About

Mark Griffin is the Law Director and Chief Legal Counsel for the City of Cleveland. As Law Director he provides legal advice to Mayor Bibb and to Cleveland City Council. His office of 80 lawyers prosecutes crimes, defends the City and its Departments, Divisions and employees in civil litigation, drafts contracts, represents Cleveland’s Hopkins and Burke Lakefront Airports, advises Cleveland Public Utilities, and helps oversee local tax collections. He previously served for nearly seven years as the Chief Ethics Officer and Inspector General for Cuyahoga County where he and his agency investigated public corruption, waste, fraud and abuse. Under his leadership, Cuyahoga County became a frequent case study for international delegations sponsored by the U.S. State Department, which serves as an example of American responses to public corruption. He was named Citizen Diplomat of the Year by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs.

Prior to his public service, Griffin designed and organized local and state voter protection programs to assure that every vote is counted. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon, West Africa, he was the first American volunteer in the traditional kingdom of Rey Bouba where he organized women’s economic development cooperatives, built schools and led health education initiatives. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve School of law where he was summa cum laude and a law review editor. He won a silver medal at the 1986 U.S. National Fencing Championship and represented the U.S. at the 1983 U-20 World Fencing Championships.

Ronda Curtis was sworn in June 4, 2018, by Mayor Frank G. Jackson as the City of Cleveland’s Chief Corporate Counsel. In this role, she oversees the transactional work of the City’s Law Department, which is managed under four practice groups: Operations and Sustainability, Development, Legislation and Contracts (House Counsel), and Public Records. Curtis came to the City of Cleveland in 2005 and has been the City’s Chief Assistant Director of Law since 2006. In that time, she was responsible for the City’s House Counsel section of the Law Department and served as legal counsel to the Office of Capital Projects, Departments of Finance, Human Resources, and Aging, and the City Council, as well as several Boards and Commissions.

Prior to joining to the City, Curtis served as both the Assistant and Interim Director of Law for the City of East Cleveland. She is a Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and was a Past Chair of their Government Attorney Section. She is also a Program Advisory Council Member for the Northcentral University School of Business and Technology. Curtis holds an Associate Degree in Applied Business from Cuyahoga Community College, a Bachelor of Science Degree from Dyke College, and a Juris Doctorate from the Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall School of Law.

Elena Boop is a proud first-generation immigrant who made her home in Northeast Ohio at age 16. She is an alumna of Denison university (’97) and Case Western Reserve University Law School (’00). Possessing over a decade of varied experience as both a civil and criminal litigator and managing partner of her own law firm, she joined the Law Department in 2017 as the Chief of Litigation and was appointed as Chief Trial Counsel in 2022.  As Chief Trial Counsel, Boop oversees all claims and litigation involving the City of Cleveland, including three practice groups managed by Chief Assistant Directors of Law: General Litigation, Labor and Employment, and Constitutional Law and Police Practices. 

Boop’s unique prior litigation experience includes defending and pursuing significant injury and wrongful death cases involving product liability, toxic torts, and industrial accidents. Additionally, throughout her career, she has remained a community engaged attorney, as a VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) advocate for victims of domestic violence, volunteering at brief advice clinics, teaching English to refugees, performing pro-bono work for local and national non-profits, serving as a Guardian ad Litem for abused and neglected children, and participating in specialized courts focused on mental health, veterans’ issues and drug dependency. Elena is also an avid runner and frequently volunteers at local running events.

Michele Comer is the Chief Counsel for the City of Cleveland.  She joined the City of Cleveland Law Department in 2003 as an Assistant Director of Law in the Code Enforcement section; and, in 2005, she was appointed to serve as Chief Assistant Director of Law of the Code Enforcement section.  As the Chief of Code Enforcement, she and her team worked tirelessly to enforce the city’s building, housing, zoning, health, fire, and sidewalk codes and to improve the quality of life for the city and its residents.  Now, as Chief Counsel, with a working title of Chief Counsel for Special Projects, she continues to oversee the City’s nuisance abatement program, the lead safe initiative, other code enforcement related matters and special projects.  During her tenure with the City, she received the Director’s Service Award from the Department of Building and Housing for dedication and leadership.  She was also honored during Women’s History Month with an award titled “Game Changers: Women Leveling the Field”. 

Michele earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Cleveland State University and her Juris Doctor in Law from Cleveland State University College of Law.  She earned both degrees as a part-time student, while working full-time as an Inspector for the federal Bureau of Alcohol. Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  Following her career with ATF and prior to joining the City of Cleveland Law Department, she practiced law as a private attorney in the areas of civil rights, voting rights and employment discrimination.   She has been a mentor for several aspiring lawyers. She has also served as a volunteer tutor in adult literacy programs and a volunteer at a local area nursing home and adult day care facility.  Michele enjoys music, theater and performing arts and is a supporter of various cultural institutions throughout the Cleveland area. 

Thomas was sworn in on May 2, 2022 by Mayor Justin M. Bibb as the City of Cleveland’s first-ever Chief Ethics Officer. In his role, he serves as the senior ethics advisor to the Mayor and the Law Director. He also provides advice and counsel to all City employees on issues involving the application of ethics laws and navigating conflicts of interest. Thomas is responsible for building and maintaining an ethics and compliance education program for a City workforce of over 8,000 employees.

Prior to joining the City, Thomas served as Deputy Inspector General and Ethics Counsel for the Cuyahoga County Agency of Inspector General, where he investigated wrongdoing by public officials and employees, as well as conducted training and responded to inquiries regarding County and Ohio Ethics Law to eliminate and reduce misconduct. Thomas earned is Juris Doctorate and Master’s in Labor Relations & Human Resources from Cleveland State University. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management and a Master’s in Public Relations from Syracuse University. In 2021, Thomas, who also serves as President of the Norman S. Minor Bar Association, was featured in Crain’s Cleveland 40 Under 40 List.

Aqueelah A. Jordan was sworn in as Chief Prosecutor on July 21, 2020. In her role, Ms. Jordan oversees the Criminal DivisJordan was sworn in by Mayor Frank G. Jackson as Chief Prosecutor on July 21, 2020. In her role, she oversees the Criminal Division of the City of Cleveland Law Department and represents the City in domestic violence, assault, criminal damaging, child endangering, and OVI matters in the Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth Appellate District, and Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Jordan previously served as an Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor from 2013-2020. There, she worked in the Juvenile Division, General Felony Unit and was promoted to the Major Trial Unit in 2016. Jordan began her 10+year career as a prosecutor here with the City of Cleveland in 2010. She earned her Juris Doctorate and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Cleveland State University, and her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Government from Case Western Reserve University. ion of the City of Cleveland Law Department, representing the City in the Ohio Court of Appeals, Eighth Appellate District. Her cases involve domestic violence, assault, criminal damaging, child endangering, and OVI.