THE HONORABLE LEE FISHER
CSU
Hall of Fame.
2025
128 YEARS of
Living Justice, Living Leadership
1897
Cleveland Law School, Ohio’s first evening law school, is founded and becomes the first law school in Ohio to admit women and one of the first to admit Black students.
1972
Legal Career Opportunities Program (LCOP) is created, the first of its kind in the country, recognizing the value of students’ life experiences as a predictor of law school success.
1916
2014
Launched the Solo Practice Incubator, the first of its kind in Ohio, on the first floor of the Law Library, providing recent graduates resources to establish their own solo practices as a viable career path
2022
Launched the Pardon, Clemency, and Expungement Clinic in partnership with the Governor of Ohio
2016
John Marshall School of Law is founded.
Center for Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection debuts to national attention for its innovative multidisciplinary approach
2017 1977 1946
Cleveland Law School and John Marshall School of Law merge to become Cleveland-Marshall Law School. Wilson Stapleton ’34 is named first Dean of the Cleveland-Marshall Law School. Ohio Governor Frank Lausche ’21 named Chairman of the Board.
1957
Cleveland-Marshall is accredited by the American Bar Association
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) participates in the dedication of the College of Law Building at 1801 Euclid Ave.
1997
College of Law dedicates its new library. Janet Reno, Attorney General of the United States, inaugurates the Centennial of the College of Law.
2004
College of Law receives gift from Iris S. Wolstein, wife of Bert L. Wolstein’53. Building named Bert L. Wolstein Hall.
2010
Launched Center for Health Law & Policy to connect law students to the vast healthcare resources in the region
2011 1969
Cleveland-Marshall and Cleveland State University sign merger agreement creating the largest law college in Ohio. The law school is named Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University.
Debut of the state-of-theart Trial Courtroom, the most technologically advanced and realistic courtroom in any Ohio law school
2013
Launched the region’s first Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree for non-lawyers.
Judy and Robert H. Rawson Jr. Learning Commons opens to encourage exploration, creation and collaboration among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community Establishment of Law School’s Hall of Fame and annual Celebration Launched Global Space Law Center as first academic center in the nation dedicated solely to the law of outer space Launched Jump Start, one of the first law school summer programs in the nation designed to help incoming first year law students acclimate to law school.
2018
Criminal Justice Center is launched to provide students more hands-on opportunities to work for justice The P. Kelly Tompkins Leadership and Law Program, one of the first leadership programs at any law school in the nation, created by Kelly Tompkins ’81 and Dean Lee Fisher to provide leadership skills to law students
2019
Launched Online Master in Legal Studies (MLS) in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
2020
Launched the Pretrial Justice Clinic for students to advocate for indigent defendants during the initial bail process
2023
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2024
David H. Braff Animal Law Clinic launches Richard W. Pogue Leadership Conversation Series begins
2025
Launched the William I. Weisberg Center for Health Law and Policy Launched the International Law Center Launched the Center for Intellectual Property & Innovation
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Induction Celebration
Friday, November 7, 2025 CSU Student Center Glasscock Ballroom
2025 HONOREE: THE HONORABLE LEE FISHER
CSU
Hall of Fame. 2025 Induction Ceremony • Friday, November 7, 2025
Welcome CSU|Law Co-Interim Deans Carolyn Broering-Jacobs and Brian Ray God Bless America Ashley Nemeh ’21 Opening Remarks Cleveland State University President Laura Bloomberg, PhD CSU|Law Co-Interim Deans Carolyn Broering-Jacobs and Brian Ray 2025 Hall of Fame Video Presentation Induction Ceremony Presenter: P. Kelly Tompkins ’81, Member, Hall of Fame President and Dean Emeritus Lee Fisher Remarks Closing Remarks CSU|Law Co-Interim Deans Carolyn Broering-Jacobs and Brian Ray
Deans’ Message We have a long, proud history dating back to 1897.
leaders, change makers, advocates of justice, and maybe someday, a legend in our Hall of Fame. Thank you for your support.
This evening we celebrate our iconic past and invest in our exciting future. Our Hall of Fame celebrates the many CSU|Law alumni, faculty, staff, and friends who exemplify our mission: Learn Law. Live Justice. The story of Cleveland State University College of Law is an iconic story of justice, equality, and opportunity. We were the first law school in Ohio to admit women and one of the first in the nation to admit people of color. It was our graduates who laid the foundation for the Cleveland legal profession and who led the fight for civil rights in Northeast Ohio. CSU|Law graduates serve in every area of the legal profession and beyond. They advocate for clients and communities, and they lead organizations that strengthen our economy, advance justice, and improve lives across the nation and around the world. Our mission never has been more vital; our need for support never has been more important. This year’s Hall of Fame Celebration gives us the opportunity to honor the event’s founder, Dean Emeritus Lee Fisher, by raising funds for the new Lee Fisher Student Success Fund. This Fund carries on Lee’s dedication to our students by supporting scholarships, professional development, bar preparation, and emergency relief for our students. Our mission is to support our students to ensure they become not only successful professionals, but also
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Brian Ray
Co-Interim Dean BakerHostetler Chair in Law Director, Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection
Carolyn Broering-Jacobs Co-Interim Dean BakerHostetler Chair in Law
About the Hall of Fame The annual CSU|LAW Hall of Fame, established in 2017, honors distinguished alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and community leaders for their outstanding contributions to our law school’s success and prestige. As our most attended fundraising event, it has raised $2.3 million over the past seven years to support scholarships and critical needs. This event plays a vital role in shaping the future of our students and our school. We hope you’ll join us this year to continue making a lasting impact—helping our students learn law and live justice. This year, all proceeds will support the creation of the Lee Fisher Student Success Fund, a new initiative dedicated to empowering our students through four key areas: • Williams McGinty Bar Passage Assistance Fund • Student Emergency Assistance Fund • Student Professional Development Fund • CSU|Law Scholarships 3
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Our Sponsors Thank you to the following generous sponsors for your support of the Cleveland State University College of Law Hall of Fame and our students! All proceeds will be used to support student scholarships and other critically important student-focused needs.
Dean’s Circle • BW President/CSU Law Dean Emeritus Lee Fisher, Inductee, HOF & Peggy Zone Fisher • CSU Center for Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection • P. Kelly Tompkins ’81, Member, HOF
Managing Partner • Brett ’96, Member, HOF & Dana Barragate ’95
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
• Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP
• Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
• Steven W. Percy ’79, Member, HOF
• Freedom to Learn Foundation
• Thompson Hine LLP
• Hahn Loeser
• Tucker Ellis LLP
• Larry ’77, Member, HOF & Donna James
Attorney General
• The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland • McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Liffman Co., LPA • McDonald Hopkins, LLC • Richard W. Pogue, Member, HOF
• Cleveland State University Alumni Association • Cleveland State University Foundation • Judge Dan A. Polster, Member, HOF & Deborah Coleman • Georgia A. Froelich ’84, Member, HOF & Russell O’Rourke ’84 • Kastner Westman & Wilkens, LLC • Kohrman Jackson & Krantz • Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy Co., LPA • RPM International, Inc.
Firm Founder
• Steven ’78, Member, HOF & Loree ’79 Potash
• Louis Geneva, Member, HOF & Jayne Hurst Geneva ’87
• Stephen G. Sozio ’83, Member, HOF
• Carl Stern ’66, Member, HOF
• Taft
• Judge Joan Synenberg ’87, Member, HOF & Roger Synenberg ’77, Member, HOF
• Park-Ohio Industries, Inc.
