After graduating from Case Western Reserve University Law School in 1996, I first worked for the Erie County Prosecutor’s Office before joining Murray & Murray. I work to be an advocate for my clients and help them in the best and most meaningful way possible. Presenting a case to the court and having the clients understand just how much we care about their very personal and individual claims is very important to me.

Inspiration in my life:

• My parents and their ongoing commitment to teaching and learning.

My advice for young professionals:

• Tackle one task at a time; work hard and read the law.

I like giving back because:

• I enjoy helping others and truly want them to be happy.

Something you may not know about me:

• I love playing tennis almost as much as I love practicing law.

Community Involvement

Margaret is a strong supporter of the Sandusky community, working as a commissioner with Erie MetroParks and participating in local and regional politics on the State Central Committee for the Democratic Party, as well as serving as president of Democratic Women of Erie County.

Areas of Practice

• Plaintiffs' trial practice
• Personal injury
• Wrongful death actions
• Insurance law
• Class actions
• Unclaimed property law

Bar Admissions

• Ohio, 1996
• Pennsylvania, 2018
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1997
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 2002
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio, 2011
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1998

Education

• J.D., Case Western Reserve University Law School, Cleveland, Ohio, 1996
  • Honors: Merit Scholar
• B.A., English, The College of The Holy Cross, 1993
  • Honors: Sigma Tau Delta – English Honor Society

Honors & Awards

• Lawyer of the Year - Litigation Insurance, 2025
• Margaret M. Murray Amicus Curiae Award, Ohio Association for Justice, 2019
• Amicus Curiae Award, Ohio Association for Justice, 2010 and 2014
• Distinguished Service Award, Ohio Association for Justice, 2011
• Best Lawyers in America®, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2019 - 2024
• Ohio Super Lawyers®, 2013 – 2024
• President’s Award, Ohio Association for Justice, 2021

Professional Associations & Memberships

• Ohio Association for Justice, Clawson Task Force, 2023
• Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, Commissioner, 2023-2025
• N.A.A.C.P. – Silver Life Member; elected member of the Executive Committee for Local Unit 3199, 2020-2024.
• Ohio Association for Justice, House Bill 606 Task Force, 2020
• United States Senate Judicial Nominations Commission for the State of Ohio, 2017 and 2019
• United States Senate Judicial Nominations Commission for the Southern District of Ohio, 2009 – 2012, 2016
• Erie MetroParks, commissioner, 2016 – 2025
• Erie County Bar Association, 1998 – present; Erie-Huron County Joint Certified Grievance Committee, member, 2011 – 2020; chair, 2015 – 2016
• Ohio State Bar Association, 1993 – present; Special Cte. on Professional Rule of Conduct 1.15, member
• American Bar Association, 1998 – 2017
• Democratic Women of Erie County, 2000 – present; vice president, 2017; president 2018 – 2025
• American Association for Justice, f/k/a ATLA, 1998 – present
• Ohio Association for Justice, f/k/a OATL, 1998 – present
• Board of Trustees, 2004-2010, 2015-2018; Rules Comm., 2006
• Ohio Association for Justice, Amicus Curiae Committee, chair, 2009 – present
• Ohio Association for Justice, Subrogation Task Force, 2014
• The Justice Institute, 2008
• State Central Committee for the Ohio Democratic Party, 2nd Senatorial District, 2006 – present; Advocacy Committee, co-chair, 2015
• Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio, at-large committee member, 2007 – 2008; president 2004 – 2007; secretary 2003 – 2004
• Ohio State Bar Association Special Committee on Subrogation, 2009
• Ohio State Bar Association Subrogation Task Force, 2010
• Ohio State Bar Association, Legal Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, 2009 – 2012

Representative Cases

• Smith v. FirstEnergy Corp., S.D. Ohio Case Nos. 2:20-cv-03755; 03954; 03987, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25728 (Feb. 10, 2021)
• Smith v. FirstEnergy Corp., S.D. Ohio Case Nos. 2:20-cv-03755; 03954; 03987, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26140 (Feb. 11, 2021)

• Erie-Huron Cty. Bar Ass’n v. Bailey, 161 Ohio St. 3d 146, 2020—Ohio-3701.

