Lawyers and Judges

Harland Britz

Harland Britz was born on July 21, 1931 in Toledo, Ohio. He attended Whittier Elementary and DeVilbiss High School. In 1949 he graduated from The University of Michigan with a degree in English, and his law degree in 1956. He served as general counselor for the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and a board member for 38 years, retiring in 2003. He was a member of Tau Epsilon Roh, the Law Fraternity at U of M. He also played basketball on the Jewish All-Stars Team, managed by Alan Konop.

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George M. Glasser

George M. Glasser was born in 1928 in Pittsburgh, PA. He was a 1946 Scott High School graduate, graduated from the University of Toledo with his BA in 1951, and his Juris Doctor in 1953. Prior to his judicial career, Judge Glasser was an attorney in private practice and participated in Republican Party sponsored workshops to encourage active participation in the U.S. political process. He first entered judicial service as an appointee to the the Toledo Municipal Court, by Governor James Rhodes, and served from 1963-1970. The remainder of his professional career reflected the confidence and esteem of the electorate: Lucas County Common Pleas Court, 1970-1986; and the Ohio 6th District Court of Appeals, 1986-1999. In addition to his leadership position as a judge, he found time to serve in many leadership capacities in the Jewish community. The organizations he assisted included Temple Shomer Emunim, Darlington House Home for the Aged (now Jewish Senior Services), and B'nai Birth Lodge. In retirement, he continues to serve in prominent volunteer roles, both secular and Jewish.

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Louis Hattner

Louis Hattner was born on October 1, 1927 in Toledo, Ohio. He attended Monroe Elementary School, Robinson Jr. High School, and graduated from Scott High School in 1945. He earned his BS Degree from The University of Toledo in 1949, and married Joan Nathanson in 1955. While working for his father at the Hattner Paint Company, he studied nights at The University of Toledo Law School and graduated in 1968. He joined the firm Spengler Nathanson Law Firm and retired as a full partner. He belonged to B'nai Jacob Orthodox Congregation and later joined The Collingwood Temple. He was a member of the B'nai Birth Bowling and Odd Fellows Justice Rebecca Lodge. He served as the President of the Lucas County Bar Association in 1976. He died on April 7, 2013.

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David Katz

David A. Katz (1933-2016) spent his formative years in Findlay, Ohio, graduated from The Ohio State University in 1955, then from its College of Law in 1957, Order of the Coif. He practiced law for 37 years with the Toledo Law firm of Spengler and Nathanson. He was appointed to the United Staes District Court for the Northern District of Ohio by President Bill Clinton in 1994, a lifetime appointment which he held until his death. Some of the honors he received include: the Medical College of Ohio Distinguished Citizen Award in 1993, the Toledo Junior Bar Association Order of the Heel in 1993, and in 2001 he was the first awardee of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law Distinguished Jurist Award. Jewish community service awards include the Harry Levison Young Leadership Award in 1967, Outstanding Leadership Award, State of Israel in 1979, the Anti-Defamation Leadership Award in 1991, and he served as the past president of Congregation B'nai Israel.

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Jean Liber

Jean Hirsch Liber (1917-2005), was the daughter of former Lucas County Sheriff William Hirsch (1892-1979), the first Jewish Sheriff of Lucas County, Ohio. In this recording, she discusses her father's life. Beginning with his birth in Romania, arrival in the US at the age of 12, entrance into politics, service as Superintendent of the Lucas County Workhouse from 1934-1953, and finally anecdotes relating to his service as Lucas County Sheriff from 1953-1969. Mrs. Liber was married to Goodman Liber, owner of Axles and Transmission, a large truck parts company located in Toledo with nationwide clients. She was a graduate of Scott High School and a lifelong leader in the Toledo Jewish community, as well as being the mother of two sons, Barry and Buz Liber, and daughter, Cathy Sperling.

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Arlene Singer

From opening screen: "The Toledo Jewish Judiciary & Elected Officials. Arlene Singer: Ohio Court of Appeals of 6th District." Arlene Singer was born in Toledo in 1948. She is a Start High School graduate, and graduated from The University of Toledo with her BA in 1972, and UT's College of Law with her JD in 1976. Her entire professional career has been devoted to promoting, advocating, and mentoring the legal profession, especially to female lawyers. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives, 48th District, from 1987-1988. She was appointed to the Toledo Municipal Court in 1990, and was re-elected to that position until 2002, after which she ran successfully for the 6th District Ohio Court of Appeals where she still serves. In 2007, she was awarded the Toledo Bar Association's Order of the Heel in recognition for her mentoring to young attorneys. In 2016, the Toledo Bar Association honored her with its annual Distinguished Service Award.

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Charles Wittenberg

Charles Wittenberg was born in 1947 in Evansville, Indiana. He graduated from Devilbiss High School in 1965, from The University of Toledo with his BA in 1969, and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo in 1973. His professional life includes service as the Assistant Ohio Attorney General, 1973-1975; private law practice, 1975-1996; Magistrate, Toledo Municipal Court, 1991-1996, and Judge, Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, 1996-2007. He continues to be an active participant in many secular and Jewish communal activities, including Congregation Etz Chaim President, 1987-1989; Sylvania School Board, 1898-1995; and the Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo.

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