(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has announced his office was awarded Best Brief awards from the National Association for Attorneys General (NAAG) and the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) during their recent awards cycles.

In June, NAAG presented the Best Brief Supreme Court honor to Eric Murphy, the state solicitor and head of he Attorney General's Appeals Section. Murphy filed a brief regarding the National Association of Manufacturers v. Department of Defense, et al., which litigated the "Waters of the United States" rule. Ohio contended that the federal government went too far in stating which bodies of water it had the authority to regulate. This is the third consecutive year that the Attorney General's Office has won Best Brief in this category.

This spring, the OSBA's Best Public Brief award went to Assistant Attorneys General Zach Keller, Jordan Berman and Ryan Richardson. According to the OSBA, the team drafted one of the best public briefs defending the Ohio Ballot Board's ballot language for the 2015 statewide issue to legalize marijuana, also known as "ResponsibleOhio."

"I am proud that some of our state's brightest attorneys serve the people of Ohio through the Attorney General's office," said Attorney General Mike DeWine. "We have highly skilled litigators and writers on our team, and I am pleased that their skills are being recognized."

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and State Solicitor Eric Murphy with the NAAG Best Brief Award.
















 

The presentation of OSBA Best Brief awards. From L to R, Jordan Berman, OSBA Litigation Section Chair Vince Holzhall, Zach Keller, Ryan Richardson, and First Assistant Attorney General Mary Mertz.

Media Contacts

Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Lisa Peterson: 614-466-3840