Evelyn Lundberg Stratton
Evelyn Lundberg Stratton is of counsel in the Vorys Columbus office. Prior to joining Vorys, she served for 16 years as a justice on the Supreme Court of Ohio. Ms. Stratton counsels clients on variety of practice areas, including health care, litigation and appellate work. She also assists Vorys Health Care Advisors, a wholly owned subsidiary of the firm that helps health care providers, business decision makers, professional associations and other stakeholders deal with the challenges of a complex, rapidly changing state and federal health care environment.
Ms. Stratton has decades of trial and appellate experience. She spent the first nine years of her legal career as a central Ohio trial lawyer. In 1988, she became the first woman elected judge of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Stratton was appointed to the Ohio Supreme Court by Governor George Voinovich in 1996 and was elected by Ohio voters to three six-year terms.
Ms. Stratton is also a dedicated public servant. While serving on the Ohio Supreme Court, she formed and chaired the Supreme Court of Ohio Advisory Committee on Mental Illness & the Courts, which since its formation in 2001 has helped establish 38 mental health courts, recommended changes to Medicaid and advocated for a new Juvenile Competency Statute. Currently, she serves with Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine as co-chair of the Attorney General's Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Illness. Ms. Stratton has also advocated for the development of veterans’ courts, which assist returning veterans with post traumatic stress and other issues that may lead them to criminal activity. In addition, she currently serves in a leadership capacity at the Ohio Military and Veterans Legal Assistance Program, which connects veterans and military families to a statewide system of referrals to pro bono lawyers, bar associations, legal aid and law school clinics.
Ms. Stratton’s work has resulted in many honors, such as the Congressional Coalition on Adoption’s Angels Award, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Adoption Excellence Award and the Ohio State Association of Veterans’ Service Commissions Outstanding Service Award. In 2008, she received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Ranking among the nation's most prestigious awards, this honor pays tribute to American citizens of diverse origins for their outstanding contributions to their communities, their nation and the world.
Ms. Stratton is a member of the American, Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations. She is also member of the Ohio State and Columbus Bar Foundations and Women Lawyers of Franklin County.
Ms. Stratton received her J.D. from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law. She earned her B.A. and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Akron. Ms. Stratton also has an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Capital University Law School and an Honorary Doctorate of Community Leadership from Franklin University.
Professional and Community Activities
- Attorney General's Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Illness, Co-Chair, 2012-Present
- Corporation for Supportive Housing, National Board of Trustees, 2005-Present
- National Judges’ Criminal Justice/Mental Health Leadership Initiative (JLI), 2004-Present, Co-Chair, 2004-2008
- Supreme Court of Ohio Advisory Committee on Mental Illness and the Courts, Chair, 2001-2011
- Franklin University, Criminal Justice Advisory Board, 2013-present
- Resurrecting Lives Foundation, Vice Chair, 2011-Present, 2011-Present
- Veterans in the Courts Initiative, Chair, 2009-Present
- Columbus Council on World Affairs, Board of Trustees, 1990-1999; Honorary Trustee, 1999-Present
- Prevent Blindness Ohio, 1988-2003 Chairman of the Board of Trustees, 1999-2001; Honorary Trustee, 2004-Present
- Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Board of Trustees, 1996-2008
- Ohio Justice Alliance for Community Corrections (OJACC), Board of Trustees, 1995-Present
Honors & Awards
- National Recognitions
- Council of State Governments, Henry Toll Fellow, 2010
- International Community Correction Association, Judicial Award, 2010
- National Ethnic Coalition Organization, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, 2008
- National Judges’ Criminal Justice/Mental Health Leadership Initiative (JLI), Special Recognition, 2008
- National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Distinguished Service Award, 2004
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Adoption Excellence Award, 2001
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption, Angels in Adoption Award, 2001
- Prevent Blindness America, Award for Volunteer Leadership, 2000
- Mental Health Reform Awards
- Mental Health Advocates Award, 2011
- Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities, President’s Award, 2008
- National Alliance on Mental Illness of Geauga County, Certificate of Appreciation, 2008
- Veterans Treatment Reform Awards
- AMVETS Past State Department Commanders’ Civil Servant of the Year Award, 2013
- Ohio National Guard, Certificate of Appreciation, 2011
- Ohio State Association of Veterans’ Service Commissions, Outstanding Service Award, 2011
- Vietnam Veterans of America, Buckeye State Council, Veterans Advocacy Award, 2010
- Ohio Military Reserve Association, Outstanding Service Award, 2008
- Other Recognitions
- Ohio Senate, Commendation for Service, 2013
- Commonwealth of Kentucky, Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, 2010
- Ohio Bail Agents Association, Appreciation Award, 2008
News
- Stratton Receives Faith and Freedom Appreciation Award
- Stratton Profiled in Daily Reporter Story Titled “Treatment Courts Help Connect Veterans with Medical Services”
- Stratton Quoted in Columbus Dispatch Story on Mental Health Courts
- Ohio House of Representatives Honors Stratton’s Judicial Career
- Stratton Quoted in Columbus Dispatch Editorial Entitled “A New Tool for Police”
- Stratton Receives AMVETS Past State Department Commanders’ Civil Servant of the Year Award
- Stratton Quoted in Associated Press Story on Ohio Military/Veterans Legal Assistance Project Call Center
- Stratton’s Legal Career Profiled in Winter 2013 Edition of All Rise
- Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton Joins Vorys
Events
- Mental Health and Criminal Justice Summit
- The Many Faces of Mental Illness Conference
- Appellate Strategies and Perspectives