Login | September 29, 2024
Judge David Hamilton receives award from Leadership Ohio
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: September 27, 2024
Whether serving on Summit County Council or the Akron Municipal Court bench, Judge David Hamilton said he’s always sought to effect positive change in the lives of residents and improve the community.
As the District 5 representative on the county council, he started and spearheaded the Summit County Jail Advisory Commission and founded MY-STARS summer youth enrichment camp, which teaches “real world” skills like financial literacy, public speaking and entrepreneurship to rising sixth to eighth-grade students.
Since taking the bench in December 2019, he has unveiled the now diversionary program COMPASS (Compassion, Opportunity, Mentoring, Purpose, Achievement, Success, Stepping forward) to help men who’ve recently become involved in the criminal justice system get their lives back on track and played a key role in creating Raising the Bar to expose minority high school students to the legal profession and the many different career opportunities within it.
Recently the Leadership Ohio Class of 2023 alum was presented with its Community Impact Award, paying tribute to his many efforts to make a positive difference in the lives of those in the Greater Akron area and around the state.
“I was very humbled by the award,” said Judge Hamilton, who received the accolade on Aug. 17 at the Leadership Ohio homecoming event at The Boat House at Confluence Park in Columbus.
“There are so many Leadership Ohio alumni who are doing amazing things in their communities, so to be chosen among them is truly an honor.”
The homecoming event brings together alumni from 1994 to the present day to recognize and celebrate their peers’ accomplishments.
Other honorees included former city of Trotwood Mayor Mary McDonald (Visionary Leadership Award), Jennifer Aultman, chief historic sites officer at the Ohio History Connection (Professional Excellence Award) and Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough (Distinguished Alumni Award).
Shon Christy, president of the Leadership Ohio board of trustees and a graduate of the class of 2021, described Judge Hamilton as “an innovator,” who continues to drive community change and positive outcomes for diverse groups in Ohio communities.
“I have been watching Judge Hamilton for a while,” said Christy. “I nominated him for the Leadership Ohio program in 2022 for the 2023 cohort.
“During the eight-month leadership program his engagement with his cohort was exceptional,” said Christy. “He built relationships and offered insightful thoughts and comments.
“As a judge, he has unveiled programs that have put a spotlight on Akron and are scalable to other communities around the state,” said Christy. “He’s a great guy and I am very excited to have him in our community.”
Akron Municipal Court Administrative/Presiding Judge Annalisa Williams echoed Christy’s remarks.
“I have had the honor of knowing Judge Hamilton for more than a decade,” said Judge Williams. “He is passionate about providing access to justice and being a good role model. His recent award from Leadership Ohio demonstrates his ability to go above and beyond.
“He is a remarkable person, a remarkable judge and a remarkable community leader,” said Judge Williams.
Born and raised in Summit County, Judge Hamilton graduated from The University of Akron, where he majored in sociology and minored in criminal justice technology and earned his juris doctor from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2012.
Judge Hamilton started his career as a field organizer in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls for Organizing for America, where he worked for former President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, later taking on the role of NAACP legal chair for the Akron chapter of the organization under past president Ophelia Averitt, advising inmates on their civil rights.
He then served as an assistant prosecutor for the city of Akron from January 2013 to January 2016.
In the spring of 2016, Judge Hamilton became a volunteer CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and a court-appointed attorney guardian ad litem for the Summit County Probate and Juvenile courts. He also started as an associate at Littlejohn Law, where he focused on real estate, estate planning and domestic relations matters.
Prior to taking the bench in December 2019, Judge Hamilton was a member of Summit County Council and served as a judicial attorney to Akron Municipal Judge Ron Cable.
Judge Hamilton unveiled COMPASS on Nov. 2, 2020 and kicked off the Raising the Bar pilot program in conjunction with Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro’s office in October 2022.
“Raising the Bar is no longer a pilot program,” said Judge Hamilton. “We will be welcoming our fourth group of high school students in December.”
Now in his second term, he served as Akron Municipal Court administrative/presiding judge in 2023.
A graduate of Leadership Akron Class 34, he was appointed to the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism in 2023 and serves on the board of ArtsNow.
In August, Judge Hamilton started as an adjunct faculty member at The University of Akron School of Law.
In addition to the Community Impact Award, earlier this year Judge Hamilton became one of 25 professionals in the Akron/Canton region to earn an Accent on Excellence award from the National Sales & Marketing Executives Akron/Canton.
His other accolades include the Akron Bar Association Diversity Award, the Judge Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award in Law and the Akron Urban League’s Rising Star Award in 2022.
In addition, he received a 30 for the Future Award from the Greater Akron Chamber in 2020 and was a Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 Under 40 honoree in 2019.
“I am committed to creating innovative programs that will improve my community and leaving a legacy for those to follow after me,” said Judge Hamilton.