Page 27 - JanuaryFebruary26 Report

10 Corporate Newsletter • April 2012 • Issue 214
l e g a l co m m u n i t y
Magistrate Judge Karen Litkovitz Honored as First
First Ever Barrister of the Quarter
Lake as the granddaughter
by an oven. She learned
Community Spotlight
of Italian immigrants and
about the family’s chal-
first generation Polish and
lenges of daily living and
Hungarian-Americans.
the services available to
She had no lawyers in her
low income people. “In
family. Judge Litkovitz
two days, I’ll be able to
Hon. Karen Litkovitz,
attributes her strong work
leave, but they won’t,”
ethic to growing up with
reflected Judge Litkovitz
U.S. Magistrate Judge Southern District of Ohio
a father who worked full-
about the experience. The
time at a chemical factory,
“urban plunge” inspired
By Eden Thompson
raised two kids, went to
Judge Litkovitz to use her
Magistrate Judge Karen Litkovitz has spent her career
night school for twelve
law degree to help those
CBA TEAM Your YourMEET
The Executive
years to earn his college
with less means navi-
Committee is proud to
helping people in need, in the courtroom and community.
degree, and always made
gate the legal system and
unanimously name Mag-
time for his family. Judge
have their voices heard.
istrate Judge Before she joined the Southern District of Ohio bench in 2010,
Karen L.
Litkovitz decided that she
Litkovitz as its first ever
wanted to become a law-
Continued on page 13.
she worked as an attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Greater
John W. Peck Cincinnati-
yer while researching ca-
Northern Kentucky Chap-
Cincinnati. She saw the strug-
reer paths in a high school
ter Barrister of the Quarter.
civics class. Talented at
As the nominator wrote to
gles and resilience of low-income
math (unlike most law-
the Executive Committee,
yers), Judge Litkovitz
“Judge Litkovitz embod-
and marginalized people in our
double majored in Sta-
ies the core mission of the
tistics and Business Pre-
community. “When I became a
Federal Bar Association
Law at Bowling Green
judge, I wanted to continue serving those in need,” stated
by administering justice,
State University, where
Judge Litkovitz.
serving the public honor-
she graduated in 1981.
ably, and making positive
contributions to the legal
She subsequently
She started volunteering at Tender Mercies, a local
profession.” According
enrolled at the University
to Senior U.S. District
of Cincinnati College of
nonprofit that provides permanent, supportive housing
Judge Michael R. Barrett,
Law where she met her
for people who have experienced homelessness and mental
(insert quote from Judge
husband, attorney Mat-
Barrett). Most recently, in
thew Brownfield, in a 1L
illness. What began as helping serve dinner turned into
October 2018, Judge Lit-
Civil Procedure class.
kovitz was appointed to
She was initially unsure
much more. Judge Litkovitz found herself chatting with
her second term as a Unit-
what she wanted to do
ed States Magistrate Judge
with her law degree. Dur-
residents about their families and their lives, which helped
for the Southern District
ing law school, Judge
her see how much people have in common, no matter their
of Ohio. Her path to the
Litkovitz participated in
circumstances.
judgeship is preceded by a
an “urban plunge” ex-
respectable background of
perience through a local
public service and com-
church group. For one
Judge Litkovitz’s volunteer work led to a place on the
mitment to helping people
weekend, she stayed with
Tender Mercies Board of Trustees, where she is in her
in A native of Cleveland,
a single mom raising four
Judge Litkovitz and President (King) Schad volunteer
Judge Litkovitz grew up
kids in a home lit with
at Tender Mercies, where our Chapter serves dinner
second term. “I’m grateful to support an organization that provides so much to the
in the suburb of Avon
one lightbulb and heated
on the second Tuesday of each month. To volunteer
for Tender Mercies, contact Greg Ahrens.
Cincinnati community,” she shared. Judge Litkovitz also donates her time generously to
the CBA. She co-chairs the Potter Stewart Inn of Court and Lawyers Connecting Beyond
the Law programs.
Tony Riley
Facilities Attendant
31 Years
Tony is a friendly face who keeps our
office running smoothly, always on
the move and making people smile.
From keeping our space in order to
running errands across town, he’s
our behind-the-scenes hero. Tony
enjoys listening to R&B music and
watching horror movies while eating
shrimp, his favorite food. Spending
time with his family is where you’ll
find him outside of work, and he has
the innate ability to make people
laugh.
Judge Litkovitz and CBA President
Elect Terry Coates preside over IOC.
Judge Litkovitz with LCBL co-chair Michael Hawkins
Judge Litkovitz attends Bench
Bar and poses with Judge Cole
and CBA members
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