The Toledo Way Series
"Pleading Human - 32 Years in the Criminal Courts and Always on the 'Wrong Side' of an Indictment"
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025 | 12 p.m.
Law Center, McQuade Law Auditorium
As a third-generation Toledo attorney and a practicing lawyer for the last 32 years, Sam Kaplan is no stranger to the complex issues that are woven into the lives of many of the people who end up in criminal court. Please join us as he shares what he's learned and how defending the rights of his clients has given him insight into the messiness of being human.
A pizza lunch will be provided.
About the Speaker
Samuel Z. Kaplan
Samuel Z. Kaplan is a third-generation Toledo lawyer. The first of the three, his grandfather, originally wanted to be a rabbi. The second, his father, only ever wanted to be a lawyer. As for this one, he wanted to be near his dad.
After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1990 with a degree in American History, Sam earned a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law in 1993 and promptly returned to Toledo to begin a private practice alongside several extraordinary people, including his father. The next 32 years were spent representing defendants charged in the criminal courts of northwest Ohio. And he was only once held in contempt!
Over the past several years, Sam has had the very best fortune to meet and spend time with three College of Law students, one now former, the other two current. Impressed by what he learned from them about the College of Law and wanting to meet more, Sam invited himself to speak as part of The Toledo Way series: “If you provide a room and free pizza, I’ll put together a speech.” And, so, here we are: Pleading Human – 32 years in the criminal courts and always on the ‘wrong side’ of an indictment.
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 parkutoledo.com/visitor-parking/. 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