Columbus, OH (March 2023) - The Ohio State Bar Foundation (OSBF) is pleased to announce Aaron Bruggeman as a recipient of its Community Service Award for Attorneys 40 and Under. The award is given to attorneys who work to make a difference in their communities, outside of their practice area, and without compensation. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to improving the justice system and enhancing the public understanding of the rule of law throughout Ohio, the OSBF promotes excellence in the legal profession by recognizing attorneys who give back.
A lifelong resident of Barnesville, Bruggeman is co-chair of Bricker & Eckler’s Southeast Ohio initiative and a member of the law firm’s energy and natural resources team. He is active in several community organizations and serves as President of the Belmont County Bar Association, as President of the Barnesville Area Chamber of Commerce, and as a Board Member for the Barnesville Hospital Association. He is a Past President of the Barnesville Rotary Club and is a Former Board Member of the Noble County Chamber of Commerce.
“Being recognized by such a valuable organization to the Ohio legal community is an honor I will cherish for the rest of my career,” said Bruggeman. “My community has given so much to me, and I am so grateful for the support I have received as a young student, through law school, and now as I continue my career in my hometown. Ensuring those opportunities continue to exist for the younger generation is what drives me to continue to make my community and the surrounding areas a better place.”
Bruggeman demonstrates the positive impact and influence attorneys can have in their communities when lawyers give back to the community. His pro bono work with Southeastern Ohio Legal Services or SEOLS, specifically with the Belmont County legal clinic, has been a crucial lifeline for a community that desperately needs legal help.
With a 12% poverty rate and a population of just over 63,000, Belmont County only has 46 active attorneys. While the SEOLS Steubenville office provides services to Belmont County, its four attorneys are also responsible for four counties in addition to Belmont, averaging less than one SEOLS attorney per county. With these numbers, the need for volunteers cannot be overstated.
“Aaron has been actively volunteering at the Belmont County clinic for many years now. Even through Covid, when we were running virtual clinics, Aaron was still willing and able to help,” said SEOLS Steubenville Office Managing Attorney Pam Bolton. “I am so grateful for Aaron’s generous giving of his time.”
Bruggeman is a graduate of Ohio University and earned his law degree from Capital University Law School. He received the OSBF’s Community Service Award for Attorneys 40 and Under on March 7 during a luncheon hosted by the Ohio State Bar Association.
“While Aaron's work with Bricker has surely earned him respect and recognition within the legal community, we want to highlight his less visible yet highly valuable work with his pro bono activity,” said Dianna Parker, Director of Pro Bono and Community Engagement with Southeastern Ohio Legal Services in her nominating letter. “For that reason, we find him very deserving for the OSBF Community Service Award.”
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