All-Day “Take-Your-Pick” Video Highlights CLE Open Houses
Including Ethics, Professionalism, and Substance Abuse

Pay only $20 per hour. Come and go—and come back—when you like. Choose as little as 1 hour or as many as 6.5 hours each day, up to 13 hours total. No reservations taken. Space is Limited. First Come-First Served.

Friday December 20, 2013 and Friday December 27, 2013
8:30 am to 3:30 pm
Hamilton County Courthouse, Room 455

Please arrive 15 minutes before your chosen hour(s).
Pay in person by cash, check, or credit card.
Call Chuck Strain at 513-621-2889 with questions.

December 20 Agenda
Including Ethics and Substance Abuse

8 am Registration

8:30 am: Ethical and Practical Trust Accounting: Safekeeping Funds and Property, presented by Thomas L. Cuni for 1 hour of ethics or general credit.

9:30 am: Recent Events in Employment Discrimination Law, presented by Sandra Sperino.

~15 minute break~

10:45 am: Historic Preservation Law and Regulation: Bulldozers vs. Heritage, presented by Timothy M. Burke, Michael D. Morgan, and Timothy G. Mara.

11:45 am: Gun Laws, Regulation, and Policy: A Shotgun Approach, presented by James E. Butler and Timothy A. Smith.

~15 minute break~

1 pm: Social Security Disability Appeals Update, presented by David W. Kapor, Jim Williams, and Stephen H. Olden.

2 pm: Veterans Administration Disability Claims: A Frustrating Gold Mine, presented by Michael J. Mooney.

3 pm: Preventing, Recognizing,and Treating Alcoholism in Lawyers: Saving a Job, a Practice, a License, a Family, and a Life, presented by Chuck Strain for .5 hour of substance abuse or general credit.

3:30 pm: Adjourn

December 27 Agenda
Including Professionalism and Substance Abuse

8 am Registration

8:30 am: Courtroom Science for Dummies (Lawyers Who Didn’t Wear Lab Coats in College), presented by Bill Knapp.

9:30 am: An Insider’s View of the Watergate Break-In and Its Legal Repercussions, presented by Jim Hunt.

~15 minute break~
10:45 am: Trial Tactics from A to Z, presented by Judge Steven E. Martin.

11:45 am: Professional Persuasion, presented by Chuck Strain for 1 hour of professionalism or general credit.

~15 minute break~

1 pm: First District Court of Appeals Update, presented by Judge Lee H. Hildebrandt, Jr.

2 pm: How to Conduct Theory-Driven Voir Dire, presented by David A. Singleton.

3 pm: Dealing with Clients & Pro Se Litigants with Substance Abuse or Mental Health Issues, presented by Kieran Hurley for .5 hour of substance abuse or general credit.

3:30 pm: Adjourn

2013 Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati Officers Sworn In

Cincinnati, Ohio – February 21, 2013

Ohio First District Court of Appeals Judge Lee Hildebrandt swore in the new officers of the Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse on February 21. The 2013 officers, elected by the board of trustees on January 21, are President Chuck Strain, Vice-President Darrin Nye, Secretary Jodie Drees Ganote, and Treasurer C. Ransom Hudson. This is the third year in a row for this slate of officers.

Chuck Strain is a DUI lawyer and a frequent lecturer on traffic law, ethics, professionalism, and substance abuse. He’s a member of eight Cincinnati Bar Association committees and the National College for DUI Defense. He lives with his wife in Anderson Township.

Darrin Nye is an associate at Mulvey & Muller LLC, practicing mainly criminal, juvenile, domestic relations, and personal injury law. Darrin is a graduate of Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati School of Law. Married with two pre-school sons, Darrin lives in Reading and is active in Norwood Knights of Columbus.

Jodie Drees Ganote’s solo law practice focuses primarily on criminal, traffic, and family law in both Ohio and Kentucky. She graduated from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law in May of 2007 after a career in telecommunications. She holds a BA in journalism from the University of Kentucky and a masters degree in human resources from Xavier University. Active in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Bar Associations, and often found doing volunteer legal work, Jodie lives in Alexandria with her husband and four-year-old daughter.

Lawyers’ Club Raises $1820 For Charity with
November 29 Legally Blonde Theater Party

The Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati and friends enjoyed an evening of food, drink, and musical comedy at the Legally Blonde theatre party fundraiser at the Anderson Center Theater on Thursday November 29, 2012. It was almost a sellout with 178 seats sold. The Lawyer’s Club absorbed all $742 in expenses, so that every dime of the $1820 raised goes directly into the Hays-Porter fund, the Club’s historic charity. The Club board of trustees thanks Brieabi Procuctions for a super show and all those who contributed in cash and in kind.

After the curtain call, cast and crew joined the Lawyers’ Club revelers for Graeter’s ice cream, almost as much fun as the show itself. At the end of the show’s run, Director David Radke observed, “Not one of our audiences laughed louder at the script’s lawyer jokes than the night of the Lawyers’ Club event. It was a great audience.”

Riverfront Outing Enjoyed by Almost 150 on May 11, 2012

Lawyers’ Club members and their friends and families descended en masse upon the downtown riverfront for a varied evening of fun on Friday May 11. Club president Chuck Strain gave the following account:

“We began our pre-game adventures touring the new, extraordinarily beautiful Moerlein Lager House. From the Promenade adjacent to the Schmidlapp Event Lawn, we gazed out over the lower part of Smale Riverfront Park, noting the various parts nearing completion: tree groves, Main Street Fountain, Ohio River (Bike) Trail, a labyrinth, and the Black Brigade Monument.

We focused for a few minutes on the interesting story of Cincinnati’s Civil War Black Brigade. That included the incredible volunteer spirit of over 700 free black men, seminal in the defense of Cincinnati, despite initial brutal forced labor. And it included the abolitionist white hero of the day, Judge William M. Dickson, who was instrumental in ending that forced labor and in facilitating the men’s volunteer enlistment.

We walked past the Schmidlapp Stage and down the Walnut Street Grand Staircase to the just-opened Cincinnati Bike Center fronting on Mehring Way. Eleven of us took in a continuous series of river views during a bike ride up-river through Yeatman’s Cove, Sawyer Point, and Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park. Some rode quadcycles. All were brand-new high-end rentals provided to us free by the Bike Center.

Many toured the Reds Hall of Fame, included with our game tickets. Some had dinner at the Moerlein Lager House or restaurants in The Banks. Many more than needed showed up at the Johnny Bench statue at 7 pm to help haul in tote bags of over 200 pounds of peanuts and cold bottled water for our group. Most women claimed giveaways of a very nice free black tote bag with a Reds logo. And the weather was perfect, sunny and pleasant with very low humidity.

The scoreboard announced at the end of the third inning, ‘Lawyers’ Club of Cinti: Charity, Learning, & Fun!’ The Reds left tons of batters on base, leading to a loss to the hot pitching of the Washington Nationals. But Reds pitchers did achieve 12 strikeouts, triggering a giveaway of a free LaRosa’s pizza and a scoop of Graeter’s Ice Cream for each game ticket redeemed at any LaRosa’s location during the following week.

A few stalwarts stayed after the game though the entertaining “Quick Change” illusionists in the infield, shown live and close-up on the huge scoreboard screen. Then came the fireworks, set to music and shot practically over our heads from a river barge. They were surprisingly long and beautiful. Ooh! Ahh!

Not a bad evening for only $10.

Free Devou Park Picnic and Concert on Saturday July 9, 2011

The Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati invited all greater Cincinnati lawyers and judges—especially non-members—and their families to a free picnic. The picnic was held on Saturday July 9, 2011 from 4 to 7 pm at the Breaden shelter in Covington’s Devou Park.

President Chuck Strain had encouraged all: “Come early for the food, volleyball, Wiffle ball, or corn hole, and stay late for the special concert, or just stop in for a quick bite.” And a record number attended.

At 7:30 pm, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra presented a moving and thrilling retrospective called The Blue and Gray Revisited at the Devou Park bandshell, just over the hill from the Breaden shelter. This free concert celebrated the sesquicentennial of the outbreak of the American Civil War, with special emphasis on the greater Cincinnati story. Most everyone sat on a lawn chair or blanket.

While admission to the picnic (and concert) was absolutely free, donations were accepted for the Lawyers’ Club historic charity, giving much-appreciated gifts to every child in a heart-warming December program at Hays-Porter Elementary School in Cincinnati’s West End.

2011 Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati Officers Sworn In

February 17, 2011

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Steve Martin swore in new officers of the Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse on February 17. The 2011 officers are President Chuck Strain, Vice-President Darrin Nye, Secretary Jodie Drees Ganote, and Treasurer C. Ransom Hudson.

Chuck Strain is a DUI lawyer, a frequent lecturer on traffic law, ethics, and professionalism, and a member of the National College for DUI Defense. He lives with his wife in Anderson Township.

Darrin Nye is an associate at Mulvey & Muller LLC, practicing mainly criminal, juvenile, domestic relations, and personal injury law. Darrin is a graduate of Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati School of Law. Married with a toddler son, Darrin lives in Reading and is active in Norwood Knights of Columbus.

Jodie Drees Ganote’s solo law practice focuses primarily on criminal, traffic, and family law in both Ohio and Kentucky. She graduated from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law in May of 2007 after a career in telecommunications. She holds a BA in journalism from the University of Kentucky and a masters degree in human resources from Xavier University. Active in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Bar Associations, and often found doing volunteer legal work, Jodie lives in Alexandria with her husband and two-year-old daughter.

C. Ransom Hudson, originally from Nashville, Tennessee, graduated from Vanderbilt Law School. Since moving to Cincinnati in the mid-nineties, he has served thirteen years as an assistant federal public defender. Ransom recently opened his own general law practice, focusing on criminal defense. Active in the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus, he lives in Springfield Township.

2010 Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati Officers Sworn In

January 21, 2010

DUI defense lawyer Chuck Strain was sworn in January 21, 2010 as president of the Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati. At the same time, Darrin Nye, Jesse Laurens, and Tim Nolan respectively became vice-president, treasurer, and secretary. Those three were also honored for their service to the Lawyers’ Club over the last three years. Court of Appeals Judge Lee Hildebrandt officiated at the short ceremony held at the Phoenix in downtown Cincinnati.

The Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati was founded in 1920 as a complementary adjunct to the Cincinnati Bar Association. The Lawyers’ Club is a small, friendly group of lawyers with a wide range of practices. The club keeps three long traditions: 1) monthly luncheon meetings, currently at the Phoenix or the Montgomery Inn Boathouse, where education credits are awarded at no extra charge; 2) annual purchase of Christmas gifts for all the children of an inner-city elementary school; and 3) a fun summer social event.

Strain has served on the executive committee of the Lawyers’ Club of Cincinnati since 1987, including 1992 as president. “I’ve been very fond of the Club ever since then-president Courtland Marshall brought me to a meeting in early 1982,” he reminisced. “While honoring our 90 years of tradition, I have plans to transform the Lawyers’ Club to better serve many more fellow lawyers. And I pledge to save members money on dues while keeping our luncheon prices at $20.”

Chuck Strain’s practice is focused exclusively on DUI cases. He is a frequent speaker on traffic law, ethics, and professionalism. Strain has attended every intensive summer session of the National College for DUI Defense at Harvard Law School since 2001, and he regularly attends other advanced DUI seminars across the nation. Strain is a sustaining member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, having served on numerous committees, currently including ethics, fee arbitration, and professionalism. He also serves on the traffic law committee of the Ohio State Bar Association.