22 September 2025
/ Allen J. Reis
49 Years of Service, Leadership, and Integrity: Al Reis and His Impact on Weltman
This year, Shareholder Allen (Al) Reis marks an extraordinary milestone—49 years with Weltman. In a firm now celebrating its 95th anniversary, Al’s leadership, vision, and steadfast dedication to clients and community have left an indelible mark. From helping launch and grow our Columbus office to guiding generations of attorneys with professionalism and integrity, his career has shaped not only the firm’s Central Ohio presence but also the culture of client service that remains at the heart of Weltman today!
Reflecting over the past 49 years with the firm, it is easy to identify the massive changes that have occurred in the technology and the nature of client relationships. What is much more surprising may be the fact that the basic principles that were taught to me as a young attorney have endured and are still relevant today.
In 1976, the business world and the practice of law operated at a different pace. Today’s tech-savvy and tech-reliant generation may be shocked to realize that at that point in time, computers, fax machines, cell phones, internet, email, even copy machines, did not exist. The methods of communication between Weltman employees, clients, courts, attorneys, and debtors were limited to the telephone and (snail) mail. The cadence of these communications was counted in days instead of the seconds that describes communication today.
As archaic as that world may seem today, the work got done, the legal system worked, and the firm was successful. The pace was obviously slower, but back then, the phone would actually ring regularly. Attorneys would speak to one another. Debtors would answer their phones and communicate. Actual letters were exchanged between attorneys exchanging offers and outlining disputes. Weltman attorneys knew and spent time with clients on a regular basis. Friendships defined client relationships that lasted years or even decades.
I am not such a grumpy old man, that I do not recognize the amazing advances made due to the technology revolution over the past 49 plus years. The sheer volume of data and information that can instantly move today has driven the explosion in our firm’s ability to provide services and generate revenue. Communication that once took days, now occurs in seconds, unlimited by distance or the number of persons involved. Every aspect of our lives moves faster than could have ever been imagined 49 years ago.
But here’s the rub. Us humans are limited in the amount of information we can absorb. My mantra over the past few decades is that the technology boom is very impressive, but to the lawyers, it has done little to make our job easier, rather, it has resulted in the same amount, or more work, hitting us faster and faster.
So, how could anything learned from Bob Weltman and Alan Weinberg 49 years ago still be relevant? As a young lawyer with the firm, I quickly learned that ours can be a tough business. Clients who were demanding, and debtors who were generally in trouble and could react badly. I was surprised to learn that we had a job to do for our clients, but that empathy, civility, and professionalism were expected of all our employees. Those lessons imparted on me and all who have followed have propelled the firm to its reputation in the industry, and the legal community.
We thank Al for his decades of dedication and leadership, and invite you to visit his attorney bio to learn more about his work and connect with him today.
This blog is not a solicitation for business, and it is not intended to constitute legal advice on specific matters, create an attorney-client relationship or be legally binding in any way.
Reflecting over the past 49 years with the firm, it is easy to identify the massive changes that have occurred in the technology and the nature of client relationships. What is much more surprising may be the fact that the basic principles that were taught to me as a young attorney have endured and are still relevant today.
In 1976, the business world and the practice of law operated at a different pace. Today’s tech-savvy and tech-reliant generation may be shocked to realize that at that point in time, computers, fax machines, cell phones, internet, email, even copy machines, did not exist. The methods of communication between Weltman employees, clients, courts, attorneys, and debtors were limited to the telephone and (snail) mail. The cadence of these communications was counted in days instead of the seconds that describes communication today.
As archaic as that world may seem today, the work got done, the legal system worked, and the firm was successful. The pace was obviously slower, but back then, the phone would actually ring regularly. Attorneys would speak to one another. Debtors would answer their phones and communicate. Actual letters were exchanged between attorneys exchanging offers and outlining disputes. Weltman attorneys knew and spent time with clients on a regular basis. Friendships defined client relationships that lasted years or even decades.
I am not such a grumpy old man, that I do not recognize the amazing advances made due to the technology revolution over the past 49 plus years. The sheer volume of data and information that can instantly move today has driven the explosion in our firm’s ability to provide services and generate revenue. Communication that once took days, now occurs in seconds, unlimited by distance or the number of persons involved. Every aspect of our lives moves faster than could have ever been imagined 49 years ago.
But here’s the rub. Us humans are limited in the amount of information we can absorb. My mantra over the past few decades is that the technology boom is very impressive, but to the lawyers, it has done little to make our job easier, rather, it has resulted in the same amount, or more work, hitting us faster and faster.
So, how could anything learned from Bob Weltman and Alan Weinberg 49 years ago still be relevant? As a young lawyer with the firm, I quickly learned that ours can be a tough business. Clients who were demanding, and debtors who were generally in trouble and could react badly. I was surprised to learn that we had a job to do for our clients, but that empathy, civility, and professionalism were expected of all our employees. Those lessons imparted on me and all who have followed have propelled the firm to its reputation in the industry, and the legal community.
No matter where technology drives the firm in the future, any successes will be because our co-workers continue to embrace that legacy.
We thank Al for his decades of dedication and leadership, and invite you to visit his attorney bio to learn more about his work and connect with him today.
This blog is not a solicitation for business, and it is not intended to constitute legal advice on specific matters, create an attorney-client relationship or be legally binding in any way.
