040-069_200_CM_CR.qxp
12/2/11
10:31 AM
IT’S AN INSPIRING SIGHT when Yvette McGee Brown dons the black robe and takes a seat in the majestic chambers of the Ohio Supreme Court. Yes, she’s the first African-American woman to sit on the state’s highest court—adding to her collection of firsts, which includes being the first black female to serve as a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge when elected in the early 1990s. But it’s her back story that distinguishes her ascension in the fields of law, politics and social services. She was born to a teenage mom and an absent dad, hardly the kind of circumstances signaling a successful career path. But McGee Brown cites as significant the work ethic of her mother, who held down two jobs and earned a college degree over 10 years. In addition, her mother suffered a serious illness that nearly killed her. While she survived, it took her two years to recover. During that time, a 12-yearold McGee Brown and her two brothers came under the care of their grandmother, who infused into McGee Brown life lessons about overcoming obstacles. After graduating from Ohio University, she pursued her interest in politics by attending Ohio State’s law school. A series of career moves and an upset election victory in 1992 put her on the bench in the juvenile and domestic division of Common Pleas. At first glance, she came across as a soft touch as a judge, mainly for her magnetic personality: a buoyant smile and an infectious laugh resembling a highpitched explosion. But she mixed compassion with tough love in running her courtroom with passion and presence, as well as a sharp tongue. She changed course in 2002 by stepping away from the bench to become the president of the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital before then-Gov. Ted Strickland selected her as his running mate in his re-election bid in 2010. Although lighting up the campaign trail, she and Strickland lost to John Kasich. But before leaving office, Strickland, filling a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court, named McGee Brown, a Democrat, to join the all-Republican lineup of judges. And it didn’t take long for her to register another milestone. In late August 2011, she became the lone justice to use a Twitter account. —Ray Paprocki
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Talk v. Walk On the occasion of Columbus’ bicentennial, Barnes & Thornburg salutes the entrepreneurial spirit that makes Columbus one of the Midwest’s most vibrant cities. Leaders and business owners in Columbus know that success requires more walk than talk. So do we. Barnes & Thornburg is a full-service law firm with the energy and valuedriven focus of a small start-up. We look forward to helping Columbus continue to walk the talk.
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