Gina Russo has over eighteen years of combined litigation and judicial experience. In 2002, Gina began her legal career with the law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP, where she litigated numerous civil cases in various state and federal courts throughout Ohio. She also performed appellate work and appeared before several state and federal appellate courts, including the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In October 2012, Gina made the difficult decision to change career paths and became an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Franklin County. Gina gained experience as both a juvenile and grand jury prosecutor before becoming a full trial staff prosecutor in April 2015. As an APA, Gina tried dozens of felony criminal indictments and murder cases. Where appropriate, Gina negotiated fair and reasonable plea resolutions with opposing counsel. As an APA, she worked hard to achieve justice while representing the State of Ohio with integrity.
In March 2019, Gina became a judge on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. As a judge, Gina managed a combined docket of approximately 600 civil and criminal cases. She presided over several trials from jury selection through verdict. In addition, she conducted a variety of court proceedings, including, pre-trial, motion and evidentiary hearings, and handled several status and court conferences. She navigated difficult situations and effectively reached amicable resolutions in challenging adversarial settings. As a common pleas judge, Gina tackled complex legal issues and engaged in thoughtful and diligent deliberation to reach well-reasoned and thorough decisions.
In March 2021, Gina was appointed judge to the Franklin County Municipal Court, where she currently presides over a combined docket of civil and misdemeanor cases.
Gina brings decades of real-life and practical legal experience to the Franklin County bench. She has the unique and rare combination of professional litigation experience in both civil and criminal law, making her an excellent candidate to remain a judge on the Franklin County Municipal Court.
Achievements
- March 2021-Present: Judge, Franklin County Municipal Court
- March 2019-December 2020: Judge, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas
- October 2012-March 2019: Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor
- September 2002-October 2012: Associate, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP
- September 1999-May 2002: Wake Forest University, School of Law, Order of the Barristers
- September 1995-June 1999: Bowling Green State University, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
