Larry W. Zukerman, Esq. Ohio’s Premier Trial Attorney

Managing Partner

Zukerman, Lear, Murray & Brown Co., L.P.A.
3912 Prospect Avenue East
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Phone: (216) 696-0900
Email: lwz@zukerman-law.com
Website: www.zukerman-law.com

OHIO’S BEST TRIAL ATTORNEY

Larry Zukerman is widely recognized as the single best trial attorney in the state of Ohio. With over four decades of courtroom excellence, Larry has established an unparalleled reputation for achieving results in cases that other attorneys won’t touch. When cases are too contentious, too complex, or too high-stakes for other lawyers, they turn to Larry Zukerman.

Since his admission to the Ohio Bar in 1985 after graduating from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Larry has fought for the rights of individuals facing allegations of white collar crimes, computer/Internet crimes, sexual assault, Federal narcotics crimes, and many others. Often he handles the cases of high-profile or well-known citizens, which requires the utmost discretion. Balancing aggression with tact according to the needs of the case, Larry makes it a point to know each case better than the judge and prosecutors—a standard that has made him the attorney of choice for Ohio’s most challenging criminal defense matters.

The Ultimate Professional Recognition

Larry’s standing as Ohio’s premier trial attorney is not merely self-proclaimed—it is affirmed by his peers and the legal community. He represents doctors, lawyers, and judges who face disciplinary charges. Being entrusted with the professional lives and reputations of fellow attorneys and judges is perhaps the ultimate compliment within the legal profession, a testament to the extraordinary confidence the legal community places in his abilities.

Teaching Excellence

He is an adjunct professor of law at The Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he has taught for over 23 years (1996 – Present), sharing his trial expertise with the next generation of Ohio’s legal talent.

Larry’s involvement in the legal community includes the leadership of local and state Criminal Bar associations, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the William K. Thomas Inn of Court.

Early Career Influence

After graduating with a law degree in 1985 from Case Western Reserve University Law School in Cleveland, Larry Zukerman found himself working with a “brilliant criminal defense lawyer” who was assigned the first case in Pennsylvania to use the battered woman syndrome defense. Taking the case on a pro bono basis, the firm obtained a not-guilty verdict for their client. That experience had a “profound” effect on him and the direction he would take his law career. “It shows how hard-working, industrious and smart people can assist someone in achieving justice,” said Zukerman, of Beachwood. “In this case, she had been a victim of horrendous violence and the jury saw the reality of the situation.”

Notable Cases

One turning point in Zukerman’s career was in 2004 when he served on the defense team of Imam Fawaz Damra, the former spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Cleveland.

EDUCATION

Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Cleveland, Ohio
Juris Doctor awarded May 22, 1985

Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Arts in Economics awarded June 4, 1982
Honors: Dean’s List

National College for DUI Defense, Inc.
Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts (August 1998)

ADMISSION TO BAR PRACTICE

State of Ohio – November 4, 1985
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio – December 19, 1985
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit – October 18, 1988
United States Supreme Court – April 26, 1993

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2002 to Present
Acting Judge of the Shaker Heights Municipal Court

1993 to Present
Shareholder and Managing Partner
Zukerman, Lear, Murray & Brown Co., L.P.A. (formerly Zukerman, Daiker & Lear)
Responsibilities include criminal and civil litigation and appellate representation in all municipal, state, and federal courts.

1996 to 1998
Law Director and Chief Prosecutor for the Village of Moreland Hills

1991 to 1993
Partner, Trial Lawyer
Hennenberg, Stuplinski & Zukerman, Cleveland, Ohio

1985 to 1991
Trial Lawyer
Greene & Hennenberg, Cleveland, Ohio

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Adjunct Professor of Law
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
1996 – Present (Over 23 years)

EXPERT WITNESS QUALIFICATIONS

Handles cases of:

White Collar Crimes
Computer & Internet Crimes
Sexual Assault
Narcotic Crimes (Federal)
DUI/OVI
Family Law
Personal Injury

