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Education | Admissions to Practice | Employment
Professional Organizations | Civic Organizations
"The general perception is that once elected to the bench, a prior criminal defense attorney will be soft on crime or a light sentencer, which is, as we discussed, well beyond the truth. Again, no one knows who needs a period of incarceration, or who deserves a chance of rehabilitation more than those of us who practice in this area of law. Unlike my opponent in the primary, I am a practicing attorney, a litigator, and to a certain degree a social worker.
In the past five years I have devoted a significant portion of my practice to representing mentally disordered and mentally retarded offenders here in this county. In 2001 the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and several Municipal Courts recognized the importance of acknowledging the need of a Mental Health Court and the true importance of addressing this issue not only in mitigation at sentencing, but also reasoning when determining the culpability of an offender when mental illness issues are involved.
In the past year, with the passage of the Defense of Marriage Act and so-called Issue One here in Ohio, I began to focus a portion of my practice on Estate Planning for less traditional relationships protecting the survivorship interests of non-married couples, whether gay or straight, preparing Powers of Attorney for Health Care, General Powers of Attorney and Wills. I feel strongly about this in protecting human rights overall."
Edele grew up in what is called the Hillcrest area consisting of Lyndhurst, Highland Hts, Richmond Hts, Mayfield Hts., Mayfield Village, and Gates Mills. Her parents still live in the house in which she grew up. She attended Center Elementary School in Mayfield Village, The Mayfield Middle School and two years at Mayfield High School, ultimately graduating from a rather prestigious college preparatory school, Hawken School in Gates Mills. This is something she truly appreciated and she continued her education to be the only member of her family to graduate from a four year college. She is the daughter of a steel hauler and graduating from college and moving on to complete her Juris Doctorate was a credit to her parent's strong work ethics.
Edele attended the University of Colorado in Boulder and graduated in 1986 with a BA in modern American literature. She returned to Cleveland that year and student taught at Hawken School in the Fine Arts Department, teaching pottery and art survey under George Roby for several months. She took a job at Andrews School for Girls in Willoughby Ohio in 1985 teaching Creative Writing, Pottery and Art Survey for a year as well as holding the position of Director of Student Activities. She was admitted to Cleveland Marshall College of Law in 1986 and Graduated in 1989. At the Law School she was the American Bar Association Representative and Delegate for two years. She opened a collection agency in 1991 and practiced in that area for several years until she narrowed her practice to Criminal Defense.
EDUCATION:
Hawken School - College Preparatory School, Gates Mills, Ohio 1979
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. B.A. 1986 Major in Literature, Minor in Political Science
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law - Cleveland State University J.D. 1989
ADMISSIONS TO PRACTICE:
Ohio State Supreme Court - November 11, 1990
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio - January 23, 1996
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit - September 29, 2000
EMPLOYMENT:
- Gibson, Harkins & Brelo, Attorneys at Law, Cleveland, Ohio. 1988-1991 - Law Clerk
- Edele Passalacqua, Attorney at Law, Cleveland, Ohio. 1991-1994 - Sole Practitioner
- Passalacqua & Seifert, Attorneys at Law, Cleveland, Ohio. 1994-1999 - Managing Partner
- Zukerman, Daiker & Lear Co. L.P.A., Cleveland, Ohio 1999-2001 - Associate Attorney
- Passalacqua & Associates, Cleveland, Ohio 2001-present
- Ursuline College, Pepper Pike, Ohio - Adjunct Professor Department of Historic Preservation 2005- present
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
- Cleveland Bar Association
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Ohio Women's Bar Association
- Cuyahoga Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association
- Justinian Forum - Italian/American Lawyers Association
- Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Alumni Association Life Member
CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS:
- Ohio City Near West Development Corporation - Former Vice President of Board of Directors, and Chair of Nominating and Bylaws Committees
- Former Board Member Women's Community Foundation
- Member of the Lakewood Democratic Club Association
- Member and past executive of the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats
- Ward 13 Democratic Club
- North Coast Women's Sailing Association
