Lake County Public Defender's Office

10/19/2026

ATTORNEYS, JOIN OUR TEAM!

The Lake County Public Defender’s Office has an immediate opening for a full-time attorney to help staff our misdemeanor division.

Resumes and cover letters can be mailed to the Lake County Public Defender’s Office, 100 W. Erie Street, Painesville, Ohio 44077. Or they can be emailed to [email protected].

For more information, call our office at 440-350-3200

10/16/2026

Another wonderful event that our social worker, Errin Mayer, was able to attend.

10/14/2026

We are thrilled to welcome Mariko Lewis as our Chief Investigator. Mariko comes to us from the Cuyahoga County Public Defender’s Office, where she worked as an Investigator for eight years. Prior to that, she served as an Investigator for the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services.

Mariko’s job is to assist our attorneys in obtaining the best outcome possible for our clients. Some of her tasks will include locating and interviewing witnesses, reviewing discovery, securing physical evidence, visiting crime scenes, and serving subpoenas.

Mariko said she enjoys working with public defenders because the work can make a real difference in someone’s life. She likes digging into a case, finding the details that matter, and helping attorneys build the strongest defense they can for each client.

We look forward to working with you Mariko!

10/07/2026

Lake County Job and Family Services and OhioMeansJobs Lake County are hosting a Veterans Resource & Appreciation Event on Thursday, November 5, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 177 Main St., Painesville, OH.

10/05/2026

We are proud to share that our social worker, Errin Mayer, is a member of the Lake County Coalition and will be participating in this informative event!

WALK IN THEIR SHOES: A FASCINATING LOOK AT REENTRY SIMULATION

Step into the shoes of someone returning to the community after incarceration.

We are excited to partner with the Reentry Coalition for this interactive reentry simulation, offering a firsthand look at the challenges, choices and barriers individuals may encounter during their first month after incarceration.

This immersive experience provides a meaningful opportunity to better understand the realities of reentry and the many obstacles justice-impacted individuals face as they work to rebuild their lives.

Anyone who works with, supports or serves individuals who have experienced incarceration is encouraged to attend. Whether you are a service provider, community organization, employer, volunteer or community leader, this experience can provide valuable perspective and insight into how we can better support successful reentry in Lake County.

Space is limited. Sign up today to reserve your spot and take part in this
powerful learning experience.

📅Date: Wednesday, October 28
⏰ Time: 9 am - 12 pm
📍Location: Mentor High School Paradigm Building, 6477 Center Street, Mentor

➡️ Registration: Email [email protected] or call 440-354-2148 Ext 277

10/01/2026

Best Wishes Katari!

We are sad to announce that today is our Chief Investigator Katari Lundy’s last day with our office. Katari has obtained a new position as an investigator with the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Cleveland.

We are proud of Katari and all the work he has done for us during the past five years. Katari is an amazing, skilled and dedicated investigator who never stopped working his cases and helping attorneys to obtain the best result possible our clients. His work made a difference to us all. He will be missed! The Federal Public Defender is getting a good one!

08/14/2026

“HOW CAN KEVIN REDDINGTON DEFEND LINDSAY CLANCY?”

Because the best defense attorneys never stop seeing the human being behind the case.

Every criminal defense attorney has heard it.

How can you stand beside them?
How can you fight for them?
How can you care?

My answer?

The best defense attorneys DO care.

We care about our clients as human beings. We care whether they understand what is happening to them. We care whether their rights are protected. We care whether the evidence is actually what the government says it is. We care whether they are scared, overwhelmed, struggling, or sitting through the worst days of their lives.

Because you cannot effectively stand between a human being and the enormous power of the government if you stop seeing the human being sitting beside you.

This image of Attorney Kevin Reddington rocking Lindsay Clancy struck me for exactly that reason.

For weeks, Lindsay has been discussed as a defendant.

