Civil Rights

Section Chief
Columbus: 614-466-7900
Cincinnati: 513-852-3497
Email: Lori.Anthony@OhioAGO.gov

Lori joined the Ohio Attorney General’s Office in 2001. As the Chief of the Civil Rights Section, Lori is the primary link between the Attorney General’s Office and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC). In addition to providing legal advice to the OCRC, she supervises all the statewide litigation and outreach of the section. Lori is a member of the Attorney General’s Ethics Committee, Diversity Committee, and Chair of the LGBT Employee Network Group. Lori also coached a Mock Trial team. Lori worked in the Workers’ Compensation Section and was Co-Managing Attorney of the Cincinnati Regional Office. She is a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association and serves on the Unauthorized Practice of Law committee, Diversity and Inclusion committee, and Awards committee.

Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Lori worked at the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, where she represented individuals in housing, social security, and education (disability) matters.

Lori was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a fan of Cleveland professional sports teams, with the added challenge of living in Cincinnati.

Assistant Section Chief
Office: 614-466-7900
Email: Sharon.Tassie@OhioAGO.gov

Sharon has been with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for over 30 years. She is currently the Assistant Chief of the Civil Rights Section. She has represented the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) since 1991.

During her time representing the OCRC, she has prosecuted cases of discrimination in employment, housing, credit, higher education and public accommodations. These cases have been litigated in administrative, state and federal forums. In addition to her day-to-day caseload, Sharon is a frequent presenter in various aspects of discrimination law, was a volunteer coach to a law school mock trial team and volunteers as a mentor to law students interested in government service or civil rights litigation.

Sharon has a B.A. with distinction, in Political Science from Ohio Northern University and a J.D. cum laude, from the University of Toledo College of Law. Sharon is admitted to practice in the State of Ohio and in the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio. She is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Ohio Women’s Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.

Principal Assistant Attorney General
Office: 614-466-7900
Email: Patrick.Dull@OhioAGO.gov

Pat was born in Greenville, Ohio, home of Annie Oakley and Lowell Thomas. He joined the Attorney General’s Office in 1994 and is a Principal Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Section, where he primarily litigates employment and housing discrimination cases. As one of the section’s busiest writers, Pat takes an active role on the section’s appellate cases and amicus briefs. He frequently conducts trainings throughout Ohio to small businesses and is often called upon to present at various academic forums.

• State of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

• Presenter – Housing Discrimination
• Presenter – Reasonable Accommodations under the ADAAA
• Presenter – Pregnancy Discrimination
• Presenter – Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
• Presenter – Discrimination in Places of Public Accommodation

• Conciliation and Mach Mining, 2015

• The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (J.D.)
• The Ohio State University, Department of Philosophy (M.A.)
• The Ohio State University, Department of Entomology (B.S.)

Principal Assistant Attorney General
Office: 216-787-3030
Email: Lori.Friedman@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov

Lori Friedman began working at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office in the Spring of 2008. She first worked in the Health and Human Services Section – Unemployment Compensation Unit – and then worked in the Labor Relations Section. In April 2018, Lori joined the Civil Rights Section where she represents the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC). Lori prosecutes discrimination cases dealing primarily with employment and fair housing issues. In addition to her regular duties, Lori also spent 3 years as a part of the Office’s Major Appeals Group. As an Assistant Solicitor, Lori helped write several appellate-level briefs in state and federal courts, including a brief before the United States Supreme Court. That brief, which was written by the Solicitor and four Assistant Solicitors, earned the Attorney General’s Office the National Association of Attorneys General “Supreme Court of the United States Best Brief Award” for the 2010 term.

Prior to joining the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Lori worked in private practice, and for two appellate court judges as a staff attorney. Lori also worked as a staff attorney for an Ohio Supreme Court Justice for ten years. In addition, Lori received a certificate from the Ohio Certified Public Manager’s program in 2015. While in law school, Lori was an Associate Editor of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Law Review.

Assistant Attorney General
Office: 614-466-7900
Fax: 844-236-9525
Email: Azured.Metoyer@OhioAGO.gov

Azure’D was born and raised in Columbus. She joined the Attorney General’s office in 2016. As an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights section, Azure’D represents and advises the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. In addition to representing the Commission, Azure’D has conducted training on fair housing and employment laws across the state to small landlords, metropolitan housing authorities and small businesses.

Outside of the office, Azure’D is the Community Service Chair of the John Mercer Langston Bar Association (JMLBA) and Vice-Chair of L.I.N.C with United Way of Central Ohio.

• State of Ohio

• Thurgood Marshall School of Law, J.D.
  • Thurgood Marshall Law Review
  • Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court
• Xavier University, B.A.

Senior Assistant Attorney General
Office: 216-787-3030
Email: David.Oppenheimer@OhioAGO.gov

David is a Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Section. In that capacity, he represents the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) in prosecuting administrative and judicial complaints alleging discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. He has served as lead counsel in numerous administrative hearings and several court cases. David also defends the OCRC and its staff in various legal actions brought against the agency. In addition to his litigation responsibilities, David works closely with the OCRC’s staff during investigations, helping evaluate claims and determining whether those claims should be prosecuted by the OCRC.

David is a member of the public records task force, and takes the lead on reviewing and responding to public records requests made to the Civil Rights Section.

When David joined the Attorney General’s Office in 1994, he initially worked in the Chief Counsel’s Staff, representing the State of Ohio, various State officials, and the Ohio Elections Commission.

Principal Assistant Attorney General
Office: 614-466-7900
Email: Stefan.Schmidt@OhioAGO.gov

Steve is from Struthers, a small town in Northeast Ohio near the Pennsylvania border. Steve joined the Attorney General’s Office in August 1990. He has been in the Civil Rights Section since June 2001, where he primarily litigates employment and housing discrimination cases. Steve was a Finalist for the 2009 Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for his work on the case of Kennedy v. City of Zanesville where the Office was successful in getting public drinking water to an area east of the City of Zanesville who had been pleading for water service since the 1960’s.

Prior to joining the Civil Rights Section, Steve was in the Environmental Section and the Employment Services Section.

Senior Assistant Attorney General
Office: 419-245-2550
Email: Susan.Sharkey@OhioAGO.gov

Susan joined the office in 2005 and works at the Toledo Regional Office. She represents the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) in litigation involving discrimination in housing, employment and places of public accommodation. She is a member of the Office’s Diversity Committee and serves as a coach for the annual Attorney General Mock Trial competition.

Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Susan’s legal practice covered a wide variety of areas, including criminal defense, family law, personal injury, probate and appellate work. She taught Family Law and Legal Research and Writing to students earning Bachelor’s and Associate’s degrees in paralegal studies at the University of Toledo. She is appointed annually by the Ohio Supreme Court to serve as a mentor for new attorneys.

Principal Assistant Attorney General
Office: 216-787-3030
Email: Wayne.Williams@OhioAGO.gov

Wayne Williams joined the Attorney General’s Office in 1992. For the last 26 years, Wayne has worked in the Civil Rights Section, representing the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC). Wayne provides legal counsel to the OCRC and prosecutes discrimination cases dealing primarily with employment and fair housing issues. He has created and conducted legal training for the investigators that emphasizes legal doctrine, investigative technique, and negotiation skills. Wayne started an extern program in the Attorney General’s office for law students and acts as both their mentor and supervisor. Students receive law school credit while getting hands-on experience in the largest public law firm in Ohio.

Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Wayne worked in a small, private legal practice covering a wide variety of areas.

Wayne enjoys coaching football and track, and is the father of three NCAA student/athlete All-Americans.