SPANGENBERG, CRAIG

SPANGENBERG, CRAIG (18 Feb. 1914-17 March 1998), nationally known as a premier trial lawyer, founded and served as the first president of the International Society of Barristers and was past president of the CITY CLUB and CUYAHOGA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION. Spangenberg was born in Yonkers, N.Y. to Albert F. Spangenberg and Beatrice (Jenkins) Spangenberg and received an undergraduate and law degree from University of Michigan in the 1930s. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1938 and in 1946 became a founding member of the Harrison Thomas, Spangenberg and Hull law firm now known as Spangenberg, Shibley and Liber.

Spangenberg specialized in personal injury, aviation, product liability and medical malpractice cases. He was known and attracted large audiences of young lawyers when in court as a result of his ability to reduce complex arguments to understandable language for jurors through the use of models he built in his basement workshop. In 1965, Chief Justice Earl Warren named him to a committee that met for ten years to formulate uniform rules on the admissibility of evidence and competency of witnesses in Federal courts. He later served on a commission appointed by the attorney general to review anti-trust laws. Spangenberg worked north of the border and represented Canadian children who were victims of the drug thalidomide. He was appointed Canadian Queens Counsel by Queen Elizabeth as a result of this work.

On 11 Dec. 1947, Craig Spangenberg married Helen J. Schnierer and together they had four children: Thomas, Scott, Lynne, and Rhoda Ann. Spangenberg died in LYNDHURST, OH and is buried at the Evergreen Hill Cemetery in CHAGRIN FALLS, OH.


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