Judge John J. Russo has been a judge for the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court since 2005. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, he received his Juris Doctor degree at Cleveland State University College of Law. For 12 years prior to taking his position on the Bench, Judge Russo was a civil and criminal litigator in his private practice. During his time on the Bench, the Judge also managed the Veterans Treatment Court Specialty Court docket, and currently oversees a Commercial Cases docket.

While in his nearly 20 years on the Bench, Judge Russo has served in many leadership roles. For 6 years, he served as Common Pleas Administrative and Presiding Judge in Cuyahoga County. He served as president of the National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO), a national organization of court chief judges and court executives, and currently serves as NAPCO’s Chair of the Board of Directors. Recently, Judge Russo completed his one-year term as president of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA). In addition, he has taught at numerous court conclaves, judges’ conferences, community programs, and continuing legal educations programs. 

He has also chaired or participated in numerous justice system boards and committees. Some include: Co-Chair of the Court Administration Committee of the Ohio Judicial Conference; Cleveland State University Law Alumni Association; Board Commission and Past Chair of the Ohio Supreme Court Lawyers Fund For Client Protection; Member of the Public Health, Death Penalty and Bail Bond Reform Task Force (all appointed by the Ohio Chief Justice).In addition, he is an Adjunct Professor at Cleveland State University Law School and Saint Edward High School.

Retired Justice Paul Pfeifer is the Ohio Judicial Conference Executive Director

Retired Justice Paul Pfeifer grew up on his family's dairy farm near Bucyrus and still resides just down the road. His first job after graduating from The Ohio State University School of Law was as an assistant attorney general trying eminent-domain cases associated with the building of Ohio's highway system. Traveling the state gave him an appreciation for Ohio's county courthouses, architectural jewels that are the crossroads of life in our towns and cities.

In 1972, Retired Justice Pfeifer became a partner in the law firm of Cory, Brown & Pfeifer, where he practiced — primarily as a trial and tax lawyer — for 20 years. He also served several years as an assistant county prosecutor.  Retired Justice Pfeifer served in both houses of the Ohio General Assembly, including one term in the House of Representatives and four terms in the Senate. He held a variety of leadership posts in the Senate, and served as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee for 10 years. His proudest legislative accomplishment was crafting the legislation creating the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority.

Retired Justice Pfeifer was first elected to the Supreme Court in 1992. Upon retirement from the Supreme Court, he became the Executive Director of the Ohio Judicial Conference in January of 2017.