Shlonsky recognized for improving the legal profession and opening doors for women
May 10, 2022 – Ulmer & Berne LLP is proud to announce that Cleveland Partner-in-Charge Patricia A. Shlonsky has been selected as the 2022 recipient of the Ohio State Bar Association’s (OSBA) Nettie Cronise Lutes Award. Shlonsky was presented with the prestigious award today during the OSBA’s Annual Meeting at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.
The Nettie Cronise Lutes Award, named after the first woman licensed to practice law in Ohio, was established by the OSBA’s Women in the Profession Section to recognize women lawyers who have improved the legal profession through their own high levels of professionalism and who have opened doors for other women and girls.
“Patty is an extraordinary attorney who leads by example in every endeavor,” said Scott P. Kadish, Managing Partner. “From her devotion to her clients, to the way she serves as a leader and mentor at the firm, to her commitment to the legal profession and the community, Patty has earned this well-deserved recognition. I am so fortunate to be able to rely on her advice and counsel in managing the firm, and to count her as a friend.”
Shlonsky has succeeded at every level during her more than three decades of legal practice, along the way clearing a path for and serving as a role model to other women. She is the first woman to serve as Cleveland Partner-in-Charge in the firm’s more than 110-year history, and guides the development, client service, and business operations of Ulmer’s Cleveland office while managing her demanding practice as a nationally recognized employee benefits attorney. She was the first woman to serve on Ulmer’s Management Committee and continues to serve in this important role helping to oversee all aspects of the firm’s operations.
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 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. Between her service as a firm leader and her robust legal practice, Shlonsky has also mentored many women at Ulmer and is dedicated to helping associates develop into strong, capable lawyers.
Shlonsky is a respected civic leader and active community 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, 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.
In recognition of her legal skill and contributions to the community, Shlonsky has received numerous professional and civic awards throughout her career, including her multiyear recognition as Best Lawyers® Employee Benefits (ERISA) “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland and her inclusion as one of the Top 50 Female Lawyers in Ohio and Top 25 Female Lawyers in Cleveland by Ohio Super Lawyers. She also recently received the YWCA Greater Cleveland Women of Achievement Award for her career success, community service, and leadership. For more information about the OSBA’s Nettie Cronise Lutes Award, please click here.