Barbara J. Howard

Serving clients throughout the greater Cincinnati metropolitan area, including Hamilton, Clermont and Warren counties, Barbara J. Howard focuses her practice exclusively on family law matters at Barbara J. Howard Co., L.P.A. She has been certified as a specialist in family relations law by the Ohio State Bar Association since 1999. Ms. Howard assists people who are facing the end of their marriage and who are dealing with divorce-related issues that can include the division of retirement accounts and other complex marital assets, child custody and visitation, alimony, and child support. A strong advocate for her clients in the courtroom, Ms. Howard often attempts to seek resolution of these matters through collaborative law. Ms. Howard has extensive experience in other areas of family law, including post-divorce order modifications and paternity disputes. A native of Ohio, Ms. Howard graduated magna cum laude from Xavier University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She then obtained her legal education from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and was awarded her Juris Doctor in 1979. Admitted to practice before all Ohio state courts, Ms. Howard is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Highly respected by her fellow attorneys, she is AV Preeminent* peer-review rated through Martindale-Hubbell. Ms. Howard is completing her two-year term as the Chair of the American Bar Association's House of Delegates, the nearly 600-person policy-making body of the ABA. She is a former president and member of the Board of Governors of the Ohio State Bar Association. She is also a past president of the Cincinnati Bar Association, and she serves on the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education, having previously served on its Commission on the Certification of Attorneys as Specialists. Other ABA positions include a delegate in the House of Delegates since 1986 and the Ohio State Delegate to the House. Ms. Howard will chair ABA Day in Washington for 2023. Ms. Howard was the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Xavier University from 2014 to 2019 and chaired the Presidential Search Committee from 2020 to 2021. Ms. Howard is also Chair of the Ohio Bar Liability Insurance Company, a Board on which she has served since 2005. *AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review RatingTM fall into two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Barbara J. Howard included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors Xavier University 2019 Paul L. O’Connor Leadership Award University of Cincinnati College of Law 2014 Distinguished Alumnus Award Ohio State Bar Association 2013 Ohio Bar Medal Xavier University 2010 Distinguished Alumna Award Cincinnati Bar Association 2010 Trustees’ Award St. Ursula Academy, Toledo, Ohio 2010 Alumna Achievement Award University of Cincinnati College of Law 1999 Nicholas Longworth Alumni Achievement Award Best Lawyers in America Region’s 2013 “Lawyer of the Year” in Family Law Super Lawyer in Family Law since 2004 Other Sources of Feedback About Barbara J. Howard Included on the 2026Ohio Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2024 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2023 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2022 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2021 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2020 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2019 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2018 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2017 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2016 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2015 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2014 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2013 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2012 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2011 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2010 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2009 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2008 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2007 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2006 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2005 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2004 Ohio Super Lawyers list

• Principal

• Beckman Weil Shepardson, 1979-1995, Associate, 1979-1984; Partner, 1984-1995

• Ohio, 1979
• U.S. Federal Courts, 1979

• American Bar Association, Member
• Ohio State Bar Association, Member since 1979; President, 2009-2010
• Cincinnati Bar Association, Member since 1979; President, 2001-2002
• Xavier University Board of Trustees, Member since 1995; Chair, 2014-2019
• Cincinnati Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Member
• International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Member
• American Bar Foundation Fellow
• Ohio State Bar Foundation Fellow
• Cincinnati Bar Foundation Fellow
• Ohio Bar Liability Insurance Company, Board of Directors ; Chair, Underwriting Committee; Member (Executive Committee and Loss Prevention & Marketing Committee)
• Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Specialization, Member, 2011-2016
• Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education, Member, 2018-present
• Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor Board of Trustees, Member, 1986 – present; President, 1991-1994
• ABA Journal Board of Editors, Member, 2005-2011
• Anthenaeum, Cincinnati Union Bethel and the Corporate Guild of Dress for Success Cincinnati (former Boards of Trustees Member)
• University of Cincinnati College of Law National Moot Court Competition Finalist, 1979
• University of Cincinnati College of Law Order of the Barristers