Frantz Ward is pleased to announce that
Christopher G. Keim, Managing Partner of Frantz Ward LLP, has been named co-chair, with Russell Tye of the Cuyahoga County Public Defender’s Office, of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s (CMBA)
Racial Equity and the Law (REAL) Workgroup on Continuing Criminal Justice Reform.
“As Frantz Ward was determining its response to the social injustices that were coming to the forefront last summer, we realized that to make a difference we would need to combine our efforts with other key organizations,” said Christopher Keim. “When I saw the CMBA REAL program, I knew it was an ideal situation for me to help make a difference in our community.”
The CMBA’s REAL Program is dedicated to driving positive, permanent change in our justice system. The program was created to match action with conversation and make a REAL difference. The four REAL Workgroups address the following priorities: dismantling systemic and negotiated racism, continuing criminal justice reform, promoting and growing white allyship, and interrupting the legal profession’s systemic inequities.
The mission of the Continuing Criminal Justice Reform Workgroup is to advocate for continued reform within our criminal justice system and ensure that racial equity is a priority in that reform. The first virtual working session is on February 25 at noon and volunteers are welcome. Please
click here for more information.
As Managing Partner, Chris is involved in establishing the firm’s strategic direction and its day-to-day operations for the growing needs of the firm and its clients. In addition to his Managing Partner and Management Committee responsibilities, Chris is a litigator whose legal practice focuses on civil litigation matters, including general business disputes, product liability claims, transportation law, employment litigation, and corporate investigations. He has extensive experience in successfully defending businesses through trial and arbitration throughout the U.S. with over 75 bench and jury trials to date. This includes representing closely held and publicly traded companies and their insurers in routine and catastrophic litigation.
Chris actively supports the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which promotes diversity and inclusion and raises awareness of its important throughout the firm and in the broader community. He also began his career as a Cuyahoga County Assistant Prosecutor, which provides him insight into the criminal justice system.
Chris is named to The Best Lawyers in America and to the Ohio Super Lawyers list. He is consistently rated AV Preeminent, the highest ranking, for attorney professional and ethical excellence by Martindale-Hubbell. He serves as a Trustee for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP). Chris earned his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and his B.S. from The Ohio State University.