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Akron trial attorney remembered
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: January 25, 2018
Known for his prowess in the courtroom, trial attorney G. Michael Curtin scored a number of wins for his clients over the years, spent time with his family and volunteered in the community.
But on Dec. 15, 2017 Curtin passed away unexpectedly at his home in Hudson at the age of 61.
“My husband was a brilliant litigator, respected by all attorneys and the judiciary,” said his wife Cindy Curtin, managing partner at Curtin & Curtin in Akron. “He was a kind and generous man, who had a great sense of humor and was a huge sports fan.
“He was fun, loving, thoughtful and he always made me laugh.”
Curtin & Curtin partner Stu Baker said Curtin was “always generous with his time and expertise.
“Mike is a tremendous lawyer and when I started here in 2013, he became a mentor to me,” said Baker. “I have great respect for Mike and I really looked up to him.”
Born in Brooklyn, New York on August 8, 1956 to Gerard M. Curtin and Marilyn (nee McSherry) Curtin, he was the oldest of four children.
He grew up in Livingston, New Jersey, graduating from Livingston High School in 1974. Curtin received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University.
Curtin then moved to Ohio, enrolling at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. In law school he received the Oral Advocacy Award, given to the student scoring the highest in the moot court program.
After obtaining his juris doctor in 1983, Curtin began his legal career at Keller, Scully & Williams in Cleveland (later known as Keller & Curtin).
While at the firm, he met his wife Cindy, who was a law clerk at the time.
“Once I passed the bar, I was hired as an associate,” said Cindy. “Mike and I dated secretly for about nine months and no one knew anything about it, but the secretaries always had their suspicions.
“So when we got engaged on Valentine’s Day in 1990, the secretaries were not surprised but everyone else was.”
They got married in August 1990 and have two children, Lauren, a 1L at Washington and Lee University School of Law in Virginia and Michael, a junior at Virginia Tech who is studying mechanical engineering.
His daughter Lauren said her father was and remains her “hero and inspiration.
“I come from a long line of lawyers,” said Lauren. “My mom is a lawyer and my grandfather was a lawyer.
“My dad was like no other in the courtroom and I had the privilege of watching him a few times,” said Lauren. “He had a way of grabbing the jury’s attention by using his words, tone and silence to draw people in. He was mesmerizing and the smartest man I’ve ever known.
“He was there for everything that my brother and I did. He coached our soccer teams and my brother’s baseball teams and was the announcer for my high school Lacrosse games.
“He had an amazing work ethic, which he engrained in us in our academics and athletics,” said Lauren. “I try to emulate his work ethic to this day.”
In 2003, Curtin and his wife opened their own law office in Akron, now known as Curtin & Curtin. The firm focuses on insurance defense and business litigation.
Over the years, Curtin successfully tried over 100 jury trials in state and federal courts.
Among his successes was the 1990 Ohio Supreme Court case of Marchetti v. Kalish.
“The case set the standard for individuals participating in recreational or sports activities by determining that participants assume the ordinary risk of that activity and cannot recover for an injury unless they can show the other participant’s actions were reckless or intentional,” said Cindy.
“His highest professional achievement was when he was awarded an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell.
“I always found Michael to be an innovator,” she said. “He came up with arguments that other lawyers did not see and he initiated a two-way video deposition method for deposing experts, which was not done by anyone in the insurance defense industry at the time.”
A member of the Ohio, Akron and formerly the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Curtin mentored a number of younger lawyers, including Kristen Lewis, an associate at Kisling, Nestico & Redick.
“When I first started at Michael’s firm I was still in law school,” said Lewis. “Michael was willing to allow his law clerks to learn by doing and he always had an open door policy.
“He would sit and explain legal theories to me using metaphors and stories to make them more understandable,” said Lewis. “My understanding of the law and ability to service my clients today is partly due to the mentoring he provided when I was a young lawyer.”
Baker said Curtin taught him to take a methodical approach to cases.
“Michael told me that it was important to review each case as if it was your first one,” said Baker. “He was very creative and forward-thinking, which shaped his approach to each and every case.”
Curtin’s daughter said her father attended most of her home games and many away games when she played Lacrosse at Roanoke College.
Baker said one time when Lauren was playing Curtin tried to stream her game on his phone.
“His phone wouldn’t live stream the game, so we couldn’t see the players,” said Baker. “We could only watch the updated stats. That didn’t stop Mike though, he still gave me the play-by-play.”
Curtin sponsored many teams and was a frequent Hudson Kiwanis baseball sponsor.
He volunteered on various committees at Seton Catholic School and supported many of their events.
A longtime member of the Country Club of Hudson, Curtin served on the board of trustees and as president in 2001.
His wife said he also loved following national and state politics.
“He was a supporter of the Summit County Republican Party,” said Cindy. “He loved arguing politics with his Democrat friends.
“Michael’s loss has been very hard on our family,” said Cindy. “I have every intention of maintaining the success of our firm, which is what Michael would have wanted.”
Curtin has been cremated and a funeral mass commemorating his life was held on Dec. 30 at St. Mary Church in Hudson.
“I miss my father a great deal,” said Lauren. “I will always treasure our memories together.”
Curtin is survived by his wife Cindy (nee Hackbirth) Curtin of Hudson, children Lauren Elizabeth Curtin and Michael Peter Curtin, sisters Sherry (Dave) Varrelman of Philadelphia, PA and Tricia (Mark) Munley of Mendham, New Jersey, nieces and nephews Brendan Pailet of NYC, Kelsey Pailet of Philadelphia, Tristan and Marguerite Munley of Mendham, New Jersey and Lily and Lexi Hackbirth of Virginia Beach, VA.
His parents and his brother Peter John Curtin preceded him in death.