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• Bixenstine Resolutions, LLC • Brenden Kelley Law
125 Society
• The Ratner Family
• Nancy Berardinelli-Krantz ’02, Member, HOF & Eric Krantz
• Benesch
• CSU Law Alumni Association
• Sarah Flannery ’02, Member, HOF & Phil Slaght
Partner
• Barbara K. Roman ’77, Member, HOF
• Donna Zapis Thomas ’87, Member, HOF
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Our Sponsors Thank you to the following generous sponsors for your support of the Cleveland State University College of Law Hall of Fame and our students! All proceeds will be used to support student success.
Sponsorships received between 10/20/25 and 10/31/25 listed in this insert.
Managing Partner
Scholarship Circle
• Karen Giffin ’89, Member, HOF
• Michael Borden
• Kerin Kaminski ’85, Member, HOF
• Patrick Burke ’03
Partner
Friend Circle
• Lazzaro Luka Law Offices, LLC
• Ohio State Bar Association
• Plevin & Gallucci
• The Honorable Maureen O’Connor ’80, Member, HOF
• WXZ Development, Inc.
• Vicki & Jack Plata • Alex Reich ’09 & Allison Taller Reich ’09
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Thank You! Our 2025 CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Induction Celebration is a success due to the support of many people. Co-Interim Deans Carolyn Broering-Jacobs and Brian Ray and our Advancement Department would like to extend a grateful thank you to the following alumni, students, faculty, and staff who helped make this event special.
Volunteers Taylor Albertini Michelle Aylyarov John Bell Shay Blankenship Allison Bolt Roosevelt Boone Derek Bryan Amy Burchfield Emmy Chen Anne-Marie Connors Manhar Dalal
Joseph Dempsey TJ Donovan Edward Efraim Lily Essad Ben Feick Candace Freed Jamie Gay Carole Heyward Tom Housel Amelia Hu Brianna Hunter
Kelly Johnson Kimberlee Jones Connie Karapelou Joshua Katz John Keller Melissa Leuschel Dalal Holly Lloyd Gabriel Maerten Morgan Malone Hailey Moran Sarah Nour
Ayomide Olusanya Genevieve Papagna Shirley Reynolds Patricia Riley Heidi Gorovitz Robinson Nancy Starner Skyler Stewart Dean Williams Sean Yeats
Student Ambassadors
Logistics Committee
Mustafa Abu-Kaud Lauren Bayerl Michael Cannavino
Kyle Akins Eric Domanski Konrad Hodgman Jill Natron
Anita Poole Sam Santavicca Charles Volz
Karyn Newton Nicole Roberts Rick Zhang
Thank you to Sarah Zeytoun, Ron Goldfarb, Tony Weber and their team at Goldfarb Weber Creative Media for our 2025 Hall of Fame Video. Special thanks to our Board of Visitors and the CSU Law Alumni Association for their continued support.
Friend Circle
• Spangenberg Shibley & Liber
• The Frangos Group
• Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan
• Harlan Sands
• UB Greensfelder, LLP
• Thomas & Marsha Hopkins Family Fund
• Arab American Bar Association
• Sheryl King Benford ’79, Member, HOF
• Awatef Assad ’95, Member, HOF
• Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA • Weston Hurd LLP • Sonia M. Winner ’90, Member, HOF & Kevin O’Neill
Scholarship Circle
• Ann Aber ’03, Member, HOF • Tom Aries ’71, Member, HOF
• Kalish Law
• Brennan, Manna & Diamond
• James Lowe ’72, Member, HOF
• Cerity Partners
• Dana Paris ’12
• Chedid & Co.
• Judge Michelle Paris ’84, Member, HOF & David Paris ’78, Member, HOF
• John Cipolla ’89, Member, HOF
• Susan J. Becker ’83, Member, HOF
• Schneider Bell
• Secretary Marcia L. Fudge ’83, Member, HOF
• Becker & Poliakoff, LLC
• Alan G. Starkoff ’75, Member, HOF
• M. Colette Gibbons ’76, Member, HOF
• Judge Patricia A. Blackmon ’75, Member, HOF
• Keith D. Weiner & Associates Co., LPA
• Stacey McKinley ’97, Member, HOF
• Weston, Inc.
• Amy and Marc Morgenstern
• Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLP
• Scott ’81, Member, HOF & Holly Wilson ’81
• Renee Tramble Richard ’88, Member, HOF
• Buckley King
• Fred Widen ’81, Member, HOF
• Burns White
• Wickens Herzer Panza
• Reverend Dr. Stephen Rowan ’80, Member, HOF
• The Cleveland Metroparks • Cuyahoga Community College • Terry Gilbert ’73, Member, HOF • Tom Gorman ’73, Member, HOF • David H. Gunning II ’94, Member, HOF
• Jim ’94, Member, HOF & Jennifer Sammon ’94 • David Sierk & Lisa Paul Sierk • Carter E. Strang ’84, Member, HOF • Margaret W. Wong & Associates, LLC • David Whitehead ’73, Member, HOF
To donate, visit csulaw.org/give or text justice25 to 216-400-5145 • Sponsors listed as of 10/17/25 5
Celebrating Excellence. Strengthening Community.
We warmly congratulate the 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees on this well-deserved recognition of their exceptional contributions to the legal profession and our community. Tucker Ellis is proud to continue our ongoing partnership with CSU College of Law in advancing legal education and fostering the next generation of leaders. At Tucker Ellis, we remain committed to excellence in the law and meaningful community engagement, honoring the values that unite us with CSU College of Law.
ATLANTA | CHICAGO | CLEVELAND | COLUMBUS | DC METRO AREA | LOS ANGELES | MORRISTOWN NEW YORK | ORANGE COUNTY | SAN FRANCISCO | ST. LOUIS | TUCKERELLIS.COM
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Thank you for the rare privilege to help educate the next generation’s
Custodians of Civility Defenders of Democracy and Guardians of Justice
Lee Lee Fisher Dean Emeritus, Cleveland State University College of Law (2016-2025) President, Baldwin Wallace University
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MEET OUR 2025 HONOREE THE HONORABLE LEE FISHER CAREER IN THE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, NONPROFIT & ACADEMIC SECTORS Lee Fisher is the Dean and Joseph C. HostetlerBakerHostetler Chair in Law Emeritus at Cleveland State University College of Law (“CSU|LAW”). On July 1, 2025, he became the 10th President of Baldwin Wallace University. Lee served 18 years in state-elected public office, including as an Ohio State Representative, State Senator, Attorney General, and Lieutenant Governor, as well as Chair of the Ohio Organized Crime Commission, the Ohio Third Frontier Commission, and the Cuyahoga County Legislative Delegation. He has worked as a law school dean and professor, member of a private college board of trustees, undergraduate teaching fellow, director of a state government department, member of the Ohio Governor’s cabinet, federal appellate law clerk, private attorney, CEO of two nonprofit organizations, public and private company board director, nonprofit board director, newspaper and magazine columnist, 8
television and radio commentator, and frequent public speaker.
