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Retired Akron attorney receives Senior Lawyer of the Year award

On May 24, the Akron Bar Association’s senior lawyers committee paid tribute to retired Akron attorney Terry David Zimmerman’s many efforts awarding him Senior Lawyer of the Year. The ceremony took place at The Tangier on West Market Street in Akron. (Photo courtesy of the Akron Bar Association).

SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter

Published: May 27, 2016

As a creditors’ rights attorney, Terry David Zimmerman said he worked to open the lines of communication between his clients and debtors.

At the Akron Bar Association, he participated in and chaired many committees, while still finding time to volunteer at nonprofit organizations like Community Legal Aid Services Inc.

On May 24, the Akron Bar Association’s senior lawyers committee paid tribute to Zimmerman’s many efforts giving him the Senior Lawyer of the Year Award.

The ceremony took place at The Tangier on West Market Street in Akron, with Zimmerman following in the footsteps of recent past recipients George M. Miller, Bruce H. Wilson and James E. Davis.

Senior lawyers committee Chair L. Terrence Ufholz presented the award to Zimmerman. He said selecting Zimmerman was an easy choice.

“Terry has been very active with the bar association, serving in so many different capacities” said Ufholz, a partner at Corzin, Sanislo & Ufholz.

“Even though he is retired he continues to be a member of the bar association. He also donates a great deal of his time to the community.”

Senior lawyers committee Vice Chair Steve Fallis described Zimmerman as exactly the type of lawyer “we like to honor with this award.

“I’ve known Terry during my entire legal career. In addition to his bar activities, including being a longtime member and former chair of the certified grievance committee, he is highly regarded in the legal community for his competence and professionalism,” said Fallis, a former recipient of the Senior Lawyer of the Year Award. 

Zimmerman said being chosen as Senior Lawyer of the Year was “very flattering and unexpected. I received the award two years after retiring and it shows that my service to the legal community was appreciated.”

His wife Julie said she was “happy to see that Terry’s hard work and many contributions were being recognized. He always tried to help people out. I think it’s wonderful that he got this award,” said Julie Zimmerman, a retired chemist who worked for Bridgestone.

Born in Chicago, Zimmerman moved to Ohio in 1967 to attend Kenyon College, getting a bachelor’s degree in political science. He married his wife Julie in the Kenyon College chapel in 1971, the same year he graduated.

After receiving his juris doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1975, he took a job at what’s now called Community Legal Aid Services.

“I was hired to handle divorce cases,” said Zimmerman. “Between myself and one other attorney we did 700 divorces a year. After three years I burned out and decided it was time to go into private practice.”

After he left Community Legal Aid in 1978, he represented clients in a variety of matters. In 1983, he began focusing on creditors rights’ issues in state and bankruptcy courts.

“I have never looked at the other side as an adversary,” said Zimmerman. “I have always felt that when a financial problem needs to be solved the best way to do it is to put your head together with the other side and discuss the options.

“Debtors are not bad people. They are just people with problems that need to be solved.”

During his time as a sole practitioner in Akron, he shared office space with many attorneys including Ronald Kaffen, now in-house counsel at Whitebridge Financial.

Kaffen said the two became friends in law school and always intended to share office space very early in their careers, but it took time for their plans to work out.

“Terry and I were in the same office space for over 18 years at Canal Place,” said Kaffen. “He is the type of person who really tries to help other people out. He also makes himself available to other attorneys who might have a question on a case.”

Zimmerman joined the Akron Bar Association in 1975. Since then, he’s done a stint on the board of trustees and was a member of the Commission on Judicial Candidates.

He served as chair and vice chair of the grievance and the former municipal courts committees along with chairing investigative subcommittee B. He continues to do continuing legal education seminars on creditors’ rights issues at the local and state bar associations.

Shortly after Zimmerman retired in July 2014, he returned to the organization where he began his career using his knowledge of creditors’ rights issues to benefit clients at Community Legal Aid.

He is involved with the organization’s Peace of Mind clinic or Bankruptcy By-Pass Program, which protects clients from harassment by explaining their options for managing their debt. It also assists clients who need to communicate their “uncollectable” status to creditors.

“I put together a one-hour presentation for Peace of Mind clinic clients which I give every other month at the Akron headquarters,” said Zimmerman. “I answer their questions but I do not represent anyone.”

During Law Week this year, Zimmerman was honored with the organization’s Volunteer of the Year Award.

Jennifer van Dulmen, a managing attorney at Legal Aid said Zimmerman’s presentations help put clients at ease.

“He truly cares about helping people through their legal problems,” said van Dulmen. “He gives them very good advice through his educational sessions, which are live in Akron but seen virtually through our ‘GoToWebinar’ technology in Stark and Mahoning counties.

“Terry had done pro bono cases from time to time for many years,” said van Dulmen. “He is very invested in ensuring access to justice. He goes above and beyond what other lawyers do.”

In addition to helping out at Legal Aid, Zimmerman and his wife volunteer at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and Zimmerman currently devotes time to the Boy Scouts of America Great Trail Council in Akron, advising boys who are working on Eagle Scout projects.

“I first got involved with the Boy Scouts when my son Jason was young and I have been active ever since,” said Zimmerman.

He also sits on the Summit County Juvenile Court Citizen’s Review Board and he formerly served on the board of Temple Israel.

As for his future plans, Zimmerman said he intends to stay the course, volunteering at the bar association and in the community, while making time for leisurely activities.

“My retirement includes lots of golf, attending concerts, including my wife’s. She sings in the temple choir and in the Canton Symphony Orchestra,” he said. “She and I have been happily married for almost 45 years.

“I will also be making many trips to Columbus to see my son Jason and daughter-in-law Shelley.”


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