Eric is an experienced trial lawyer who has served clients for more than nine years in private practice and public service. A former assistant prosecuting attorney, Eric tried 10 felony murder jury trials and argued more than two dozen felony appeals. He also owned and operated his own law practice, during which time he litigated cases running the gamut from business disputes to consumer protection issues. Eric’s wide-ranging litigation experience includes not only trying cases, but also presiding over them. In addition to owning his own firm, he served as a magistrate in the Housing Division of the Cleveland Municipal Court.
Before joining Shook, Eric further honed his litigation skills as a senior associate at both large and mid-size law firms, practicing in the area of insurance defense. In this role, he represented corporate clients of all sizes, as well as individuals, in varying contexts and all phases of litigation. Eric defended clients in wrongful death, motor vehicle/trucking, negligent construction, premises liability, and copyright infringement actions. He regularly advised his clients on legal issues and strategy regarding cases in both state and federal court.
While a magistrate in Ohio, his busy docket included presiding over more than one hundred eviction hearings per week and three to four civil trials per month involving real estate claims such as foreclosure, partition, quiet title and breach of commercial lease. Eric also facilitated quarterly pro se housing clinics to educate landlords and tenants regarding housing rights and responsibilities. Moreover, he presented a continuing legal education (CLE) course to attorneys on the newly created procedure for sealing housing evictions.
Active in the communities he serves, Eric pens a weekly column for The Plain Dealer, the major newspaper for Cleveland, Ohio, one of the 25 largest newspapers in the country, and is also a community member of The Plain Dealer’s editorial board. Now living in Atlanta, he volunteers with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation.