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Stark & Knoll expands its attorney force
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: December 18, 2019
Two former Day Ketterer attorneys recently joined the law firm Stark & Knoll Co.
Gordon “Gordy” Woolbert II started at the firm at the beginning of October and David Umbaugh began in November.
Stark & Knoll partner Woolbert primarily handles business litigation and corporate law matters, while of counsel Umbaugh focuses on estate planning.
“Gordy and David each bolster practice areas of which the firm is very involved,” said Stark & Knoll Managing Partner John Krajewski.
“David is an estate planner with over 40 years of experience and we are one of the largest estate planning firms in northeast Ohio.
“Gordy has over 20 years of litigation experience,” said Krajewski. “We are not only benefiting from those talents, but he is bringing his clients from Day Ketterer with him. We are honored that these two talented individuals selected our firm after Day Ketterer closed because they certainly had other options.”
Woolbert said he wanted to be a part of Stark & Knoll because the firm has an excellent reputation in the community.
“I also had previous dealings with some of their litigators and I knew others here by virtue of having spent my entire legal career in northeast Ohio,” said Woolbert. “I have always been impressed with the attorneys and the firm.
“I am looking forward to expanding my client base from one that includes mostly Stark County, where Day Ketterer was located, to one that includes both Summit and Stark county clients.”
Born in West Lafayette, Indiana, Woolbert grew up in North Canton. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University in California and his juris doctorate from Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville.
Woolbert began his legal career as an associate in the Canton office of Black McCuskey Souers & Arbaugh.
He spent 17 years at the firm, becoming a partner and developing a business litigation and corporate law practice.
“I initially thought I wanted to be a transactional and corporate attorney but after I was exposed to business litigation, I decided that was where I wanted to focus my efforts.”
He joined Day Ketterer in the summer of 2014. When the news hit that the firm would be dissolved, Woolbert said he began exploring his options, which he hoped would include Stark & Knoll.
“Stark & Knoll is a great fit because they have an excellent set of transactional and corporate attorneys, which allows me to refer my corporate clients to my colleagues and to focus more on business litigation.”
Woolbert lives in North Canton with his wife Stacey. They have six children, five who are living at home and attending schools in the Jackson Local School District and one who is enrolled at The Ohio State University.
Outside of the law firm, Woolbert devotes a large portion of his free time to the YMCA of Central Stark County, where he serves on the board of trustees. He also chairs the board of the Paul & Carol David YMCA of Jackson Township.
“I am honored to be a part of Stark & Knoll and I look forward to helping it further its excellence in business litigation,” said Woolbert.
With the two recent additions, the firm now has 27 lawyers.
“We are looking to add a few more attorneys over the next six months in the areas of estate planning and litigation,” said Krajewski.