As part of its 150th anniversary celebration, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA) and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation (CMBF) will honor Tucker Ellis retired name partner Bob Tucker and retired partner Carter Strang as Living Legacy Award winners among the organizations’ Legacy150 Awards.

Living Legacy Awards honor lawyers whose extraordinary leadership, innovation, and professional excellence have truly transformed the legal, business, and/or civic arena in Greater Cleveland over the course of their careers.

In an announcement on the CMBA website, 2022–2023 CMBF President Larry W. Zukerman said, “The committee worked diligently to select honorees who are remarkable attorneys, leaders, and community advocates. Each honoree has made an indelible mark on our Bar Association, the legal profession and the Greater Cleveland community.”

Mr. Tucker, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, has defended thousands of cases in Ohio and a dozen other states over his 44-year career. He has been an inspirational leader, trainer, and mentor to innumerable members of the bar, both in Cleveland and at firms nationwide. It was his vision and “all-in-it-together” mindset that led to the formation of Tucker Ellis LLP in July 2003, a firm built on the strength of relationships, “where everyone is recognized, and appreciated, for their accomplishments.”

Tucker Ellis Managing Partner Joe Morford said, “No one has been more impactful on my professional life or the professional lives of many here at Tucker Ellis than Bob Tucker. His selfless leadership, firm-first focus, and dedication to our clients, the communities where we live and work, and everyone who calls Tucker Ellis their work-home remains deeply ingrained in the DNA of this law firm. We are all better for having the privilege of working with him and calling him our friend.”

Mr. Tucker received his J.D. from The Ohio State University College of Law and his B.A. cum laude from Williams College, where he was Phi Beta Kappa.

Mr. Strang served in many community leadership roles over the course of his 38-year career in law, including as CMBA president and CMBF president. At Tucker Ellis, he created and coordinated the firm’s award-winning Pipeline Program, which encourages economically disadvantaged and minority students to learn about the law and pursue careers in the legal profession. As CMBA president (2012–2013), Mr. Strang launched the Louis Stokes Scholars program. He is a past chair of CMBA’s 3Rs program and the primary author of its curriculum. He received his J.D. from Cleveland State University College of Law and his B.S. and M.Ed. from Kent State University.

Remarking on Mr. Strang’s contributions, Mr. Morford said, “Carter’s tireless work to help others – through his CMBA presidency, his Federal Bar Association presidency, and his dedication to programs seeking to lift up others not often focused on by big firm lawyers – has been remarkable to watch. We celebrate these accomplishments and congratulate him on this well-deserved honor.”

On June 24, Mr. Tucker and Mr. Strang will be recognized along with the other award winners at “Rock the Bar,” a celebration at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.