Diane Menashe, Esq.

Attorney Diane Menashe is the managing partner of the Columbus office. Diane is a trial lawyer who has tried more than 100 criminal and civil cases to jury verdict. 

Recent 2022 jury trial wins include full acquittals for clients in the following cases: State v. Dr. William Husel, where the jury found the client, an ICU intensivist, not guilty of 14 counts of murder (all related to patient care at end of life); State v. Matheau Moore, where the jury found the client not guilty of two counts of murder (both counts related to death of Moore's wife); and State v. Kenny Phillips, where, on retrial, the jury found the client not guilty of 14 counts of attempted murder and felonious assault after the 8th District Court of Appeals reversed the case in 2021, finding that the state had withheld exculpatory evidence at the original 2007 trial.

Diane's trial work includes not only high-level criminal defense in state and federal courts but complex civil litigation as well. In May of 2022, she was lead counsel for a plaintiff in a civil case securing a verdict of $3.1 million dollars for the client, who sued their financial advisor for breach of fiduciary (an appeal of the judgment is pending).

In addition to her trial work, Diane also handles internal investigations, parole hearings, judicial release motions and juvenile criminal defense. Earning favorable jury verdicts, which Diane has done many of times, is of equal importance as negotiating the absolute best pretrial outcomes for clients.

Diane is as a faculty member of Harvard Law School's Trial Advocacy Workshop where she teaches alongside of some of the best trial lawyers and judges in the country. In recognition of her experience as a trial lawyer, Diane is a fellow in both the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL).

Diane, a four-year collegiate rower, coached the Tulane Law School varsity women’s rowing team while attending law school at the university. She brings the team approach to her work at Friedman Menashe Nemecek & Long, LLC.

Education

Undergraduate School

• Bachelor of Arts, Purdue University 1995

Law School

• Tulane University Law School 1998

Admissions

• United States District Court - Southern District of Indiana
• Ohio
• United States District Court - Northern District of Ohio
• United States District Court - Southern District of Ohio
• United States Court of Appeals - Sixth Circuit

Awards & Recognitions

• International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
• Best Lawyers® 2021-2023 (Criminal Defense: General, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Commercial Litigation)
• Ohio Super Lawyers, 2020-2022 (Criminal Defense
• Columbus CEO 2021 Future 50 Leaders
• CJA Panel Representative S.D. Ohio (2016- Present)
• Rule 20 Certified - Lead Trial Counsel Capital Cases
• Order of the Barristers

Memberships

• Association of Pro Bono Counsel
• Ohio State Bar Association

Community Involvement

• Greater Columbus Sports Commission, Board Member, January 2021-Current
• Chief of Police's Advisory Panel (selected by Columbus City Council & Mayor Ginther), June, 2020-Current
• Franklin County Based Correctional Facility, Board of Directors, 2015-2018
• Dress for Success, Board Member and Development Chair, 2011-2014

