We recently sat down for an interview with Scott and Nolder partner Steve Nolder, to discuss his 26 years as an attorney as well as the firm that he recently joined.

Why did you decide to start your own firm?

Steve Nolder: I left the federal defender’s office at the end of June because of the sequester and formed the Scott and Nolder Law Firm in mid-July.

Can you tell us about your firm:

Steve Nolder: Our firm is devoted to representing people charged with crimes in all state and federal courts.

What made you decide to focus on this particular niche?

Steve Nolder: I became intrigued in the study of criminology as an undergraduate. Also as an undergraduate, I watched a high profile criminal trial and that made me want to become a criminal trial lawyer. After my first year in law school, I clerked for a law firm and their only practice was criminal defense. These experiences were formative in my desire to find this niche!

How about your background, education and work history?

Steve Nolder: I earned my Bachelor’s degree in criminology and political science from OSU in 1983 and my law degree from Capital in 1987. I started law school as a day student and switched to night school after completing my first year. The rest of my law school career I worked as a law clerk for Cassidy and Meeks and my experience there shaped me as an attorney. After law school, I was a sole practitioner for 8 years before joining the federal public defender’s office where I worked for 18 years, the last 8 as the leader of the office. I left the defender’s office at the end of June to form a partnership with Joe Scott.

How has technology and the internet impacted how you conduct your business?

Steve Nolder: It’s amazing the impact technology has had on the practice of law. When I left private practice in 1995, technology had little impact on the practice of law—websites and blogs were futuristic. During the intervening 18 years, this world evolved and now when I reenter it, I’m coming to understand that it’s an essential component of the business. Cute websites don’t substitute for competent lawyering but an internet presence does make the phone ring.

Finally, how do you go about advertising your firm?
Steve Nolder: Advertising in the yellow pages and developing an internet presence.

Scott and Nolder is a law firm that specializes in representing individuals who have been charged with crimes in state and federal courts. For more information, please visit the firm online at www.OhioCrimeLaw.com Continue reading here. Helpful info also found here: www.ohiocrimelaw.com More.