Trotter Bratton will be sworn in April 25 at Hilton Netherland Plaza
By Leyla Shokoohe
Cincinnati Bar Association
The Hon. Janaya Trotter Bratton is the first Black woman to serve as president of the Cincinnati Bar Association in its 151 years. A Hamilton County Municipal Court judge, Trotter Bratton is also the tenth woman to serve as CBA president.
“I am excited to continue to push the CBA toward its goal of creating an increasingly diverse legacy as the first Black woman to serve as CBA president,” said Trotter Bratton. “It is important to me that the next generation of attorneys of color see the CBA as their bar, a place where their voices matter, where they belong, and where they lead.”
A Cincinnati native, Trotter Bratton is a graduate of the Ohio State University and received her J.D. from Salmon P. Chase College of Law. She began her career with the City of Cincinnati as a prosecutor. Trotter Bratton ran her own law practice, Trotter Law, from 2011 to 2016. In 2016, Trotter Bratton joined the noted Civil Rights law firm of Gerhardstein & Branch, where she stayed until 2019, when she won her current seat on the Hamilton County Municipal Court. Trotter Bratton has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law teaching Civil Rights litigation.
Trotter Bratton is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She is an avid volunteer who serves on the Salmon P. Chase Law Alumni Council; and has notably served on the Dress for Success and Ohio Justice and Policy Center Boards of Directors, Cincinnati Zoo Planned Giving Committee, and Hamilton County Tax Levy Review Committee. She has been a CBA member since 2005 and served on its Board of Trustees for seven years.
“The Cincinnati Bar Association fills a crucial role in the local legal community,” said Trotter Bratton. “We offer myriad continuing legal education opportunities, exclusive networking events, and programs in a collegial atmosphere that is invaluable for strengthening connections in our field.”
Trotter will be sworn in with the 2023-2024 board members on Tuesday, April 25 at the Hilton Netherland Plaza. Award recipients include Alphonse “Al” Gerhardstein, Themis Award; David C. Horn, John W. Warrington Community Service Award; Randolph Freking, John P. Kiely Professionalism Award; and Jack F. Fuchs, Volunteer Lawyer of the Year Award. For a complimentary seat at the luncheon, please contact the CBA.
As one of the oldest and largest local legal associations in the United States, the Cincinnati Bar Association is committed to serving its members and providing information to the public regarding the legal community and legal education. For more information, visit www.cincybar.org.
