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Atty Megan Raber takes over as law director of small city
ASHLEY C. HEENEY
Legal News Reporter
Published: December 28, 2011
Attorney Megan Raber will start the New Year with a new job at a new desk in her own office.
After spending shy of a decade as the assistant director of law for the City of Tallmadge just outside of Akron, the Democrat and 2002 graduate of The University of Akron Law was elected the city’s law director in the November election, uncontested.
She is taking over for law director Penny Taylor, also a Democrat and Akron Law alum, who retired this month from the seat.
Raber anticipates John A. Scavelli Jr., an Akron Law grad (2004) who served as deputy law director for the City of Stow, just north of Tallmadge, will begin as her assistant director of law on Jan. 1.
Raber said she carries forth lessons learned from working closely with attorneys.
Taylor, her mentor in public practice, “always stood up for the right decision she determined was the ‘best’ or ‘right’ decision, regardless of its popularity.”
Dennis Bartek, Raber’s mentor in private practice, taught her to always be prepared and pay close attention to the details.
“There is always more to learn,” Raber said.
“I have the advantage of being familiar with the office work flow and responsibilities due to serving for almost eight years in this office as the assistant director of law,” Raber said. “However, like with any new job, there are some additional responsibilities that I need to pick up.”
As the director of law, she is now the chief legal advisor and attorney for the city and for all elected city officials. Tallmadge, with about 17,000 residents in Summit and Portage Counties, operates under a mayor-council form of government.
“City officials may request written legal opinions from the director of law in matters relating to their official duties,” Raber explained. “All questions of interpretation of the city charter are made by the director of law.
“The director also represents the city in matters of civil litigation. Additionally, the director of law handles all misdemeanor criminal charges brought against defendants in the Stow Municipal Court.
“When requested by the mayor or council, the director of law prepares contracts, legislation, bonds and all other written legal documents.”
Raber said the city will occasionally contract with outside counsel in civil matters. “Pursuant to the city charter, we do not contract with outside counsel for criminal matters,” she said.
In the legal community outside of work, serves as an Akron Bar Foundation Fellow.
This past autumn, she was named a recipient of the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce 30 for the Future award.