Login | May 24, 2025
Retired 5th District Court judge joins Plakas Mannos
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: May 23, 2025
He was the longest-serving judge on the 5th District Court of Appeals in Ohio, now retired Judge W. Scott Gwin has returned to private practice, joining the full-service Canton/Akron-based law firm Plakas Mannos at the beginning of April.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to be part of such a high caliber firm with so many talented lawyers,” said Gwin, of counsel at the firm. “I’ve seen the firm’s lawyers practice law for decades and I always had the highest admiration for the quality of work they produced.
“When I was approached by Managing Partner Lee Plakas I was extremely flattered about the prospect of becoming a contributing member of the firm.”
“To have the insight, wisdom and experience of an attorney who has been a court of appeals judge for 36 years is a unique advantage and resource for both our clients and attorneys,” said Plakas.
“Scott has been called a titan of law,” said Plakas. “He’s presided over more than a dozen cases as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court. He’s also served on the Ohio Judicial College’s New Judge Orientation program and participated in the Ohio Supreme Court’s Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program.
“We welcome the chance to provide a platform for him to continue to use his energy and talents as long as he desires for the benefit of our clients and attorneys.”
Raised in Alliance, Ohio, Gwin wasn’t always planning on a legal career.
In fact, when he first started at John Carroll University, he was a pre-med major.
“I wanted to be a doctor like my grandfather’s brother, Dr. John Scott, who delivered me at Aultman Hospital,” said Gwin. “Not long after I began college, I decided to transition into the field of law. My father John F. Gwin was a lawyer and I had a great deal of admiration for the profession because of him.
“He was also a role model for me when I decided to run for judge as well since he spent the last ten years of his life as a municipal court judge in Alliance.”
After graduating from John Carroll University with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Gwin earned his juris doctor from The University of Akron School of Law in 1976.
Prior to being admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1976, Gwin held several legal positions; he was a bailiff in the Stark County Common Pleas Court and an intern in both the Stark County Public Defender’s Office and the criminal division of the Canton City Law Department.
While he was offered a position as an assistant prosecutor, he chose to join his father’s law firm Gwin, Moushey, Tangi & Casale.
“The firm focused on criminal defense, personal injury, domestic relations and estate work, but it also did real estate,” said Gwin.
In addition to his work at the firm, he took a part-time position as an assistant attorney general for the Ohio Department of Transportation.
In 1984, he was elected to fill the remainder of Canton Law Director Harry Klide’s term. He then won a four-year term.
Gwin took the 5th District Court of Appeals bench in 1988 and continued to serve as judge until he left office on Feb. 9, 2025.
“I enjoyed my time as judge though it was very different than practicing law,” said Gwin. “Serving on the court of appeals in particular is somewhat isolating. For the most part, you spend your time reading briefs to prepare for the hearings.
“What I enjoyed the most was the interaction with my fellow judges,” he said. “The court was very busy. On average I produced about 100 opinions every year.”
After retiring from the bench, Gwin said he was initially undecided about what his next career move would be. But after speaking with Plakas and others at the firm, he said he realized he wanted to go back to private practice.
“I’m still at the early stages of the opportunity, but I am involved in some active litigation as well as appellate work,” said Gwin.
“The biggest challenge is getting up to speed on the new technology used by attorneys,” he said. “While the court’s technology was reasonably sophisticated, things have moved forward much faster in private practice. I am working on updating my skills.”
A member of the Stark County Bar Association since 1976, Gwin said he now plans to join the Akron Bar Association in the near future.
“The firm has an office in Akron so it makes sense for me to do so,” he said.
Gwin resides in Plain Township with his wife Monica, who is a member of the local board of education.
They have two children and four grandchildren. Their son Zach serves as a Franklin County Municipal Court judge and their daughter Molly is an attorney at the Columbus firm Ice Miller.
While Gwin has been very active in the Stark County community, he is not currently serving on any boards.
However, he is a member of the Ohio Supreme Court committee that studies causes of delays within the judicial system.
He also completed two terms on the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct.
A 2015 recipient of Akron Law’s Outstanding Alumni Award, last December Gwin was recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives for his decades of judicial service.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given at Plakas Mannos and I’m looking forward to contributing in any way that I can,” said Gwin.