Patrick F. Roche
2015 – 2024 Retired Partner
Cleveland
Pat has had a long and storied legal career in Northeast Ohio. Pat started his legal career serving as a prosecutor in Cuyahoga County, Cleveland, and Westlake. He was awarded the Key to the City of Cleveland for his prosecutorial accomplishments. He went on to become the law director of Fairview Park for eight years, where he advised public officials and conducted labor negotiations. Thereafter, Pat joined a century old defense firm, where he spent years handling personal injury and employment law cases and generously mentored his future CRUG colleagues. In 2015, Pat joined his son Pat Jr. and several others to build a new firm, CRUG. Pat has affectionately been known around the office as “Senior”, and he has been a wealth of support to the firm’s foundation and success.
Three of Pat’s four sons are also attorneys, including CRUG Partner, Patrick M. Roche. Pat and his wife Kathleen of nearly 55 years live in the West Park neighborhood of Cleveland where they enjoy spending time with their children and seven grandchildren.
David G. Jennings
2021 – 2024 Retired of Counsel
Columbus
After an already successful 33-year litigation career as a partner with a central Ohio defense firm, Dave brought his talents to CRUG in 2021. Dave’s litigation experience included a wide variety of cases, including insurance defense, bad faith, coverage, workplace accident and intentional tort, slip and fall, products liability, county roadway cases, civil rights and employment, First Amendment and prison defense litigation. He has argued cases in most Ohio counties, and has won appellate arguments in the Sixth Circuit and Ohio Supreme Court. Dave lectured on various topics including employer intentional tort and OSHA, county roadway liability, trucking law, OUPS law, and workplace sexual harassment. Dave has twice received Westfield Insurance’s Golden Gavel award.
Now that Dave retires from law, as an avid sports fan, tennis player, and vinyl record collector, you can be sure to find him keeping better tabs on the sportsworld and spending time with his lovely wife and two daughters at home in Columbus and abroad.
Paul D. Eklund
2015 – 2023 Retired Partner
Cleveland
Paul was a founding Partner of CRUG in 2015. With his retirement in 2023, he leaves the arena with over 40 years of litigation experience in wrongful death, catastrophic injury, insurance, torts, contracts, and business litigation practice success.
His adversaries, colleagues, and clients found him respectable, utterly professional and endearing. He was instrumental to CRUG’s success.
So where will you find Paul now that he is not in the courtroom or depositions? We are happy to report you will find him on the beach, traveling, bicycling, and spending time with his beautiful wife, two children and five grandchildren. And if you are lucky enough, you may even get a chance to taste his gourmet cooking!
Stephen C. Merriam
2019 – 2023 Retired of Counsel
Cleveland
In his more than thirty-eight years as a trial attorney, Steve built strong collaborative relationships with clients focused on listening and developing thoughtful, effective litigation strategies. Steve believed that attorneys must be loyal and compassionate counselors in the practice of law, strongly focused on ethical standards and professionalism.
Steve joined CRUG in 2019 and quickly began building collaborative relationships with CRUG colleagues and clients. Steve, a Brown University and CWRU alumni, never rested on his laurels, but humbly worked to earn the pat on the back.
Steve will be missed, but if we need to find him, we can probably find him in his sailboat on Lake Erie or Southwest Harbor, Maine with his wife and family.
Ronald J. Ziehm
2015 – 2022 Former Partner
Akron
Ron began his legal career with a general practice firm on Cleveland’s west side. From there, Ron moved on to two venerable law firms where he handled a large docket defending personal injury cases and related trial work. He branched out and jury-tried numerous medical malpractice cases, including the defense of physicians in various specialties, hospitals, and nursing staff. In 2015 Ron became a founding partner of CRUG which he considers to be the most rewarding time in his long career.
These days you can find Ron in the western mountains, dunes, mesas, rivers and plains. He is also spending time overseas on occasion. He still loves great music and reading everything including the classics and spending time with family.
Brian J. Bradigan
2015 – 2016 Retired Partner
Columbus
Brian joined CRUG in 2015 as an original member of the firm.
Brian was a well-known tough and experienced trial lawyer who lovingly referred to his docket as being made up of “dog bites, bar fights and who ran the red lights”. But Brian handled many complicated matters as well. Brian developed valuable relationships with the bench and bar which facilitated progress in even the most complex civil cases, which in turn always benefited the clients. Despite Brian’s tough exterior, his warm and friendly demeanor were a welcome around CRUG offices. Brian retired from CRUG in 2016.
In Memoriam
Jeffery S. Maynard
1968 – 2020 Of Counsel
Columbus
Jeff was a part of CRUG’s Columbus Office from 2016 until his premature passing in September of 2020 in a car accident.
He had a passion for helping people and his practice of law provided the perfect avenue to do just that. Jeff represented many different types of clients, from individuals to major corporations, with the smallest matters to very complex. His immediate goal was to achieve successful outcomes for clients, but more importantly, Jeff enjoyed building lasting friendships with them.
What we miss most about Jeff is his candor, willingness to always help and caring attitude towards everyone. We admired his commitment to serving, whether it be to his family or ministering to those incarcerated and helping them find recovery and new life inside or outside prison walls.