Jon Richardson – A Great Work Ethic by Mike Bruno

Jon Richardson is an award-winning defense lawyer with
a track record of more than 50 years.

He came from humble beginnings. His dad was a beer
salesman with a 6th-grade education. His mom earned
her GED many years later.

He grew up in post-World War II Canton, Ohio, which was
a burgeoning manufacturing hub at the time. The city
drew a rich influx of immigrants. Growing up in a diverse
population meant Jon was exposed to many different
ethnic groups. These interactions and the development
of his interpersonal skills would serve him well in his
future endeavors.

After graduating from McKinley High School, Jon was
off to Ohio State to pursue a degree in English. He
graduated from college and took a job selling yearbooks
– His territory: Toledo, Ohio (coincidentally, his wife’s
hometown). He joined the Army Reserves in 1966.

Apparently, neither a career selling yearbooks nor as a
soldier appealed to Jon. He was called to be a teacher.
So, Jon began his education career at Scott High
School and was assigned to teach Freshman English.
His wife was also teaching. This worked well for a while
until the family started growing with the arrival of a
son. The English teacher was about to learn a lesson in
economics: survival in the 1960s on a teacher’s salary
was difficult, if not impossible.

It was at this time, 1968, that Jon met Bobby Kaplan
while working on the presidential campaign of Eugene
McCarthy. He stayed close to Bobby for 55 years, until
Mr. Kaplan passed away in 2023.

But first things first: in order to follow in his mentor’s
footsteps, there was a necessary first step toward
law school. So, Jon enrolled as a night student at the
University of Toledo, College of Law. Over the next four
years, he would teach during the day and work the
7-11 night shift at University Hall as a law student.

Apparently, a good work ethic was in his DNA as he
graduated from law school and became licensed to
practice law in 1972.

Jon learned his craft trying high-profile criminal cases
with Bobby Kaplan in the 1970s. Among those was
a murder at the former Alphies restaurant on Sylvania
Avenue. Another involved an execution style murder
that resulted in the jury acquitting on the murder and
finding the defendant guilty of manslaughter.

In the early days, the law office consisted of Jon, Bobby,
Jude Leavitt, and Walter Lehman. Pete Rost clerked for
the firm and did legal research.

I asked Jon if he could talk about the unusual cases he’s
handled. He told me about the client who murdered his
landlord and had trouble disposing of her large body from
the premises. The client proceeded to cut the deceased
into hundreds of smaller pieces, which were later floated
down the Maumee River.

The story doesn’t end there. The client, already charged
with murder, then approached noted crime novelist
Elmore Leonard to see if Leonard would be interested in
writing about the grisly murder.

Jude Leavvett Leonard declined, suggesting that his
works are fiction. “I make this stuff up.” Because
of that association, Jon often corresponded with
“Dutch” Leonard, one of his favorite authors.

I asked Jon if he noticed any changes over he years
in terms of the nature of crimes committed by his
clientele. He noted a recent trend toward more
pointless crimes and more violent.

Favorite Judges? Without hesitation, he offered
George Knoff, who was “not just smart, but wise.”
Jon provided an abundance of stories about judges,
lawyers, and other notables. I’m sorry to report that
many cannot be shared in this forum. Suffice to say,
Jon has lived a fascinating and productive life, in and
outside the law.

When he is not frequenting the local courts, Jon can
be found at his cabin in Northern Michigan. He also
enjoys a winter vacation in Mexico.