Page 12 - July August 22 CBA Report

A ward Winners
JOHN W. WARRINGTON COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Jacob G. Samad
The John W. Warrington Community Service Award recognizes attorney members who have performed extraordinary volunteer community service work.
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THE REPORT | July/August 2022 | CincyBar.org
Cincinnati neighborhoods need more attorneys like Jacob “Jake” G. Samad. Born and raised in College Hill, Samad earned his JD and MBA at the University of Pittsburgh – and otherwise, has spent his entire life in this city and in College Hill. After earning his law degree in 2008, he joined Robbins Kelly Patterson and Tucker LPA as an associate and became a partner in 2015. His practice focuses on estate planning, probate estate and trust administration, business formation and succession planning, asset protection planning, and charitable giving.
Samad’s dedication to his beloved community is demonstrated by his tireless volunteerism on the board of the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Cooperation (“CHCURC”). He joined the board in 2009, during a period of economic down- turn and when CHCURC had no staff. Samad became actively involved in fundraising efforts and recruiting businesses to the community. Among his many accomplishments, in 2012, he was instrumental in galvanizing residents and business owners to raise $200,000.
Even after CHCURC hired staff in 2016, Samad continued to devote nearly 20 hours per week to making College Hill a more
inclusive community. During the pandemic, he led the charge for commercial rent abatement and kept the redevelopment project from collapsing. More recently, he has driven the efforts to create more affordable housing in the neighborhood.
Samad’s work has not gone unnoticed in the community. In recognition of his efforts, College Hill’s own Brink Brewing Company named a beverage after him.
In addition to his service with CHCURC, he also makes time to volunteer within his church community and most importantly, is a supportive husband to Amy and a devoted father to his chil- dren Jack and Audie.
Samad’s leadership and optimism has been integral in improving the College Hill neighborhood. In his nomination letter, Seth Walsh, executive director of CHCURC, best describes the impact of Samad’s contributions and why he is most deserving of the John W. Warrington Community Service Award, “It is easy to join organizations when success appears inevitable. It’s a lot harder to join organizations when things are at their bleakest and stick with it through the difficult times to build toward a vision that seemed impossible even 6 years ago.”