Akron Bar Begins Fiscal Year Mortgage Free

A significant gift to the Akron Bar Association from the Law Library Committee of the Akron Bar Foundation means that the Bar begins the new fiscal year with its mortgage on the Bar's building at 57 South Broadway fully retired. This gift was recognized and celebrated at the June 22 Annual Meeting. 

A Building Task Force authorized by the Bar's board of trustees had previously assessed opportunities and challenges, determining that continuing ownership of the building is a positive for the Bar. The task force did acknowledge the impact of maintaining a mortgage balance, however, at which point the Law Library Committee stepped in. 

Recognizing the significance of this mortgage and believing there would be a connection with its original purpose, the committee proposed to pay off the balance of the mortgage. The savings realized will, among other opportunities, allow the Akron Bar to enhance its Capital Reserve Fund. 

Thanks go to these members of the Law Library Committee:

• Patricia A. Vance, Co-Chair
• Hamilton DeSaussure Jr., Co-Chair
• Angelina C. Gingo
• Jeffrey N. James
• Dianne R. Newman
• Russell Smith
• John W. Solomon

A commemorative plaque was created as a public "thank you" that will be displayed at the Akron Bar Association office. 

Ohio State Bar Association Futures Commission Report Draft Considers Challenges for Delivery of Legal Services in Ohio 

Amid a time of great social, economic, and cultural change, the Futures Commission of the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) was charged with looking ahead at a number of challenges surrounding the delivery of legal services in Ohio and to offer recommendations for how best to meet those challenges. The Commission considered the unprecedented burdens faced by new lawyers; the need for acquisition of knowledge and the skills necessary to develop and carry on a successful practice; the lack of regulation for new legal service delivery options; and the widening access to justice gap. The draft report includes proposals for long-term solutions and first action steps that were researched and developed by the 29-member Commission, and greatly informed by the input of OSBA members from around Ohio who participated in town hall style meetings held in each of the 18 OSBA districts over the course of six months, as well as with the OSBA’s 2017 Leadership Academy class of new lawyers. 

To read the full report, click here. The report is in comment phase; instructions for submitting comments are contained in the document. 

You may also wish to read the cleveland.com article which picked up on the OSBA report section regarding law student debt and the lack of available jobs. Click here for that article....

Here's a Legal Practice Growth Opportunity You Might Have Missed

Did you know that the Akron Bar Association works with Community Legal Aid to provide a
Modest Means Referral Program (MMRP)?

MMRP attorneys agree to charge no more than $60/hour for those who qualify. Cases are prescreened through CLAS.

Click here for more information and the application form. 

Guest Column

Community Legal Aid -  Steven McGarrity, Esq., Executive Director

Reflecting on freedom this Independence Day  

Everyone loves the 4th of July. And what’s not to love? Cookouts, parades, time with family and friends, and the pride that swells in our hearts as Americans for love of our nation.   But each year, I can’t help but reflect on another aspect of the holiday - that is, the deeper meaning of independence in our country.   What does it mean to be truly free? Sure, there’s freedom of religion and speech, freedom to make our own decisions for our lives. But what about financial independence? What about freedom from violent abusers, stalkers, or harassing collectors?   Read more....   

In Memoriam

Marilyn (McCann) Andreeff
July 22, 2017

Marilyn (McCann) Andreeff was the widow of Akron Bar Association past president Nickolas Andreeff, mother of past president Margaret Andreeff Matejkovic, and mother-in-law of current Akron Bar treasurer John Martin. She is also survived by daughters Karen Martin and Laura Ephlin. Read more....

Summit DD, Summit County Probate Court and Akron Art Museum team up to present " Look Beyond: An Art Show for All Abilities"

This unique art show will feature over 60 pieces of art in all sizes and mediums created by artists
with developmental disabilities. Through this partnership, over 25 artists with disabilities in Summit
County will have their works on display at the Akron Art Museum.

“We are excited to be part of this show,” Summit County Probate Court Judge Elinore Marsh

Stormer expressed. “This is art, and the artists, as all artists, have their own unique view of the

world. So, the works should appeal to a variety of tastes and sensibilities. We are thrilled for the

opportunity to show the public at the Akron Art Museum and the Summit County Court House.”

Read more....

July Fastcase Tip-of-the-Month

Having a hard time figuring out what terms to use when researching an unfamiliar topic? With the new Tag Cloud on Fastcase 7, Fastcase can help identify those important terms for you! Whenever you run a search on Fastcase 7, the Tag Cloud appears in the bottom left corner, showing you at a glance what other words and phrases you might want to include in your search. The larger the phrase, the more frequently it is mentioned in your search results. Select any word or phrase in the Tag Cloud, and your results will only include those cases that contain that phrase. Right-clicking the word will let you exclude all cases that mention it. Search results can now be significantly narrowed down with one click of a button!   

Job Openings

Judicial Law Clerk
Ninth District Court of Appeals

The Ninth District Court of Appeals is accepting applications for a judicial law clerk. The term will begin in mid-August. The starting salary is $77,000 and the position includes benefits. Interested applicants can find additional information and instructions on how to apply on the Ninth District Court of Appeals website at http://www.ninth.courts.state.oh.us/EmploymentOpportunities.htm.

Assistant United States Attorneys

United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio
Cleveland Office

Representing the United States in the wide variety of criminal and civil matters to which we are a party is important and rewarding work that most of our lawyers view as the best job of their careers. Our office is committed to the principles of excellence and to an appropriately diverse workforce. ‪ 

The vacancy announcement is posted on the following websites.

 

Office of Personnel Management USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/475072100

 

Department of Justice Attorney Vacancies: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/job/assistant-united-states-attorney-506

 

 

All of the information regarding the required qualifications for applicants, our electronic application process, and a description of the position for which we are hiring can be found in the vacancy announcement. 

 

If you have any questions about our office and the nature of our criminal litigation, please feel free to contact Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Darden at Marisa.Darden@usdoj.gov.

Text or Email - You Choose

Are you more of a phone person or a desktop/laptop/iPad person? The Akron Bar is offering you the option of receiving text messages for things like reminders of upcoming events and CLEs for which you are registered as well as text notification when the monthly Examiner & weekly enews are ready for your perusal. Interested? Send your full name and cell phone number to marketing@akronbar.org. 

A Special Bar Association Benefit for New/Recent Admittees!

Did you know that all new/recent admittees who join the Akron Bar Association also receive a free law library membership? If you are a first- through fourth-year legal practitioner, you qualify for this benefit. Click here to apply for your FREE Akron Law Library membership.