PATITUCE & ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Aaron A. Schwartz is a dedicated and experienced criminal defense trial attorney. He graduated from Miami University in 1999 with a degree in Political Science and then attended the Case Western Reserve University School of Law earning his JD in 2002. Aaron began his career representing the accused in 2003 when he accepted a position at the Lake County Public Defender's Office. Since 2003 Aaron has represented clients charged with crimes ranging from minor misdemeanors to first degree felonies. These offenses would include Domestic Violence, OVI, Drug Charges, Sex Offenses, Theft Offenses, Murder and others. Aaron has also been certified to handle death penalty cases in the state of Ohio.
Prior to joining Patituce & Associates in 2019 Aaron continued his legal career as both a solo practitioner and an associate attorney with Reitz, Paul & Shorr in Portage County. During that time he gained a wealth of experience in Domestic Relations, Juvenile Law, Probate and Civil Litigation.
Aaron is a lifelong resident of Northeast Ohio and resides on the East Side of Cleveland with his wife and two daughters.
Education
J.D. - Case Western University School of Law 2002
B.A. in Political Science Miami University 1999
Attorney Catherine R. Meehan is a partner at Patituce & Associates after joining the firm in August 2012. Not only does she handle many pretrial proceedings on behalf of our clients, but she also has experience taking cases to trial.
When she isn't in the courtroom, Catherine is tirelessly working behind the scenes to gather and analyze the evidence against our clients in order to build an effective and tailored legal defense to properly challenge such evidence. Since we are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week for our clients, she is quick to respond to any calls and listen to their needs and concerns about their case.
"I really enjoy helping people. I became a criminal defense attorney to help fight back against a system that doesn't always look out for them."
After graduating from Notre Dame College, Catherine earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2011. She is a member of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Education
B.A. - Notre Dame College
J.D. - The Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner / Former Prosecutor
Attorney Joseph C. Patituce is the founder of Patituce & Associates. He has an extensive reputation and successful record as a trial lawyer who has a comprehensive understanding of the criminal process, from the pretrial stages to the appellate process.
Criminal Defense Attorney Catherine Purdum is a valuable member of the team at Patituce & Associates. She brings her experience as a former Geauga County Public Defender to the table in ways that are a huge benefit to the clients.
Attorney Purdum has already in her time with the Firm developed a reputation for aggressive defense that sometimes catches prosecutors a little off guard - and that's a good thing. Her zealous representation of clients is also tempered by her compassion in dealing with clients and their struggles. She exemplifies the type of lawyer that truly cares about her client and their case.
Attorney Connor Martens is a criminal defense and DUI attorney at Patituce & Associates. In his time at the Firm he has developed a reputation for reliability and diligently handling cases of different complexity levels.
Connor handles criminal defense cases all over Northern Ohio, from Toledo through to Youngstown. In his time with the Firm he has developed a skill for identifying significant serious issues with the government's case and has worked hard to use that to the clients' benefit.
Connor handles cases of all complexity from misdemeanors, DUI/OVI charges, up through felonies. Clients have come to really appreciate his demeanor in handling their matters
Attorney Erin Branham's career of law and service began while working as a legal runner with a criminal defense firm in Winter Park, Florida while obtaining her undergraduate degree. After earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida, Erin volunteered with AmeriCorps, working as a member in Newark, New Jersey.
While enrolled at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, Erin worked as a fellow with the Ohio Innocence Project. While there, she combed through records and interviewed witnesses while investigating the post-conviction innocence of claims of multiple individuals. Erin also worked with the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, assisting survivors of human trafficking to seal their criminal records. She contributed to the preparation of judicial release motions and participated in record-sealing clinics. Erin also had the privilege of serving as a judicial extern for the Honorable Magistrate Judge Stephanie K. Bowman in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
Erin joined Patituce & Associates as an associate attorney in the Post-Conviction practice group in 2021. She is licensed to practice throughout the State of Ohio and focuses her work on post-conviction investigation and litigation. She advocates before the Ohio Parole Board and participates in litigation throughout Ohio in the trial and appellate courts on issues related to judicial release, constitutionally-based claims, and claims related to newly discovered evidence.
EDUCATION
J.D. University of Cincinnati College of Law
B.S. University of Central Florida
Job Titles:
- Legal Assistant
- Legal Secretary
Kyleigh Harn joined Patituce & Associates as a legal secretary and has been an important member of the team ever since. Kyleigh is often the first point of contact that new clients, courts, and other professional contacts have with the Firm.
