Login | October 22, 2026
Lawyer of the Year Awardee Frank Cassese discusses his passion for trial work
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: October 22, 2026
Mahoning County criminal defense and civil litigation attorney Frank Cassese said he always brings his A game to the courtroom.
“Trying difficult cases in front of juries is my favorite part of practicing law,” said Cassese, a partner at Betras Kopp. “I love the challenges and the fact that it’s always something different.”
And he’s accumulated quite a few significant wins since he started his career more than 10 years ago.
In fact, over the past two years, Cassese has secured four not guilty verdicts for clients facing various charges, including murder, manslaughter, felonious assault and child endangerment.
His most recent win was in January when a jury found his clients, Kenneth Carter and Terry Hopkins, not guilty of murder in connection with the 2025 shooting death of a Youngstown resident.
“Both have since been released,” said Cassese.
“I also represented a local roofing company in Cuyahoga County that was sued for a significant dollar amount for alleged breach of contractual obligations,” said Cassese. “The jury found my clients not liable and awarded the plaintiff no money.”
In 2021, Cassese won a settlement in an excessive force lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against the East Liverpool Police Department and individual officers on behalf of his client, William Barrett.
Given his string of wins, colleagues weren’t surprised when Cassese was selected as the Mahoning County Bar Association’s 2026 recipient of the Lawyer of the Year Award.
“This award measures a litigator’s performance over a period of time,” said Brian Kopp, a co-founder of Betras Kopp. “It is not given to someone who achieves a single outstanding verdict.
“Frank’s courtroom results have been consistent,” said Kopp. “He is a professional.
“He is always prepared and has a plan of action,” said Kopp. “He has a great courtroom demeanor, is very persuasive and never backs down from a challenging case.”
Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Jack Durkin, a former recipient of the Lawyer of the Year Award, said he’s “very proud” of Cassese.
“It is rare for a criminal defense attorney to secure a not guilty verdict in a major criminal trial,” said Judge Durkin. “It is almost unheard of for that same attorney to secure not guilty verdicts for three defendants across two separate trials within the same year.
“The Lawyer of the Year recognizes a bar association member who has performed outstanding legal work and has advanced the skills of our profession,” said Judge Durkin. “Because of these verdicts, I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving of this award than Frank Cassese.
“Frank has always had a tremendous work ethic,” said Judge Durkin. “I saw that from the very beginning when he clerked for me in law school. He has also never been afraid to ask questions or seek advice and counsel.
“But Frank has something that can’t be taught in school. He has great instincts, which is one of the traits of a successful trial attorney,” Judge Durkin said.
Mahoning County Bar Association President Joe Ohlin said he could think of “few people more deserving” of the award than Cassese.
“I first met Frank when I began practicing law five years ago,” said Ohlin, a partner at Hartwig & Ohlin. “He was always welcoming and willing to offer his guidance and support.
“As a young attorney, I knew I could pick up the phone and call him with a question, and he would always take the time to provide thoughtful advice or assistance.
“Over the years, I have seen firsthand what an outstanding lawyer he is,” said Ohlin. “He works incredibly hard and genuinely cares about his clients and the work he does on their behalf. He is the type of attorney who makes the legal profession better by being willing to help those around him.”
As for Cassese, he said the experience has been “very humbling.”
“There are a lot of fabulous trial lawyers in this area so to be selected by my peers is truly an honor,” said Cassese, who was presented with the award on June 29 during the annual election banquet at the Youngstown Country Club.
A native of Youngstown, Cassese said law school was on his mind for many years.
However, he did take some time off after graduating from The Ohio State University in 2008, where he majored in criminal justice and sociology.
Prior to law school, Cassese joined DeBartolo Sports and Entertainment. He was involved in recruiting and marketing athletes and worked closely with Brian Kopp, who served as counsel for the organization at the time.
“I’ve known Brian Kopp my whole life,” said Cassese. “He worked at my family’s business when I was young.
“He is the reason I decided to go into the legal profession.”
Cassese also served as a brand manager for Trailer-Mate.
He earned his Juris Doctor from the institution now known as Cleveland State University College of Law in 2014.
During law school, he was a law clerk for Judge Durkin and at Betras Kopp.
After graduating, Cassese briefly worked for the firm, before joining Hartwig Law (now Hartwig & Ohlin) as an associate.
Later he formed Ingram, Cassese & Grimm with attorneys Jerry and Ryan Ingram and Corey Grimm.
“We had a great group of lawyers and I really enjoyed it,” said Cassese, who left in 2024 to become a partner at Betras Kopp.
“Betras Kopp has a more diverse playing field so to speak,” said Cassese. “They practice in multiple states, so it was a more expansive opportunity.”
“Frank is the youngest partner in our group,” said Kopp. “I felt very privileged when he decided to join our firm.”
A member of the Mahoning County Bar Association, Cassese serves on the board of trustees.
He is a former co-chair of the association’s Grievance Committee and Criminal Law Courts Committee.
Cassese is also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and a former member of the boards of Inspiring Minds and his alma mater Cardinal Mooney High School.
In addition to Lawyer of the Year, Cassese was selected for inclusion in The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 and The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys Top 10 Under 40.
He was also named a 2026 Ohio Rising Star by Super Lawyers.
“I really enjoy being a lawyer, which allows me to help people and learn new things every day,” said Cassese. “I can’t imagine doing anything else.”