Representative Clients

• City of Columbus, Ohio

News

• Kenny Phillips
  • 09/27/2022 - Kenny Phillips – 14 counts of felonious assault + weapons, not guilty on all
• 08/30/2022 - Menashe Secures Not Guilty Verdict
• 08/26/2022 - Diane Menashe Mentioned in Law and Crime Website: "After a Few Hours of Deliberations, Ohio Man Acquitted of Murdering Wife and Staging Her Death as Suicide"
• 08/9/2022 - Diane Menashe Profiled in Columbus Monthly: "Columbus Attorney Diane Menashe on Defending William Husel and Other High-Profile Clients"
• 08/09/2022 - Diane Menashe Mentioned in Columbus Monthly: "Columbus Attorney Diane Menashe on Defending William Husel and Other High-Profile Clients"
• 04/21/2022 - Diane Menashe Mentioned in NBC News: "How case against ex-doctor William Husel, accused in fentanyl deaths, fell apart."
• 04/21/2022 - Diane Menashe Helps Secure Not Guilty Verdict for Columbus ICU Doctor Charged with Murder of 14 Patients
• 04/18/2022 - Diane Menashe Featured in Columbus CEO: "Diverse Leaders in Law: How to Fight Racism Pro Bono"
• 01/12/2022 - Diane Menashe Featured in Super Lawyers Magazine: "Promoting Pro Bono"
• 11/30/2021 - Diane Menashe Quoted in The Columbus Dispatch: "Dr. Husel Attorneys Want 25 Murder Charges Dismissed, Say 'False Narrative' Led to Indictment"
• 11/30/2021 - Diane Menashe Quoted in Law360: "Ohio Panel Nixes Challenge To State's Local Telework Tax Law"
• 10/6/2021 - Diane Menashe Quoted in Columbus Dispatch: "Do Commuters Who Worked from Home during COVID Deserve a Tax Refund? Ohio Municipal Income Tax Case Appealed"
• 06/28/2021 - Diane Menashe Featured in Columbus Dispatch: "Can a Spreadsheet Improve Fairness and Justice in Sentencing in Ohio Courts? Some Judges Say Yes"
• 06/24/2021 - Diane Menashe Quoted in Soapbox Media: "Ambitious Data Collection Project to Advance Criminal Justice in Ohio"
• 05/28/2021 - Diane Menashe, Daniel Anderson and Mark Richards Mentioned in Law360: "Ohio Appeals Court Asked to Undo City's Telework Tax Powers"
• 04/29/2021 - Diane Menashe, Daniel Anderson and Mark Richards Mentioned in Law360: "Ohio Court Rejects Challenge to City's Telework Tax Powers"
• 01/26/2021 - Diane Menashe Featured in Law360: "Judges on Race: Lack of Data Deters Criminal Justice Reform"
• 01/26/2021 - Diane Menashe Featured in Future 50: "DIANE MENASHE: Partner, director of litigation training and pro bono activities, Ice Miller."
• 10/22/2020 - Diane Menashe Mentioned in Columbus Dispatch: "Husel's Lawyers Seek Dismissal of Murder Charges, Alleging Prosecutorial Misconduct"
• 09/11/2020 - Diane Menashe, Daniel Anderson and Mark Richards Mentioned in Law360: "Ohio City Must Face Telework Tax Suit, State Think Tank Says"
• 09/02/2020 - Diane Menashe Mentioned in Court News Ohio: "Striving Toward Justice with Data"
• 08/06/2020 - Diane Menashe Mentioned in Columbus Dispatch: "Who's Who in Push to Reform Columbus Police"
• 06/17/2020 - Diane Menashe Mentioned in City of Columbus Press Release: "Mayor Ginther, Chief Quinlan, City Attorney Klein and Council President Hardin Announce Chief's Advisory Panel and Strict Limits on Use of Tear Gas, Pepper Spray"
• 03/16/2020 - Diane Menashe Quoted in The Washington Post: "Ohio Governor Says State Will Order Primary Polls Closed Tuesday, Citing 'Health Emergency' From Coronavirus"
• 03/11/2020 - Diane Menashe Quoted in Columbus Dispatch: "In Rare Ruling, Potential Juror in Death-Penalty Case Faces Jail for Lying"

Video Clips 

• Dr. William Husel Clips – 14 counts of murder, not guilty on all
  • 04/20/2022 - FULL LIVE INTERVIEW: Husel defense attorney Diane Menashe after acquittal: Press Conference
  • 04/20/2022 - Dr. William Husel found not guilty in 14 hospital patient deaths: Channel 10 Breaking News – Verdict
  • 04/20/2022 - Judge reads verdict in Dr. William Husel murder trial: Verdict Reading.
  • 04/20/2022 - Husel defense attorneys news conference after the not guilty verdict: Jose Baez Press Conference.
  • 04/21/2022 - How case against ex-doctor William Husel, accused in fentanyl deaths, fell apart: NBC News.
     
• Mattheau Moore Clips – 2 counts of murder & 1 count of felonious assault, not guilty on all
  • 08/17/2022 - Opening Statement: Matheau Moore’s Defense Says State’s Murder Theory Makes No Sense: Press Conference.
  • 08/26/2022 - Matheau Moore’s Attorney Reacts After Client’s Emotional Acquittal in Wife’s Death: Law & Crime Network Interview.
  • 08/17/2022 - Matheau Moore’s Defense Says State’s Murder Theory Makes No Sense: Opening Statement.
  • 08/17/2022 - Staged Suicide Murder Trial - OH v. Matheau Moore: Trial Day 1.
  • 08/18/2022 - Staged Suicide Murder Trial - OH v. Matheau Moore: Trial Day 2.
  • 08/19/2022 - Staged Suicide Murder Trial - OH v. Matheau Moore: Trial Day 4.
  • 08/20/2022 - Staged Suicide Murder Trial - OH v. Matheau Moore: Trial Day 6.
  • 08/25/2022 - Staged Suicide Murder Trial - OH v. Matheau Moore: Trial Day 7.
• Quentin Smith
  • 11/06/2019 - Life sentence in a death penalty case: Closing Statements
• Brian Golsby
  • 03/13/2018 – Life sentence in a death penalty case: Closing Argument

Podcasts

• 01/27/2023 - Diane Menashe Featured in The Keri Croft Show.
• 06/15/2022 - William Husel Acquittal: Behind the Scenes with the One and Only Diane Menashe: The Killer Cross Exam.