Breaking Barriers, Breaking Bread, and Breaking Through

On Michele’s journey, she worked numerous odd jobs to support herself in her twenties and beginning as an evening student at Georgetown Law Center and After graduation, Michele arrived in Cincinnati on a Greyhound bus to interview as a law clerk to legendary civil rights judge, George Edwards Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit. Not intending to plant roots in Cincinnati, fate would have Michele meet Greg Young. Michele and Greg have been married for 32 years and raised five children in her adopted home.

A career reflecting the resilience and courage to do what is right. Attorney Michele Young is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and went on to clerk for three federal judges including the Hon. George Edwards, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Sixth Circuit. Attorney Young served as an adjunct law professor, authored law articles, and co-authored a law book for the American Bar Association. Attorney Young considers it a mission to redress each and every injustice and to serve the legal needs of each individual in need of help. With lawyering that is distinguished by an emphasis on innovativeness, integrity, non-stop hard work, and heart, Attorney Young solves unsolvable legal problems and wins seemingly impossible fights.

A Lawyer Who Speaks For Those Who Do Not Have A Voice

Michele Young is a lawyer who prides herself on representing those who have been bullied, forgotten, left behind, or counted out. Her efforts have borne fruit in terms of giving rise to new leaders and giving a voice to those who previously did not have a voice.

“I tend to look at the person and say, ‘What if it was me?’ And then I say, ‘What will it take to break down the walls so they can get where they want to go?’” Michele said.

Effecting Change In The Community

Noted for reaching across political, faith, and demographic lines, Michele developed bi-partisan support for public-safety initiatives. This includes bringing together leaders from all walks of life to support a years long “Don’t Text and Drive” campaign that reached millions, bringing together students and young graduates to robustly support the Interfaith Workers Center’s successful effort to bring healthy food to Cincinnati Public Schools through the adoption of the Good Food Purchasing Program, bringing together civic and law enforcement leaders to support the Hamilton County Coroner’s effort to build the first crime lab in 50 years, helping bring together “100 Bold Women” leaders from all walks of life to create momentum for the United Way campaign to bring about the pre-school promise, and the present successful effort of bringing together medical and legislative leaders to pass legislation that will save lives of Ohio women through early detection of breast cancer.

Ms. Young’s conviction to social justice goes deeper than her advocacy work; whether it is arranging for a single mother to have a new heater in her home or bringing holiday presents to an underprivileged child, she does what she can. She joins funk icon Patricia Collins to lift up the lives of local children and create a world without bullying through their joint effort “The Land of Superheroes” empowering every child to soar.

Michele also works with AFTA to give out tickets to arts and sports to our veterans and brings Cincinnatians together to support Asian American Inclusion in our community through Ohio. In addition, Michele also helped Jill and Ron Plush at the start of Kyle Plush Answer the Call. She is proudly on the board of the Armed Forces Ticket Association to give out art and sport tickets to our veterans. She belongs to the Lighthouse Beacon Committee which raises finds for the non-profit’s efforts to help teens. She is honored to be a co-founder and co-chair of the Black Jewish Table of Understanding for the Cincinnati American Jewish Committee.

Recognition For Fighting The Good Fight

Hamilton County declared a Michele Lori Young Day and the City of Cincinnati has also honored Ms. Young. Ms. Young’s honors include the Outstanding Achievement Award by Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus for her pioneering work bringing minority women into the political realm, including recruiting and running for free the campaign for the first Asian American woman to be elected countywide and co-chairing the campaign of the first African American judge to be elected countywide.

Ms. Young received the 2022 Leadership in Empowerment Award at the AAPI Heritage Celebration and is presently advisory chair for the Asian American Coalition of Ohio. Ms. Young is a board member of the Cincinnati American Jewish Committee, who co-founded the Black Jewish Table of Understanding. She is part of the team of Interfaith leaders that founded Kids4Peace, the first summer camp where local Muslim, Christian, and Jewish Kids come together. She is a member of the Equasion, an interfaith non-profit, the Cincinnatus Association, a Master of the Potter Stewart Inn of Court, and 2022 member of the Leadership Ohio cohort.

Ms. Young led the “Don’t Text and Drive” campaign Gregory S. Young Co. LPA, reaching hundreds of thousands of homes weekly, through television, featuring Cincinnati’s icons in partnership with CBS Local 12, CW, and Star 64.

In 2016, Michele was the endorsed Democratic candidate and the first mother to run for Congress for OH-1, her performance gaining the support of respected national leaders from Gloria Steinem to Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and winning Hamilton County in early voting.

Michele is of counsel to Gregory S. Young Co., LPA, a law firm entering its sixtieth year. The firm specializes in personal injury law and collaborates with Michele Young Law on all personal injury cases..

Bar Admissions

• Pennsylvania, 1991
• Ohio, 1993
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1991

Education

• Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, District of Columbia
  • J.D. – 1989
  • Law Review: Georgetown International Environmental Law Review, Articles Editor, 1987 – 1989
• McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
  • B.A. – 1981
  • Honors: McGill Bursary
  • Major: English-Communications & North American Studies

Published Works

• Chapter 13: Medical Malpractice Considerations Under PPACA, Healthcare Rulemaking Guide , West, 2011
• James T. O’Reilly and Michele L. Young, New Health Care Law Affects Medical Liabilities and Drives New Plaintiff Options, American Bar Association Section of Litigation, Products Liability , Summer, 2011
• James T. O’Reilly and Michele L. Young, Medical Malpractice: Avoiding Adjudicating & Litigating In The Challenging New Climate , ABA Press, 2014
• Michele Young, Local Crime Lab is Safest Bet, Cincinnati Enquirer, June 1, 2014
• Opinion: Ohio Court is not a safe haven for Asian Americans, 2021

Classes/Seminars

• Legal Research & Writing, Former Adjunct Law Professor, Salmon P. Chase College of Law
• Appellate Advocacy, Former Adjunct Law Professor, University of Dayton School of Law

Honors and Awards

• 2023 Cancer Family Care Unsung Hero
• 2022 Hamilton County Michele L. Young Day
• The Cincinnati Enquirer’s 2020 Women of the Year
• 2020 Julia A. Stautberg Award Women Lawyers Section of the Cincinnati Bar Association
• 2019 Venue Women of Achievement Award
• 2014 Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus Outstanding Achievement Award

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Ohio Advisory Chair, Asian Pacific American Pacific Affairs Association
• Board Member, Cincinnati American Jewish Committee and Co-Founder, Black Jewish Table of Understanding
• Board Member, Ohio Justice Policy Center
• Board Member, Armed Forces Ticket
• Master and Member, Executive Committee of the Potter Stewart Inn of Court
• Member, Cincinnati Bar Association
• Member, Cincinnatus Association, Inclusion Panel and Housing Court Task Force
• Board Member and Co-Founder, Kids4Peace
• Member, Cincinnati Citizens Police Association
• Member, EquaSion
• Member, Beacon Committee for Lighthouse
• Member, Executive Committee Hamilton County Democratic Party
• Leadership Ohio, Fellow, 2022