LAW SCHOOL LEADERSHIP Lee was appointed Interim Dean of CSU|LAW in June 2016 and Dean in May 2017. At that time, the College of Law was running a deficit and enrollment was at its lowest level in over 50 years. Since then, enrollment has increased 96%, the largest enrollment percentage increase of any CSU College. In Fall 2024, the College of Law enrolled its largest first-year class in 15 years and the academic credentials of first-year students have steadily increased. CSU|LAW became one of the first law schools in the nation to launch a part-time online JD program. The College of Law has been running a healthy surplus for the past five years. Over the past nine years, CSU|LAW has grown its programs, clinics and centers, including the launch of four new clinics: the Terry Gilbert Wrongful Conviction Clinic; the Pretrial Justice Clinic; the Pardon, Clemency, and Reentry Clinic; and the David H. Braff Animal Law Clinic/Center.
One of Lee’s signature initiatives has been creating the P. Kelly Tompkins Leadership and Law Program and a Leadership Certificate, the first of its kind at any law school in the nation. He teaches a law school course, Leadership Lessons of Highly Effective Lawyer-Leaders, hosts a podcast, Living Justice, Living Leadership, and writes a regular column about leadership in Cleveland Magazine’s Community Leader Magazine. He is the immediate Past Chair of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Leadership Section, which of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. focuses on the importance of teaching leadership in Lee has decades of experience in legal practice, most law schools. extensively with Cleveland-based Hahn Loeser as He also established the CSU College of Law Hall Of Counsel from 1978-1990 and Partner from 1995of Fame to recognize members of the CSU|LAW 1999. He practiced in the areas of antitrust, business community who best exemplify the motto “Learn Law. litigation, and legislative/government regulation. He Live Justice.” This year will be the 8th Annual Hall of is a Life Member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference and the Ohio Court of Fame Celebration. Appeals for the Eighth District Judicial Conference. Lee has chaired a number of high-level searches, including those for University Provost, Business College He served as Ohio Attorney General and was the first Dean, and College of Public Affairs and Education Ohio AG to personally argue cases before the Ohio Dean. He served on the University Strategic Priorities Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Steering Committee, and has chaired several projects Sixth Circuit. In 1992, in an ironic twist, he defended for Presidents of Cleveland State University, including a the constitutionality of Ohio’s Hate Crime Law in the review of the CSU Police Department and the creation Ohio Supreme Court, the law that he authored years of a new Center for Civics, Culture, and Society. He earlier as a State Senator. As General Counsel for the wrote the concept paper that led to the creation State of Ohio, he managed the largest law firm in of the CSU Beth Mooney Center for Transformative Ohio – a team of 1,200 professionals including 350 Leadership and serves as a Senior Advisor to the lawyers, 23 legal divisions, a $50 million budget, and Center. In addition to teaching leadership and police an average daily caseload of 40,000 pending cases. reform at the Law College, he also has taught two first- He supervised the writing of over 300 formal legal of-its-kind interdisciplinary courses for graduate and opinions. As AG, Lee also served as legal counsel for all undergraduate students – Justice, Equity, Diversity, of Ohio’s public universities. and Inclusion; and The Middle East Conflict: Navigating He is a past board member of the Cleveland Difficult Conversations and Finding Common Ground. Metropolitan Bar Association, Cleveland Legal Aid Society, and Ohio Access to Justice Foundation. He LEGAL SECTOR LEADERSHIP is a regular legal commentator for WKYC-TV3, the Cleveland NBC affiliate, and is a regular columnist Lee earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve for Community Leader, a publication of Cleveland University School of Law. He was the first recipient Magazine. of Case Law School’s Distinguished Recent Graduate Award and was inducted into its Society of Benchers. After graduating, Lee clerked for Judge Paul C. Weick
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PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERSHIP
membership by over 300%.
He is a former Senior Fellow at Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs, and a former scholar for both the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs and the Great Cities Institute at the He also served as Director, Ohio Department of University of Illinois at Chicago Development; Chair, Ohio Third Frontier Commission; Chair, Ohio Economic Growth Council; Chair, Ohio LEADERSHIP TRAINING & Organized Crime Commission, and Chair, Clean Ohio EDUCATION Council. Lee served in elected public office for 18 years. He served as Ohio Attorney General; Ohio Lt. Governor; State Senator; and State Representative.
Lee is the author of ten Ohio laws, including Ohio’s Hate Crime Law, Crime Victims Assistance Law, and Missing Children Law. After his first term, Lee was voted Outstanding Freshman Legislator by the members of the Ohio House and Senate. During the decade he served in the Ohio Legislature, he served as Chair of the Cuyahoga County Legislative Delegation, the largest delegation in the Ohio Legislature.
Lee is a graduate of a number of leadership education programs including Leadership Cleveland; the Center for Creative Leadership’s Leadership at the Peak Program; the Arbinger Institute Outward Mindset Workshop; Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management’s Professional Fellows Program; and Harvard University’s Program on Negotiation.
President Bill Clinton appointed Lee as Chair of the National Commission on Crime Control and Prevention. Lee was a charter member of the Cleveland Community Police Commission, and he served as Special Transition Advisor on Ethics to Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb. He is Co-Chair with former Ohio Governor Bob Taft of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Ohio Advisory Board.
He was selected a Chase Public Leadership Fellow at Harvard’s Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government, and a Case Western Reserve University Presidential Fellow, teaching two undergraduate seminars on leadership, innovation, and collaboration. Lee is a frequent speaker at Leadership Cleveland programs and events. He has been a keynote speaker at the Leadership Cleveland Fall Retreat the past three years and has spoken at a Leadership Cleveland program in each of the past five decades.
NONPROFIT SECTOR LEADERSHIP Lee served as President and CEO of the Center for Families and Children in Cleveland from 1999-2006, one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the Midwest. Lee also served as President and CEO of CEOs for Cities, a national network of mid-sized U.S. cities focused on innovation and economic growth, from 2011-2016. As President, Lee developed a strategic framework for revitalizing cities known as City Vitals. Under his leadership, Lee organized 15 national conferences and increased conference attendance and national 10
LEADERSHIP AWARDS In 2022, Dean Fisher was inducted into the Cleveland Magazine Business Hall of Fame for his decadeslong work on state, regional, and local economic development. In 2019, Lee was named one of the 100 most powerful people in Cleveland by Cleveland Magazine, in an article “The Power 100,” the first law school dean to ever make the list. For the past four years, he has been named to the Cleveland Magazine “Cleveland 500: Leaders, Doers, Visionaries, and Idea Generators Who Help Shape the City.” Lee is a recipient of the American Constitution Society’s Stephanie Tubbs Jones Community Service Award, and the Anti-Defamation League’s Jurisprudence Award. In 2021, Lee and his wife Peggy (immediate past President/CEO of the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio) received the highest award from the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, the Richard Pogue Award for Excellence in Community Leadership and Engagement, the first couple to receive the award. Lee served as President and CEO of the Center for Families and Children in Cleveland from 1999-2006. He received Smart Business Magazine’s Nonprofit Executive of the Year and the Visionary in Business Award. He also received the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. 50th Anniversary Fair Housing Leadership in Higher Education Award and the Nonprofit Leadership Award from the Case Western University Mandel School for Applied Social Sciences.
He earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve University (“CWRU”) School of Law (1976). He earned his Master of Nonprofit Organization (MNO) from the CWRU Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations in 2004. He is a graduate of the Case Western University Weatherhead School of Management’s Professional Fellows Program and was a CWRU Presidential Fellow, teaching two undergraduate seminars on leadership, innovation, and collaboration.
