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Longtime Akron attorney honored for pro bono service
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: October 19, 2018
It’s been about four years since Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs attorney Bill Dowling first approached Barberton Municipal Court judges David Fish and Todd McKenney, along with other municipal court judges, to discuss the legal needs of Summit County residents and how Akron Bar Association lawyers looking to provide pro bono services might be able to help.
The meeting ultimately led to the creation of the VALID (Volunteers Assisting Licensed Drivers) clinic. The clinic offers residents whose licenses have been suspended the chance to meet with volunteer attorneys who help them understand the quickest and most cost effective way to get their licenses reinstated.
“Bill immediately grasped the gravity of the driver’s license issue for residents who’ve lost their driving privileges,” said Judge McKenney. “The process is complex and it can be financially daunting as well.
“Bill not only helped to get the clinic up and running but he assisted in negotiating a uniform policy for all the municipal courts in Summit County that allows residents to pay off their fees in installments after making an initial down payment of $50,” he said. “Prior to this agreement, most courts usually demanded at least half of the outstanding balance to remove all court-imposed holds on the license.
“He continues to work with the BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) to examine programs in other cities and is trying to start other clinics,” said Judge McKenney.
Dowling’s efforts to begin the VALID clinic and expand pro bono services in Summit County, together with his own pro bono work, recently resulted in the Akron attorney becoming one of two recipients of the John and Ginny Elam Pro Bono Award.
Dowling received the award during the Ohio State Bar Association’s annual meeting in Columbus on Aug. 23.
John (Chip) Elam, son of John and Ginny Elam and coordinator of the selection committee, said Dowling was nominated by a number of people, including Judge McKenney and two previous Elam Pro Bono Award recipients.
“Bill’s commitment to pro bono activities is very impressive,” said Elam. “He’s been actively taking on clients for more than 20 years and most recently he helped lead an effort to start a clinic that’s helped thousands to navigate the complex and expensive process of getting their driver’s licenses back.
“My dad, John Elam, a former presiding partner at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, was an enthusiastic advocate for pro bono work and after his death my mom and I sat down with former Chief Justice Thomas Moyer to see what we could do to recognize those doing pro bono work in Ohio and to hopefully inspire others to do pro bono work,” said Elam. “Chief Justice Moyer was the originator of the idea for this award.”
The first award was given out in 2008. Recipients also receive a $5,000 grant, which they designate to a nonprofit organization of their choosing.
This year Dowling and Lancione, Lloyd & Hoffman partner Grace Hoffman, a longtime volunteer for Southeastern Ohio Legal Services’ Belmont County legal clinic, received $2,500 apiece.
Dowling directed the money to Community Legal Aid Services Inc. in Akron.
“I was thrilled and surprised to receive the award,” said Dowling, owner of Dowling Mediation.
Born in Wausau, Wisconsin, Dowling moved to Columbus when he was 14, graduating from Worthington High School.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from The Ohio State University, Dowling spent three years working as an elementary school teacher in the South-Western City School District, earning his Master of Education degree from Ohio State at the same time.
“I did not intend to become a lawyer,” said Dowling. “I got the idea to go to law school when I was on the collective bargaining team for the teachers union. I got to know lawyers and thought it would be a neat idea to represent unionized teachers.
“I did not end up doing that,” he said. “I became a litigator and trial lawyer instead.”
He received his juris doctor from Yale Law School in 1980 and began his legal career as an associate at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey.
Three years later he left to take a job at Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, where he became a partner in 1987.
In 1994 Dowling and attorney Bill Oldham left Buckingham and started Oldham & Dowling, but in 2007 Dowling returned to Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs.
“About six years ago I began phasing out my work at Buckingham so that I could focus on mediation and arbitration,” he said.
Since 2013 Dowling has been of counsel at Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs.
From 2015 through the spring semester of 2018, Dowling served as Practitioner-in-Residence at The University of Akron School of Law, teaching practice-based courses on civil procedure, alternative dispute resolution and negotiation.
“I have now turned my attention to my own mediation and arbitration practice,” he said.
Dowling, who lives in Bath Township with his wife Lynne and has two adult daughters and four grandsons, said giving back has always been a priority.
A former president of the Akron Bar Association, Dowling has worked closely with Community Legal Aid Services (formerly Western Reserve Legal Services) for over 30 years.
“I have taken cases, served on their board, including as president and raised money for them,” he said. “Now I’m on the board of the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation, the primary funder of legal aid programs in Ohio.”
Dowling said he decided to lead the charge to start the VALID clinic to help the thousands of Summit County residents whose lives have been negatively impacted by the suspension of their driver’s licenses.
“Not having a license can make it difficult to earn a living and it’s also a loss of a primary form of identification,” said Dowling. “In Ohio there are many reasons people have their licenses suspended and once this happens it can be quite complicated and expensive to get their licenses back.”
VALID clinics are held monthly at various locations in Summit County in conjunction with Akron Law’s Expungement and CQE (Certificate of Qualification for Employment) clinics.
“The VALID clinic is staffed by volunteer lawyers but we do not represent the people we see,” said Dowling. “We tell them what they need to do to get their licenses reinstated and we work with the courts so they can make the payments in installments.”
Dowling said in recent months the Ohio State Bar Association Access to Justice Committee has committed to expanding VALID clinics throughout Ohio.
“I am working with other volunteer attorneys along with Judge McKenney to start a clinic in Columbus that is expected to launch on Oct. 19,” said Dowling. “We will then turn our sights to a couple of rural counties in southeastern Ohio.
“The goal is to expand this program around the state,” he said. “Residents in every county of Ohio need help.”