Personnel

“Rick” Stege has tried over one hundred jury and bench trial cases. As related in a recent ABA publication, “Rick Stege is a trial lawyer… [He] thrives on jury cases…and the challenge of making a complex series of events compelling for the jury.” Mr. Stege has the credentials to take a matter to the highest appellate level as well as obtain a multi-million dollar verdict, witness his two successful arguments in landmark cases before the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Stege is a graduate of Colgate University and the University of Wisconsin School of Law where he was Order of the Coif and Law Review. He has taught at the Case Western Reserve School of Law and at the Cleveland Marshall College of Law. He is active in the profession, recently serving as President of his Chapter of the Inns of Court, Chairman of the Cleveland Bar Association’s Ethics Committee, and Co-chair for Programs of the ABA Litigation Section’s Trial Practice Committee.

In addition to his “first love”, litigation, Rick has a number of small business clients which he tends-to dutifully and with pleasure.

Mel received his Bachelors degree from Northwestern University and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. After practicing for two years with a Chicago law firm, he accepted a Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He soon came to Cleveland as the Law Reform Director of the Cleveland Legal Aid Society. Mel left the Society in 1971 to become an Assistant Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, becoming a full Professor with tenure in 1975. He also served two stints as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, one in the mid-80’s and most recently in 1997.

Mel taught Constitutional Law and State and Local Government Law for 37 years before retiring and becoming Emeritus Professor of Law in 2008. While at the Law School, he published widely in some of the leading Law Journals in the country. His articles include topics such as the First Amendment, Voting Rights, Federalism and Judicial Remedies in Civil Rights Suits. Since retiring from full time teaching, Mel has participated in a number of constitutional law cases in the federal courts of appeal. He remains vigorous, engaged and active in legal affairs.

Linda has been with Stege & Michelson since 2004. She has over 30 years of work experience as an Administrative Assistant and a Bookkeeper. Linda keeps the office running smoothly and in “ship-shape” condition.

Linda was born and raised in the Cleveland area. She is active with her church and enjoys traveling…when the boss allows her to take time off.

Mary is a consummate real estate and probate paralegal. She graduated from Miami University in 1997 and has her paralegal certificate from Lakeland Community College with additional studies in tax accounting. She is part-time with Stege & Michelson and specializes in real estate and probate matters.

Mary has nineteen years experience in the real estate title industry and five years experience in the probate law field. She also has four years of experience as a litigation paralegal.

She lives nearby in Chagrin Falls with her husband and her two children. She is active in her church and is also quite involved as a enrollment ambassador for Xavier University, where her daughter is currently enrolled an undergraduate student.