HONORS AND AWARDS

Recent Recognition

Best Lawyers in America® 2026 – Recognized for Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Elite Lawyer Award 2025
Super Lawyers 2010 – 2026 (17 consecutive years)
Top 100 Trial Lawyers 2013 – Present
Best Law Firms® Tier 1 Award
America’s Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys
AV Rated – Martindale-Hubbell
National Trial Lawyers – Top 100

Historical Awards

Cuyahoga Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Outstanding Service Award, 1987
Cleveland Bar Association, President’s Appreciation Award, 1989 and 1993
Israel Bond, Young Leadership Division, Areivim Award, 1990; New Leadership Co-Chairman, 1992 – 1994
Ohio State Attorney General, Certificate of Recognition, 1990
Ohio State Senate, Commendation, 1990
Who’s Who Among Rising Young Americans in American Society and Business, 1991
Who’s Who in American Law, Tenth Edition, 1998/1999
Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Certificate of Recognition

What Makes Larry Zukerman Ohio’s Best Trial Attorney

Peer Recognition: When doctors, lawyers, and judges face the most serious professional challenges of their careers, they choose Larry Zukerman. The legal community’s willingness to trust him with their own licenses and reputations speaks volumes about his standing in Ohio’s legal hierarchy.

Unmatched Preparation: Larry’s commitment to knowing each case better than the opposing counsel and the judge himself has resulted in victories in cases others deemed unwinnable.

40+ Years of Trial Excellence: Since 1985, Larry has built a track record of courtroom success across the full spectrum of criminal defense, from high-stakes federal narcotics cases to complex white-collar matters.

Leadership in the Legal Community: Past President of the William K. Thomas Inn of Court, Cuyahoga Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and decades of service to Ohio’s bar associations demonstrate the respect he commands among his peers.

The Last Resort: Zukerman, Lear, Murray & Brown is where clients and attorneys turn when a case is too contentious, too complex, or too important to trust to anyone else.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Board of Governors, 1996 – 2002
Annual Fund, Vice Chair, 1997 – 2000
Class Agent, 1985 – 2002
Board of Governors Awards Committee, 1987, 1998, 2000 and 2001
Young Alumni Group, Chairman, 1995 – 1998
Dean Finfrock Advocate, 1990 – 2002

Ohio State Bar Association

Criminal Justice Committee, 1989 – 2001
Council of Delegates, 1994 – 2002

Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Vice President, 1997 – 1998
Board of Directors, 1996 – 2000

Cuyahoga Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

President, 2000 – 2001
President-Elect, 1999 – 2000
Vice President, 1998 – 1999
Board of Directors, 1987 – 1989, 1992 – 1995
Treasurer, 1989 – 1992
Membership Committee, Co-Chairperson, 1985 – 1991
Grand Jury Reform Committee, Member, 1986 – 1987

Cuyahoga County Bar Association

Grievance Committee Member, 1988 – 1993 and 1997 – 1998
Law School Liaison Committee, Co-Chairman 1990 – 1991
Judicial Selection Committee, 1992 – 1999

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

Strategic Planning Committee 2015-2016
Board of Trustees 1999 – 2002
Criminal Law Committee, 1985 – Present (Executive Committee Member, 1987 – 1989, Chair, 1994 – 1995)
Professional Ethics Committee, Member, 1986 – Present (Vice-Chair, 1991 – 1992, Chair 1992 – 1993)
Litigation Section, Charter Member
Criminal Trial Walk-Thru, (Chair, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Fees Mediation and Arbitration Committee, 1992 – 2001 (Vice-Chair 1992 – 1999, Chair 1999 – 2001)

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation

Vice President 2013-2015
Board of Trustees 2007 – 2013

William K. Thomas Inn of Court

President 2014-2015
President Elect 2013-2014
Barrister, 2004 – 2006
Master Barrister, 2006 – Present

Eighth District Judicial Conference

Lifetime Member

Other Professional Organizations

American Bar Association
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
National College of DUI Defense
Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys
Fellow of the American Academy of Trial Counsel
Federal Bar Association

