About Us

Judge Kathleen Ann Keough was first elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals in November 2010 and commenced her term on January 1, 2011. She was re-elected in 2016 to her second term. Born and raised in the Greater Cleveland area, Judge Keough received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and History from Youngstown State University, and her Juris Doctorate degree from The Cleveland Marshall College of Law. Prior to her election to the Cleveland Municipal Court bench in 1995, where she served for 15 years until being elected to the Court of Appeals, she worked in the Cuyahoga County Public Defender's Office. This time with the agency gave her almost a decade of experience in the Appellate, Juvenile and Felony Divisions of Common Pleas Court.

Judge Keough is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, and the Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges Association. She is also an active member in many neighborhood and civic organizations. Judge Keough is married to a local attorney and is the mother of two daughters.

Judge Mary J. Boyle was first elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals in 2006 and reelected in 2012 and 2018. Judge Boyle continues to bring her passion for the law and commitment to justice to the appellate bench, where she was elected by her colleagues to serve as the court’s Administrative Judge in 2014 and 2021.

Prior to joining the appellate court, Judge Boyle served ten years as a judge in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, General Division. While at the Common Pleas Court, she was instrumental in the creation of a Mental Health Court, where she also served as Chair, designated judge, and a member of its advisory board.

Judge Boyle was awarded the Golden Gavel Award in 2006 for her service in the trial court.

Before being elected to the bench, Judge Boyle enjoyed an active civil practice with the law firm of Zashin and Rich, LPA, where she litigated in numerous courts in Ohio, including domestic relations, probate, juvenile, general division, municipal, and federal. She also served on the Board of Zoning Appeals for the city of North Olmsted.

Judge Boyle developed her passion for the law and dispute resolution processes at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, where she received her B.A. degree. Judge Boyle received her J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She is a regular presenter of legal education.

Judge Boyle serves on the Executive Board for the Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges’ Association as well as the Ohio Judicial College Court Administration and Civil Law and Procedure committees. She is also an active member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bench-Bar Committee and a Board Member of the Cleveland Law Library Association. From 2008-2016, Judge Boyle served as Chair of the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission and Advisory Committee on Dispute Resolution.

Judge Boyle shares her dedication and enthusiasm for the legal profession in the classroom. She regularly participates in Ohio’s mock trial for high school, undergraduates, and law students as well as Cleveland’s Rotary Club’s New Generations Conference and Recognition Day. She also volunteered in the 3R’s program through the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association where she presented at Cleveland public schools.

Judge Frank Daniel Celebrezze, III, born February 22, 1952, is a life-long resident of Cuyahoga County.

He was elected to the Ohio Court of Appeals, Eighth Appellate District, in 2000, after serving as a Trial Judge of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, General Division, since 1993, having been re-elected in 1998.

Judge Celebrezze has had the honor and privilege to have been appointed by Ohio's Chief Justice to sit as Associate Justice on the Ohio Supreme Court.

He has held a variety of public service jobs, starting at the early age of fifteen when he worked as a laborer for the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District while attending Holy Name High School and The Ohio State University. He served overseas in the United States Navy from 1974 to 1977 as a Radioman for N.A.T.O. Command in Naples, Italy. Before returning stateside, having served his active service, he drove a steel truck and a meat truck and then worked in the steel mills as a laborer until graduating from law school. He received his B.A. in 1980 from Cleveland State University and his Juris Doctor from Cleveland Marshall Law School in 1983.

While attending law school, Judge Celebrezze served as a Judicial Extern for Judge Alvin I. Krenzler with the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division in 1982 and as a Law Clerk for the Legal Department of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division (1983-1984). Following admission to the Bar in 1983, Judge Celebrezze was an associate with the law firm of Nurenberg, Plevin, Jacobson, Heller & McCarthy Co., L.P.A. (Jacobson, Maynard, Tuschman & Kalur Co., L.P.A.) (1983-1985) and with Wolske & Blue Co., L.P.A. (1985-1987), specializing in medical malpractice and personal injury litigation. He was a District Hearing Officer with the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation-Industrial Commission of Ohio (1987-1991) and served as a Staff Attorney with the Cuyahoga County Treasurer's Office (1991-1993).

Judge Celebrezze is admitted to the Federal District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States Court of International Trade, United States Tax Court and United States Claims Court. He is a member of the Ohio Court of Appeals Judges Association; Common Pleas Judges Association, State of Ohio; Ohio State Bar Association; Life Member of the Italian-American Veterans Association; and Trustee with the Justinian Forum.

