Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Magistrate Judge Nadine Ballard has been picked by newly elected Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann to head the state's Consumer Protection Section. There could not have been a better choice made for this critically important position.
Magistrate Judge Ballard has a remarkable record of public service and, quite frankly, she knows more about Consumer Law than probably anyone in the whole state. Better yet, she has a strong history of working to protect Ohio consumers. She has spent nearly 15 years as a Magistrate Judge for Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, handling thousands of cases, so her "real life" experience is one thing no one can doubt.
She has seen the best of business practices and the victims of the worst of business practices. She knows how to handle this job better than anyone else. She is both a perfect choice and a logical choice.
She graduated in 1977 from Michigan State University with a Public Affairs Management degree, concentrating in Consumerism. She then started law school and graduated in 1980 and went to work as an Assistant Attorney General in Bill Brown's Consumer Protection office, what was known as one of the more consumer protectionist administrations ever to sit in the AG's office. She then spent 7 years for the UAW Legal Services Plan, again concentrating on Consumer Law litigation before going on the Montgomery County bench.
A frequent trial practice teacher at University of Dayton's School of Law, she currently teaches Consumer Law at Sinclair community College part time and is the co-author of Ohio Consumer Law, the "Bible" of Consumer Law for Ohio attorneys. In spite of a busy professional and personal life, she remained active in professional organizations too.
Magistrate Judge Ballard will bring a breath of fresh air to Consumer Protection in Ohio, one that hasn't been seen in Columbus for over a decade. Her local influence and professional reputation was built from her years of experience and hard work on behalf of the legal system, consumers and businesses alike.
The bad news for Montgomery County? She won't be there. The good news for the new Attorney General of Ohio? She'll be there. We are confident that no better person exists for the job to be done. Some great appointments have been made by Marc Dann, but this appointment of Nadine Ballard is terrific!
To top it off, she starts her new job on February 5, the start of National Consumer Protection Week. Perfect timing!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Known nationwide as a leading Lemon Law attorney, Ronald L. Burdge has represented literally thousands of consumers in "lemon" lawsuits and actively co-counsels and coaches other Consumer Law attorneys. From 2005 through 2018, attorney Ronald L. Burdge has been named as the only Lemon Law Ohio Super Lawyer by Law and Politics magazine and Thomson Reuters Corp., Professional Division. Burdge restricts his practice to Lemon Law and Consumer Law cases. The Ohio Super Lawyer results are published annually in the January issue of Cincinnati Magazine. Ronald L. Burdge was named Consumer Law Trial Lawyer of the Year 2004 by the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the nation's largest organization of consumer law private and government attorneys. "Your impact on the auto industry has been magnified many times over because of the trail you blazed for others," stated NACA's Executive Director, Will Ogburn. Burdge has represented thousands of consumers in Ohio, Kentucky and elsewhere since 1978 and is a frequent lecturer to national, state and local Bar Associations and Judicial organizations. Burdge is admitted to Ohio's state and federal courts, Kentucky's state courts, and Indiana's federal courts. Other court admissions are on a "pro hac" temporary, case by cases basis.