Robert W. Briggs
Chairman Emeritus
Partner
Counselor on Corporate, Business and Foundation Matters
Business Law
Nonprofit Law
Trusts & Estates
Foundation Law

Practice Area And Professional Expertise

• Served as a staff judge advocate with the United States Air Force from 1967 to 1970.
  
  
• Serves as counsel for numerous businesses and foundations and is President of the GAR Foundation.
  
  
• Joined the law firm of Herndon & Bartlo in 1970 which merged with Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLP in 1971. He was elected shareholder in 1974.
  
  
• Served on the Board of Managers of the law firm from 1985 to 2000 and as its President and CEO from 1990 to 2000.
  
  
• Listed: The Best Lawyers in America® (2008-2010).
  
  
• Recognized as one of Ohio's Super Lawyers™, in the 2004 and 2005 Cincinnati Magazine, as voted by his peers.
  
  
• Named to Crain’s Cleveland Business 2007 Power Pack as one of Northeast Ohio’s most influential business leaders.
  
  
• Named to Inside Business Magazine's 2010 Power 100.

Publications
Mr. Briggs was featured in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in an article featuring the groundbreaking efforts of the “Fund for Our Economic Future.” (March 2, 2008)

Presentations
Mr. Briggs was the Graduate Commencement speaker for the Baldwin-Wallace Class of            2008.
“Northeast Ohio’s Regional Economy and the Progress of the Fund for Our Economic           Future,” Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner Meeting
“The Fund for Our Economic Future,” Cleveland City Club Forum

Education
The Ohio State University College of Law, Columbus, Ohio (J.D., 1966)
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (B.A., 1963)

Courts & Bar Associations
Ohio Bar (1966)
New York Bar (1984)
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
U.S. Tax Court
Member: American Bar Association
Member: New York State Bar Association
Member: Ohio State Bar Association
Member: Akron Bar Association

Honors/Awards
Recipient: 2010 Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award
Recipient: Sir Thomas More Award, 2009
Recipient: Honorary Doctorate, Baldwin-Wallace College
Recipient: Northeast Ohio Regional Leadership Task Force 2006 Regional Vision Award
Recipient: 1st Annual H. Peter Burg Regional Vision Award, Team NEO
Recipient: Community Service Award from the Great Trail Council of the Boy Scouts and the Northwest Summit County Rotary
Recipient: Honorary Alumni Award from the University of Akron
Recipient: Distinguished Service Award from Akron Community Foundation
Recipient: Hope Award from Northeast Ohio Chapter of Multiple Sclerosis Society

Professional & Civic Affiliations
Member: FirstMerit Corporation, Board of Directors, Risk Management Committee and            Executive Committee
President: GAR Foundation
Vice Chair: The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Member, Board of Directors: Buckeye Oil Producing Co.
Board Member: Oak Clinic for Multiple Sclerosis
Board Chair: National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation
Trustee: Musical Arts Association (Cleveland Orchestra)
Co-Chair and Member: OneCommunity
Trustee: Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation
Member: Catawba Island Club
Member: Firestone Country Club
Member: Portage Country Club
Member: Union Club
Member: Congress Lake Club
Member: The 50 Club

Past Affiliations
Past Chair: Fund for Our Economic Future
Past Trustee and Co-Chair: One Cleveland dba One Community
Past Trustee: Summa Health Systems
Past Trustee: Summa Health System Foundation
Past Trustee: Summa Hospitals
Past Co-chair, Board of Overseers: Blossom Music Center
Past Trustee: Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education
Past President and Member, Board of Directors: Cascade Club
Past Board Member: BancOhio National Bank, Akron
Past Board Member: National City Bank, Northeast
Past Trustee: Summit Education Initiative
Past Board Chair: Joint Board for National Inventors Hall of Fame
Past Board Member: Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges
Past Member and Chair: Ohio Venture Capital Authority
Past Member, Board of Directors: Akron Neonatology, Inc.
Past Trustee: Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition
Past Secretary, Trustee and Two-Term President: Akron Community Foundation and
          Recipient of its Distinguished Service Award
Past Campaign Chair and Member: Law Enforcement Foundation
Past Board Member: Akron Bar Association Foundation
Past Chair and Member: Walsh Jesuit High School Board of Trustees
Past President and Member, Board of Directors: Akron City Club
Past Chair: Multiple Sclerosis Society (Northeastern Ohio Chapter) and Recipient of the
          Hope Award
Past Vice-President and Trustee: Old Trail School
Past Member, Board of Directors: Akron Porcelain and Plastics Co.
Past Member: Northeast Ohio Universities Collaboration & Innovation Study Commission