Judge Eileen A. Gallagher is a native Clevelander, having been born and raised in Cleveland’s Puritas-Longmead area. She is a graduate of St. Augustine Academy (1974), received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio Dominican College in Columbus, Ohio (1977), and her Juris Doctorate from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law (1987). She has received judicial education through the National Judicial College, the Ohio Judicial College, the American Academy of Judicial Education, and the New York University College of Law — Institute of Judicial Administration.

Judge Gallagher was employed as a probation officer in the Common Pleas Court of Cuyahoga County — General Division from 1979 – 1994 and was engaged in the practice of law as a sole practitioner from 1987 – 1997. She has practiced law in the Courts of the State of Ohio, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and before the United States Supreme Court.

Judge Gallagher served 14 years in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas having been first elected to the bench in 1996. She was reelected in 2002 and, again, in 2008. During her tenure on the Court she served as Acting Administrative Judge from 2006 – 2010.

Judge Eileen A. Gallagher was elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals in Ohio in 2010 and was reelected, without opposition, in 2016 and 2022. She served as administrative judge in 2018.

Judge Gallagher has served on the Boards of Trustees of both the Stella Maris Treatment Center and the West Side Catholic Center.

Judge Eileen T. Gallagher was elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals in 2012, and brings her dedication and enthusiasm of the law to the reviewing bench.

Prior to joining the appellate court, Judge Gallagher served as trial judge for eight years in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, General Division. During her tenure on the bench, she served on many court and community committees. Most notably, she served as Chair of the Foreclosure Committee and was instrumental in creating a nationally recognized foreclosure mediation program.

Judge Gallagher earned a diploma in nursing from St. Vincent Charity Hospital School of Nursing, a Bachelor of Nursing degree from Ursuline College, and obtained her law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University.

Before being elected to the bench, Judge Gallagher was a sole practitioner, a judicial staff attorney in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, General Division, a magistrate in the Foreclosure Department of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, General Division, and an assistant prosecuting attorney, in the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office.

Since starting with the court, she has served on the following court committees: Law Review, Policy and Procedure, Personnel, Budget and Finance, En Banc and Mediation, and Court Safety Committees. Judge Gallagher has been a member of many professional, civic, and community organizations. She is a presenter at various continuing education programs. She enjoys participating in Moot Court and the Court’s internship program for law students. She has or is currently serving as a Board member of the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Technology and the Courts, Judicial Ethics, Professionalism and Diversity Committee, Appellate Law and Procedure Committee for the Ohio Judicial Conference, Designee for Judicial Campaign Grievances, and Executive Committee member for the 22nd Judicial Conference of the Eighth Judicial District. She served as Administrative Judge for Ohio’s Eighth Appellate District in 2020.

Judge Sean C. Gallagher was elected to the Ohio Court of Appeals on November 5, 2002. Prior to his election he served as a judge in the Cleveland Municipal Court from 1997 to 2002. Judge Gallagher has forty years of direct experience in all areas of the Ohio justice system. He, literally, worked his way up from the “ground floor,” having started as a janitor cleaning courtrooms at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court in the 1970s, while home on break from Ohio University.

Judge Gallagher was a felony prosecutor in the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office from 1991-1997. He served three years in the specialized “white collar” Economic Crime Unit of that office. In the 1970s, he also worked with underprivileged children at the Metzenbaum Children’s Center in Cleveland and with incarcerated youth at the Youth Development Center in Hudson, Ohio. He served four years as a Probation Officer in Cuyahoga County and was Common Pleas Court Bailiff for six years to Donald C. Nugent, now a Federal Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.

Judge Gallagher served as Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure for Ohio Courts (2009-2010). He also serves on the Ohio Judicial Conference Criminal Law and Procedure Committee. He has been an instructor with the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College for over twenty years. He also has served as an instructor with the American Bar Association, the Ohio Highway Patrol, the Cleveland Police Academy, and the Cleveland Browns. Lastly, he served as president of the Northern Ohio Municipal Judges Association in 2001-2002.

Judge Gallagher was named “Legal Eagle - Man of the Year” for St. Edward High School in 2005. He received the “President’s Award” for service with the Cuyahoga County Bar Association in 2006 and was named one of the Outstanding Alumni for Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 2007. In 2010 he received a “Champion of Justice Award” from the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys for his work in passing the new “open discovery” Criminal Rule 16.

Judge Gallagher received his B.A. degree from Ohio University and his J.D. degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He is a graduate of (Lakewood) St. Edward High School. In addition to Ohio, Judge Gallagher is a member of the bar in Arizona. He is married, and he and his wife are the proud parents of one son. He holds dual citizenship in both the United States and the Republic of Ireland.

