Cuyahoga County is proud to announce that Awatef Assad, Assistant Law Director for the Cuyahoga County Law Department, was recently presented the Justice for All 2019 Volunteer of the Year Award at the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA) Annual Meeting. Each year JFA honors volunteers who have provided exemplary service to the Cleveland community in pro bono and public service programs during the previous Bar Year. The Award is a way to recognize those who give their time and expertise in meaningful and significant ways throughout the year.

A public servant throughout her career—for the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Law Departments—Awatef is dedicated to promoting justice, diversity and inclusion in our region. She has worked to build a more inclusive and fair community by organizing many civic engagements and programs focused on improving the lives of women and people of color.

“It's an honor to receive this incredible Award. My participation in the CMBA has allowed me to collaborate and work with a talented group of legal professionals on issues important to the residents of Cuyahoga County. I look forward to continuing to engage in initiatives that will advance social justice and equality for everyone,” said Awatef Assad.

Awatef was selected in 2018 to serve on the CMBA Board of Trustees. She has also spearheaded multiple events with the CMBA and is an active member and volunteer with the Women in Law Section (WIL). She has organized several events directed at changing how women are perceived and eliminating barriers for women in the legal profession.

Awatef has served as the chair of the WIL’s Social Justice Committee for the last two years. During her time as chair, the committee has strengthened its commitment to pro bono service, which includes ongoing brief advice clinics that help bring the CMBA into the community. Awatef has been a frequent volunteer with the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland and WIL Brief Advice Clinic at Fairhill Partners.

In addition to her service with the CMBA, Awatef also undertakes several other activities in service to the profession. She is a mentor in the Ohio Supreme Court Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program and a member of the Ohio State Bar Association. She serves on the Ohio State Bar Association Women in the Profession Governing Council and Legal Ethics Section and serves as an arbitrator in the Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court Alternative Dispute Resolution program. In her position with Cuyahoga County, Awatef was a vital part of expanding access to justice for individuals who believe they have been discriminated against, with her work on the recent establishment of the Human Rights Commission in Cuyahoga County, a forum for complaints of discrimination and redress.

Awatef’s passion for public-sector work stems from her own unique experience. As the first Arab-American woman from her community to become an attorney, she has fought to create a level playing field and justice for everyone. Awatef has led many civic engagements, including a youth leadership conference and community discussions, addressing Arab-American relations. She organized youth leadership conferences to inspire Arab-American girls to become more engaged in their community.

Awatef’s efforts as a civic leader in the Arab-American community have been nationally recognized. She is the recipient of the F.B.I. Director’s Community Leadership, the Arab-American Institute’s Excellence in Public Service, and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission’s “Keeping the Dream Alive” Awards.

Awatef’s long history of volunteerism and commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the legal profession has made her a worthy recipient of this award.