In The News

This year’s Law Day celebration held profound meaning for our firm and the entire Geauga County legal community. While we gathered to honor the Constitution’s promise of “Out of Many, One” and celebrate the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and several outstanding student essays, our hearts were heavy with the loss of two legal legends who passed just the day before.

The Honorable Mary Jane Trapp, who organized Law Day every year and held it dear to her heart, and Jerry Petersen, our legal North Star and family patriarch, both left us far too soon. Judge Trapp’s devotion to Law Day and her love for the law itself inspired generations of legal professionals. Jerry’s commitment to justice and ethical practice shaped not just our firm but also the countless lives he touched through his work.

Despite it all, a collective decision was made to move forward with the celebration—because that’s what Judge Trapp would have wanted and what Jerry would have expected. We were proud to sponsor the Geauga County Bar Association Law Day Essay Contest once again, continuing a tradition we’ve maintained for close to a decade. Elizabeth Weingart from Laurel took first place for her thoughtful exploration of how constitutional principles unite our diverse community.

For nearly ten years, Petersen & Petersen has sponsored this meaningful competition, providing $1,000 in total prizes to encourage high school students across Geauga County to engage deeply with constitutional principles. As Todd Petersen explains, “It is important to challenge young minds to think through critical issues. For us, it is a perfect tie-in between Law Day and, potentially, the next generation of legal professionals.”

Behind this year’s Law Day celebration was our own Colleen Del Balso, who serves as Treasurer of the Geauga County Bar Association Executive Committee and is also a dedicated member of the Law Day Committee. Her hands-on involvement in planning the event makes Petersen & Petersen’s sponsorship of the essay contest even more meaningful. “It’s a great feeling to know the firm you work for is giving back to Geauga County and hopefully inspiring a new generation of lawyers,” Colleen reflects.

With more than 20 years of litigation experience and a passionate commitment to constitutional rights, Colleen’s work with the Law Day Committee reflects the same principles that guide her legal practice—defending civil liberties and ensuring fairness in our legal system. Having served on the Law Day committee for many years, she is continuously impressed by the thoughtfulness and remarkable insights these young writers bring to the constitutional questions presented to them, often offering fresh perspectives that remind us why investing in the next generation is so vital to our democracy’s future.

Colleen hopes that the students’ participation in the essay contest helps them develop a deeper, personal connection to our Constitution as a living document that shapes their daily lives. “Whether this experience inspires them to pursue legal careers or simply become more civically engaged citizens, I hope they carry forward a commitment to protecting constitutional values and giving back to their communities. Now more than ever, we need young people who understand that our strength comes from unity and that we are indeed ‘out of many, one’.”

Todd Petersen delivered remarks that captured the essence of why we practice law and why the legal profession matters, even in our darkest moments. His words reminded us that the law serves as the foundation of our society for resolving differences peacefully and justly. “We are here because law matters. Law enforcement matters. Judges matter. You matter.” In an era where our legal institutions face unprecedented challenges, Todd’s message resonated deeply: the strength of our legal system depends on each of us.

At Petersen & Petersen, we’ve spent decades fighting for victims of negligence because we believe in the law’s power to right wrongs and provide justice for those who have been harmed. Jerry Petersen instilled in us that being a great lawyer means more than winning cases; it means upholding the integrity of our profession and serving our community with honor.

As we move forward without Jerry’s daily guidance, his values remain our compass. We will continue to advocate zealously for our clients while maintaining the highest ethical standards. We will support initiatives like the Law Day Essay Contest that inspire young people to engage with constitutional principles—not just for this year, but for the years to come, as we have for nearly a decade. And we will always remember that our actions and words matter in preserving public trust in our legal system.

To Judge Trapp and Jerry Petersen: your legacies live on in every case we handle, every young lawyer we mentor, every student we inspire to think critically about constitutional principles, and every stand we take for justice.