PERSONAL
Lee is married to Peggy Zone Fisher, who served for 18 years as President and CEO of the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio until her retirement in August 2024. They have two children, Jason, an actor, host, and brand spokesman in Los Angeles, and Jessica, a graduate of the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work and a licensed social worker in Cleveland. They have a seven-year-old granddaughter, Violet Stanley EDUCATION Fisher, and a new grandson, Dylan, who live with their Lee is a graduate of Shaker High School and an parents, Jason and Katelyn Fisher, in Los Angeles. inaugural member of its Hall of Fame. He is a graduate of Oberlin College and served on the Oberlin College Board of Trustees for 12 years.
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2025 Hall of Fame Honorary Co-Chairs Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor ’80
Retired Chief Justice, Ohio Supreme Court/CSU|Law Leader-in-Residence Maureen O’Connor served as the 10th Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court — the first woman to lead the state judicial branch of government. During her time in the role, she enacted significant reforms and improvements to the state’s judicial system, including endowing Ohio local courts with more than $40 million to enhance technology. In 2024, she received the Brennan Center for Justice’s Legacy Award for her relentless efforts to combat gerrymandering and uphold the principles of democracy in Ohio. O’Connor is the past president of the National Conference of Chief Justices and a former board chair of the National Center for State Courts. She is currently a senior fellow at the Charles F. Kettering Foundation. After retiring from the bench in 2022, O’Connor was appointed to Ukraine’s Advisory Group of Experts in November 2023, which is tasked with vetting candidates for the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. She has traveled to Kyiv repeatedly since December 2023 as one of the six members of the A.G.E. to interview candidates applying to be a judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
Dick Pogue
Senior Advisor, Jones Day Richard W. (“Dick”) Pogue is Senior Advisor and former Managing Partner (1984-1992) of Jones Day, one of the largest integrated law firms in the world. After graduating from Cornell and Michigan Law, he spent three years in the Pentagon as an Officer in the Patents Division, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Army. He practiced antitrust and corporate takeover law at Jones Day from 1957-1994, worked at Dix & Eaton (a regional public relations firm) from 1994-2003, and then returned to Jones Day on January 1, 2004, where his work has involved client development, special projects, and civic engagement. During his stint as Managing Partner, Jones Day grew from 335 to 1,250 lawyers and from five to 20 offices, and it entered international markets. Once named by Cleveland Magazine as the most powerful man in Cleveland (1988), he has chaired or served on many nonprofit boards and has been Director of a number of for-profit boards. In the nonprofit arena, he has had a special interest in the field of higher education. He continues to be active in the community today at age 97.
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Robyn Minter Smyers Partner, Thompson Hine
Robyn Minter Smyers is a partner at the law firm Thompson Hine LLP. She currently serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and previously served as the Partner-in-Charge of the Cleveland office. Robyn’s legal practice focuses on the representation of global manufacturing companies and national real estate companies. She also focuses on transformational real estate projects and transactions, such as the development of the Van Aken District and the restoration of the West Side Market. Robyn is a passionate “community builder” with a long history of involvement with Cleveland civic organizations, philanthropic foundations and political causes. She currently serves on the boards of the City Club of Cleveland, the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, the Treu-Mart Fund and the George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, and she chairs the Black Philanthropy Center at the Cleveland Foundation.
P. Kelly Tompkins ’81
CSU|Law Leader-in-Residence/ Senior Advisor, President Lee Fisher, Baldwin Wallace University/Senior Advisor, Dix & Eaton P. Kelly Tompkins ’81 is an accomplished attorney, business leader, and longtime supporter of CSU|LAW. In 2018 he established the P. Kelly Tompkins Leadership and Law Program to provide leadership education to future lawyers. Kelly has also co-taught the Leadership Lessons of Highly Effective Lawyer-Leaders in the Spring Semester. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to Baldwin Wallace University’s new President, Lee Fisher; Senior Advisor at Dix & Eaton; and Chairman of the Board of US Bank Asset Management Group’s First American Funds. Kelly’s 30-year career includes senior leadership roles at Cleveland-Cliffs and RPM International, where he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Legal Officer. A former CSU Trustee and Special Advisor to the President for Business Affairs, he remains an active member of the CSU|LAW Board of Visitors, a past Chair, and a current Leader-inResidence. Honored with the CSU George B. Davis Service Award, the CSU|LAW Alumnus of the Year Award, and induction into the 2017 CSU|LAW Hall of Fame inaugural class, Kelly continues to mentor students and remain a familiar face in the life and leadership of CSU|LAW. Kelly has also had the honor of delivering the commencement address to CSU|LAW’s graduating classes in both 2005 and 2025.
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It is a pleasure to celebrate Lee’s vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the College of Law. Thank you, Lee, for all you have done to further CSU|Law and its mission.
Steve ’79 and Polly Percy
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Celebrating
Inspirational Leaders
Thompson Hine is pleased to support
Cleveland State University College of Law’s Hall of Fame Celebration and to honor this year’s inductee,
Lee Fisher.
ThompsonHine.com
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CSU
Hall of Fame.
Host and Steering Committees Special thanks to our Host and Steering Committees, whose support and leadership anchor our success.
Steering Committee • The Honorable Ronald Adrine ’73 CSU|LAW Leader-in-Residence Retired Judge, Cleveland Municipal Court • Julie Crocker ’06 Partner, Taft • Sarah Flannery ’02 Partner, Thompson Hine • Alana Jochum ’10 State Policy Director, Advocates for Trans Equality • P. Kelly Tompkins ’81 CSU|LAW Leader-in-Residence Senior Advisor, President Lee Fisher, Baldwin Wallace University Senior Advisor, Dix & Eaton • Sonia M. Winner ’90 President & CEO, Cleveland Museum of Natural History
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Host Committee • Ann Aber ’03 • Ann-Marie Ahern ’98 • Arab American Bar Association • Tom Aries ’71 • Anthony J. Asher ’63 • Awatef Assad ’95 • Brett ’96 & Dana ’95 Barragate • Sheryl King Benford ’79 • Bixenstine Resolutions, LLC • The Honorable Patricia Ann Blackmon ’75 • The Honorable Gregory F. Clifford ’80 • John Cipolla ’89 • Deborah Coleman & The Honorable Dan A. Polster • Timothy L. Collins ’85 • Timothy J. Cosgrove ’87 • The Honorable Edward Feighan ’78 • José C. Feliciano Sr. ’75 • Michael Fishman ’95 • Georgia Froelich ’84 • Jayne Hurst Geneva ’87 & Louis Geneva • Terry Gilbert ’73 • Tom Green ’02 • Thomas Gorman ’73 • David H. Gunning II ’94 • Jacqueline A. Johnson ’83 • Sharon Sobol Jordan & David Wallace • KJK | Kohrman, Jackson & Krantz
• Steven B. Lesser ’79 • Kenneth Liffman ’79 • Vincent T. Lombardo ’81 • James Lowe ’72 • Stacey McKinley ’97 • Amy & Marc Morgenstern • Colleen O’Neil ’96 • The Honorable Michelle Paris ’84 • Park-Ohio Industries, Inc. • Steven W. Percy ’79 • Freedom to Learn Foundation/ Steven ’78 & Loree ’79 Potash • Renee Tramble Richard ’88 • Barbara K. Roman ’77 • Alan Rom ’72 • David Sierk & Lisa Paul Sierk • Barbara J. Stanford ’80 • Alan Starkoff ’75 • Dean Emeritus Steven H. Steinglass • Mark Smolik ’87 • Stephen G. Sozio ’83 • Carter Strang ’84 • Hon. Joan ’84 & Roger ’77 Synenberg • Donna Zapis Thomas ’87 • P. Kelly Tompkins ’81 • Weston Hurd, LLP • Fred Widen ’81 • F. Scott ’81 & Holly Wilson ’81 • Sonali B. Wilson • David Whitehead ’73 • Margaret W. Wong
CONGRATULATION S TO THE
CSU COLLEGE OF LAW 2025 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
LEE FISHER P.
