Police charge attorney in alleged advance

An attorney was charged with sexual imposition for allegedly making advances toward a female client last month, according to Lorain police.

Attorney Michael J. Duff, 66, of Sheffield Lake, has pleaded innocent to the charge, according to records from Lorain Municipal Court.

Duff denies any improper conduct. He is awaiting more information from police, his attorney, Dan Wightman of Avon Lake, said Tuesday.

The case was filed Jan. 28. Duff is scheduled for a pretrial hearing March 15, according to court records.

“In late January, 2021, the Lorain Police Detective Bureau was approached by an adult female, who said that her attorney, Michael Duff, had made unwanted sexual advances and had made physical contact with her without her consent,” said a statement from the Lorain Police Department. “This incident was alleged to have occurred at Attorney Duff’s law office at 715 Broadway Ave., in Lorain.

“A brief investigation was conducted which corroborated the victim’s allegations.”

On Jan. 28, 2021, Lorain police officers and detectives went to Duff’s law office, where he was given a Lorain Municipal Court summons pertaining to the charge of sexual imposition, according to police.

“Evidence was also confiscated which confirmed that the victim had scheduled business with Mr. Duff on or about the date of the alleged incident,” the police report said.

Duff and his colleagues “are scratching our heads because we haven’t received any information from the Lorain Police Department, other than the accusation itself, so it’s difficult to know what they’re making this claim on,” Wightman said.

“Mike denies any improper conduct with this young lady,” Wightman said.

“But as far as the evidence goes, we’re at a total loss at this point, and we’re anxious to see what it is that they have.”

More information will come through the court’s discovery process to exchange evidence in the case, or other ways, Wightman said.

The case is scheduled in the court of Lorain Municipal Judge Mark J. Mihok.

However, the court will seek a visiting judge to handle the case, said Clerk of Courts Ted Kalo.

The defense is neutral on having a visiting judge for the case, Wightman said.

He said he and Duff would have confidence that Mihok or Lorain Municipal Judge Thomas J. Elwell Jr. could consider the case fairly.

However, the judges have known Duff and worked with him for more than 30 years, and that may make it difficult to handle the case, Wightman said.

“We would have all confidence in either Lorain Municipal Court judge hearing the case, but I do understand or appreciate their feelings about it,” he said. “I would be happy to have them hear the case, but I do understand they’re going to get a visiting judge.”

As of Feb. 2, Wightman said Duff would continue working.

“There’s been no action taken that would interrupt his practice of law at this point, so he’s still practicing,” he said.

A Brookside High School alumnus, Duff earned a bachelor’s degree at Ashland University and his juris doctor at Cleveland State University’s Marshall College of Law.

In 2018, Duff ran for Lorain County domestic relations judge and lost.

Duff