Her mental health has been dissected. Her medications have been discussed. Her marriage, her motherhood, her movements, her words, her medical records, and some of the most private and painful moments of her life have been presented in a courtroom for strangers to analyze.

The public debates her.

The lawyers argue about her.

Witnesses testify about her.

The jury watches her.

Thousands of people online have formed opinions about her.

But sitting at that defense table is still Lindsay.

A human being.

And whatever you ultimately believe about this case, her humanity did not disappear when she was charged with a crime.

That is something defense attorneys cannot afford to forget.

We often meet people when the rest of the world has reduced them to the worst thing they have ever done — or the worst thing they have ever been accused of doing.

But we see more than the accusation.

We see the fear. The grief. The family. The history. The pain. The complicated pieces of a human life that don’t fit neatly into a headline.

And in Lindsay’s case, we are watching a woman sit through testimony about the deaths of her own three children and the events surrounding the most devastating day imaginable.

There are legal questions the jury will have to answer.

There are facts that will be argued.

There is evidence that must be weighed.

But there are also moments when none of that is what matters.

Sometimes there is simply a human being sitting beside you who needs another human being.

And you show up for them.

You don’t have to decide Lindsay Clancy is innocent to recognize her humanity.

You don’t have to agree with the defense to understand why her attorney would comfort her.

You don’t have to excuse anything to have compassion.

Maybe that’s what I see most in this photograph.

For a moment, Lindsay isn’t a headline.

She isn’t a defendant.

She isn’t a legal argument or a case being debated by thousands of strangers.

She’s a human being experiencing something most of us could never begin to comprehend.

And the person sitting beside her sees that.

There is something incredibly powerful about being seen as a human being when the world has reduced you to the worst moment of your life.

Whatever you believe about Lindsay, whatever verdict you think should come back, compassion does not require agreement. Humanity does not require innocence.

Sometimes it simply means looking at another person in their darkest moment and refusing to forget that they are still a person.

That’s what I see in this photo.

And maybe that’s one of the most important things we do as defense attorneys:

When the entire world sees a case, we still see our client.

We still see the human being sitting beside us.

And we care.

Commentary for educational purposes only. Not legal advice. Nothing in this post is an opinion regarding guilt or innocence.

08/11/2026

This summer, Shay Blankenship was with us part time as a law clerk. During that time, she assisted attorneys with legal research and writing and was able to observe court proceedings. Shay will be entering her second year at Cleveland State University College of Law. We are excited that Shay has received her Ohio Supreme Court Certified Legal Intern status and will be staying with us during the school year as a legal intern! In this role, she will represent juvenile clients under supervision. Shay had the following to say about her experience.

“This summer, I’ve had the pleasure of working at the Lake County Public Defender’s office as a law clerk, where my focus was mainly research and writing. The most rewarding part of my experience was writing a memorandum in support of a motion to dismiss for statutory and constitutional violations. Moreover, I am excited to continue with the Lake County Public Defender’s office as a certified legal intern where I will represent select juvenile clients in court under attorney supervision. The ability to gain such meaningful litigation experience while still in law school is wildly advantageous, and I am excited to see the kind of advocate I grow into as a result.”

We thank you for your hard work as a law clerk, and we look forward to having you on board in your new role!

08/10/2026

Last week, Emma Patterson completed her summer legal internship with our office. Emma is entering her third-year at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. While in school, Emma has participated on the schools Mock Trial team, Canada-United States Law Journal and acted as the secretary for the American Constitution Society. She hopes to eventually pursue a career focused on either public interest matters or criminal law.

As an Ohio Supreme Court Certified Legal Intern, Emma was able to represent juveniles in court while under supervision. Emma said, "My experience this summer has been incredibly rewarding! Being able to work hands on in a courtroom setting, especially with such a caring team of people, has been the highlight of my time in school. This experience has strengthened my confidence both in and out of the courtroom. I hope to bring these lessons into my last year of law school."

Thank you for your hard work!
Best of luck, Emma! Don't be a stranger!

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.