K E L LY T O M P K I N S
CSU|LAW Class of 1981 Member, Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Senior Advisor, President Lee Fisher, Baldwin Wallace University Leader in Residence Co-Founder, P. Kelly Tompkins Leadership and Law Program 17
2025 Hall of Fame Speakers Kelsey R. Holmberg ’22 Associate, Hahn Loeser
Kelsey R. Holmberg is an Associate in Hahn Loeser’s Business Practice Area and Corporate Transactions Group. She is also a member of the firm’s Corporate Transparency Act Task Force and serves on the steering committee of Hahn Loeser’s Women’s Leadership Initiative. Kelsey’s practice focuses on corporate transactions, governance, and strategy. She works on a wide variety of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, financings, commercial contracts, entity formation and restructuring. She also serves as outside general counsel for several of her clients. Kelsey graduated summa cum laude from Cleveland State University College of Law, while simultaneously receiving her M.B.A. from Cleveland State’s Monte Ahuja College of Business. While at Cleveland State, she served as the President of the Entertainment and Sports Law Association, President of the Dean’s Leadership Fellows Executive Board, and as a Managing Editor on the Global Business Law Review.
Samia Shaheen ’22
Associate, Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP Samia Shaheen is an Associate at Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP, and a member of the Labor and Employment Group. Samia’s legal experience includes FLSA wage and hour disputes, FLSA collectives, drafting settlement agreements, and providing management and employee trainings. Samia also has experience in assisting with internal investigations for employers facing complaints of unlawful harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other forms of misconduct. She also represents employers and companies before numerous local, state and federal administrative agencies relating to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful discharge claims. Samia has served as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Judge Dan Polster, U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Ohio and also interned in Washington D.C. for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Samia is a two-time CSU graduate, earning her B.A. in Political Science and International Relations in 2019 and her law degree from Cleveland State University College of Law in 2022. During her student tenure, Samia held a variety of leadership roles, including Student Body President, Business Editor of the Cleveland State Law Review, and a member of the Dean’s Leadership Fellow Program. Samia is an active member and former Academy Fellow of the National Employment Law Council, an organization for managementside labor and management-side employment law attorneys, and human resources leaders seeking to increase the ethnic and racial diversity of the field. In 2024, Samia was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland as a 20 In their 20’s honoree, which honors talented young professionals in Northeast Ohio’s business and nonprofit community. 18
Congratulations to Lee Fisher for your induction into the 2025 Hall of Fame Brett ’96 & Dana ’95 Barragate CSU|LAW HOF Members
19
Kudos to Lee Fisher and his transformational leadership while serving as Dean of Cleveland State’s law school. We say “thank you, Lee” for your many innovations at the law school and your contributions to the entire Cleveland legal community.
20
Lawyers Giving Back
Congratulations
Lee Fisher 2025 CSU | LAW Hall of Fame Honoree
A dedicated CMBA member, past Board Member, and Richard W. Pogue Award honoree alongside his wife Peggy, Lee embodies the spirit of service and leadership that unites Cleveland State University College of Law and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.
clemetrobar.org/joinnow
21
Congratulations CSU College of Law 2025 Hall of Fame Honoree, Dean Lee Fisher! SHIFT Consulting is the professional services division of The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio. We work with your organization to SHIFT individual behaviors, interpersonal interactions, management practices, procedures, and policies to create inclusive and equitable opportunities that foster feelings of belonging for everyone. These practices enable organizations to attract, recruit, engage, and retain top talent Through our partnerships with businesses and organizations, we promote a positive work culture where all feel connected, respected, and valued
Scan the QR code for more information on Inclusive Solutions and Customized Trainings
Contact us to schedule your free consultation and learn more about what SHIFT Consulting can do for your organization. (216) 752-3000 ext. 220 or SHIFT@diversitycenterneo.org
Visit us at www.diversitycenterneo.org 22
GTLAW.COM
Ride for the Brand!
CONGRATULATIONS! Dean Fisher. Thank you for your leadership. Michael Fishman, Vice Chairman, GT. Class of 95.
G R E E N B E RG T RA U R I G, L L P | 2850 AT TO R N E YS | 49 LO CAT I O N S W O R L D W I D E °
Michael T. Fishman* | Vice Chair of Greenberg Traurig 360 North Green Street | Suite 1300 | Chicago, IL 60607 | 312.456.8400
W O R L D W I D E LO CAT I O N S
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
GT_Law
United States, Europe
GreenbergTraurigLLP
GT_Law
and the Middle East,
Greenberg Traurig is a service mark and trade name of Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Greenberg Traurig, P.A. ©2025 Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Attorneys at Law. All rights reserved. Attorney Advertising. °These numbers are subject to fluctuation. *Not admitted to practice in Ohio. 42837
Asia, Latin America 23
Congrats,
LEE!
While we encourage all our attorneys to carve out full, robust personal and professional lives, Lee certainly took notes that day. Eighteen years in public office as a State Representative, State Senator, Attorney General and Lt. Governor. Dean of CSU’s College of Law. Member of non-profit and private company boards. Former Partner in our firm. Now, the 2025 Inductee to the CSU College of Law Hall of Fame. Lee, you definitely seized not only the day, but the entirety of a life well lived.
Congratulations from your colleagues at Hahn Loeser.
HAHN LOESER & PARKS LLP | HAHNL AW.COM | 216.621.0150 200 PUBLIC SQUARE | SUITE 2800 | CLEVEL AND, OHIO 44114
Cleveland | Columbus | Chicago | Fort Myers | Naples | San Diego | Tampa | Sarasota 24
OHIO | ILLINOIS | INDIANA | MISSOURI | WISCONSIN
WWW.AMUNDSENDAVISL AW.COM
DONNA & LARRY JAMES ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT C SU COLLEGE OF LAW HALL OF FAME CELEBRATION
25
Legal Aid celebrates Lee Fisher for his many contributions to the legal community. Legal Aid helps families access the power of the law so they can live safer, healthier, and more financially stable lives. Join the movement to extend Justice.
Give. Volunteer.
lasclev.org 26
27
Honoring and celebrating excellence in law Congratulations to Lee Fisher
as the 2025 CSU Law Hall of Fame Inductee. We proudly recognize Lee’s outstanding contributions to the legal profession in our community and lasting impact on the law school legacy. mcdonaldhopkins.com
28
Park Ohio celebrates Dean Lee Fisher 2025 CSU Hall of Fame Inductee
Congratulations!
