Never Surrender: Stories of Fear, the Courtroom & Trial Lawyer Courage

Every trial lawyer eventually faces a case that others say cannot be won. In this Steven S. Kaufman Family Anatomy of a Trial Lecture, Steve Kaufman traces the experiences that shaped his resolve, from watching the televised trial of Adolf Eichmann to fighting for Cleveland's steel industry during LTV's collapse. Through courtroom stories involving property rights, lawyers' duties, public trusts, and a contested airport expansion, he explores the pressure to surrender when powerful institutions seem certain to prevail. His message to the next generation of advocates is direct: your moment will come, and with courage, you can be prepared for it. Meet the Speaker A member of the CWRU School of Law's prestigious Society of Benchers, alumnus Steven S. Kaufman (JD, '75) has enjoyed a career as a top commercial litigator in Ohio, garnering extensive experience as lead trial counsel in both state and federal courts across the United States. Recently recognized by the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association with the "Living Legacy Award" for his leadership, innovation, and professional excellence, Mr. Kaufman began his career as an appellate law clerk before co-founding the Kaufman & Cumberland firm in 1982, a boutique business litigation firm of twenty lawyers that merged into Thompson Hine in 2002. Following the merger, Mr. Kaufman served on the firm's Executive Committee and chaired firmwide business litigation. In 2011, Mr. Kaufman formed a new business litigation boutique, Kaufm