As a member of the team Kyleigh is dedicated to making sure that all of our clients receive the communication and representation that they deserve. The criminal defense attorneys at Patituce & Associates understand that without skilled support staff members like Kyleigh we would not be able to do our job, every member of the team is important!
Kyleigh has a passion for what she does but is also dedicated to making sure her work is done in a timely, professional, and outstanding manner. She pays great attention to detail and does what it takes to get the job done in a way that makes the client happy.
Lina is the newest addition as a legal assistant at Patituce & Associates. She is a valuable resource and initial contact for our clients.
If you need to contact one of our attorneys or have questions on your case, reach out to our firm and Lina can assist you.
Mark has secured adjudications in many felony and misdemeanor cases for charges ranging from drug possession and OVI to aggravated robbery, drug trafficking, arson, and rape. He has extensive experience with the discovery phase of criminal cases, which aids him in developing successful litigation theories for his clients.
Having this valuable experience gives Mark the insight and vision to understand how his client's case will make its way through the court system. Based on his experience and training, Mark analyzes and assess each case to determine where the weak points of the State's case are and what theory to use to exploit them. In addition, he will identify the strong points, from a defense standpoint, and develop a theory of litigation to convey them to the judge or a jury.
As a defense attorney, Mark has successfully argued numerous motions to suppress based on probable cause to stop, probable cause to arrest, and violations of the defendant's Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. He has won numerous appeals pertaining to the Administration License Suspension and has had a number of field sobriety tests suppressed.
Mark has tried over 100 cases to both the judge and to a jury with success. He is well educated in the rules of evidence and seasoned in applicable OVI case law. Mark is licensed by the Supreme Court of Ohio, the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio. He received his Juris Doctorate from Ohio Northern University and his Bachelor's degree from Wilmington College, Cum Laude.
Mark is licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio.
EDUCATION
J.D. Ohio Northern University
B.S. Wilmington College, Cum Laude
Job Titles:
- Partner / Former Prosecutor
Attorney Megan Patituce is a partner at Patituce & Associates. She received her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in Physics before attending Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Megan is licensed to practice in the State of Ohio, the United States Supreme Court, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Courts for both the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Megan has been practicing since 2006 and accepted her first position with the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office handling cases ranging from drugs to homicide. Megan left prosecution has been practicing as a criminal defense attorney with Patituce & Associates since 2011.
"I understand that the outcome of your case will decide you and your family's future so I give 110% into each and every case I take on. I am a firm believer in winning and I pledge to work hard and never stop fighting the good cause."
Megan handles not only select active-stage criminal cases, but also case matters arising after conviction including a focus on appellate and post-conviction remedies. Her collaborative approach to case management allows for the inclusion of varied insights into cases, especially those unique to the client. Her scientific background lends itself to critical case reviews and detail-oriented analysis. Each case demands thorough consideration, unique problem solving, and honest communication.
Michelle Witchey joined Patituce & Associates as a paralegal after her service as a military police officer (MP). Not only does she provide valuable assistance to our clients in their legal matters, she is also known to give back to the community.
Michelle is married and has three children. She teaches classes to individuals recovering from alcohol, drugs, and various other addictions. Michelle is also a licensed yoga instructor.
"I believe in fighting relentlessly for each and every person that walks through our doors. Although you may not see any hope for your situation, I know that even the most difficult of circumstances can be overcome."
If you are interested in experienced and skilled legal services or have any questions or concerns about your case, reach out to our firm and Michelle can help you.
Ohio Criminal Defense Attorney Rachelle Smith has brought her experience as to Patituce & Associates where she handles all levels of cases ranging in complexity from low level felonies all the way up to federal drug crimes.
Rachelle has successfully raised and challenged different evidentiary problems with the government's case in both State and Federal Court. Her attention to detail is a significant asset to both the Firm, and more importantly to her clients. Her passion for this work really shines through in everything that she does.
Attorney Smith, as one of Patituce & Associates criminal defense attorneys, has the job of focusing on case development and litigation strategies. She works hand in hand with the other members of the team to make sure that clients obtain the results they need.
She is currently working on cases ranging in complexity from murder down to drug possession.
Suzanne "Sue" McCort has been a paralegal at Patituce & Associates since 2012. Because she is considered one of our most valuable staff members, she is also our office manager.
Whether you have any questions about your case, need to further information about your court appearance, or simply need to reach out to one of our attorneys, look no further than Sue to provide valuable help.