ParkOhio is a multifaceted business specializing in industrial supply chain logistics and manufacturing, segmented into Supply Technologies, Assembly Components, and Engineered Products. We operate roughly 130 facilities for manufacturing, distribution, and service, employing about 6,400+ people globally, and generating revenues exceeding $1.7 billion. Serving a variety of Global 2000 infrastructure and consumer goods companies, we continually find our growth potential expanding day by day. Global Headquarters 6065 Parkland Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44124 440.947.2000 | www.pkoh.com
29
Thank you for your transformative leadership at CSU Law, Lee! With gratitude, Sarah Flannery ’02 and Phil Slaght
30
Congratulations, Dean Lee Fisher, on your induction into the Hall of Fame. Your leadership and service have made a lasting difference in our community. I am proud to celebrate this honor with you. - Dick Pogue
31
Thank you Dean Fisher for your commendable service to CSU College of Law. You give meaning to “Learn Law. Live Justice.” - Laura and Steve Sozio ’83, 2017 Hall of Fame Member
32
33
Congratulations to Dean Emeritus Lee Fisher. Thank you for your contributions to CSU Law.
Taftlaw.com 34
The Cleveland State University Law Alumni Association thanks 2025 Hall of Fame Honoree Lee Fisher for his exemplary leadership the past 9 years!
SAVE THE DATE CSULAA’s 2026 Annual Recognition Luncheon
The 2026 Luncheon will honor Alumni of the Year:
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Jamie R. Lebovitz, CSU|LAW 1982
Hotel Cleveland 24 Public Square Cleveland, Ohio 44113 Doors Open at 12:30 p.m. Program begins promptly at 1:00 p.m.
Senior Partner, Nurenberg Paris
Stephen E. Walters, CSU|LAW 1983 President and Retired Managing Partner, RemingerCo., LPA
216.687.2368 · alumni@csulaa.com · csulaa.com 35
180
th
ANNIVERSARY ESTABLISHED 1845
Congratulations, President Fisher! All of us at Baldwin Wallace University proudly celebrate your inclusion in the Cleveland State University College of Law Hall of Fame. Your leadership, integrity, and lifelong commitment to public service and education inspire us every day. We are honored to join in celebrating this welldeserved recognition of your many accomplishments.
With pride and gratitude — Your Baldwin Wallace University family
Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, Ohio 44017 | www.bw.edu
36
To donate, visit csulaw.org/give or text justice25 to 216-400-5145
CSU
Hall of Fame.
This year, all proceeds will support the creation of the Lee Fisher Student Success Fund, an initiative dedicated to empowering our students through four key areas: • Williams McGinty Bar Passage Assistance Fund • Student Emergency Assistance Fund • Student Professional Development Fund • CSU|Law Scholarships 37
CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Members
Ann Aber ’03
Judge Ronald B. Adrine ’73
Russell T. Adrine ’54*
Ann-Marie Ahern ’98
Judge Ann Aldrich*
Judge Francis M. Allegra ’81*
Dean Linda L. Ammons
Judge Joseph A. Artl ’22*
Tony Asher ’63
Awatef Assad ’95
Steve Auvil ’93
Mark Avsec ’95
Mary Ann Bagus ’82*
Mayor Newton D. Baker*
Brett P. Barragate ’96
Joyce E. Barrett ’71*
Magistrate Judge Joseph W. Bartunek III ’55*
Teresa Metcalf Beasley ’92
Professor Emerita Susan J. Becker ’83
Alfred A. Benesch*
* deceased 38
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Sheryl King Benford ’79
Kay E. Benjamin
Robert T. Bennett ’67*
Dean Charles S. Bentley*
Nancy L. Berardinelli-Krantz ’02
Terry Billups ’05
Kim Bixenstine
Judge Patricia A. Blackmon ’75
Elizabeth M. Boyer ’47*
Judge Christopher A. Boyko ’79
Jason R. Bristol ’00
Professor J. Patrick Browne*
Brent Buckley ’82
David P. Burke ’80
Judge Lillian W. Burke ’51*
Nona M. Burney, Ph.D. ’81*
Judge Annette Garner Butler ’70*
Kevin Butler ’01
Judge Salvatore R. Calandra ’51*
Judge Jean Murrell Capers ’45*
* deceased 39
CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Members (cont)
Charles V. Carr ’26*
Judge Patrick Carroll ’77
Attorney General Anthony J. Celebrezze, Jr. ’73*
Chief Justice Frank D. Celebrezze, Jr. ’56*
John S. Cipolla ’89
Chief Magistrate Gregory F. Clifford ’80
State Representative William H. Clifford ’02*
Michael L. Climaco ’72*
Judge Genevieve Cline ’21*
Professor Emeritus Hyman Cohen
Judge Cassandra Collier-Williams ’90
Tim L. Collins ’85
Judge C. Ellen Connally ’70
Chief Judge James C. Connell ’18*
William J. Corrigan ’15*
Joseph G. Corsaro ’82
Colleen M. Cotter
Anthony J. Coyne ’87
Matthew Crawford ’94
Timothy J. Cosgrove ’87
* deceased 40
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Julie Crocker ’06
Frank T. Cullitan ’06*
Ronda Curtis ’92
Louise P. Dempsey ’81
Judge John J. Donnelly ’69
Justice Michael P. Donnelly ’91
John Deaver Drinko*
Abe H. Dudnik ’27*
Arthur Elk ’73
Carol G. Emerling ’55*
Charles R. Emrick, Jr. ’58*
Judge Eleanor Farina ’25*
José C. Feliciano, Sr. ’75
Professor Joel Jay Finer*
Rosalina Fini ’94
Professor James T. Flaherty*
Sarah C. Flannery ’02
Judge Charles W. Fleming ’55*
Hon. George L. Forbes ’62
Gus Frangos ’82*
* deceased 41
CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Members (cont)
Isadore Fred Freiberger ’04*
Avery S. Friedman ’72
Adjunct Professor Gordon S. Friedman
Ian N. Friedman ’97
Georgia A. Froelich ’84
Hon. Marcia L. Fudge ’83
Judge Nancy A. Fuerst ’88
Judge Sean C. Gallagher ’89
Frank L. Gallucci III ’00
Anthony J. Garofoli ’61*
Professor Emeritus Louis B. Geneva
Dr. Samuel R. Gerber ’49*
M. Colette Gibbons ’76
Michael E. Gibbons ’82*
Karen L. Giffen ‘89
Terry H. Gilbert ’73
Thomas O. Gorman ’73
Professor David B. Goshien*
Judge Thomas W. Gray, Sr. ’63*
Tom Green ’02
* deceased 42
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Bell Greve ’18*
Judge Mary Grossman ’12*
Mary Groth ’83
David H. Gunning, II ’94
Michael J. Haas ’94
Edward T. Haggins ’66
James L. Hardiman ’68
Deborah Lewis Hiller ’75*
Joseph C. Hostetler*
Jane Edna Hunter ’25*
Mayor Frank G. Jackson ’83
Judge Leo A. Jackson ’50*
Aaron Jacobson ’59*
Professor Sidney B. Jacoby*
Clarence L. James, Jr. ’62*
Larry H. James ’77
Judge Lindsay Jenkins ’02
Joseph B. Jerome ’75*
Ferdinand Jirsa ’21*
Jacqueline A. Johnson ’83
* deceased 43
CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Members (cont)
44
C. Lyonel Jones ’63*
Judge Nathaniel R. Jones*
Kerin Lyn Kaminski ’85
Judge Diane J. Karpinski ’80*
Michael V. Kelley ’81*
Betty Klaric ’84*
Max I. Kohrman ’18*
Judge Thomas D. Lambros’52*
Professor Emeritus Arthur R. Landever*
Dennis R. Lansdowne ’81
Brent W. Larkin ’86
Congressman Steven C. LaTourette ’79*
U.S. Senator Frank J. Lausche ’21*
Erica Lazzaro ’04
Steven B. Lesser ’79
Kenneth B. Liffman ’79
Vincent T. Lombardo ’81
James A. Lowe ’72
Lori A. Luka ‘00
Gertrude Bauer Mahon ’40*
CSU
Hall of Fame.
