Dick Emens (in Memoriam)

Attorney at Law
One Easton Oval, Suite 340
Columbus, Ohio 43219

Phone: 614.414.0888
Email: demens@ewjjlaw.com
vCard: Click Here!

EWJJ mourns the loss of our beloved friend and Partner, J. Richard “Dick” Emens. Dick passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 28, 2023 after a lengthy battle with melanoma. He was 89 years old.

Mr. Emens major areas of practice are Oil/Gas, Real Estate, Solar, Mineral Law, and Corporate Law.  He has advised clients on utility, pipeline and other easements, real estate purchases and financing, oil, gas, solar, farm leases, mineral deeds, forced pooling, royalties, family business matters and represented many clients before state and federal regulatory agencies.  Mr. Emens has been included for forty years in the well-known reference book, “Best Lawyers in America”, listed in the categories of Oil and Gas Law, Natural Resources Law, and Corporate Law (the only Ohio lawyer listed in all three categories) and listed in Ohio and Columbus Super Lawyers.  He writes and is a frequent speaker about all the listed subjects; he has spoken to more than 11,000 Ohio landowners about oil, gas, solar and farm leases and pipeline and utility easements.

Dick is a member of the Bar Associations of the States of Ohio and Michigan and listed in Martindale Hubbell as AV Preeminent Lawyer.  He is a Founder and has served as Trustee and President of the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation; Chair of the Ohio State Bar Association Oil and Gas Committee; on Ohio Farm Bureau’s list of approved pipeline, solar, and oil and gas attorneys; Trustee of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association; Attorney Member of the Ohio Oil and Gas Commission and a drafter of Ohio’s Oil and Gas Conservation Law, Chapter 1509 of the Ohio Revised Code. He was Managing Parnter of a seventy lawyer law firm for twelve years.

Mr. Emens’ other education efforts, non-profit service, and recognition include: Co-Founder, and Board Chair of the Conway Family Business Center of Central Ohio; with Ms. Wolper, developed courses on Family Business and Entrepreneurship for business majors at Ohio Dominican University; co-developed and instructed the course, “Succession in The Family Business” for the Ohio Bar Association; named Supporter of Entrepreneurs for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Event.  He has written extensively, and spoken on leadership and co-authored the book, “Family Business Basics:  The Guide to Family Business Financial Success”.  He is Past Board Chair of the Ball State University Foundation and Founder of the Emens Scholars Program at Ball State University; Trustee Emeritus and past Chair of the Board of Franklin University, where he was also an Adjunct Professor of Planning and Future studies.  He has served as board member, officer and/or member of many other businesses, professional and non-profit organizations.

Mr. Emens received his Bachelor’s degree with highest honors from DePauw University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa; he graduated from the Law School of the University of Michigan with a Juris Doctorate degree and received an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Ohio Dominican University.