Steve Tilson was born near Nashville, Tennessee, in 1949. He is a graduate of Delaware Hayes High School, Ohio Wesleyan University (B.A. with honors), and Ohio State University (J.D. with honors).
His law practice includes wills and estates, litigation, estate planning, family law, divorce, dissolution, child custody, injury, business, real estate, finance and a number of other areas.
At Delaware Hayes High School, Steve set a school record and was league champion in the shot put, attained all-conference honors as a fullback, played basketball and captained the track and field team. He was a student government officer and student council class representative, and was active in literary and journalism societies. At Ohio Wesleyan, he served as a member of the Religion Department Board and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
In October of 2017, Steve was awarded the Ramey Award by the Ohio State Bar Foundation, which is a statewide award given to one Ohio lawyer each year in recognition of distinguished community service. In May of 2018, Steve was awarded Professional of the Year by the Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce for his contributions, commitment and dedication to the community.
Steve practiced law in Columbus, Ohio from November of 1974 until May of 1975, when he became associated with our firm. In 1978, he attained firm membership status. He is a member of several bar associations, and a past President of the Ohio State Bar Foundation and the Crawford County Bar Association. He is currently a member of the Boards of the Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program, First Federal Bank of Ohio and The Galion Community Center - YMCA. He is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Ohio State Bar Association for the Crawford, Morrow, Delaware, Seneca, Wyandot and Marion County district. He served as one of the district's three delegates to the Ohio State Bar Association's Council of Delegates. He is a past chairperson of the Ohio State Bar Association's Board of Editors, which publishes "Ohio Lawyer" magazine, and also a past chairperson of the Ohio State Bar Association's Board of Governors' Membership, Public and Media Relations, and Publications Committee, which publishes the "Ohio State Bar Association Report," which is a weekly magazine. He is the past Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Provisional remedies and Enforcement of Judgments for the Banking and Commercial Law Committee of the Ohio State Bar Association. He has also been involved in the drafting and screening of various Ohio law sections on finances, and co-authored provisions in the Ohio Revised Code on garnishment and seizure of property.
He is a past director of the Crawford County Community Mental Health Board, the Galion Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc., and the Galion Building and Loan Association. He is a past president (along with his wife, Dawn) of the Renschville Elementary School P.T.L. He is a former member of the Crawford County Business/Education Advisory Council and a former trustee of Planned Parenthood of North Central Ohio.
Steve, and his wife, Dawn, have two children, and two grandsons. Steve's first interest is family activities. He loves to volunteer in his grandchildren's schools. He also enjoys playing guitar with his son in their band, The Crazy Gringos. His other hobbies include canoeing, fishing and sports.
Areas Of Practice
- Wills and Estates
- Litigation
- Estate Planning
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Dissolution
- Child Custody
- Injury
- Business
- Real Estate
- Finance
Bar Admissions
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1975
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio, 1975
Education
- The Ohio State University College of Law, Columbus, Ohio
- J.D. - 1974
- Honors: cum laude
- Honors: With Honors
- Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 1971
- Honors: cum laude
- Honors: With Honors
Representative Cases
- Sexton v. Sexton, 397 N.E.2d 425, 1978, Ohio App. 5 Dist., 1979144333
- Huntington v. Dennis Carmen Fox Proof of Claim, 64 B.R. 148, 1986, Ohio
- Farmers Sav. & Trust Co. v. Ridenour, No. 79-CVH-25 1-3078, 1979, Ohio
- Joseph Hayes v. City of Mansfield, 85-LW-1651, CA-2256
- Williams v. Williams,, 2011-Ohio-1200, 2010-CA-0006, 2011, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Fifth District, Morrow County
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Crawford County Bar Association, Vice-President, 1988 to 1989
- Crawford County Bar Association, Secretary, Treasurer, 1986 to 1988
- Ohio State Bar Association, Member, 1975
- Galion Chamber of Commerce, 1984
- Galion Building and Loan Association, Past Director
- Crawford County Mental Health Board, 1979 to 1983
- Crawford County Bar Association, Past President
- Crawford County Bar Association, Chair, Family Law Committee
- Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program (OLAP), Board Member
- Ohio State Bar Association, Past Member of the Board of Governors
- Ohio State Bar Association’s Council of Delegates, Past Delegate
- Ohio State Bar Association’s Board of Editors, Past Chairperson
- Ohio State Bar Association's Board of Governors' Membership, Public and Media Relations, and Publications Committee, Past Chairperson
- Subcommittee on Provisional remedies and Enforcement of Judgments for the Banking and Commercial Law Committee of the Ohio State Bar Association, Past Chairperson
- Ohio Judicial Candidate Commission
- First Federal Bank of Ohio, Board of Directors
Pro Bono Activities
- Past President, Ohio State Bar Foundation
- Board Member, Galion Community Center - YMCA
- Past Director, Crawford County Community Mental Health Board
- Past Director, Galion Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
- Past President, Renschville Elementary School P.T.L.
- Former Trustee, Planned Parenthood of North Central Ohio