Thomas R. Skulina

THOMAS R. SKULINA died peacefully October 17, 2021. Dear friend of Carol Dell and her family. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St Mark's Catholic Church 15800 Montrose Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44111 on Saturday, October 30 at 10:00 a.m.
A proud graduate of St Ignatius High School, he went on to graduate from John Carroll University (cum laude) and then obtained a law degree and a masters of law from Case Western Reserve.
He was a member of Lakewood Country Club where he enjoyed playing golf and lunching with numerous friends. He was an avid tennis player, learning a terrific backhand at a Rod Laver camp. He was a runner, particularly enjoying running in the Metro Parks. He was always happy to discuss investment opportunities.

FULL OBITUARY
Attorney Thomas Raymond Skulina JD, provided unparalleled legal services for nearly 60 years. He specialized in the areas of general civil trial,appellate practice, mediation, arbitration, probate, and administrative, commercial, railroad and corporate law. Mr. Skulina's storied career earned him recognition as an AV Preeminent Rated Attorneythrough Martindale-Hubbell.

Born in Cleveland in 1933, Mr. Skulinaset his career in mnotion by attening John Carroll University, located in University Heights, Ohio. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1955 and subsequently matriculated at Case Western Reserve University, where he received a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1959. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Skilina was admitted into the Ohio State Bar Association. Additionally, he served with the U.S. Army that same year. In 1966 Mr. Skulina obtained a Master of Laws from Case Western Reserve University.

Fresh out of law school, Mr. Skulinawas hired by New York Central Railroad in 1960. A few years later he was allowed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. After working as as an attorney for New York Central for five years, he took on new responsibilitiesas trial counsel. In addition, he served the railroad company as its assistant general attorney from 1965 to 1978. Eager to tale opportunities that would further his professional development, Mr. Skulina concurrently held other positions outside his duties with the railroad. From 1967 to 1972, he was a partner of the firm Skulina & Stringer, between 1976 and 1978, he worked for Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail), the successor to the New York Central Railroad. At Conrail, Mr. Skulina was part of a team tasked with revitalizing rail service in the Northeast and Midwest, as railroads were severely damaged by the growth of air and truck transportation between the 1930's and 1960's. In 1965 he was certified by the Interstate Commerce Commission, a now dissolved U.S. agency responsible for regulating railroads, trucking, and all aspects of common carriers. Following his departure from Conrail, Mr. Skulina served as a partner with several Cleveland law firms: Riemer Oberdank & Skulina; Skulina, Fillo, Walters & Negrelli; Skulina & McKeon; and Skulina & Hill. Mr. Skulina then established his own privatepractice, where he had been practicing since 1997.

Mr. Skulina had parlayed his knowledge into a number of civic roles as well. Since 1986, he had served as a fact-finder for Ohio's State Employment Relations Board, as well as a referee for both Cleveland Charter Revision commission and Civil Service Commission. He continued to successfully resolve disputes as an arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers and the American Arbitration Association: also as an arbitrator for the Council of Better Business Bureaus, theNAtional Association of Securities Dealers, Intercontinental Exchange Inc., the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the National Academy of Arbitrators.

Early in his career, Mr. Skulina taught commercial law at New York City's Practicing Law Institute. His insights ghave been publishedin a multitude of legal journal articles. In the late 1990'she served as a mediator on the contract and volunteer panels of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Mr. Skulina Had held membership and leadership positions with the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, theRailroad and Motor Carrier Committee, and the National Academy of Arbitrators. He held emeritus membership status with the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel.