Judith L. Marsh
Practice Areas
Industries
Education
- The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, J.D., 2000, with honors, Order of the Coif
- Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, staff member, 1998-1999, managing editor, 1999-2000
- Albion College, B.A., 1994, summa cum laude
Bar & Court Admissions
Judy is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the firm’s nationally recognized retail practice. Judy has more than 20 years of experience representing large, national retailers and consumer brands. Although her focus is on corporate, commercial, franchising and distribution, and finance transactions, she strives to serve these companies as a strategic partner to help them reach their business objectives.
Her notable experience includes:
- Representing numerous retail and consumer brand clients in their commercial transactions
- Representing several large retailers in their supplier and vendor relationships, including credit card processing and third party logistics services
- Representing franchisors in the development and structuring of franchise systems, including preparation of franchise agreements, franchise disclosure documents and in dealings with their franchisees
- Representing purchasers of franchise systems and large multi-unit franchisees
- Representing several publically held companies in their lending relationships, including syndicated bank credit facilities
- Representing manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and sales agents in a variety of commercial relationships and transactions
- Representing borrowers and lenders in a wide range of financing transactions
- Representing a financial institution specializing in the purchase of account receivables
Judy is an active participant in the firm’s memberships in the National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association. Judy is also a member of the American Bar Association and the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising.
Judy received her J.D. with honors from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law where she was a member of the Order of the Coif, as well as a member and managing editor of the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution. She received her B.A. summa cum laude from Albion College.
Professional & Community Involvement
YWCA Columbus, Board of Trustees, 2018 – present; Board Member; Finance Committee, 2018-present
Co-founder, Columbus Diaper Bank, 2013, Chair and Board Member, 2013 – 2015, Board member, 2016-2018
International Franchise Association, Legal Symposium Task Force, Committee Member, 2016-2018
Mentoring Center of Central Ohio, Board Member, 2005-2008
Speaker, International Franchise Association’s Annual Legal Symposium, 2017
Member, American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising, 2007-present
Current or Former Member of Various Vorys Committees, including Management, Strategic Opportunities, Diversity, Hiring, and Group Coordinating
Co-editor of Chapters 30 and 31 (franchise law), Advising Small Businesses, Alberty, 2009-2017
Honors & Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America, Columbus Franchise Law "Lawyer of the Year," 2014, 2018, 2020
- The Best Lawyers in America, Columbus Commercial Transactions and Franchise Law "Lawyer of the Year," 2016
- The Best Lawyers in America, Banking and Finance Law, 2011-2021
- The Best Lawyers in America, Franchise Law, 2013-2021
- The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Finance Law, 2016-2021
- The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Transactions/UCC Law, 2016-2021
- Columbus CEO, Top Lawyers in Columbus, 2015-2016
- Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Franchise/Dealership, 2010
- Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Securities and Corporate Finance, 2006-2007, 2009
News
- 8/20/2020One hundred and twelve lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America® 2021 edition. In addition, 26 Vorys attorneys were named to the inaugural Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” list.
- 1/23/2020Vorys recently advised M/I Homes, Inc. in connection with its Rule 144A/Regulation S offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 4.950% senior notes due 2028.
- 8/15/2019One hundred and thirteen lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2020.
- 8/15/2019Twelve Vorys attorneys have been named 2020 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers. Each year, only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”
- 8/15/2018One hundred and thirteen lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2019.
- 8/17/2017Twenty Vorys attorneys have been named 2018 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers. Each year, only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”
- 8/17/2017One hundred and eight lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2018.
- 8/3/2017
- 8/15/2016One-hundred and eleven lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017.
- 8/17/2015One-hundred and eighteen lawyers from Vorys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2016.
- 8/17/2015Sixteen Vorys attorneys have been named 2016 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers.
- 8/18/2014One-hundred and ten lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015.
- 8/14/2013One hundred and eleven lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2014.
- 8/14/2013Ten Vorys attorneys from three offices have been named 2014 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers. Each year, only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”
- 8/23/2012One hundred and twenty-six lawyers from Vorys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2013.
- 9/6/2011
- 8/9/2010
- 12/22/2009
- 1/8/2009
- 12/29/2008
- 6/26/2007
Events
- 5/7/2017Vorys Partner Judy Marsh was a speaker at the 50th Annual IFA Legal Symposium hosted by the International Franchise Association on May 7, 2017.
- 5/13/2015Vorys attorneys Herb Hedden and Judy Marsh were speakers at the Franchise Law Seminar hosted by the Ohio State Bar Association on May 13, 2015.
- 3/4/2015Vorys presented a Financial Institutions Summit on March 4, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio.
- 3/6/2012Vorys partners Shawn Flahive, Sheila Nolan Gartland and Judy Marsh presented at the Ohio Bankers League’s Shale 2012 event on March 6.
- 9/9/2009
Insights
- 2014Herb Hedden and Judy Marsh, both partners in the firm’s Columbus office, authored a chapter for Mergers and Acquisitions of Franchise Companies (Second Edition, 2014, American Bar Association). Hedden and Marsh’s chapter is titled “Real Estate Matters in Acquisitions and Mergers.”
- 4/22/2014With the boom in oil and gas production issues in Ohio, irrespective of the type, charter bank and thrift lenders can find a significant resource for safe and sound lending guidance in the newly issued addition to the Comptroller’s Handbook on “Oil and Gas Production Lending.”
- 10/28/2013To expand the scope of their business – either geographically or into additional product categories – many companies license their trademarks. Company "A" sells milk, for instance, and shipping milk far from its source of production may not make economic sense. A restaurateur wishes to open restaurants in other states. Another company has expertise in selling men's clothes, but would like to expand to men's shoes.