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Mahoning County lawyer receives Distinguished Service Award
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: August 26, 2021
He worked in the medical and sales fields before deciding to become a lawyer, but once Nikitas Skoufatos chose his career path, he never looked back, making a name for himself as a go-to workers’ compensation and Social Security disability attorney in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
“My practice has been limited to workers’ compensation, Social Security disability and personal injury work, thus providing me with the opportunity to help a lot of people over the past 30 plus years,” said Skoufatos, managing partner at Wellman, Jeren, Hackett & Skoufatos Co. in Canfield, Ohio. “I enjoy what I do and find it very rewarding.”
A longtime member of The Mahoning County Bar Association, he’s served on at least a half dozen different committees over the years, including the Inquiry, Lawyers Assistance, Unauthorized Practice of Law and Admissions committees among others.
He is currently the chairperson of the Admissions Committee and has served on this committee the longest.
“These committees all do very important work,” said Skoufatos. “For example, our Admissions Committee members are responsible for interviewing law school graduates and determining whether or not they possess the necessary character and fitness to sit for the bar exam.”
He’s also previously utilized his culinary talents to provide Greek favorites at bar association events, including the Plichta Golf Outing and, when time permits, at the festival sponsored by his church, Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church in Campbell, Ohio.
“Everyone loves my Gyros and my Souvlaki with Tzatziki sauce,” he said. “I have a son and a daughter and, when they were in school, I did a lot of cooking for their sports teams and clubs.”
Skoufatos’ cumulative and ongoing efforts recently led to his being nominated and selected as the 2021 recipient of The Mahoning County Bar Association Distinguished Service Award.
Given to a lawyer who has provided exemplary service to the bar association and/or the community at large, the recipient is chosen based upon the individual’s performance during that specific calendar year or over the course of many years.
Members of the bar association nominate candidates and those on the board of trustees discuss and vote on each nominee. The winner is presented with the award during the annual election banquet.
“I’ve never been at a loss for words as an attorney, but I was when I heard my name announced,” said Skoufatos, who received the accolade on June 28 at the in-person banquet held at Youngstown Country Club. “I had a feeling something might be up because of the way people were acting that day, but I was still surprised and definitely grateful.
“I am not the kind of person who seeks the limelight; I prefer to be behind the scenes.”
Wellman, Jeren, Hackett & Skoufatos Co. Partner Michael Tiberio nominated Skoufatos for the award.
“Nik has been a mentor to me ever since I started at the firm,” said Tiberio. “I’ve learned a lot from him about handling cases and preparing for hearings.
“When I first started at the firm, he took me to workers’ compensation and Social Security disability hearings, where I got to watch him in action and see how he interacted with his clients and judges. It was evident to me how much he truly cared about his clients.
“What is so amazing about Nik is his ability to balance his work, commitments to the bar association and family time. He has managed to do it all. He is so dedicated to the committees he serves on at the bar association.
“I was so happy when I learned that he was indeed selected to win this award,” said Tiberio.
Born in Youngstown and raised in Campbell, Ohio, Skoufatos graduated from Campbell Memorial High School.
At Youngstown State University (YSU), he majored in combined science and psychology. Unsure of what he planned to do, he left YSU to obtain a certificate as a nuclear medicine technologist from St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nuclear Medicine (now Mercy Health – St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital).
“I worked as a nuclear medicine technologist for a short time and then I took a sales job,” he said. “After I got married, I went back to YSU to complete my degree. I took a business law class and I really enjoyed it. It made me think the practice of law was something I would like to do and be good at, so I finished my bachelor’s degree and headed to law school. It was the right decision.”
While attending what is now known as Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law, he was hired as a law clerk at his current firm, Wellman, Jeren, Hackett & Skoufatos Co.
Skoufatos would go on to spend his entire career at the firm.
“Our work is not especially glamorous, but I have quite a few cases I’m very proud of. It involves getting down in the trenches and rolling up our sleeves for the people we represent. Many of our clients work in the trades, so we deal with a lot of blue-collar workers.
“Our Social Security practice has allowed us to help and improve the lives of so many disabled individuals. It is very rewarding when we are able to help someone who has been injured or needs our help because of a disability.”
Skoufatos said the reason he’s chosen to dedicate so much time to The Mahoning County Bar Association is because of the many contributions it makes to both the legal profession and the community at large.
“We connect community members with legal problems to lawyers, provide networking opportunities for members and assist attorneys who develop substance abuse problems, among other things. I’ve always felt it was a privilege and honor to serve the bar association, which hopefully helps demonstrate to the community the important role lawyers play and dispel any negative beliefs about them.”
At age 66, the Poland, Ohio resident said he has no plans to retire.
“I don’t plan to let age determine how long I will work,” said Skoufatos. “I enjoy being a lawyer and I don’t consider it work. As long as I am healthy, I plan to continue doing what I am doing.
“Lastly, I could not be where I am today in my career had it not been for the support of my wife Kathy. She has always stood beside me and assisted me with some of the most difficult decisions that I had to make in my life and in my career.”