State Senator Margaret A. Mahoney ’29*
Judge John M. Manos ’50*
Judge Richard M. Markus*
Daniel R. McCarthy, Sr. ’54*
Grace Doering McCord ’25*
Judge Nancy R. McDonnell ’85*
Judge William T. McGinty ’79
Stacey L. McKinley ’97
Judge Joseph F. McManamon ’50*
Judge George J. McMonagle ’30*
Judge James J. McMonagle ’70
Judge Timothy McMonagle ’74
Dean David C. Meck, Sr. ’13*
Dean David C. Meck, Jr.*
Dr. Bernice G. Miller ’51*
Norman S. Minor ’27*
Congressman William Edwin Minshall, Jr. ’38*
Howard D. Mishkind ’80
Dean Lizabeth A. Moody
Louise Mooney
* deceased 45
CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Members (cont)
Joseph J. Morford
Jennifer Mountcastle ’00
Sandra M. Natran
Judge Clifton Newman ’76
Judge Donald C. Nugent ’74
Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor ’80
Professor Howard L. Oleck*
Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr.
Colleen M. O’Neil ’96
David M. Paris ’78
Judge Michelle L. Paris ’84
Lawrence O. Payne ’23*
Reuben M. Payne ’53*
Judge Benita Y. Pearson ’95
Steven W. Percy ’79
Patrick J. Perotti ’82
Susan Petersen ’97
Judge Raymond L. Pianka ’77*
Professor Emerita Jane M. Picker
Jon J. Pinney ’00
* deceased 46
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Vicki Plata
William T. Plesec ’71
Leon M. Plevin ’57*
Richard W. Pogue
Franklin A. Polk ’39*
Judge Dan Aaron Polster
Steven Potash ’78
Louise Johnson Pridgeon ’22*
Callista Puchmeyer ’07
Elizabeth Pugh ’78
Linn J. Raney ’68
Max Ratner ’29*
Judy and Robert H. Rawson, Jr.
Edwin C. Reminger ’22*
Richard T. Reminger, Sr. ’57
Rob Remington ’88
Kenneth C. Ricci ’86
Renee Tramble Richard ’88
Daniel Richards ’92
Alan Jay Rom ’72
* deceased 47
CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Members (cont)
Barbara K. Roman ’77
Rev. Dr. Stephen Rowan ’80
Professor Emeritus Alan Miles Ruben*
Karen E. Rubin ’85
Timothy J. Russert ’76*
Honorable Basil M. Russo ’72
Judge John J. Russo ’92
Judge Michael J. Ryan ’96
Isam Salah ’76
James Sammon ’94
Thomas J. Scanlon ’63*
President Michael Schwartz*
Edna C. Shalala ’52*
Judge Brendan J. Sheehan ’93
Judge Samuel H. Silbert ’07*
Dean Lee E. Skeel ’12*
Judge Michelle J. Sheehan ’93 Associate Dean Carroll H. Sierk*
J. Helen Slough ’29*
Dean Emeritus Steven R. Smith
* deceased 48
CSU
Hall of Fame.
Mark A. Smolik ’87
Stephen G. Sozio ’83
Maria Spangler ’06
Dean Wilson G. Stapleton ’34*
Dean Emeritus Steven H. Steinglass
Carl L. Stern ’66
Justice Leonard Stern ’26*
Justice Melody J. Stewart ’88
Mayor Carl B. Stokes ’56*
Congressman Louis Stokes ’53*
Richard P. Stovsky ’83
Carter E. Strang ’84
Mary Strassmeyer ’81*
Justice Francis E. Sweeney, Sr. ’63*
Judge Joan Synenberg ’87
Roger M. Synenberg ’77
Elsie Tarcai ’42* & Violet Tarcai ’43*
Frances Tetlak ’21*
Donna Zapis Thomas ’87
James A. Thomas ’63
* deceased 49
CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Members (cont)
Marilyn Tobocman ’83*
Stanley E. Tolliver, Sr. ’53*
P. Kelly Tompkins ’81
Legal Writing Professor Emerita Barbara J. Tyler ’89
Dean Willis Vickery*
Hazel Mountain Walker ’19*
Stephen E. Walters ’83
Judge Lesley Brooks Wells ’74*
Adjunct Professor David C. Weiner
Maurice M. Weltman ’26*
Professor Emeritus Stephen J. Werber
Judge Lillian M. Westropp ’15*
Dean Frederic P. White, Jr.
Judge George W. White ’55*
Fredrick Widen’ 81
Elizabeth Williams ’08*
Assistant Dean Gary R. Williams ’84
F. Scott Wilson ’81
Sonali B. Wilson
Marie Remington Wing ’26*
* deceased 50
CSU
Sonia Winner ’90
Hall of Fame.
Bertram L. Wolstein ’53*
Iris S. Wolstein
Leonard D. Young ’74
Xenophon “Xen” Zapis ’54*
Margaret W. Wong
* deceased
Past Leader on the Rise Award Recipients
2018 Alana Jochum ’10
2022 Alexander Reich ’09
2019 Brandon Cox ’12
2022 Allison Taller Reich ’09
2021 Kimberly Kendall Corral ’12
2023 Delanté Spencer Thomas ’16
2024 Drew Odum ’10
The Leader on the Rise Award is given to a recent graduate from the past 15 years who has demonstrated extraordinary community leadership and who has given to our law school with their time, talent, or treasure. 51
Our heartfelt gratitude to Dean Lee Fisher for his outstanding leadership of CSU College of Law and well-deserved congratulations on being inducted into the Hall of Fame!
Kim Bixenstine & Bart Bixenstine 52
Calfee, Halter & Griswold congratulates Lee Fisher on his many years of service to CSU|Law and the community. The firm salutes all of the CSU|Law Hall of Fame honorees who have brought distinction to CSU|Law through their accomplishments in their profession, contributions to their community, and dedicated service to the university post-graduation.
CALFEE.COM | 216.622.8200 ©2025 Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP. All Rights Reserved. 1405 E. Sixth Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44114.
53
Congratulations, Lee, With sincere thanks for your mentorship, vision, and leadership. We’re proud to carry your legacy forward. Carolyn and Brian 54
Congratulations Lee on all your accomplishments in your career and at CSU|Law. Good luck on this next chapter at Baldwin Wallace.
Georgia Froelich ‘84 & Russell O’Rourke ‘84
Thank you, Lee, for your service and dedication to CSU Law, and congratulations on your induction – so well deserved! - David Gunning, Former CSU Trustee and Board Chair
- Harlan Sands,
Former CSU President and Professor, CSU Law 55
Your legacy continues to shape the future of legal education. On behalf of Tom Green (Hall of Fame, 2023) and everyone at Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC:
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S
Lee Fisher, 2025 CSU | LAW Hall of Fame Inductee A transformational force whose tireless pursuit of excellence inspired unparalleled engagement from students, faculty, alumni, and the broader legal community. Thank you for elevating CSU | LAW to new heights.
