For Judge Scott Lynch of the Eleventh District Court of Appeals, hearing a Supreme Court of Ohio case as an assigned judge concluded the first year of his judicial career on a high note. 

“I was honored and thrilled to receive the invitation of the chief justice,” said Judge Lynch, who took the bench on the Eleventh District in February 2025.

At oral arguments earlier this year, Judge Lynch heard Disciplinary Counsel v. Leone, Case No. 2026-0161, which reviewed former Struthers Municipal Court Judge Dominic Leone’s conduct toward the Struthers mayor and a domestic relations judge. Judge Lynch sat in for Justice Jennifer Brunner, who recused herself. The Ohio Constitution allows the chief justice to appoint an appellate judge to hear a case when there is a recusal. 

Reflecting on the experience, Judge Lynch said he particularly enjoyed applying the judicial knowledge he’s cultivated over the last year to a case before Ohio’s highest court: “It was sort of the same job insofar as we are both conducting appellate review, although the Supreme Court obviously has far greater implications for all of Ohio.” 

Law Runs in the Family 
Judge Lynch’s path to hearing a Supreme Court case was a lifetime in the works. His judicial education precedes his time in any court or classroom — in fact, it started at home. 
 
Judge Lynch is a third-generation lawyer. His legal lineage traces back to his grandfather, John Kennedy Lynch III, whose career in tax law included stints in the federal government with the IRS and War Department in the 1940s, where he leveraged his legal knowledge to help facilitate the Pentagon’s construction.

Six of Lynch III’s children became lawyers, and one even became a judge – Matt Lynch, who currently also serves on the Eleventh District. Today, he and Judge Scott Lynch are the only relatives across two generations to serve concurrently on any Ohio appellate court.

Judge Lynch said the most valuable advice he learned from his lawyer relatives didn't concern how to issue rulings or review motions but instead how to carry himself in the courtroom. 

“I grew up learning how to argue and advocate intensely while also keeping a sense of humor and curiosity,” Judge Lynch said. He added that the “standout lesson” he learned from his uncle with whom he serves on the Eleventh District was to maintain humor and professionalism even during spirited debate.
 
Judge Lynch’s journey to the bench started in northeast Ohio. After graduating from Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, he studied English at John Carroll University before earning his Juris Doctor from Cleveland State University College of Law, then known (and, to this day, fondly remembered by Judge Lynch) as Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He then worked in private practice for nearly a decade, including growing the estate planning and trust practice of his family’s law firm. He is also certified in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a communication model that explores the relation between neurological processes, language, and behavioral patterns. He was invited to present on the topic at this year’s Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges Association conference, scheduled for Sept. 16 to 17, and the 2026 Case Western Reserve University Law Review Symposium, scheduled for Sept. 18.

Judge Aims for Excellence on and off Bench
On and off the bench, Judge Lynch is quick off the draw.

One of his favorite activities is competitive pistol training. He noted that the hobby not only provides relaxation but also sharpens both the attention-to-detail and big-picture focus he brings to the bench. His understanding of NLP has made the neurological connection clear to him.

“There is something to be said about right brain/left brain coherence when shooting that ties back to my interest as a judge to dive into a controversy while maintaining big-picture awareness,” Judge Lynch explained. “It is a very useful skill in shooting that applies to being a judge and many other aspects of life.”  

Appropriately, Judge Lynch’s aim for his professional future is precise.

“I hope I have taken a spirit of humbleness as a newer judge and continue that focused and open attitude no matter how many years into the future I remain on the bench,” he said.