Lake County Public Defender's Office

05/12/2026

Special thank you to the Ohio Public Defender’s Office for hosting a leadership development workshop this past Friday.

In attendance from our office were Public Defender Vanessa Clapp, Chief Assistant Concetta Rogazione and Digital Forensic Evidence Paralegal Kailey Papo.

All three enjoyed networking with other public defense leaders and diving deeper into leadership principles and techniques. We are forever grateful for the support and encouragement of all at the Ohio Public Defender’s Office.

05/05/2026

Congratulations David!

The Lake County Bar Association presented David Farren, our Supervising Attorney in Juvenile Court, with the President’s Award during its Law Day Breakfast last Friday. The award is presented annually to an attorney who has provided outstanding service to the community and to the legal profession.

For more than 36, years, David has worked as an criminal defense attorney in Lake County’s misdemeanor, felony and juvenile courts, representing countless thousands. He has devoted himself during the past two decades to advocating for young people in juvenile court. He also has been involved in the daily lives of youths growing up in Painesville, serving as their assistant baseball, football and wrestling coach through Painesville City Schools.

We are proud of you, David. Your work has improved the lives of many during your tenure with us. We look forward to many more years together!

05/01/2026

We currently have openings for two, full-time attorneys to represent clients in misdemeanor court.

Click here for more information: https://www.lakecountyohio.gov/commissioners-office/employment-opportunities/

04/29/2026

Kudos to Katari!

Our Chief Investigator, Katari Lundy, presented last week in New Orleans, LA at the 2026 National Conference of the National Defender Investigator Association. Last year, Katari was awarded a scholarship to attend the national conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL. They invited him back this year as a presenter. He was joined in his presentation by Private Investigators Amber Kaset (TN & KY) and Lauren VonWiegen (Washington, DC). During his time at the four-day conference, whose theme was “Defend with Purpose: Best Practices in the Bayou,” Katari also was able to attend multiple other informative sessions designed to improve the skills of private and public investigators.

We’re proud of Katari and all the good and hard work he does for us and our clients!

04/24/2026

Congratulations to all those who passed February 2026 Bar Exam!!! Welcome to the practice of law!

WE ARE HIRING! If you would like to join our team as a misdemeanor attorney, please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected].

📝 Results of the February Ohio Bar Examination have been released. Congratulations to all who passed.
See full list ➡️ https://bit.ly/41PrxK3

04/22/2026

Today is Administrative Professionals Day, and we want to take a moment to thank those who keep our office running. They are the base upon which our work rests. They do the crucial, often unseen, organizational work to keep us informed and on track. Without their support, we would falter and fail in our mission to provide effective criminal representation to those most in need.

Thank you Mary, Ashlee and Melissa (left to right) for all you do! We recognize your importance every single day, even if we don’t always say it.

04/21/2026

Allie Eynon completed her law school externship with our office after logging 162 hours! As a 3L student at Case Western Reserve School of Law and Ohio Supreme Court Certified Legal Intern, Allie was able to earn law school credits. Working under lawyer supervision, Allie represented children in Juvenile Court who faced misdemeanor and unruly offenses. Allie had the following to say about her experience.

“I greatly enjoyed my time at the Lake County Public Defender’s Office because it gave me the opportunity to work directly with clients and represent them in court. Representing juvenile clients required me to not only understand the law, but also to communicate it in a way that was accessible to young clients navigating difficult circumstances. I found it especially rewarding to work with, and learn from, experienced attorneys while honing my client advocacy skills. Overall, this experience reinforced my interest in trial work, allowed me to gain real and meaningful experience in a courtroom, and deepened my understanding of an area of law that I did not have experience with prior to my time at Lake County. I learned so much during my externship, and I am very grateful to walk away from this experience with greater confidence in the courtroom and a stronger understanding of effective client advocacy.”

Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Allie! Best of luck in your future endeavors!

03/18/2026

Today is National Public Defense Day, a day in which we honor the important role public defense plays in fulfilling our nation’s promise that justice is guaranteed to all.

On this date 63 years ago, the United States Supreme Court in Gideon v. Wainwright established that every criminal defendant has the right to legal representation, regardless of their financial status.

Prior to Gideon, only those with wealth or power had attorneys defending them in court when they were accused of crimes. The average citizen faced the criminal process alone. Gideon transformed our criminal justice system and resulted in the formation of Public Defender’s offices and public defense systems throughout the nation.

Those of us at the Lake County Public Defender’s office do the essential work that is needed every single day to keep Gideon’s promise alive and to protect the clients we serve.

03/06/2026

Best of Luck, Ethan!

Today marked Ethan John’s completion of 100 hours with our office as a paralegal intern. As a paralegal student at Lakeland Community College, Ethan had the opportunity to complete an internship in the legal field in order to fulfill graduation requirements. Ethan chose the Lake County Public Defender’s Office so that he could gain exposure to criminal defense work and the court system. During his time with our office, he attended weekly office meetings, conducted legal research, observed court hearings, and assisted attorneys and support staff. Ethan is pictured here with Lake County Public Defender Vanessa Clapp and Chief Assistant Lake County Public Defender Concetta Rogazione. Vanessa is a past adjunct professor in the Lakeland Community College Paralegal Program and now serves on the program’s Advisory Committee. Concetta is currently an adjunct professor in Lakeland’s Paralegal Program.

Thank you, Ethan, for spending your spring semester internship with our office! We wish you all the best in your future studies and endeavors!

02/04/2026

This past Friday, the Lake County Common Pleas Courts again hosted the Ohio High School Mock Trial District competition. This was Lake County Assistant Public Defender Rachelle Smith’s first year serving as a legal advisor. Her Lake Catholic team was one of three teams to be chosen to advance to the Regional Competition. Congratulations to Rachelle and her students! Good luck at Regionals!

In addition, Lake County Assistant Public Defenders Thaddeus Cwiklinski and Sophia DeChurch volunteered for the first time to help judge the competition. (Thad is on the left in the photo below posted by Judge Patrick Condon. Carolyn Kucharski, a former Lake County Public Defender and current Assistant Federal Public Defender, judges on the right.) Thank you Thad and Sophia for sharing your trial expertise and experience with the high school students.

Another great year judging the Ohio High School Mock Trial District competition. The students mastered the materials and performed at an exceptionally high level. Every year remimds me that the future is in good hands. Congratulations to Lake Catholic, Kenston Team #1, and Kenston Team #3 for advancing to the Regional competition!

02/04/2026

Lifeline is proud to house the Lake County Reentry Coalition at our Lake County office. If you or someone you know has been released from jail or prison and needs assistance with housing, employment, or connecting to resources, call our office today at (440) 354-2148 EXT. 227.

🧩We're here to help you transition back into your community piece by piece!🧩