• Perdue v. Nationwide Life Ins. Co., 777 S.E. 2d 11, 2015 W. Va. LEXIS 805 (June 16, 2015)
• Molesky v. State Collection & Recovery Services, LLC, N.D.Ohio No. 3:12cv2639, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 135810 (Sept. 25, 2014)
• Oatman v. InfoCision, Inc., et al., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 106453 (N.D. Ohio 2013)
• In re Estate of Harrison, 9th Dist. Case No. 25812, 2012-Ohio-2169 (9th Dist. Court of Appeals 2012)
• Stevenson v. Western & Southern Mut. Holding Co., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42026 (N.D. Ohio 2012)
• Range v. Cincinnati Life Ins. Co., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41520 (N.D. Ohio 2012)
• Firelands Reg. Med. Ctr. v. Jeavons, 2008 WL 4408600, 2008-Ohio-5031 (Sixth App. Dist. 2008)
• Schemmer v. ChartOne, Inc., 2008 WL 1929980 (W.D. Ohio 2008)
• Bergmoser v. Smart Document Solutions, L.L.C., 268 Fed. Appx. 392, 2008 WL 624848 (Sixth Circuit 2008)
• Schemmer v. ChartOne, Inc., 2007 WL 1822274 (U.S. Dist. Ct. N.D. Ohio 2007)
• Terry v. Caputo, 115 Ohio St.3d 351, 2007-Ohio-351 (Supreme Court of Ohio 2007)
• Jeavons v. Werner Enterprises, 2006 WL 890877, 2006-Ohio-1754 (5th App. Dist. 2006)
• Butler v. Minton, 2006 Ohio App. LEXIS 4710; 2006-Ohio-4800 (6th App. Dist. 2006)
• Indiana Ins. Co. v. Murphy, 165 Ohio App.3d 812, 2006-Ohio-1264, cert. denied (3rd App. Dist. 2006)
• Baraby v. Swords, 166 Ohio App.3d 527, 2006-Ohio-1993 (3rd App. Dist. 2006)
• Terry v. Ottawa County MRDD, 165 Ohio App.3d 638, 2006-Ohio-866 (6th App. Dist. 2006)
• Nageotte v. Cafaro Co., 160 Ohio App.3d 702, 2005-Ohio-2098 (6th App. Dist. 2005)
• Apotsos v. Johnsons Island Prop. Owners Assoc., 2003 Ohio App. LEXIS 1660, 2003-Ohio-66 (6th App. Dist. 2003)
• Terry v. Ottawa County MRDD, 151 Ohio App.3d 234, 2002-Ohio-7299 (6th App. Dist. 2002)
• Bouchard v. American Home Products, 213 F.Supp.2d 802 (N.D. Ohio 2002)
• Bouchard v. American Home Products, 2002 WL 32597992 (N.D. Ohio 2002)
• Agrawal v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co., 205 F.3d 297, over'd 521 U.S. 1 (2004) (CA 6 2000)

Classes/Seminars Taught:

• Stark County Trial Lawyers Association, 2023
• Medicare Advantage Organizations, 2023
• OAJ Subrogation Session Moderator and Panelist, Annual Convention, Columbus. 2023
• AAJ Panelist as to the Appointment of Federal Judges, Annual Convention, Seattle. 2022
• Super Liens: Medicare and Medicaid, Ohio Association for Justice, Virtual Presentation, 2020
• Am. H.B. 197 and Administrative Order of March 27, 2020, Addressing Covid-19 in the practice of law, Virtual Presentation, 2020
• Ethical Challenges for Solo Practitioners and Associate Attorneys, Ohio Association for Justice, 2019
• Tackling Brief Writing: a Step by Step Approach, Ohio Association for Justice, Columbus, 2017
• Amendments to the Subrogation Statute, Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys, Cleveland, 2015
• Rule 1.15(d) and (e): Balancing Your Client's Rights and Responsibilities, Ohio Association for Justice, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, 2015
• Occurrence and Claims Made Insurance Policies, Ohio Association for Justice, Columbus and Cleveland, 2014
• Topamax Discovery - Setting Up Discovery and the Appropriate Motions, 360 Advocacy, Chicago, 2011
• Toyota Sudden Unintended Acceleration Litigation: Other Similar Incidents, Harris
• Martin Publishing, Orange County, California, 2010
• Toyota Liability Issues: The Mechanical v. Electronic Debate - From Ford to Toyota: Lessons Learned, Harris
• Martin Publishing, San Diego, California, 2010
• Advanced Federal Court Practice Seminar, Federal Bar Association, Toledo, Ohio, 2009
• Robinson v. Bates Roundtable Panel, Ohio Association for Justice, Columbus, Ohio, 2008
• Advisory Opinion 2007-7 (Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.15), Ohio Association for Justice, Webinar, 2008
• Consumer Class Actions, Ohio Association for Justice, Columbus, Ohio, 2007
• Landmark Decisions in Ohio Insurance Law, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, Independence and Toledo, Ohio, 2006
• Justice Through Communication: Practical Discovery Methods, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, Strongsville and Toledo, Ohio, 2003
• Criminal Procedure, Bowling Green State University, Huron, Ohio, 2000