Congratulations, Lee, for your induction into the Hall of Fame and thank you for your nearly nine years of leadership at CSU|Law. Brenden Kelley ’15 56
A LAW FIRM BUILT FOR BUSINESS.
HONORING A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP KJK is proud to support CSU|LAW and would like to congratulate Lee Fisher on being inducted into the CSU|LAW Hall of Fame, honoring his outstanding contributions to the law school and community. KJK.com | 216.696.8700
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57
Congratulations to a lifelong friend for taking the Law School to the next level. May you go from strength to strength. Judge Dan Polster and Deborah Coleman
CONGRATUL ATIONS & THANK YOU
Dean Lee Fisher
We extend our congratulations on your induction and gratitude for your extraordinary leadership. Best wishes on your new position. Dennis R. Lansdowne (‘81)
58
Nicholas A. DiCello (‘02)
CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (TRI-C ® )
SALUTES the CSU Law Hall of Fame Celebration
CONGRATULATIONS, Lee Fisher, on being named to the CSU Law 2025 Hall of Fame.
tri-c.edu 216-987-6000
25-0675
59
Celebrating Excellence UB Greensfelder is proud to support the CSU Law Hall of Fame. Congratulations to the 2025 honoree, Lee Fisher. The impact of his legal practice, mentorship, and support is valued by CSU students and our greater community. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor.
ubglaw.com UB Greensfelder was created in 2024 through the merger of Ulmer & Berne LLP and Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.— two strong, growth-focused firms that joined forces to create an Am Law 200 legal powerhouse.
Congratulations LEE FISHER 2025 Hall of Fame Honoree
CLEVELAND 216.241.6602 | COLUMBUS 614.280.0200 westonhurd.com E C -
60
Congratulations to Lee Fisher on his distinguished career of service Our best, Sonia M. Winner ’90 and Professor Kevin O’Neill
61
With great gratitude, we honor Dean Fisher for his memorable accomplishments at CSU|Law Best wishes at your new venture! Roger Synenberg ’77 & Hon. Joan Synenberg ’87
62
Thank you, Lee Fisher, for your leadership. We greatly appreciate your dedication to our CSU law students, the faculty, the administrators, and the alumni. Wishing you and Peggy and the Fisher Family the very best. With gratitude, The Zapis Families
CONGRATULATIONS! Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy sends its congratulations to Dean, Lee Fisher, being inducted into the CSU College of Law Hall of Fame
Congratulations! The Paris Family sends its congratulations to Dean, Lee Fisher, being inducted into the CSU College of Law Hall of Fame.
63
Congratulations Lee for this well-deserved honor Becker is proud to honor
and for all your leadership!
Dean Lee Fisher at the annual
CSU Law Hall of Fame Celebration We celebrate the leadership and commitment of the CSU Law community in shaping the next generation of legal professionals.
Steven B. Lesser Shareholder
beckerlawyers.com
Rooted in Excellence, Driven by Results.
CLEVELAND | AKRON | CANTON
bdblaw.com
64
Sheryl King Benford CSU|LAW Leader in Residence Class of 1979 2017 Hall of Fame Member
Congratulations Lee Fisher on this well-deserved honor for your service to CSU|Law and our community. - The Frangos Group
To my friend Lee, Your commitment to diversity, justice and coalition building, your passion and inspiration to students, and your vision bringing CSU Law to greater heights and reputation, will now add to your list of accomplishments and your legacy in our community and Ohio. Your leadership skills will also be a turning point for Baldwin Wallace University, as you take on the challenges facing higher education. Best to you and Peggy as you move into a new chapter!
Terry Gilbert ’73, HOF Class of 2018
Thomas O. Gorman ’73 CSU|LAW HOF 2019
CONGRATULATIONS
To the 2025 CSU|LAW Hall of Fame Honoree:
Lee Fisher Please join us in celebrating a very special inductee to the Hall of Fame this year — Lee Fisher — and the continued progress of the Law School!
A Creditors’ Rights Law Firm Offices in: OH, KY, WI, WV, & IN weinerlaw.com (866) 368-6500
65
Thanks for your leadership and service to CSU|LAW and the legal community Lee!
Thank you, Lee, for all you have done to support and elevate CSU|Law and its students. Your leadership has inspired us all, and we are deeply grateful. Robin M. Wilson ‘96
James A. Lowe ’72 CSU|LAW HOF Class of 2021
Lowe Trial Lawyers 5875 Landerbrook, Suite 220 Cleveland, OH 44124 (216) 781-2600 (216) 781-2610 FAX james@LoweFightWin.com
Congratulations Thank you,
To Dean Lee Fisher 2025 CSU Law Hall of Fame Honoree
Dean Fisher, for your inspired leadership and dedication!
-Alan G. Starkoff ’75 and Kathy Starkoff
From Tony Asher ‘63
2023 Hall of Fame Member & All of Team Weston
Industrial Real Estate Owners & Developers
4760 Richmond Rd. | Ste. 200 Cleveland, OH 440.349.9000 teamweston.com
Ohio | Kentucky | Indiana | Tennessee | Florida | N. Carolina | S. Carolina | Georgia
66
With heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Lee Fisher. CSU Law is much the better for your leadership. Holly ’81 and Scott ’81 Wilson (2020 HOF Inductee) Jon ’81 and Karen Groza Congratulations Lee for your induction into the Hall of Fame! It is well deserved. As a member of the Class of 1981, I thank you for your leadership and service to CSU|Law. - Fred Widen ’81
67
We salute the CSU | Law Hall of Fame Inductees and the eduring influence of Lee Fisher.
You inspire the next generation of legal leaders.
A full-service law firm trusted by clients for over 150 years. mysblaw.com
Dean Fisher, you embody Learn Law. Live Justice. You’ve made your mark on CSU|Law. We will miss you!
♥
- ALANA JOCHUM ’10
2018 LEADER ON THE RISE
68
-GRAHAM BINNIG SNAPPY DRESSER
Thank you, Lee, for your service, stewardship, and leadership at CSU|Law. Best wishes for continued success at BW. - Thomas and Marsha Hopkins Family Fund
CONGRATULATIONS! Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy sends its congratulations to Dean, Lee Fisher, being inducted into the CSU College of Law Hall of Fame
CSU
Hall of Fame.
69
To donate, visit csulaw.org/give or text justice25 to 216-400-5145
CSU
Hall of Fame.
This year, all proceeds will support the creation of the Lee Fisher Student Success Fund, an initiative dedicated to empowering our students through four key areas: • Williams McGinty Bar Passage Assistance Fund • Student Emergency Assistance Fund • Student Professional Development Fund • CSU|Law Scholarships 72
Kerin Lyn Kaminski, Karen L. Giffen, and their firm, Perez Morris, congratulate President Lee Fisher for his well-deserved induction into the Hall of Fame. A Client-Centered, Community-Focused Law Firm.
perezmorris.com
Lazzaro Luka Law Offices, LLC congratulates Lee Fisher on his induction into the CSU Law Hall of Fame, Class of 2025, and for all his service to CSU Law!
Congratulations, Lee, on your extraordinary career and accomplishments at Cleveland State College of Law!
Celebrating Legal Excellence We are proud to support the CSU|LAW Hall of Fame, honoring those whose leadership, integrity, and service strengthen our communities.
Congratulating Lee Fisher on his extraordinary leadership at the CSU College of Law and for his many decades of impactful public service. Barbara and Alan Rosskamm
Rethink Your Outside Counsel
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216.363.1400 I buckleyking.com
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