Mara M. Hirz, Esq.

Mara is both passionate and driven, striving to earn the best possible results for her clients. Before becoming an attorney, Mara had a successful career in technology, working as a project engineer in microelectronic assembly and packaging. Although she enjoyed the technical challenges of engineering, Mara wanted to refocus her career on something with a greater human impact. To that end, Mara returned to school and earned her J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and her M.B.A. from the Monte-Ahuja College of Business.

While at Cleveland-Marshall, Mara participated in the first annual Global Legal Hackathon, an international competition that strives to improve the legal industry with technology and innovation. Mara’s team was an international finalist, and her interest in how technology operates within the confines of the law was born.

Mara’s combined interests in justice, criminal law, and technology, lead her to Friedman Nemecek Long & Grant. Prior to joining the team as an associate attorney, Mara worked as a law clerk for the firm, while pursuing her dual degrees.

Mara’s practice focuses on criminal, white collar, and cyber defense. As part of the Friedman Nemecek Long & Grant legal team, she has been instrumental in a wide variety of matters including international cyber cases, complex financial fraud investigations, complicated corporate disputes, and internet sex crimes. Mara brings an important dynamic to the firm with her engineering and business background, which effectively addresses the many sophisticated technological and business matters that confront our clients.

Mara is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. She is also on the Board of the League of Women Voters Oberlin Area.

While she is not in the office, Mara enjoys renovating her century-old house, reading cooking magazines, and cuddling with her rescue pit bull.

EDUCATION

• Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, J.D., 2020
  • Graduated Cum Laude
  • Global Legal Hackathon International Finalist, 2018
• Monte-Ahuja College of Business, M.B.A., 2020
• Ohio State University, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2017
  • Graduated Cum Laude
• Lorain County Community College, A.S. Mechantronics, 2015
  • Graduated Magna Cum Laude

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Friedman Nemecek Long & Grant, L.L.C. – Attorney, 2021 to Present

• Friedman Nemecek Long & Grant, L.L.C. – Law Clerk, 2018 to 2021
• SMART Microsystems, L.L.C. – Project Engineer, 2017 to 2019
• SMART Microsystems, L.L.C. – Lead Technician, 2015 to 2017

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member, 2020 to Present
• League of Women Voters Oberlin Area, Board Member, 2020 to Present

PUBLICATIONS

• Cleveland Jewish News, With Cryptocurrency Comes Risks, Rewards, co-authored by Ian N. Friedman, April 2022.
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Bar Journal, Cryptocurrency and Criminal Defense, Rising to the Challenge of Modern-Day Clients and Modern-Day Problems, co-authored by Ian N. Friedman, January, 2022.
• National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, The Champion, Decoding the Crypto Space: Understanding Cryptocurrency in Today’s Criminal Defense Practice, co-authored by Ian N. Friedman, December 2021.
• Ohio Capital Journal, Law You Can Use: Exercising Your Right to Protest, co-authored by Ian N. Friedman, June 19, 2020.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and The Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club, Tech Panel, NFTs, Blockchain, the Metaverse, and More!!, April 2022.
• Dayton Bar Association Presentation, The Legal Impact of Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin & NFT’s, February 2022.