Your Experienced and Effective Local Attorney

Education 

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, J.D. 1982

Admitted: Ohio Bar November, 1982

-Law Review Staff Member

-Moot Court Member

-Admitted: U.S. District Court (Northern District)

 U.S. Court of Appeals (6th Circuit)

Ohio Wesleyan University, B.A. 1977

St. Edward High School 1973

Memberships and Associations
 

Ohio State Bar Association

Cuyahoga County Law Directors Association

Cuyahoga County Municipal Prosecutors Association

Southwest Area Bar Association

Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity (Member, Theta Deuteron Chapter, Ohio Wesleyan University)

Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity (Member, Board of Trustees, Sigma Chapter, Wittenberg University)

Berea City Club, Inc. (Member and Past President)

St. Mary's of Berea Parish (Member)

Berea High School Basketball, Volunteer Asst. Coach (2007 - 2009)

Berea's National Rib Cook-Off (Co-Chairman)

In addition to his private practice, Mr. Sponseller serves as a part-time traffic/criminal magistrate in the Rocky River Municipal Court and as magistrate in the Middleburg Heights Mayor's Court.

Mr. Sponseller has been in the private practice of law since 1982. In addition to his private practice, since 2014, Mr. Sponseller has served as the municipal law director for the City of Olmsted Falls, and served as a Prosecutor for the City of Westlake. In 1987, he was appointed the Chief Prosecutor for the City of Berea and Olmsted Township. As Chief Prosecutor for over 23 years, Mr. Sponseller has handled thousands of misdemeanor and traffic cases in the Berea, Ohio Municipal Court. In his continuing private practice, he represents individuals in defending them in various traffic and criminal misdemeanor cases, with an emphasis on OVI/DUI defense.

Additionally, in 1990, Mr. Sponseller was appointed Law Director for the City of Berea where he served continuously for more than two decades. He has extensive experience in Municipal law advising Mayors, City Councils, Planning and Zoning Commissions, and other municipal boards. He was instrumental in negotiating sensitive and complex agreements on behalf of the City of Berea including agreements with the National Football League upon the departure of the old Cleveland Browns (Berea is home of the Cleveland Browns practice facility and headquarters) and with the CSX Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway Corporation.

He has represented landowners and developers before various city planning commissions and has handled appeals of such matters into court.

He has been selected as Special Prosecutor and Special Counsel by various cities in sensitive local matters.