The Toledo Way Series
"Integrity, Civil Discourse, and Practicing Law 'The Toledo Way'"
Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025 | 12 p.m.
Law Center, McQuade Law Auditorium
Please join us in welcoming back three distinguished alumni, Judge Myron C. Duhart, Judge Linda Knepp, and Judge Michelle Wagner, as they discuss their journeys from law students to the Bench. Hear how their unique career paths have been guided by the shared foundation, a culture of civility, that has traveled with them from the classroom into their courtroom.
A pizza lunch will be provided.
About the Speakers
Judge Myron C. Duhart
Judge Myron C. Duhart was elected to the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals in November 2020. Prior to the Court of Appeals, he served as a trial judge in the Lucas County Common Pleas Court, General Division since 2011, and served as a commercial docket judge. He received his J.D. from The University of Toledo College of Law in 1996. Judge Duhart also received an L.L.M. in judicial studies from Duke University School of Law and has attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Prior to judicial service, Judge Duhart was in private practice in the areas of business litigation, criminal law, and personal injury. He also served in the U.S. Army as a JAG Corps Officer.
Judge Linda Knepp
Judge Linda Knepp was appointed to the bench by Governor Mike DeWine in 2021 after serving as a Magistrate in Lucas County Probate Court. She spent 19 years with the Lucas County Child Support Enforcement Agency and held roles with the Lucas County Auditor’s Office and Prosecutor’s Office. In 2012, she joined the Adult Probation Department, where she implemented a close supervision program and facilitated cognitive behavioral therapy groups. Judge Knepp earned her law degree from the University of Toledo in 1992. The Ohio Judicial College has appointed her to serve on the Juvenile Law & Procedure Committee, the Specialized Dockets Committee, and the Grievance Review Panel. She is a member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Toledo Bar Association, Lucas County Bar Association, and All Rise.
Judge Michelle Wagner
Judge Michelle Wagner has served on the Toledo Municipal Court since 2011 and was elected Presiding/Administrative Judge for two terms. She has led statewide reform on domestic violence protection orders and created the “Wagner Plan,” a successful License Reinstatement Docket helping thousands regain driving privileges. In 2023, she launched the Road to Reinstatement Program using a grant from the Greater Toledo Community Foundation to bring driving test practice courses to underserved neighborhoods. She partnered with Toledo Public Schools, public libraries, and community centers to increase accessibility, especially for low-income and minority residents. She also runs the First Friday Program with Team Recovery to help those overcoming addiction reinstate their licenses. For this work, she received the 2024 Public Interest Law Award. A former prosecutor, Judge Wagner earned her law degree from the University of Toledo in 1994, where she clerked for the Honorable Thomas J. Osowik.
DIRECTIONS & PARKING
McQuade Law Auditorium is on the main level of the Law Center — located at 1825 West Rocket Drive, immediately inside the UToledo West Entrance off of Secor Road and south of Bancroft Street.
You will need a guest permit which can be obtained at guestparking.utoledo.edu for $5.75/day. Alternatively, you can use the ParkMobile app in most areas on campus which allows you to pay for short term parking.
About the Series
The Toledo Way sums up the culture of the Toledo legal community. It stands for the proposition that attorneys are collegial and cordial to each other. We stand by our word, and we treat even opposing counsel with respect and integrity. In addition, the Toledo Way means that we nurture and instruct our new lawyers so that they will become competent attorneys in their own right. For a list of guest speakers from previous years, please visit our past speakers page.
Questions?
Kate Abu-Absi, Program Manager, Alumni and Student Engagement
katherine.abu-absi@utoledo.edu
419.530.5108