Gov. John Kasich has appointed an Akron-area attorney and former president of the Akron Urban League to the University of Akron board of trustees.
Lewis W. Adkins Jr., a partner at the law firm of Roetzel & Andress, will begin serving immediately and his term will run to July 2025.
“It is a privilege and an honor to be appointed to The University of Akron’s Board of Trustees and I am thankful for the opportunity to serve,” Adkins, a resident of Copley Township, said in a prepared statement.
He serves as lead counsel to numerous large, public and private entities in Ohio and Washington, D.C.
Adkins graduated from the UA School of Law in 1993. In 2015, he received the UA School of Law J. Dean Carro Professionalism Award from the Black Law Students Association. He also created the School of Law’s “Judge James R. Williams” endowed scholarship.
In 2009, the city of Akron presented him with the “Livability Award” for his efforts to coordinate the Akron Urban League, Akron Public Schools and city in building a Community Learning Center.
In addition to being a former president of the Akron Urban League, his community affiliations include Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Cleveland Urban League, Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce and the Summit County Consumer Affairs Board.
“Lewis is a great choice,” UA board Chairman Roland Bauer said in a prepared statement. “He knows and loves this community, and he believes deeply in the university’s mission and its critical role in the region. His expertise in public law and finance will be valuable to us, especially given the challenges before higher education right now.”