Judge Emanuella D. Groves was elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals on November 3, 2020, her term commencing February 11, 2021. Prior to her election, Judge Groves served 18 years as a trial court judge in the Cleveland Municipal Court where she was first elected in 2001. Her commitment to justice and the well-being of the community is evidenced by the legacy she left at the municipal court.The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote in 2016, “It isn’t often Pittsburghers look to Cleveland for help.” But that is exactly what they did when Judge Groves ruled the Regional Transit Authority (“RTA”) Health Line fare-enforcement practice unconstitutional. This decision caused RTA to immediately terminate its practice of having law enforcement officers board buses and demanding that all passengers produce proof of payment without any evidence that the passengers had failed to pay. Thereafter, Pittsburgh abandoned its consideration to adopt the RTA practice.

During her tenure at the Cleveland Municipal Court, Judge Groves created several court programs and initiatives to improve the Cleveland community. Recognizing that defendants who failed to appear for minor misdemeanor offenses should not unnecessarily sit in jail before being brought before a judge, Judge Groves spearheaded the 2009 change that now allows defendants to be processed and released. She created several education-related programs, including Get on Track—a GED program; ROCK (Redirecting our City Kids)—a curfew program for parents and children; and COP (Community Orientation Program)—a class that provides information on rights and responsibilities when encountering the police. Additionally, in 2016, Judge Groves served on the Mental Health Specialized Docket, where her service garnered recognition by the National Alliance on Mental Illness and earned her the Valeria Harper Award for Cultural Competence in Mental Health. In 2019, as chair of the Court Community Engagement Committee, Judge Groves spearheaded the Reinstatement Fee Amnesty Program, resulting in the elimination or reduction of over $300,000 of reinstatement fees owed by suspended drivers. That same year, the Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board acknowledged Judge Groves’s advocacy and commitment, presenting her the Helping Hands Award.

Judge Groves started her legal career as an assistant prosecutor for the city of Cleveland. She later became staff attorney for the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, where she negotiated the first tenant-management contract for nearly a million dollars. Within five years, she rose through the ranks to assistant deputy director of administrative services. In 1989, she joined her husband Greg Groves in the practice of law when they formed Groves & Groves Attorneys at Law.

Judge Groves’s commitment to do what is right is a principle that was instilled in her as a child. She grew up in Canton, Ohio and is the seventh of eight children. Her parents stressed education, hard work and standing up for what is right. Judge Groves graduated from both high school and college in three years, each with honors. She then attended Case Western Reserve University School of Law, graduating in 1981. Judge Groves proudly returned to the law school in 2016 as an adjunct professor and taught Criminal Procedure II before running for the court of appeals.

Judge Groves serves on numerous committees and on two national boards. She is also the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Ohio Black Judges Association, Inc. — an association formed in 2021 to increase diversity in Ohio’s courts and to provide a collective voice to address administration of justice issues. Additionally, Judge Groves has received numerous local awards and two national awards. Recently, in 2021, Case Western Reserve University’s Black Law Students Association honored Judge Groves with its inaugural Alumna of the Year Award. In 2019, Judge Groves received the Cleveland NAACP Community Leadership award. Judge Groves is a member of the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church and the Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Judge Groves’s enthusiasm and commitment to education has not only affected the greater community but has also inspired her own children. Both her children are graduates of Princeton University. Her daughter received her law degree from New York University School of Law, and her son received his Master of Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Judge Lisa Forbes was elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals on November 3, 2020. Prior to joining the bench, Judge Forbes was a partner in the Cleveland office of the law firm Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP where she practiced in the area of complex litigation. As a litigator, Judge Forbes represented clients in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout Ohio for 27 years.

Throughout her career, Judge Forbes has been an active and engaged member of the Northeast Ohio community including serving on the boards of the Centers for Families and Children and Circle Health for over a decade. She is currently the chair of both boards. In addition, while practicing, she regularly wrote and presented on developments in and application of the law.

Judge Forbes graduated summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1992. She served first as an associate editor on the law review and then as Executive Notes Editor. Judge Forbes majored in public policy at Cornell University, graduating in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Judge Forbes is excited to bring her passion for and love of the law to the Eighth District Court of Appeals.

Judge Mary Eileen Kilbane was first elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals in 2004. Judge Kilbane graduated from John Carroll University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and received her Juris Doctor degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Prior to her election to the Eighth District, Judge Kilbane served as a Cleveland Municipal Court judge for nine years.

