Alan G. Starkoff, a noted Columbus attorney and senior counsel at the law firm Ice MillerLLP, has been appointed to the Cleveland State University Board of Trustees by Governor Mike DeWine. 

“Mr. Starkoff is a welcome addition to the board as we work to implement CSU 2.0 – our aggressive, growth-oriented plan for the future,” said David Reynolds, chair of the CSU Board of Trustees. “He brings to the table a wealth of business acumen and higher education legal experience.”

An alumnus of the CSU Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and an attorney for more than 45 years, Starkoff has tried complex commercial legal cases in federal and state courts throughout the U.S. Additionally, as the chair of the firms litigation practice group,  he has mentored many aspiring trial lawyers. He currently specializes in helping entrepreneurs and businesses identify and mitigate risks in a broad range of industries including manufacturing, food service, real estate, professional services, financial services, gaming, cannabis, higher education and transportation.

“I’m looking forward to being able to tap into Mr. Starkoff’s extensive expertise,” said CSU President Harlan Sands. “As an alumnus, he has a passion for our university and understands the transformative power of a CSU education.”

Starkoff is a senior fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society whose membership represents less than half of one percent of American lawyers. He was also selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© from 2005 through 2022 and has been named an Ohio Super Lawyer from2004 through 2022.

He has served as a continuing legal education lecturer for the Ohio State Bar Association on post-employment litigation issues and as special counsel to the Attorney General of Ohio since 1992. An active member of the community, Starkoff is a past board member of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Junior Achievement of Central Ohio. He currently is a member of the board of directors of The Honey Baked Ham Company.

“From groundbreaking research to preparing the workforce of tomorrow, Cleveland State makes a tremendous impact in Northeast Ohio and across the entire state,” Starkoff said. “I couldn’t be more excited to join the board, and I thank Governor DeWine for this opportunity.”

Starkoff lives in Galena, Ohio with his wife Kathleen. In addition to his law degree from CSU, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University.

His term on the board runs through May 2026.