Treier to Lead Vorys Akron Office
Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP announced today that J. Bret Treier will assume the role of managing partner of the firm’s Akron office on January 1, 2017. F. Daniel Balmert, the current Akron office managing partner, will retire at the end of 2016.
Treier has practiced law in Akron his entire career. His practice focuses primarily on representation of public companies, including financial institutions, and significant private companies, which he counsels regularly on a broad range of corporate matters involving mergers, acquisitions, and other transactions, corporate governance, securities law compliance and reporting, including executive compensation and related disclosure issues, and public offerings of debt and equity securities.
“Bret has the judgment, integrity, passion, focus and leadership skills necessary to succeed in a managing partner role,” said Russ Gertmenian, the Vorys firm-wide managing partner. “He has made significant contributions to the firm in the past, and he will be a great asset to our firm in this new role.”
Treier is also active in the Akron community. He serves on boards of the Akron General Health System and Medical Center, the Akron Marathon Charitable Corporation, the Akron Area Metro YMCA Endowment Foundation, the Leadership Akron Alumni Association and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.
“Bret’s a true leader who is committed to continuing and growing our firm’s presence in Akron,” Balmert said. “Our Akron-based clients know and trust Bret. He’s widely respected in the legal community. I know he will be a superb managing partner.”
Balmert has served as the managing partner of the Akron office since it opened in 2004. During this 12-year period, the office has grown rapidly, and it now includes 20 attorneys who focus their practices on corporate law, commercial and real estate matters, intellectual property, labor and employment law, litigation, and public finance. Prior to leading the Akron office, Balmert served as managing partner of the Vorys Cleveland office from 1983-2004.
“I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with Dan for years and learning from him what it takes to be a great lawyer and, more importantly, a great leader,” Treier said. “I know that I have large shoes to fill, but I am looking forward to that challenge, and am confident in our ability to maintain the firm’s positive trajectory in northeast Ohio.”
Vorys’ Akron lawyers counsel clients on a wide variety of legal issues. In addition, Vorys has a distinguished tradition of public service in the Akron community. Vorys Akron lawyers are active in a number of community and charitable organizations, including the Akron Bar Association, Akron Chamber of Commerce, Akron Civic Theatre, Akron Dragon Dream Team, Akron Area YMCA, First Christian Church of Wadsworth, Goodwill Industries of Akron, Hattie Larlham Foundation, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Humility of Mary Housing, Inc., InfoLine Inc., Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mobile Meals Foundation, Salvation Army of Summit County, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Stow-Monroe Falls Chamber of Commerce, Torchbearers, United Way of Summit County (and The Tocqueville Society), Victory Gallop and the Wadsworth Chamber of Commerce.
About Vorys: Vorys was established in 1909 and currently has nearly 375 attorneys in seven offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Akron, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Houston, Texas; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Vorys currently ranks as one of the 200 largest law firms in the United States according to American Lawyer magazine.
