In high school, I had big plans to become an engineer — that is, until I read Louis Nizer’s memoir My Life in Court. I chose the book for a contemporary reading class, thinking it would at least be an interesting read. For me, it ended up being quite a bit more than that. From the moment I opened the cover, I was completely hooked.
Nizer’s work stood out to me because it showed a side of practicing law that I had never considered before. Most courtroom stories seemed to feature a lot of over-the-top, emotionally driven theatrics — so much so that I had never even considered going into the legal profession. In Nizer’s stories, though, he approached every case with a level head and a well-designed strategy. Most fascinating of all, he seemed to create a rhythm in the courtroom. Even as a teenager, I could almost imagine myself litigating his cases in exactly the same way.
When I started law school a few years later, one of the first things I learned was that only about 1-2% of the students in our class would become trial lawyers. Rather than deterring me from my goal, that statistic simply made me think, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to be one of them.”
"My job is about acting with integrity and ensuring other professionals do the same"
THE EVOLUTION OF MY PRACTICE
My practice has of course grown and changed over the past 45 years, but certain aspects of it have remained firmly the same. For instance, my philosophy has always been based in the belief that my role is to educate and guide my clients, not to pressure them into any certain course of action. In the same sense, I continue to approach negotiations — both in and out of the courtroom — with a calm demeanor and a focus on the facts.
I still very much to this day enjoy the challenge of a trail proceeding
Staying sharp in the courtroom means knowing how to connect with an audience, get answers from a witness, keep my opponent on their toes, choose expert witnesses, and keep a case moving forward — all of which are vital in the practice of law
IN HINDSIGHT
Becoming an attorney may not have been in my original plan, but as I look back on a fascinating and long-lived career, I can’t say that I have any regrets. My work has allowed me to put my natural strengths to great use, and frankly, standing up for my clients’ rights never gets old. Who knew reading a memoir could impact so much?
Bar Admissions
- State of Ohio, 1972
- State of Indiana, 2000
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, 1972
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 1972
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Admitted Pro Hac Vice in 18 state jurisdictions
Education
- J.D. – University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, 1972
- B.A. – University of Mississippi at Oxford, Mississippi, 1968
- Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana, 1964-1966
Professional Associations & Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Cincinnati Bar Association
- Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity
- Federalist Society
- Indiana State Bar Association
Professional Experience
- Owner, The Green Law Firm, 1976 to present
- Judge, Butler County Court, 1978-1982
- Partner, Newlin, Green & Weinrich, Middletown, 1974-1976
- Associate with Roger B. Turrell & Associates, Middletown, Ohio, 1972-1974
Articles/Books
- Reviewer for Dr. Walter H.E. Yeager, Williston on Contracts, 1974-1976
Seminars
- Seminar presenter for several nursing classes and hospital staff on ethical considerations in the medical setting
- Lecturer, Miami University, contracts in sports marketing and player contracts
- Significant Published Legal Opinions
- Greene v. Marchyn, Case No. 99 CA 2662, COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO, FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT, SCIOTO COUNTY, 2000 Ohio App. LEXIS 4699
- Greene v. Marchyn, 1997 Ohio App. LEXIS 3105 (July 7, 1997), Scioto App. No. 97 CA 2484
- Fleischhauer v. Feltner, No. 87-4060, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT, 879 F.2d 1290; 1989 U.S. App. LEXIS 9196, February 10, 1989
- Village of College Corner v. Town of West College Corner, No. 81A04-0110-CV-424, COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA, FOURTH DISTRICT, 766 N.E.2d 742; 2002 Ind. App. LEXIS 606, April 23, 2002, Filed
- Van Camp v. Bradford, 63 Ohio Misc. 2d 245; 623 N.E.2d 731; 1993 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 50
- Masiongale Elec.-Mech., Inc. v. Constr. One, Inc., 102 Ohio St. 3d 1; 2004 Ohio 1748; 806 N.E.2d 148; 2004 Ohio LEXIS 836, see also, Masiongale Electrical-Mechanical, Inc. v. Constr. One, Inc., 2002 Ohio 4736, 2002 Ohio App. LEXIS 4792 (Ohio Ct. App., Franklin County, Sept. 10, 2002)
- Pond v. State, No. 18A02-0310-CR-913 , COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA, SECOND DISTRICT, 808 N.E.2d 718; 2004 Ind. App. LEXIS 933, May 20, 2004
Community Activities
- Wyoming F. & A.M., Lodge 186
- Scottish Rite, Valley of Cincinnati
- Syrian Shrine, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Lions Club International, Oxford, Ohio
- Oxford Presbyterian Church
