Committee Chairpersons

Columbus Bar Committee Chairs gain opportunities for leadership development, networking, and recognition across the Bar. Chairs serve a vital role in furthering the education of colleagues in their practice area by planning monthly meetings and arranging speakers and topical legal discussions. Committee chairs are appointed by the Columbus Bar President and serve at the pleasure of the president. Click here to read Columbus Bar Committee Chair Policies. If you have an interest in being considered for a Committee Chair position or would like to offer your suggestion for the creation of a new Columbus Bar Committee, please contact Donna Sweet, Director of Committees at donna@cbalaw.org or 614/221.4112.

Committee Chairs, 2019-20

Admissions: William Loveland, Loveland Law, LLC and Orsolya Hamar-Hilt, Bloomfield & Kempf
ADR: Veronica Cravener, Franklin County Municipal Court
Association Relations: Lisa Pierce Reisz, Vorys
Bankruptcy: Michael Cox, Guerrieri, Cox & Associates
Columbus Bar Task Force on Lawyer Physical and Mental Well-being: Bobbie O'Keefe, O'Keefe Family Law
Common Pleas: Bryan M. Smeenk, Bricker & Eckler LLP
Construction: Eric B. Kjellander, Dinsmore & Shohl
Criminal Law: Haidy Tawadros, Columbus City Attorney
EAGLE: Sandra Furman, Esq.
Employee Benefits: Tal Simon, BakerHostetler
Editorial Board: Melanie Tobias, Columbus City Attorney, Prosecutor Division and Jaynce Katz, Esq.
Energy Law: Michael Nugent, IGS Energy
Environmental Law: Christy Rideout Schirra, Bricker & Eckler
Estate Planning and Trust: Chris Vonau, Decker Vonau
Family Law: Susan Suriano, Suriano Law Firm LLC
Federal Court: Shawn Judge, Isaac Wiles Burkholder & Teetor LLC
Fee Arbitration: Bill Pohlman, Pohlman Mediation Services
Financial Services: Keesha Warmsby, BakerHostetler
Government Agencies: Sara Katz, Ohio Department of Education, Office of Legal Counsel
Health Care: Valerie Jama, Ohio Department of Commerce
International Law: Mazen H. Rasoul, Rasoul Law Office
Judicial Campaign Advertising: Drew Campbell, Bricker & Eckler and Matt Austin, Austin Legal
Judicial Screening: Kevin T. Shook, Frost Brown Todd LLC
Juvenile Law: Crysta Pennington, Esq., Crysta Pennington Attorney at Law
Labor & Employment Law: Catherine Burgett, Frost Brown Todd LLC
Lawyer Referral: Amy Levine, Amy M Levine Attorney at Law LLC
Law Students: Jhay Spottswood, Bricker & Eckler
Legal Research & Information: Carolyn Vinyard, Bricker & Eckler LLP
LGBT Committee: Carly Edelstein, Ohio Public Defender's Office
Managing Partners: Bill Nolan, Barnes & Thornburg, LLP
Minorities in the Law: Abigail F. Chin, Porter Wright Morris Arthur and Kelli Amador, Dickie McCamey & Chilcote, PC
Municipal Court: Garrison Carr, Decker Vonau, LLC
Notary Public: Darren McNair, Lardiere McNair, LLC
Pro Bono Committee: Melissa Baker Linville, Legal Aid Society
Probate: Adriann McGee, Reminger
Professional Ethics: Joanne Beasy, Isaac Wiles Burkholder & Teetor LLC and Amy Bostic, Luper Neidenthal & Logan LPA
Real Property: Courtney Hanna, Joseph & Joseph Co., LPA
Small Firm/Solo Practitioners: Bradley W. Miller, Miller Law LLC and Kevin Rouch, Albeit Weiker, LLP
Social Security Disability: Elizabeth C. Leffel, Esq., Leffel Law, LLC
Visitation Committee: Michael H Carpenter, Carpenter Lipps & Leland LLP
Workers' Compensation: Samuel Marcellino, Barkan Meizlish DeRose Wentz McInerney Peifer, LLP
Young Lawyers: Scott Ciszewski, Ohio Public Defender Office and Alexis V. Preskar, Kohrman, Jackson, & Krantz, LLP