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Juvi court Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio seeking OSBA president-elect
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: March 29, 2019
A member of the Ohio State Bar Association for over 36 years, Summit County Juvenile Court Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio has served as the District 11 representative to the Board of Governors, on several committees and as a fellow of the Ohio State Bar Foundation.
Now Judge Tucci Teodosio is running for OSBA president-elect, hoping to use her previous leadership experience to enhance member services and raise the bar association’s profile around the state.
“Service has always been important to me,” said Judge Tucci Teodosio. “I’ve been actively involved in the Akron Bar Association, the Akron Law Alumni Association and the greater Summit County community at large.
“I believe I would be a strong voice and advocate on behalf of the state bar association and its lawyers.”
The race is contested, with Pickrel, Schaeffer & Ebeling attorney Andrew C. Storar also vying for the position.
The new president-elect will serve a three-year term starting on July 1, 2019, with the winner later taking the reins as OSBA president in July 2020 and then becoming immediate past president in July 2021.
Former OSBA president Ron Kopp said Judge Tucci Teodosio is an “outstanding” choice for president-elect.
“Linda is organized, compassionate and has a broad view of the justice system,” said Kopp, a shareholder at Roetzel & Andress.
The two first met when Judge Tucci Teodosio clerked for Roetzel & Andress. Later after she was a judge, she served on the Akron Bar Association board of trustees while Kopp was president.
“I’ve seen the amazing job she has done as juvenile court judge and I believe she would be a welcome addition to the Ohio State Bar Association family,” said Kopp.
If elected OSBA president-elect, Judge Tucci Teodosio will work closely with incoming president Yacobozzi Drakatos attorney Eleana Drakatos (now president-elect) and immediate past president former Squire Patton Boggs senior partner Robin Weaver (now president), assisting them in supervising the staff and formulating policy.
“I have a number of ideas that I believe will be beneficial to Ohio lawyers,” said Judge Tucci Teodosio. “As we know lawyers are more likely to suffer from substance abuse and mental health issues than the general public.
“I would like to spearhead a wellness program for our members that would help them deal with stress.”
Judge Tucci Teodosio said she wants to improve access to justice for individuals who need attorneys but do not think that they can afford one by linking them with lawyers seeking to expand their practices.
“I would also like to raise the rate that court-appointed defense attorneys are paid,” she said.
Other top priorities include continuing to find new ways to get younger attorneys involved in the bar association by better demonstrating the benefits that they receive.
“I would also like to facilitate a statewide Law Day celebration by linking local bar associations and law schools together in order to help the public to better understand the rule of law and the important role that attorneys play.”
A native of Canton, Ohio, Judge Tucci Teodosio received a bachelor’s degree in education and her juris doctor from The University of Akron.
She began her career at Nukes & Perantinides Co. (now Perantinides & Nolan), later serving as a staff attorney to 9th District Court of Appeals Judge Joyce George and as an Akron Municipal Court magistrate.
Prior to taking the Summit County Juvenile Court bench in 2003, Judge Tucci Teodosio was a Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court judge.
During her many years as juvenile court judge, she has unveiled a number of programs, including the specialized docket known as Crossroads, designed for court-involved youth with co-occurring mental illness and/or substance dependence and Restore Court, which seeks to identify and provide services to victims of human trafficking.
She also introduced New Paths Probation for juveniles with developmental delays and the Family Resource Center, which provides case management and other services to support youth and their families.
A former Akron Bar Association president, Judge Tucci Teodosio served on the bar association’s board of trustees twice.
Solo practitioner J. Dean Carro, emeritus professor of law at The University of Akron School of Law worked with Judge Tucci Teodosio during her time as Akron Bar Association president.
“Judge Teodosio was president-elect when I was president and I was her immediate past president,” said Carro. “My time as president was marked by a number of difficult challenges and Judge Teodosio was with me every step of the way, providing advice and support.
“She is community-minded, empathetic and cares deeply about the legal profession and her community,” said Carro. “The OSBA could not find a better person to serve as its leader.”
The judge is also a former board member and president of the Akron Bar Foundation and the Akron Law Alumni Association.
Over the years, she has been appointed to statewide and national panels, committees, commissions and task forces that dealt with juvenile justice reform and other issues impacting youth.
A past St. Thomas More award recipient, Judge Tucci Teodosio has received many accolades over the years, including the Thomas J. Moyer Award for Judicial Excellence from the OSBA and the prestigious Award for Innovation from the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. In 2010 the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative honored the judge with a “Champions for Change” award for her efforts to improve the lives of young people involved in the juvenile justice system.
A resident of Munroe Falls, Judge Tucci Teodosio is married to 9th District Court of Appeals Judge Thomas Teodosio and their son Christopher is an attorney at Brouse McDowell.
Brouse McDowell partner Jeffrey Heintz, who served on the OSBA Board of Governors from 2009 to 2012, said leading the state bar association is not a ceremonial position and comes with many challenges, which he believes Judge Tucci Teodosio is well prepared to handle.
“The board of governors is diverse, and as we know, lawyers can be strong-willed,” said Heintz. “Linda is a consensus builder and has the ability to lead a group like that to a solution harmoniously and without controversy.
“At the same time her personal values are second to none and she will be an excellent representative of the profession.”
Former OSBA president Carmen Roberto described Judge Tucci Teodosio as a “decent human being,” with an excellent reputation.
“She would be a great state bar president,” said Roberto, of counsel at Niekamp, Weisensell, Mutersbaugh & Mastrantonio. “She is highly intelligent and knows what she is doing because she has served in numerous legal capacities over the years.
“The role of OSBA president-elect is not just a statewide job, it is one that carries national stature and I cannot think of a better person to represent Ohio’s bar association.”
Ballots for the upcoming election for OSBA president-elect will be sent to members via email on April 29. They must be returned by May 3 at 5 p.m.