08/22/2023
Lorain County Bar Association Foundation
Recognizes Excellence and Courage
The Lorain County Bar Association Foundation is pleased to announce that it will present awards to recognize outstanding individuals in five categories: Lifetime Achievement, Member of the Year, Courage, Rising Star and Maude May Washburn Award. These awards will be presented to the recipients at the Lorain County Bar Association’s 100th Anniversary Gala on September 30, 2023 at the Shipyards in Lorain.
Lorain County Bar Association Foundation
2023-2024 Award Winners
Attorney Gayle A. Reeves
Lifetime Achievement Award
(Noteworthy contributions during a legal career of at least 25 years; commitment to professional growth; service as a role model or mentor promoting advancement of the law in the community.)
Gayle A. Reeves, a preeminent elder law specialist, is currently a partner with Dooley Gembala McLaughlin Pecora where she provides exceptional counsel to individuals and families and, after 40 years of practice, Attorney Reeves is retiring in December of this year. Gayle has served the Lorain County Bar Association in several roles over the years. She is a Past President of the Association where served on the Executive Committee for over a decade. She also served for many years on the Legal Ethics & Grievance Committee, and ultimately served as Chair of the Committee for two years. Gayle has served on the Bar Admissions Committee for over 20 years. Gayle has served on the Elder Law Committee of the Ohio State Bar Association and the International Committee of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Notably, Gayle has travelled to China, Iceland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom with a delegation examining the unique solutions adopted by other countries to manage the legal challenges facing the elderly.
More importantly though is Gayle’s dedication to helping others. Gayle has always been willing to assist young attorneys through mentorship and education. She has presented countless seminars throughout her career. Her passion for others does not stop with the legal community – Gayle serves on many non-profit boards. She previously chaired the Community Foundation Lorain County and the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio. Under her leadership, Second Harvest conducted a very successful capital campaign that funded a new food distribution facility serving Northeast Ohio. Gayle also volunteers on the Medical Ethics Committee for Kendal at Oberlin where she provides counsel to decision makers regarding difficult and complex issues. When she retires, Gayle will be kept very busy continuing her volunteerism with Second Harvest and she has been asked to sit on the Board of the Community Foundation Erie County. Gayle’s excellent leadership in elder law and her lifelong commitment to public service exemplifies the reasons she is being awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Honorable Melissa Kobasher
Maude May Washburn Award
(A female member that has a distinguished legal career or is a rising star in the profession)
Judge Kobasher has a passion for the law and community demonstrated by her myriad of commitments not only to the administration of justice, but the many non-profit organizations and young people whom she mentors. For example, before taking the bench, she volunteered with the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters program and currently serves on the Board of the Lorain County Urban League. Judge Kobasher also serves on the Lorain County Bar Association’s Executive Committee and is a member of the Lions Club. Moreover, she’s used her experience as a judicial officer and private practicing attorney to judge student mock trial competitions and remains actively involved in her own children’s activities despite her busy schedule. Most notably, Judge Kobasher is only the second female to ever serve as a judge on the Lorain County Common Pleas General Division Bench. Her desire to hold office is motivated by her seemingly limitless commitment to public service, and an innate need to help others. Judge Melissa Kobasher embodies the attributes of Maude May Washburn and then some.
Zachary Simonoff
Member of the Year Award
(Exemplary service to the LCBA during the past year)
This year’s recipient is Attorney Zachary B. Simonoff of Zachary B. Simonoff Co., LPA. Zack has been an active member of the Lorain County Bar Association (LCBA) since his admission to the practice in 1998. He is the newest member of the LCBA Executive Committee. Zack’s involvement with the Bar Association is unmatched. He currently serves on the Admission to the Bar Committee and has since 2011, has chaired the Fee Arbitration Committee since 2017, continues to chair the Real Estate and Criminal Law Sections. He has been a member of the New Lawyers and Solo/Small Firm Sections. As Chair of the Real Estate Section, Zack was instrumental in establishing the Eviction Avoidance Facilitation Program that assisted hundreds of landlords and tenants access COVID relief funds. As Chair of the Criminal Section, Zack continues to work to ensure that the court-appointed system distributes appointments fairly and that court-appointed attorneys are adequately compensated. Zack participates in the LCBA’s Lawyer Referral Program and helped develop the Modest Means program for Foreclosure Cases. Over the course of many years, Zack has regularly planned and presented at Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Seminars offered by the LCBA. Zack has also been a mentor to a number of lawyers in Lorain County and is always available to offer advice to any attorney that asks. In addition to the time he dedicates to the LCBA, Zack, a military veteran, has also been active in the community, participating in a number of organizations and boards in Lorain County.
Let’s Get Real
Courage Award
(Any resident of or organization in Lorain County who has shown exemplary courage in aiding and supporting its citizens.)
Let's Get Real, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit Recovery Community Organization based in Lorain, OH. The non-profit opened in 2013. Its programs have supported and served over 843 persons from a multitude of counties and has grown exponentially. Their mission is to provide information, education, and resource assistance to families and loved ones in their journey from addiction to recovery. Individuals seeking addiction assistance often have a very hard time finding it or being able to afford it. Let's Get Real, Inc. makes the process easier while providing emotional support, education, and awareness. They assist in finding detox and treatment, providing a family group and group for children impacted by substance abuse, as well as twelve step meetings. Let’s Get Real has a resource library that keeps track of detox, sober living, faith based groups, and inpatient treatment facilities. The library includes the method of payment they accept, the level of treatment, whether medication assisted, and if open to residents outside their county. Let’s Get Real provides peer mentors to all of the specialized dockets in Lorain County. They also assist with re-integration after someone has been in prison. The director of this important non-profit is Kim Eberle.
Attorney Tiffany Catherman
Rising Star Award
(An attorney early in their career but has already demonstrated a high level of achievement, innovation, vision, leadership, and service to the profession and their communities.)
Prior to accepting her current role as Staff Attorney/Magistrate with Judge Sherry Glass’ Court, Tiffany Catherman was in private practice and she was always prepared and zealous in her representation of her clients. She had no problems handling matters where opposing counsel had many more years of experience than she did. Tiffany handled many matters for Legal Aid on a pro bono basis because she wants to give back to the community and believes access to justice is important for everyone, despite their income status. As she has moved into her new position with Judge Glass’ court, Tiffany has kept the same passion. She is quick to respond, works well with all attorneys and pro se clients and manages her hearings very well.
