Merriman Legal — In the Community
Championing Cleveland: Our Commitment Goes Beyond the Courtroom
At Merriman Legal, LLC, we believe in the power of community and the importance of giving back to the Cleveland area that has supported us for years. Our commitment goes beyond the courtroom; we’re always seeking ways to make a positive impact on the greater Cleveland area.
We make it a priority to donate our time and money because we believe in fighting for the underdog and creating opportunities for those who need it most. Below, you’ll find some of our key contributions to the greater Cleveland area.
Collaborative to End Human Trafficking’s 2024 Inspire Change Event
Attorney Tom Merriman is deeply committed to combating human trafficking and supporting organizations that share this mission. On September 19, 2024, Tom proudly participated in the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking’s Annual Benefit at Windows on the River in Cleveland.
About the Collaborative
The Collaborative to End Human Trafficking’s mission is to lead, empower, and connect our community to eradicate human trafficking. Their vision is a world without human trafficking, achieved one community at a time. Recognizing that human trafficking is a complex human rights and public health issue, the Collaborative believes it cannot be solved by one organization or system alone. They bring people together to create solutions that break the cycle of exploitation.
Our Involvement
Tom Merriman, Managing Partner of Merriman Legal, chaired the event and delivered the opening remarks. In his speech, he shared his personal journey and long-standing commitment to fighting human trafficking.
Tom Merriman’s Opening Remarks
“I first witnessed human trafficking right here in Northern Ohio 31 years ago. It was 1993. I was Deputy Ohio Attorney General working for Attorney General Lee Fisher. We were tasked with closing several local massage parlors. They were obvious fronts for prostitution. Yet they openly advertised at the bottom of the sports page. I won’t bore you with war stories.
Here’s what you need to know:
The women who worked in these registered Ohio businesses never left the building. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, they were kept inside their place of employment. Sleeping on mats on the floor, next to their suitcase, ready to move on a moment’s notice.
And indeed, they were moved repeatedly to different establishments throughout the country. I can also tell you they were terrified. They never spoke, they never testified, and as soon as they were released, they were gone.
And here’s the most important thing to know:
None of our law enforcement efforts did anything to positively affect the lives of the victims in this story. Unfortunately, we have seen this scenario repeated over and over again for the last three decades. The women at these particular local massage parlors were from Asian countries. And just about all of them had been married to and divorced from US soldiers stationed in South Korea.
Years later, I was an investigative reporter on the Fox 8 I-Team. In 2002, I convinced the news director to send photojournalist Ron Mounts and me to South Korea to investigate how indentured women working outside U.S. military bases over there somehow wound up back here.
Ron Mounts, unfortunately, has since passed away. Ron and I spent a week wearing hidden cameras inside South Korean bars and brothels where indentured women and teenage girls worked off their “debt” servicing American soldiers.
We also documented U.S. Military Police conducting regular patrols inside these establishments because, as they told us on camera, they wanted to make sure the American soldiers were safe.
The story triggered a Joint Congressional Hearing, an Inspector General Investigation, and…it caught the attention of an ad hoc group of women here in Cleveland who had decided they wanted to fight human trafficking.
Karen Walsh invited me to speak to the group. Yet I was the one who walked away from that speech inspired. Inspired by their AUDACITY.
The audacity to believe that they could make a difference on a global human rights issue by starting in their own backyard. I have watched this organization grow and evolve over the years to where it is today. And I hope we all leave this room tonight inspired and rejuvenated in our commitment to the mission of this organization.”
The keynote speaker of the event was Katherine Chon, Director of the Office on Trafficking in Persons at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and co-founder of the Polaris Project, a leading anti-trafficking organization in the U.S. She shared how Tom’s investigative reporting inspired her to dedicate her career to fighting human trafficking. She stated, “As a Korean-American woman, that could have been me.” Katherine co-founded the Polaris Project in 2002 while she was a senior at Brown University, the same year Tom’s series “Trafficked for the Military” aired.
Tom’s 2002 investigative series exposed how women were trafficked into South Korean brothels frequented by U.S. military personnel. The report led to significant government action, including a memorandum from Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz establishing a zero-tolerance policy toward human trafficking among military personnel. Congressman Chris Smith praised Tom Merriman and his team, stating that their investigation led to policy changes within the Department of Defense and helped combat human trafficking.
To learn more about the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking, visit their website to explore their programs and find out how you can get involved. You can also explore the Polaris Project, co-founded by Katherine Chon, which is dedicated to combating human trafficking.
For more on the government’s response, read Congressman Chris Smith’s press release acknowledging the impact of the investigative report. Additionally, review the scholarly article “Modern-Day Comfort Women: The U.S. Military, Transnational Crime, and the Trafficking of Women,” co-authored by Katherine Chon, which discusses the issues uncovered in the investigation.
Running for St. Malachi – Video
Our law firm proudly sponsored the 44th Annual Run for St. Malachi Church, held on March 11th, 2023—the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day. This event is a cherished Cleveland tradition that brings the community together to support a noble cause.
Participants chose between a two-mile or five-mile run, with walking options available for all fitness levels. The event welcomed furry friends, encouraging participants to bring their dogs along for the race. All proceeds from the event went directly to St. Malachi Church’s mission of serving the homeless, hungry, and poor in the near West side of Cleveland.
For over 150 years, St. Malachi has been a cornerstone in our community, providing essential services and support to those who need it most. We are honored to support St. Malachi Church in their ongoing efforts to uplift our community, aligning with our firm’s commitment to fighting for the underdog and creating opportunities for those who need it most.
