Say Yes to Public Service: Chief Magistrate Lynn McLaughlin-Murray to be Recognized

Public service has been a priority in Lynn McLaughlin-Murray's life since the beginning.

She grew up watching her father volunteer in the community, and when it came time to go to college, she had her sights set on earning a law degree. With her father already a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and her brother a current student, the Buffalo, New York, native graduated from Baldwin Wallace University and jumped at the chance when she was offered a graduate assistantship at Case Western Reserve. Taking on the role of Greek life director, she got an early start in conflict resolution, helping keep 50 college boys in line as a fraternity house mother.

With these roots, McLaughlin-Murray probably could have predicted she would end up in public service, but she had no idea she would go on to work in the prosecutor's office, the Ohio Department of Taxation, and eventually serve as an appointed judge, magistrate and chief magistrate.

"When you can leave someplace a little bit better, that's a good thing. That's a worthwhile endeavor, and I like that aspect of it," McLaughlin-Murray said. "I like the ability to get down, and really get into the roots of things, and make it flourish."

If you ask her colleagues, getting to the root of issues and helping programs and people flourish is exactly what McLaughlin-Murray does every day. She was recently announced as an honoree of the 80th Annual Franklin A. Polk Public Servants Merit Award.

The awards, presented by the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, recognize individuals across Northeast Ohio who have strengthened the judicial system and the community. You can show your support for Chief Magistrate Lynn McLaughlin-Murray when she's honored at the awards dinner on Aug. 20 at the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. Click here to register.