slenn, L’02, is an associate with Quarles & Brady, LLP, in Naples, Florida.

James D. Abrams, L’03, a partner with Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, has been named

one of the 2014 Ohio Super Lawyers by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine.

Christine Watchorn, L’03, is now a partner at the firm of Ulmer & Berne, LLP.

Stacey L. Wideman, L’03, is staff counsel with the State Teachers Retirement System in Columbus, Ohio.

Gerald Lykins, L’04, is employed with Kortes, Lykins, Hunting & Jansma, PLC in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Gabe Roehrenbeck, L’04, is now a partner at Thompson Hine, LLP.

Kathleen Trafford Pamela S. Krivda Jessica L. Davis Jonathan R. Secrest

James D. AbramsDavid J. Slenn Christine Watchorn


Nicholas W. Yaeger, L’04, is an attorney with Mawery, Youell & Galeano, Ltd., in Dublin, Ohio.

Rebecca L. Hussey, L’05, is an associate with Carpenter, Lipps & Leland, LLP.

Mark Hatcher, L’06, T’06, was recently named partner at Baker Hostetler, LLP.

Michael R. Traven, L’06, a partner with Roetzel & Andress, LPA, in Columbus, Ohio, has been named a 2014 Ohio Rising Star by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine. He has also been named to the 2013-14 list of “Who’s Who in Energy” published by American City Business Journals.

Lindsay Ford Ellis, L’07, is associate counsel with Central Ohio Transit Authority.

Jocelyn Armstrong, L’09, is now assistant executive director for member relations at the Columbus Bar Association.

Mary J. Nienaber, L’09, is now an academic counselor in the Office of Student Life at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

2010s

Tyler W. Kahler, L’10, is a financial representative for Northwestern Mutual in Canton, Ohio.

Christine Liberto, L’10, recently joined the AEP Real Estate Department.

Ben Stratton, L’10, is corporate affairs manager at Corrotec, Inc., in Springfield, Ohio.

Elizabeth Camille Yancey, L’10, has joined Stites & Harbison, PLLC.

Sima L. Cutler, L’11, is a staff attorney with Baker & Hostetler, LLP.

Kathryn A. Comella, L’ 12, is an associate with Frost, Brown, Todd, LLC, in Columbus, Ohio.

Genevieve Anderson Hoffman, L’12, married Jared Hoffman in September 2013 and is now the staff attorney/legal assistant to the chairman of the Industrial Commission of Ohio.

Sunni Sugimoto-DiNicola, L’12, is an associate with Lardiere McNair, LLC, in Hilliard, Ohio.

Hilari B. Lipton, L’13, is now a senior child welfare policy analyst for the New Mexico Supreme Court in Santa Fe, N.M.

Morgan M. Lyles, L’13, is an associate with Stebelton, Aranda & Snider, LPA.

John Ryan, L’13, is currently deputy legislative counsel for the Ohio Judicial Conference.

Michael J. Sharvin, L’13, is an associate with Roetzel & Andress, LPA, in Columbus, Ohio.

Michael R. Traven Elizabeth Camille Yancey Michael J. Sharvin

BY THE NUMBERS

710

69

8

29

12

11218

17 4

86

4

3

11

5

53

1

11

4

5

3

8

1697

2053

76 5,344

79

36

77

53

239

226

110

13

125107

77

53

0

5

5

33

9

84

103

26(District ofColumbia)

421

Living Alumni

International

Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Netherlands . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Bar Passage RateOhio Law Schools (2009-2013)

100.0%

90.0%

80.0%

70.0%

60.0%

50.0%

40.0%

30.0%

20.0%

10.0%

0.0%

92.2% 88.3%88.4%90.4% 84.0%84.8% 73.7%87.7% 86.7% 85.3%

OSU Cincinnati Capital Akron ONU Ohio Cleveland Case Toledo Dayton Average

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Capital UniversityCapital University Law School303 East Broad Street // Columbus, Ohio 43215-3200P 614.236.6500 // www.law.capital.edu

Spring 2014: Volume 3, Issue 1

The Capital University Lawyer is published by Capital University Law School, under the auspices of Capital University.

Send comments and story ideas to the Office of the Dean at [email protected]

Editor / David B. Ball

Photography / Matt Sullivan

Design / CityScene Media Group

Viewpoints expressed in this publication reflect a diversity of opinions, backgrounds and beliefs – foundations upon which Capital University Law School was founded in 1903. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Law School or Capital University.

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Opportunity lies within. These are more than just words. They are our promise.

At Capital, opportunity exists in every classroom and with every professor. Every Capital University Law School student has the opportunity to earn a rewarding career. The opportunity to change their communities. To change the world.

We open the doors of opportunity. You just need to walk through them.

Would you or someone you know benefit from the Capital University Law School experience? The first step is to contact us at 614.236.6310 or email the Office of Admission and Financial Aid at [email protected].

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