Overview
Bill Mason focuses his practice in the Public Sector Group. He has worked for four different political subdivisions gaining a variety of skills, knowledge, and abilities from his 28 years of government service. Bill served as Chief of Staff of Cuyahoga County from 1999 to 2022. Prior to that service, he was the Law Director for the Village of Walton Hills and for the Village of Cuyahoga Heights. He also served as the Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney from 1999 to 2012. He started advising public officials in the City of Parma as Law Director in 1993 until 1999, and was, at the time, the youngest Law Director in the State of Ohio. He also served as an Assistant County Prosecutor and a City Councilman.
Bill serves public sector clients, including municipalities, counties, school districts and other governmental agencies, through creative and innovative thinking. He also counsels elected officials and municipalities on their most pressing needs. Specifically, he assists political subdivisions with economic development projects and bond financing.
In his most recent role as Chief of Staff for Cuyahoga County from 2019-2022, Bill was responsible for all of the operations of the Cuyahoga County government Executive Offices, including coordinating the planning, creation, and operation of the first Diversion Center in the State of Ohio. He created and managed the implementation of the County’s first central booking system which allows police officers from around the county to drop off inmates to the jail in a timely fashion and provide inmates with immediate medical screenings for mental illness and substance abuse treatment. He was also actively involved in bond review, diversion from the jail and early case review by prosecutors, and directing labor negotiations for 39 labor unions.
Bill practiced public sector and public finance law with Bricker from 2012-2019. Prior to his first stint at the firm, he served as Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney (1999 to 2012). While at the County, Bill created the Community Based Prosecution (CBP) Unit; created and served as chairman of the statewide Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; created a mortgage fraud unit and helped establish the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force in response to the foreclosure crisis; worked with leaders to reform the County’s criminal justice system and created the Cuyahoga County Forensic Crime Lab; streamlined his office’s operations and instituted electronic records and a state-of-the-art case management system; and was a main proponent in getting a charter on the ballot that led to the restructuring of the County’s government. Bill also served as President of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association while at the County.
Before taking office as Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, Bill served as the elected Law Director for the City of Parma, Ohio (1993-1999). He also served as Law Director for the Village of Cuyahoga Heights (1997-1999) and Village of Walton Hills (1990-1999).
Industries & Practices
Education
Cleveland State University College of Law, J.D. (1986)
Kent State University, B.A. (1981)
Distinctions
Recipient, Parma Area Chamber of Commerce, Parma Pride Award (2013)
Recipient, U.S. Department of Justice - First Internet Crimes Against Children Leadership Award
Professional Activities
Chairman, Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force
Member, Cleveland Municipal Bar Association (2000)
Member, Parma Bar Association (1986–Present)
Member, Northeast Ohio Law Directors Association (2016–Present)
Member, Parma Area Chamber of Commerce
Member, St. Anthony’s Church Finance Committee
Host, Parma Municipal School District Levies Golf Outing
Former Chairman, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
Former President, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association
Experience
- Represented several elected officials before the Ohio Ethics Commission
- Regularly represent clients on felony cases
Insights
News
Presentations & Publications
Speaking Engagements
Publications
William D. Mason
- office 216.523.5466
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1350 Euclid AvenueSuite 650Cleveland, OH 44115 -1840
Admissions
- State of Ohio