Login | September 29, 2026
Retired Magistrate Timothy G. Welsh receives the Professionalism Award
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: September 24, 2026
When Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Magistrate Timothy G. Welsh retired at the end of February, his plan was to step back from the legal profession and focus on devoting more time to his family and volunteer efforts.
While he continues to attend social events at the Mahoning County Bar Association and remains a member of several committees, Welsh never anticipated that he would be selected as this year’s Professionalism Award recipient.
The award recognizes a bar member who has practiced for at least 30 years and embodies the ethical and professional guidelines set forth in the Lawyer’s Creed, which include treating clients, lawyers and judges with respect and fairness.
“I was very surprised and honored,” said Welsh, a former president of the Mahoning County Bar Association, who served on the board of trustees. “Sitting judges and magistrates are not eligible for consideration, so given that I’ve only been retired for about six months I did not consider it as a possibility.
“Being selected so soon after retiring makes it an even greater honor,” said Welsh, who served as a common pleas court magistrate for more than 20 years.
“I am so very proud of Tim,” said his wife Kathi McNabb Welsh, chief of the Civil Division at the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office.
“He has worked very hard over the years,” said Kathi, a former recipient of the Professionalism Award. “He absolutely loved being a magistrate and he thoroughly enjoyed his time in private practice.
“Because I am his wife, I never appeared in front of him, but working in the court system as long as I have, I was able to observe his interactions with lawyers and members of the public who came before him.
“I can say that he put his heart and soul into every case and held himself to the highest ethical and professional standards as an attorney and magistrate.
“He has truly earned this award.”
Mahoning County Bar President Joseph R. Ohlin echoed similar sentiments.
“As an attorney, I litigated many civil protection matters in front of Tim Welsh during his time as a magistrate,” said Ohlin, a partner at Hartwig & Ohlin. “Magistrate Welsh always conducted himself in a professional manner and treated everyone with dignity and respect.
“He expected attorneys to be prepared and ensured that both sides were given a fair opportunity to present their case,” said Ohlin. “When a party appeared without counsel, he took the time to make sure that the individual understood the proceedings and had a meaningful opportunity to be heard.
“For those reasons and many others, I can think of no one more deserving of the Professionalism Award.”
Born in Youngstown and raised in Boardman Township, Welsh was initially planning on becoming a doctor but decided to rethink his career path after taking an aptitude test in high school that showed his strength was in language arts.
He also had two role models who dedicated years to the legal profession.
His father was the legendary Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Administrator T. Gordon Welsh, who was a bailiff for the late Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Charles J. Bannon.
The elder Welsh went on to become the first court administrator in the General Division of the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Additionally, Welsh’s grandfather, Paul J. Langley, was a longtime sheriff in Mahoning County.
Earlier this year, he told the Akron Legal News that while his father never pushed him to become a lawyer, “his dedication and respect for the system definitely influenced me.”
Welsh stayed close to home during his undergraduate and legal studies, receiving his bachelor’s degree in combined social studies from Youngstown State University and earning his Juris Doctor from The University of Akron School of Law in 1986.
As fate would have it, he met his wife Kathi the night before he started law school, which he told the Akron Legal News was “part of God’s plan for me to attend law school.”
During law school, Welsh was a bailiff for then Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Peter C. Economus, who went on to serve on the bench of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio for many years.
After graduating from Akron Law, Welsh began his career as an associate at the former Mahoning County law firm of Burdman, Kretzer, Ellington, Stein & Marando.
Not long after he started, the firm merged with Nadler & Nadler to form Nadler, Nadler & Burdman Co.
Welsh left the Nadler firm in 1989 to join Wilkes & Wilkes, where he primarily handled insurance defense and coverage issues.
The name was changed to Wilkes, Wilkes & Welsh after he became a partner about three years later.
Welsh and his partner, Larry Wilkes, later opened the Youngstown office of Davis & Young.
He remained at Davis & Young until 2004 when he was appointed as a full-time magistrate at the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Welsh initially worked for all the judges, but after the court was restructured to allow each judge to have a dedicated magistrate, Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge R. Scott Krichbaum hired him as his magistrate.
He started in 2006 and served as Judge Krichbaum’s magistrate until he retired at the end of February 2026.
Looking back on his time in the legal profession, Welsh said the law has been very good to him.
“I’ve had the opportunity to forge lifelong friendships, advocate for my clients as an attorney, aid in resolving conflicts as a magistrate, serve the people of Mahoning County and provide for my family,” said Welsh.
While he is no longer on the bench, Welsh continues to be active in the Mahoning County Bar Association, where he is a member of the Civil Law Courts Committee, Lawyers Assistance Committee and Social Committee.
He’s also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, along with Division 6 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
Welsh said he is “absolutely loving” his retirement.
“The lack of a committed schedule has allowed me to spend a lot more time with my grandson, who lives in Dayton, as well as my brother Paul.
“My brother Paul has a house right across the street from me,” said Welsh. “We’ve always been close, but now we get to spend a great deal of time together, which is a blessing.”
He is also helping out at a local food pantry and has joined a second choir at his church, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, where he is a cantor.
“My wife Kathi convinced me to join a golf league with her, which has been fun,” said Welsh. “Since she’s still working full time, I have taken on additional responsibilities at the house.”
While he is enjoying his post-retirement life, Welsh said he does plan to keep his law license active.
“Who knows what opportunities could present themselves down the road? I had a wonderful career and have a loving family,” said Welsh. “I’m a blessed man indeed.”