Jim Obergefell
Photo Credit: Emma Parker
Doctor of Laws
A dedicated advocate for equality and human rights, Jim Obergefell was the lead plaintiff in the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states.
He co-authored “Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality,” a book about the events leading to the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, published by William Morrow in 2016.
Obergefell is also executive producer of the JustMarried Project, which has developed a documentary series, a podcast and a coffee-table book to tell the stories of same-sex couples who serve as agents of social change.
Today, Obergefell writes and speaks on LGBTQ+ and civil rights issues and is the co-founder of Equality Vines, a cause-based premium wine label that makes per-bottle donations to organizations working to further equality for all. Earlier in his professional life, he was a high school German teacher, a corporate trainer, a relationship manager, a software education consultant and a real estate agent.
A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Obergefell lives in Sandusky, Ohio, his birthplace. In his free time, he enjoys photography, travel, choral singing, reading, painting and going to art museums.