Judge Kilbane began her legal career as a law clerk in both the private and public sector before serving as an assistant Cuyahoga County public defender. For nearly a decade Judge Kilbane appeared in court, day in and day out, advocating on behalf of individuals; experience that was invaluable in her transition to the bench.

Judge Kilbane has served in a leadership role as the Administrative/Presiding Judge of the Eighth District, unanimously elected by her colleagues (2011 & 2019). Judge Kilbane has served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court of Ohio, and as a committee member on the Ohio Supreme Court's Committee on Dispute Resolution as well as the Traffic Rules Commission.

Judge Kilbane is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association and the Ohio Courts of Appeals Association. In addition to her work as a presenter for legal education, Judge Kilbane has demonstrated her strong commitment to our community by teaching and mentoring students as a longtime participant in the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association's 3Rs program. She has served as the treasurer of the Ohio Municipal Judges Association. Judge Kilbane is an engaged member of our community, married and the mother of two daughters.

Judge Anita Laster Mays was elected to the Ohio 8th District Court of Appeals on November 4, 2014. Judge Laster Mays served 11 years as a judge on Cleveland Municipal Court. There she was in charge of the Cleveland Mock Trial Competition, the Federal Weed and Seed Docket, the Mental Health Docket and the Greater Cleveland Drug Court. As the drug court judge, 80% of the graduates remained drug free and living productive lives. Additionally, Judge Laster Mays was selected to be a member of the Specialized Docket Advisory Board of the Ohio Supreme Court to create policy and procedures for specialized dockets in the State of Ohio.

Judge Laster Mays has a wealth of experience. She is a former Deputy Director of the Criminal Division in the Cleveland Clerk of Courts Office, former Assistant Cleveland Prosecutor, and defense attorney handling probate, domestic relations, civil and criminal matters. Judge Laster Mays is a 1992 graduate of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and a 1996 graduate of The Ohio State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Management Information Systems.

Judge Laster Mays is a member of the American Judges Association, the National Bar Association, the Ohio Bar Association and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. She has been on the 3Rs Committee with the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association since it’s inception. This committee serves students in Cleveland and East Cleveland Schools educating them on the Rights, Responsibilities and Realities of the law. Judge Laster Mays is a member of Providence Baptist Church, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated and various neighborhood organizations.

She is married to Kurt Mays and mother of three adult children.

Judge Michael John Ryan was elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals on November 8, 2022, to serve out the remainder of the term of the late Judge Larry A. Jones Sr., who had been both a friend and mentor to Judge Ryan throughout Judge Ryan’s legal and judicial career.

Prior to being elected to the court of appeals, Judge Ryan served as a judge in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas, Juvenile Division for nearly ten years and a judge with Cleveland Municipal Court for seven years. At Cleveland Municipal Court, he was a staunch advocate for Get on Track, a program to help those who did not complete high school and were convicted of misdemeanors earn a G.E.D. Judge Ryan also served as one of the initial judges for the Cleveland Municipal Court Dedicated Domestic Violence Docket. Judge Ryan holds the distinction of being the youngest African American male to be elected to the Cleveland Municipal Court’s history as well as the youngest and second African American male in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division.

Judge Ryan began his legal career as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for the City of Cleveland and Administrator for the City of Cleveland Department of Public Safety. Judge Ryan later joined Forbes, Fields and Associates, Co., as an attorney specializing in criminal defense and arbitration. From there, he became a magistrate for the Cleveland Municipal Court, where he served for five years and gained invaluable experience on the bench prior to running for office.

Judge Ryan is currently a trustee for St. Edward High School, he recently served as a trustee and chairman for Sisters of Charity Foundation and is now serving as Vice Chairperson of Step Forward’s Board of Directors. Through the Sisters of Charity Foundation, Judge Ryan was instrumental in the creation of “A Place 4 Me” Initiative to prevent homelessness among young adults who had aged out of the foster care system. He also worked with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which focuses on strengthening families and ensuring access to opportunity for children. Judge Ryan also served on the Board of Trustees for the Literary Cooperative of Greater Cleveland and continues to serve as a mock trial judge for the Cleveland Municipal Court and the Cleveland Municipal School District. He also volunteers his time speaking with young people about issues surrounding domestic violence, social justice and the legal system and serves as a deacon at his church.

Judge Ryan is also an author. In 2015, he self-published his memoir, “The Least Likely: From the Housing Projects to the Courthouse."

Judge Ryan received his B.A. in English from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania and his J.D. from Cleveland State University College of Law. He is a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School.

Judge Ryan is married, and he and his wife have one son and one daughter who are both married.

