Five attorneys seek to replace Campbell in Van Wert

September 23, 2010

Van Wert, Ohio: Five local attorneys have applied to fill a vacancy on the Van Wert County Municipal Court: Edward Hatcher, Jill Leatherman, Kevin Taylor, Greg Unterbrink, and Todd Wolfrum. Gov. Strickland will appoint one of these candidates to replace former Judge Phil W. Campbell, who resigned on July 15, 2010 after having his law license suspended for misconduct. The Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel will interview the applicants on September 30th and will make recommendations to the Governor.

Edward Hatcher has practiced law in Van Wert since 1974. He founded the firms of Hatcher Diller & Rice (1986) and Hatcher Law Offices (2005). He has also worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney (1974-76), a Van Wert County Juvenile Court Magistrate (1977-83) and a public defender (1990-present).

Jill Leatherman graduated from the Ohio Northern University College of Law in 2002. She then worked as an associate attorney until September 2003 and as a Van Wert City Law Director through 2006. Since then, she has worked as a senior claims attorney for Central Mutual Insurance Co.

Kevin Taylor is an assistant prosecutor in Van Wert County, a position he has held since 1989 and, previously, from 1977 to 1980. Since 1981, he has also been a partner in the law firm of Young, Taylor & Yarger.

Greg Unterbrink has worked as a private practice lawyer since 1982 and as a Van Wert Law Director since 2007.

Todd Wolfrum graduated from the University of Toledo Law School in 2002 and took a job at the Van Arsdle and Gilmore Law Office in Celina. He began his own law practice in 2003. In 2007 and 2008, he partnered with Keister and Wolfrum before returning to his solo practice in 2009. He has also served as a public defender for Van Wert County and as an assistant prosecutor for Paulding County.

Footnotes

Ohio courts

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Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio

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Ohio Supreme Court • Ohio District Courts of Appeal • Ohio Courts of Common Pleas • Ohio County Courts • Ohio Municipal Courts • Ohio Court of Claims

State resources:

Courts in Ohio • Ohio judicial elections • Judicial selection in Ohio