DBA News

The Dayton Bar Foundation accepts Grant Applications in January and February. The recipient of the 2025 grant will be awarded in April.

The deadline for grant submissions is February 28, 2025. Application details on how to apply for grant can be accessed below.

Contact DBA CEO, Jennifer Otchy with questions: jotchy@daybar.org | (937) 222-1364

Dayton Bar Foundation Grant Application and Guidelines (daybar.org)

In accordance with DBA Bylaws, the Nominating Committee invites members to submit recommendations or self-nominations for volunteer leadership positions for the 2025-2026 fiscal year starting July 1, 2025. Nominations are being accepted for:

Second Vice President: Serve one year as Second Vice President, then advance to First Vice President for one year, and President for the 2027-2028 term.
Secretary: Serve a two-year term as Treasurer and sit on the Executive Committee (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2027).

Join the Dayton Bar Association Juvenile Law Committee, University of Dayton School of Law, and Nicholas Residential Treatment Center for Stuff the Suitcase, a drive to support youth transitioning out of residential treatment or aging out of foster care. We're collecting essential items to help them as they start living independently.

Donate new or gently used items like clothing, toiletries, and household goods to help equip these young people for their next chapter. Your support will make a meaningful difference in their lives!

The DBA CLE Calendar provides over 150 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) programming annually, making the Dayton Bar Association a key resource for local attorneys' professional development. We are dedicated to offering a wide range of CLE seminars that are not only convenient and cost-effective but also of the highest quality. Through various formats—whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid—the DBA ensures that legal professionals have access to valuable educational opportunities that help enhance their skills, stay current with legal trends, and meet their mandatory CLE requirements.

The DBA MAX+ upgrade gets you all your CLE and more. Deadline extended to Dec. 1st!

UPGRADE/JOIN

Check out what's inside the issue!

TRUSTEES MESSAGE: Hail to the Chief By Christopher Wolcott Esq. | Taft Law
FROM THE JUDGES DESK: The Future of the Common Pleas General Division Bench By The Honorable Kimberly Melnick | Montgomery County Common Pleas Court
BARRISTER OF THE MONTH: Gerald "Gary"Gunnoe Esq. Gunnoe & Weller By Nathan Vanderhorst Esq. | Montgomery County Prosecutors Office
DBA RISING STAR: Kristie Gotwald Esq. The VanNoy Firm By Samuel Saul Richardson, Esq. | Shelby County Public Defender’s Office & Sinclair Community College
An Overview of Original Actions in the Second District Court of Appeals By Andrew Schlueter Esq. | Second District Court of Appeals
Military Pension Division: A Flyover By Dalma Grandjean Esq.| Buckley King LPA
Intro to the Series: The Evolution of Legal Education at the University of Dayton By Nicholas D. Seger Esq., Assoc Prof of Academic Success | UDSL
Clarifying the Threshold of Harm in Employment Discrimination: The Supreme Court's Decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis By Jill Sink Esq. | Beavercreek Township and Jennifer Brumby Esq. | Taft Law
Annual Holiday Gift Column Curated By Morgan Ensign, UDSL Student
Dayton Dialogue on Race Relations: An Opportunity to Know Each Other Better By Walter H. Rice, United States District Judge

What’s Inside?
   - Recognition of Specialized Membership Categories: Sustaining, Honorary, MAX+ and 100% Club Firms and Members
   - Enhanced Law Firms Listings 
   - Fields of Practice, multi state, multi-language practice + much more
   - Advertising Opportunities for local firms & businesses who want to reach the legal targeted market 
   - Contact Info for over 1,700 legal professionals
   - Frequently Called Numbers, Ohio Clerk of Courts Listings & Law Related Orgs
   - Contact Info for Judges & Court Personnel
   - DBA Membership Advantages

The highly anticipated DBA ReTrial Podcast is back for a second season! Join us as we decode legal history that happened in Dayton, Ohio. These cases, lawyers and stories set the stage for present-day learning across our nation. Hosted by trial attorney & historian, David Greer and Judge Gerald Parker.

View scheduled program list below and make sure to follow, watch and listen, wherever you stream your podcasts!
 

• June 17, 2024 • Episode 1 – Ohio Abortion Wars: From death threats to a local gangster performing illegal abortions, this episode is full of history on the controversial issue of abortion and demonstrates how the law follows society. 
• July 15, 2024 • Episode 2  – Protecting the Cash NCR Antitrust: History tells the story of varying perspectives. Some saw NCR as a Dayton staple and hero in the flood while others did not agree with how they conducted business. Learn more about the role of NCR in Dayton and the Antitrust case. Special guest Brady Kress President and CEO at Dayton History.
• August 27, 2024 • Episode 3 – The Death Penalty Law, Morality, and Economics: Everyone knows they are going to die. The mercy of death is when you don’t know how or when. We discuss deep questions with special guest Attorney Gary W. Crim. Does the death penalty really stop people from killing? What is it like representing someone who is given the death penalty? 
• September 24, 2024 • Episode 4 – Marketing of Legal Services: Some call it progress, learn about the business of law and the growth of legal service marketing with special guests and marketing icons Attorney Michael Wright and Attorney Doug Mann.
• October 22, 2024 • Episode 5 – An Error-Free System of Criminal Justice – Prosecution v Defense: We take a look at how the legal system has evolved over the years and what could be removed or added to our current system. Special guests Leon Daidone and John Rion.
• November 26, 2024 • Episode 6 – The Resurrection Project – Turning Convicts into Citizens: A conversation about the issue of mass incarceration and how we might turn individuals who have committed crimes into productive citizens. Special guest Judge Walter Rice.
• January 27, 2025 • Episode 7 – Kidnapping Corporations – Mead vs Occidental: The concept of corporate greed, mergers and acquisitions and a major case in Dayton history that was considered a hostile takeover. 
• Tuesday, February 4, 2025 • Episode 8 – The Law Belongs to The People – West Publishing v MDC/Lexis: Learn about a lawsuit that prevented a monopoly of computerized legal research and turned Mead Data Central into Lexis-Nexus. A transition into digital.

READ ISSUE 
*Access Dayton Bar Briefs Archives

As you renew your membership dues or join our membership roster, you don't want to miss this opportunity to maximize your DBA membership experience with our new upgrade -  DBA MAX+ Membership!

With DBA MAX+ you receive all the benefits of Classic DBA Membership PLUS access to all UNL CLE, live, on-demand and self-study programs; registration to attend the DBA Annual Holiday Luncheon; access to joining as many DBA Sections as you like - and more!  All of this for one low price. (Discounts offered for public sector attorneys.) 

Contact me today to upgrade your membership to DBA MAX+ and start saving even more in the new year!

Shayla M. Eggleton | Director, Communications & Membership
seggleton@day.org  |  937.222.9228

Your firm or organization can sponsor a DBA CLE program or DBA Event!

• Probate Law Institute - 3/10
• Domestic Relations Institute - 4/14
• Diversity Day - 5/11
• 1st Annual Real Property Institute - 5/18
• Annual Meeting - 6/1
• Annual Bench Bar Conference - 11/3

Download DBA Media Kit