Judge Michelle Sheehan was elected to the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals on November 6, 2018.

Prior to being elected to the court of appeals, Judge Sheehan was a shareholder at a large litigation firm. She litigated cases in both state and federal courts on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants for over 25 years. While in private practice, she was certified as an appellate specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association. She has represented clients in appellate matters before the Ohio Supreme Court, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and almost every appellate district in the state of Ohio.

Judge Sheehan has served in various leadership roles within the community. She is a former President of the Ohio Women’s Bar Association and has held various leadership roles in local organizations including the CMBA, YWCA, Cleveland State University College of Law, and Rocky River Civil Service Commission, amongst others.

Judge Sheehan received her bachelor’s degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and her Juris Doctor degree from Cleveland State University College of Law, where she met her husband, the Honorable Brendan J. Sheehan. She is also a member of the Florida Bar.

Judge Sheehan offers unpaid internship or externship opportunities to students interested in a legal career. For more details for the spring, summer or fall programs, please contact Elizabeth Maloney at elm@8thappeals.com or 216-348-4807.

• Erin M. O'Toole, Court Administrator and Magistrate
• James B. McGlone, Deputy Court Administrator – Court Operations
• Jacob R. Dicus, Deputy Court Administrator – Chief Legal Officer
• Mary Pat Horwitz, Administrative Counsel
• Damon Wright, Assignment Commissioner
• Jason W. Diehl, Deputy Administrator
• Lillian Elmore, Deputy Administrator
• Terri Berish, Deputy Administrator
• Meghan Jacobs, Administrative Assistant
• Megan O'Toole, Administrative Assistant
• Jeanne Gallagher, HR Generalist/Fiscal Officer
• Ken Evans, Director of Information Systems
• Sean Maloney, Assistant Systems Manager

Ms. Horwitz has been with the court since 1993. She received her B.A. in English from Hiram College where she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. She obtained her law degree from the Franklin Thomas Backus School of Law at Case Western Reserve University. Following her admission to the Bar, she served as a judicial attorney for Judge James M. Porter until 2000, Judge Colleen Conway Cooney until 2003, and Judge Patricia Ann Blackmon until 2016. In addition to serving as the court’s administrative counsel, Ms. Horwitz handles mediations for the court as part of the Appellate Court’s Prehearing Conference Program.

Mr. Cargill received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Howard University and then worked in the financial-planning industry for 15 years before obtaining his law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Following admission to the bar in 2001, Mr. Cargill served as a public defender with the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s then Criminal Division.

Mr. Cargill first joined the court in 2003, where he has been privileged to serve as a Judicial Attorney for three judges, namely: Honorable Patricia Ann Blackmon, Honorable Mary Eileen Kilbane, and the Honorable Emanuella D. Groves. Additionally, in between his judicial clerkships, Mr. Cargill served as Manager of three divisions of the Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts and as the Court Administrator of the Cleveland Municipal Court’s Housing Division.

In December 2022, Mr. Cargill was appointed to the position of Mediator and Conference Attorney. He has received specialized training in mediation and negotiation sponsored by the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Toni joined the Eighth District Court of Appeals in 2012.  She received her B.A. from Cornell University and graduated summa cum laude from Cornell Law School in 1996.  Toni served as a judicial attorney for the Honorable Kenneth Rocco and the Honorable Eileen A. Gallagher before assuming her current role as one of the court’s staff attorneys.  Before joining the court, Toni practiced law for 16 years as a litigator at two Cleveland law firms and as in-house litigation counsel for Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc.  Toni was certified as an appellate law specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association in 2018.  In her free time, Toni enjoys running, spending time with her boys, and listening to podcasts and audio books while walking her dogs.

Mr. French has been with the court since 2011. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from The College of Wooster in 2007, and obtained his law degree from Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law in 2010.

Following admission to the bar, Mr. French served as a Judicial Attorney for the Honorable Frank D. Celebrezze, Jr. and the Honorable Eileen T. Gallagher.  He was assigned to his present position in 2024.

Mr. Parchem has been with the court since 1990. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, and J.D. from the University of Notre Dame.

Following admission to the Bar in 1980, he was Law Clerk for District Court Judge John M. Manos, associate with the firm of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, associate with the firm of Ward, Marein and Gillette and in private practice.

Mr. Rodak joined the court in 1987. He received his B.A. from Cleveland State University, and J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Following admission to the Bar, he was a Law Clerk for Common Pleas Court Judges Daniel O. Corrigan and David T. Matia, Law Clerk for Appellate Judge David T. Matia and, in 1994, was assigned his present position.