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Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell elects new partner
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: January 19, 2017
Partners at Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell have voted to elect a new attorney to the firm’s partnership.
Warren employment and civil litigation lawyer Matthew Ries officially became partner on Jan. 1.
Those elected as partners are called members and have an ownership interest in and are involved in the decision-making for the Youngstown-based regional law firm. Ries is one of 13 partners/members.
“It’s great to be among the partnership of this firm,” said Ries. “It’s a very collaborative place to work.
“There is a lot of camaraderie among attorneys with diverse practice areas,” said Ries. “We work and build with each other.”
Born and raised in Warren, Ries is a graduate of Warren G. Harding High School and received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Farmer School of Business at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
After graduating from Capital University Law School in 2008, Ries began his career in the Columbus office of Colley Shroyer & Abraham, where he represented plaintiffs in medical malpractice and product liability cases.
He joined Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell in 2013 after leaving Caryn Groedel & Associates Co., where he handled labor and employment matters for plaintiffs.
At HHM, he focuses on employment law and business litigation.
Ries, now 34, has been named to the Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
To qualify an attorney must be either 40 or younger or in practice for ten years or less. No more than 2.5 percent of a state’s lawyers are recognized as Rising Stars.
“Receiving the Rising Star honor was especially humbling because I did not even realize I had been nominated,” he said.
Ries is also being honored by the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals as a “25 Under 35” award winner. He will be recognized in a ceremony on Feb. 9 at the Stambaugh Auditorium in Youngstown.
In 2015 Ries received a Community Service award from the Ohio State Bar Foundation.
Kevin Murphy, chair of the firm’s management committee, said his “outstanding skills, productivity and community involvement” were among the reasons that Ries was made a partner/member.
“He’s worked hard as an associate and earned the trust of his clients and colleagues,” said Murphy. “We are very pleased to welcome him as a member.”
Outside of the firm Ries, who lives in Niles with his wife Gina and their two children, serves as the president of the Warren City Schools Foundation.
“The foundation raises and manages funds for scholarships for Warren City Schools students,” said Ries. “We also host an annual dinner and induction ceremony for our alumni hall of fame.”
Ries volunteers as a high school mock trial advisor at Niles McKinley High School and is a director on the executive committee of Trumbull 100, a community group that provides resources and leadership for projects that enhance the quality of life for residents in Trumbull County.
He’s also is involved with the local bar associations, serving as co-chair of the Young Lawyers Committee at the Trumbull County Bar Association. He sits on the YWCA of Warren advisory committee and is president of the nonprofit Warren Civic Music Association Foundation, which provides capital and programmatic support for Warren Civic music events at the W.D. Packard Music Hall in Warren.
Now that he’s been elevated to partner Ries said his goal is “to continue to grow with HHM.”