April 13, 2023 – Ulmer & Berne LLP is pleased to share that Cleveland Partner-in-Charge Patricia A. Shlonsky has been named a 2023 ORT Ohio Jurisprudence Award honoree. The Jurisprudence Award recognizes individuals whose professional and personal lives have substantially improved the quality of life for their fellow citizens, created role models for others to emulate, and established new directions for their profession and community.
“We at Ulmer are thrilled to see Patty receive such a prestigious honor,” said Scott P. Kadish, Ulmer’s Managing Partner. “This award recognizes that she is both a tremendous attorney and an incredible person with a passion and dedication to bettering those around her and giving back to her community. She is truly deserving of this honor.”
Shlonsky will be honored during a ceremony on June 28 at the Union Club in Cleveland alongside fellow honoree Taras “Terry” Szmagala, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Eaton.
“This year’s awards recognize attorneys Patty Shlonsky and Terry Szmagala for their legal skills, leadership abilities and for their long-standing commitment to the community,” said ORT America, Ohio Region President Todd Gurney. “They have risen to the heights of professional excellence, demonstrate a passion for the enhancement of their profession, and established themselves as role models for their peers and for members of their community.”
Shlonsky is an active community leader and advocate. She is a longtime Board Member and Past President of the Cuyahoga County Public Library Board of Trustees, Vice President of the Board and Program Committee Co-Chair for The City Club of Cleveland, a Trustee for United for Libraries, a Board Member for Bellefaire JCB, and a Board Member for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio. She has also held leadership roles with The Center for Community Solutions, Business Volunteers Unlimited, and Dress For Success Cleveland.
As Group Leader of Ulmer’s Employee Benefits and Tax Practice Groups, Shlonsky advises clients in the establishment, qualification, and maintenance of all types of employee benefits plans and has comprehensive experience handling employee benefits and ERISA litigation. In addition to her thriving practice, Shlonsky guides the development, client service, and business operations of Ulmer’s Cleveland office, and serves on Ulmer’s Management Committee.
During her more than three decades of legal practice, Shlonsky has earned numerous accolades for her professional achievements and her work in the community. She was recently selected by the Ohio State Bar Association as the 2022 Nettie Cronise Lutes honoree in recognition of her work to improve the legal profession and her mentorship and support of other women and girls. In 2019, she was inducted into the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, an honor reflecting her professionalism, dedication to excellence in the law, and contributions to the advancement of the employee benefits field. Repeatedly named Best Lawyers® Employee Benefits (ERISA) “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland, Shlonsky has also been recognized as one of the Top 50 Female Lawyers in Ohio and Top 25 Female Lawyers in Cleveland by Ohio Super Lawyers.