Rob Briggs's Tumblr Blog

An experienced attorney and community leader in Akron, Ohio, Rob Briggs currently holds the position of partner and chairman emeritus at the law firm of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLC. Active with the firm since the early 1970s, he previously served as president, CEO, and a member of the board of the managers. His professional history also includes serving as legal counsel for several foundations and businesses. He also served as president of the GAR Foundation for fifteen years. Since establishing his career in the legal field, Rob Briggs has concentrated on representing small businesses, their owners, foundations and other nonprofits. He has also had extensive experience in the field of trusts and estates. As an active member of his community, Rob Briggs is the 2013 recipient of Purple America’s Gordon E. Heffern Award for Values, Ethics and Community. His community involvements include serving as a board member of the Oak Clinic for Multiple Sclerosis and chair of Invent Now, Inc. (formerly the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation). He previously served as a trustee of the Musical Arts Association (The Cleveland Orchestra).

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Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs’ Business Law Services

A former attorney at the firm of Herndon & Bartlo, Rob Briggs became a member of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLC, after the two companies merged in 1971. Rob Briggs soon thereafter made partner and focused his practice on trust, estate, nonprofit, foundation, and business law. With a history dating back to 1913, Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs is comprised of notable attorneys who have been listed among The Best Lawyers of America and Super Lawyers Rising Stars. In addition, the organization is recognized by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers Collaboration as a leading law firm. Representing businesses and corporations worldwide, the law team has built exceptional expertise in business law. The business legal team is made up of lawyers, legal assistants, and certified public accountants. Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs attorneys have worked with companies in the retail, technology, and manufacturing sectors, among other industries. The firm has played an integral role in the planning and execution of mergers and acquisitions as well as cases involving intellectual property and international business transactions. Other practice areas include franchising, contracting, federal, state and local taxes, trusts and estates, and debt financing.                            

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Projects Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

A business law professional, Rob Briggs contributes to his community by assisting charitable and entrepreneurial organizations. Among the numerous leadership roles he holds at various philanthropic groups, Rob Briggs serves as chair of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. With branches in eight major cities throughout the United States, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation fosters creativity and innovation in media, journalism, art, and the community. Through project funding, the foundation supports ventures in these areas financially and educationally. Each year, the foundation provides more than $30 million of funding to new projects impacting the fields of media and journalism. Projects selected must promote excellence in journalism through the building of journalistic values and integrity, the advancement of unique storytelling techniques, and the development of journalistic skills. Ventures that enhance communication are also considered. Within the last five years, over $66 million has been applied toward art projects that engage the community through a shared experience. The foundation seeks to benefit individuals and organizations furthering the incorporation of art and culture into people’s lives. Recognizing that building communities of talented individuals and businesses is essential to the growth of a city and its economic goals, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has contributed in excess of $841 million since 1950 to community initiatives that attract entrepreneurship and retain it within the community.

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Fund for Our Economic Future Awards Grant to BioEnterprise

Working out of Akron, Ohio, as chairman emeritus and partner for Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLC, lawyer Rob Briggs assists clients dealing with a variety of concerns, including mergers, taxation, and setting up nonprofit organizations. Involved in numerous groups within the community, Rob Briggs served as chair and member of the nonprofit organization Fund for Our Economic Future for several years. The organization, formed in 2004 and based in Northeast Ohio, provides, among other things, grants to several economic development organizations in the region to improve significantly the region's economy. Through its collaboration with more than 50 organizations and foundations within the area, the organization has provided more than $88 million in financial support and thousands of volunteer hours with great success. In December 2013, the fund announced that it awarded a one-year grant to BioEnterprise to help expand the bioscience industry in Northeast Ohio. Since July 2002, the nonprofit organization and its partners have created or assisted more than 170 companies and helped secure $1.6 billion in new funding. The $550,000 grant will help BioEnterprise accelerate the growth of the region's bioscience industry.

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Effective Team Building Techniques at Work

Rob Briggs has worked for Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLC, in a number of capacities, including as partner, chairman emeritus, and chief executive officer. In these roles, Rob Briggs has demonstrated his expertise in the area of team building. There are very few professions that allow an individual to be successful without the assistance, in some capacity, of co-workers or outside help. With that in mind, it is fairly common for large offices with many interdependent pieces to host team-building events. When organizing a team-building event, office leaders should consider a few guidelines. Any overriding problems or lingering conflicts should be addressed through team building. Larger offices may need to hold off on team building altogether and first create a community among their workers; a group of four strangers who converse just long enough to win a team-building exercise are unlikely to carry any bond or lesson back to the workplace. Likewise, pitting employees against one another in a seemingly harmless event might do more harm than good if the two have a history of conflict, so understanding the office dynamic and knowing the personalities that comprise it is vital. Also, ensure that all team-building events require communication and teamwork. This may seem obvious, but a corporate basketball game, for example, is not the solution to an office full of do-it-all-myself employees. Rather, this type of office could benefit from an exercise involving blindfolds that forces individuals to rely on their entire team if they hope to be successful.