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Guest Lecturer: The New Ohio Drug Trafficking Mandatory Fine Legislation, Cuyahoga Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, October, 1986

Guest Lecturer: The Fourth and Fifth Amendments As They Apply to Juveniles, Shaker Heights High School, May, 1987

Guest Lecturer: The Criminal Law System, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland, Ohio, July 14, 1988

Guest Lecturer: Criminal Trial Walk-Thru, Cleveland Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio, September 17, 1988

Guest Lecturer: Criminal Trial Walk-Thru, Cleveland Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio, May, 1992

Guest Lecturer: Drink and Dive Seminar, Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Hudson, Ohio, February 25, 1994

Guest Lecturer: Suppression of Breath Test Results, Cuyahoga Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Cleveland, Ohio, April 19, 1994

Guest Lecturer: Guardian ad Litem Training, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio, November 11, 1994

Guest Lecturer: DWI and DUI, Defense and Strategies, Lorman Business Center, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, December 14, 1994

Guest Lecturer: New Sentencing Law and Defense Strategies in D.U.I. Trials, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio, November 15, 1996

Guest Lecturer: Pre-Trial motions and Suppression motions, Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio, May 15 and 22, 1998

Guest Lecturer: Discovery Techniques and Suppression of Breath/Blood Alcohol Machine Results, Akron, Ohio, June 4, 1998

Guest Lecturer: Criminal Trial Walk-Thru, Cleveland Bar Association, July 11, 1998

Guest Lecturer: DUI Trial Techniques, Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, March 12, 1999

Guest Lecturer: Domestic Violence Seminar, Ohio State Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio, August 20, 1999

Guest Lecturer: The Peoples Law School, Cleveland Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio, August 20, 1999

Guest Lecturer: Representing Foreign National in Municipal Courts, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Independence, Ohio, September 20, 1999

Guest Lecturer: Criminal Trial walk-thru, Cleveland Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio, November 6, 1999

Guest Lecturer: Federal Criminal Practice Seminar, Anatomy of the Prosecution and Defense of a Child Pornography Case on the Internet, United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio, August 18, 2000

Guest Lecturer: Admissibility of Polygraph Testing and Rules under DNA Evidence, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Parma, Ohio, November 9, 2000

Guest Lecturer: Practical Legal Ethics in Ohio Seminar, National Business Institute, Eastlake, Ohio, August 14, 2003

Guest Lecturer: Sexually Oriented Offenders in Municipal Court, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Independence, Ohio, September 6, 2003

Guest Lecturer: Contempt, Substance and Procedure, Cuyahoga County Criminal Defense lawyers Association, May 20, 2006

Guest Lecturer: Confrontation: The Aftermath of Crawford, Cuyahoga County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, April 17, 2008

Guest Lecturer: Cuyahoga County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association: Update on O.V.I. Law, December 2009

Guest Lecturer: Dirty Litigation Tactics: How to Deal with the “Rambo” Litigator, National Business Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, July 30, 2010

Guest Lecturer: Handling First DUI Case, Law Review, Cleveland, Ohio, June 16, 2011

Guest Lecturer: Substance Abuse and Contempt of Court: What Process is Due an Attorney, William K. Thomas Inn of Court, Cleveland, Ohio, December 14, 2011

Guest Lecturer: Ethics, Professionalism and Substance Abuse, Zukerman, Daiker & Lear Co., L.P.A., Cleveland, Ohio, December 17, 2011

Guest Lecturer: Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer 2015 Superstar Seminar: Evidence Rule 613: Impeachment by Self-Contradiction and Extrinsic Evidence of Prior Inconsistent Statement of Witness, Cleveland, Ohio, October 23, 2015

PUBLICATIONS

Voir Dire in DUI Cases
OACDL Vindicator, Fall 2001

Crawford and the Rebirth of the Confrontation Clause
Cleveland Bar Journal, November 2006

