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Born in Detroit,
Michigan, Tom Pitts’s family moved to the Akron, Ohio area in
1952. Tom graduated from Cuyahoga Falls High School in 1964. After
service in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 through 1969,
Tom returned to the University of Akron. He received his Bachelor of
Arts degree in 1976, majoring in Philosophy and Communications/Mass
Media Studies. He immediately entered the University of Akron School
of Law from which he obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1979. Since
then he has been engaged in the private practice of law. For over 20
years he has limited his practice to the representation of injured
workers in Ohio Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability
claims.
Tom is an adjunct
professor of law at the University of Akron School of Law where each
year since 1996 he has taught a seminar in the Law of Workers’
Compensation. He is a past-President of the University
of Akron Law Alumni Association, having served on the LAA Board of
Trustees from 1994 to 2007. He has also served as a member of the National Board of
Trustees of the University of Akron Alumni Association.
In August, 2008,
Tom was honored to be appointed by Governor Ted Strickland to the
Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation Board of Directors. During his
three year term, Tom will be representing the interests of all Ohio
employees.
Serving the legal
community, Tom is the immediate past-President of
the Summit County Association for Justice (formerly the Summit
County Trial Lawyers' Association). He is a member of the Ohio Association
for Justice (formerly the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers) where he
most recently served as Chairperson of the Workers’ Compensation
Committee. He serves on the Workers’ Compensation and Lawyers’
Assistance Committees of the American Association for Justice
(formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association) and
the Workers’ Compensation Committee of the Ohio
State Bar Association. He also belongs to the Workers’ Injury Law &
Advocacy Group. Tom is a former Trustee of the Akron Bar Association
and has participated on many of the Akron Bar’s Committees. He is
presently active on the Workers’ Compensation Committee, where he is
the Chairperson, and Lawyers’
Assistance Committee. Tom frequently speaks at Continuing Legal
Education programs on the subjects of Workers’ Compensation law and
assistance to persons impaired by alcoholism and drug addiction.
Tom’s active
service in the Marine Corps resulted in him receiving the National
Defense Service Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, the Presidential
Unit Citation, the Vietnam Service Ribbon with multiple stars and
the Vietnamese Campaign medal with multiple stars. Tom has served as
a Summit County, Ohio, Veterans’ Service Commissioner and became
President of the Ohio State Association of Veterans’ Service
Commissioners.
In his personal
time, Tom enjoys being with his wife and grandchildren, reading
mystery novels, playing golf, and building and maintaining
computers.
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