Attorney Sanford E. Watson has received the 2021 Ramey Award for Distinguished Community Service from The Ohio State Bar Foundation (OSBF). The honor was presented at the foundation's All Rise Virtual Annual Awards Celebration on October 1.
The Ramey Award is given annually to an Ohio attorney whose career has been underscored by dedication to the OSBF's goals and values, a lifetime of service to the public and community, and advancing change in the legal system for historically marginalized communities of color in Ohio – all while working with integrity, honor, courtesy, and professionalism.
A three minute video tribute to Watson's work as a mentor to many can be found here.
A partner at Tucker Ellis, one of the region's biggest law firms, Watson chairs its Equity & Inclusion Committee, devoting significant time to shaping equity and inclusion policy both within the firm and throughout the Northeast Ohio community. Under his leadership, Tucker Ellis has received awards and recognition for diversity and best practices.
Like many of his peers, Watson spends considerable time serving as a member of nonprofit boards. Currently he is a trustee of Karamu House, The Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He's also a member of Tau Boule. He is a past recipient of the Norman S. Minor Bar Association (NSMBA) Trailblazer Award and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association's Inclusion Innovation Award, and he was selected as Cleveland-Marshall College of Law's 2018 Black Law Students Association (BLSA) Honoree.
But Watson won the award not so much for his work in the nonprofit arena, but for the considerable time spent mentoring young lawyers, something he's done throughout his career. Mentoring for Watson is a connective thread that runs throughout his career. He told us in a phone interview of his debt to so many who mentored him. He talked about how Sonali Wilson counseled him when they were students at Georgetown Law. She was a third year las student during his pivotal first year, and how much her guidance meant to him. Wilson is now general counsel for Cleveland State University.
Watson also citied Judge Patricia Blackmon, who retired earlier this year after 18 years on the Court of Appeals bench, as one of his most influential mentors. Blackmon preceded Watson as chief police prosecutor.
Watson gave a special shout-out to Wendell Whalum, legendary director of the Morehouse College Glee Club, as an early mentor. Watson graduated from Morehouse in 1985 before attending Georgetown University Law Center, where he received law degree in 1988.
It was one of Watson's mentees, Drew Odum, who nominated Watson for the award. Watson had recruited Odum to Tucker while the latter was enrolled in law school at Cleveland State University. Odum, who is now an attorney with Goodyear, recalls Watson telling him that it would be Odum's responsibility to pay it forward by mentoring other young students and lawyers. And it was Odum who helped Watson recall just how many lawyers and students he has mentored over the years.
Watson sees mentoring as a natural part of his legal work. And while the majority of his mentees have been black men and black women, his work is by no means exclusive. His door is open to all, he says.
A trial lawyer and arbitrator, Watson practices in the areas of business litigation, products liability litigation, and public law. Before joining Tucker Ellis, Watson worked in the public sector. He has been served as Chief Prosecutor and Director of Public Safety for the City of Cleveland.
Watson lives in the Millcreek area of Cleveland with his wife Susan. They have one adult son.
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