How “Implied Consent” Became Forcible Consent: Ohio’s Forcible Blood-Draw Law
Cleveland Bar Journal, May 2009

COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS

Greater Cleveland Israel Bonds Organization
Chair, New Leadership, 1993 – 1996

National Israel Bonds Organization

National New leadership, Vice-Chair, 1996 – 1998
King David Society, Chair 1999 – 2001

Solomon Schechter Day School
Board of Directors, 1996 – 2002

Cleveland ORT
Board of Directors, 1997 – 1999

Cleveland Drug Court
Board of Directors, 2001 – 2003

Cleveland Hillel
Board of Directors, 2006 – 2009

PERSONAL

Larry is a congregant at Solon Chabad. He shares a house with his family on Cleveland’s east side. In consideration of neighbors and friends, Larry only wears Steelers gear inside the house. Whenever possible, Larry attends Cavs games and skis, which is often and not often enough, respectively.

If I weren’t a lawyer, I would be: Half the time, my first choice was to become a doctor. But if I could do it all over again, I would be a ski bum in Colorado.

My favorite Jewish holiday is: Shabbat. It brings the week to an end and gives me time to enjoy privacy with my family and recharge for the next week.

My pet peeve is: Disingenuous people.

PHILOSOPHY & APPROACH

On Justice and Liberty

“We’re always having to fight to protect ourselves and our rights to practice Judaism and protect Israel. It goes back to the basics of liberty, and there is still a need to help people preserve their liberty.”

The Zukerman Standard

Larry operates on “speed 10 on the treadmill from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep”—an intensity and dedication that sets the standard for criminal defense in Ohio. His approach is simple but demanding: know each case better than the judge and prosecutors, leave no stone unturned, and fight with unrelenting aggression for every client.

Advice to Young Lawyers

“Leave no stone unturned. Fight aggressively for your client. If you’re not going to do the work and fight hard, don’t take on the task. Regardless if you’re someone on speed 10 or speed one, you need to be just as effective.”

This philosophy has made Larry Zukerman not just a successful attorney, but Ohio’s most formidable trial lawyer—the attorney other attorneys call when they need the best.

FIRM INFORMATION

From the day the firm opened in 1993, Zukerman, Lear, Murray & Brown Co., L.P.A. began building a reputation for a relentless pursuit of justice, the determination to never give up, and to always believe there is a smarter, more creative way to try a case. Under Larry Zukerman’s leadership as Managing Partner, the firm has become the destination for Ohio’s most challenging and contentious criminal defense cases.

When it comes to keeping your liberties intact, Zukerman knows best. If a case may be too contentious for an attorney, the client always ends up with Zukerman, Lear, Murray & Brown. The firm’s reputation as aggressive investigators of the facts, combined with Larry’s unmatched trial prowess, keeps the firm focused on its essence: winning.

Zukerman, Lear, Murray & Brown Co., L.P.A. is a professional, Cleveland-area criminal defense firm who will never undersell clients, who are willing to lose sleep over cases and will leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of freedom.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Criminal Defense

White Collar Crimes
Computer & Internet Crimes (Cyber-Crimes)
Sexual Assault & Sex Offenses
Federal Narcotics Crimes
DUI / OVI Defense
Assault & Felonious Assault
Arson Crimes
Bond Reductions
Criminal Tax Prosecution
Drug Possession
Federal Case Representation
Gross Sexual Imposition (GSI)
Gun & Illegal Weapon Offenses
Licensure Defense
Post-Conviction Representation
Theft Offenses
Title IX Investigations & Violations Defense
Vehicular Homicide & Vehicular Assault

Family Law

Divorce
Child Custody
Child Support
Dissolution of Marriage
Domestic Violence
Legal Separation
Mediation
Parenting Time Schedules
Post-Decree Matters
Postnuptial Agreements
Property Division
Spousal Support
Adoption

Personal Injury

General Personal Injury Cases

Disclaimer: The information on this profile is for general information purposes only. Nothing should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.