Justice
Patrick F. Fischer

Patrick Fischer was first elected in November 2016 and again in November 2022. Previously, he had been twice elected to serve as a judge on the First District Court of Appeals. Justice Fischer has received the OSBA Bar Medal, the state bar’s highest award, for service to his profession, his community, and all of humanity.

An honors graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard College, he tried cases throughout the country, and was named to Best Lawyers in America, Top 50 Lawyers [Cincinnati], Top 100 Lawyers [Ohio], and routinely to Ohio Super Lawyers.

 Judge Fischer served as president of the OSBA and previously served on its board and on numerous other OSBA committees. He also served two terms on the Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program board. He was elected by his peers as president of the Cincinnati Bar Association (CBA) for 2006 - 2007 and served on numerous CBA committees.

As an attorney, he served two terms on the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism, including as vice chair. He also chaired the CBA’s Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee, as well as the Professionalism Committee.

Having represented plaintiffs and defendants, Justice Fischer is keenly aware of the importance of listening to all sides and that the law be applied properly. Then Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer named him to co-chair a task force to make the Ohio judicial system more efficient. Justice Fischer also served on the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission and was vice chair of its judiciary committee.

Justice Fischer began his legal career as a clerk for U.S. District Court Judge William Bertelsman, and in 1987, he began working in the trial department for Keating Muething & Klekamp, and four years later became a partner. 

Justice Fischer has been a dedicated public servant, committing substantial time to numerous boards including Hamilton County Mental Health & Recovery Services, Visions Community Services, St. Ursula Villa, and the Pleasant Ridge Community Council. A founding member of the Cincinnati Children’s Museum board, he later served as its president.  He remains a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at St. Xavier church in Cincinnati. He has a daughter who is also a lawyer and two grandsons. He and his wife Jane live in Columbia Township.