Trailblazers and Leaders: Meet UC Law’s 2025 Distinguished Alumni

Congratulations to the 2025 UC College of Law Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. This year’s honorees include a trailblazing real estate attorney, a corporate law expert with over 50 years of experience in business acquisitions, the vice president of legal at Harbinger Sports Partners who is shaping the future of sports investment through his legal expertise, and a prominent attorney recognized for his work in business planning, corporate law, and real estate development.

The four alumni were honored at the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon, held on Friday, May 23, 2025, at the College of Law. In addition to recognizing the awardees, Dean Haider Hamoudi shared updates on recent developments at the college.

Watch their stories in the videos below and browse photos from the event!

The University of Cincinnati College of Law proudly recognizes Barbara Bronson for her groundbreaking contributions to the legal profession and her lasting impact on the Warren County community.

With a legal career spanning more than five decades, Bronson has been a pioneering figure in the field. She began her career as a clerk with the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office before joining James D. Ruppert & Associates, where she became the first woman to practice law in Warren County and the first female member of the Warren County Bar Association. In 1978, she became a name partner at Ruppert, Bronson & Ruppert, where she specialized in estate planning, probate, and real estate law, building a highly regarded practice and a loyal client base.

Beyond her legal work, Bronson has held numerous leadership roles, including serving as President of the Warren County Bar Association, chair of the Lebanon Civil Service Commission, and trustee of the Warren County Foundation. Since 2005, she has chaired the Warren County Bar Association scholarship committee. Her contributions have been widely recognized, including receiving the Warren County Bar Association’s Legacy Award in 2016. She has also served on the Warren County Democratic Party executive committee since 2020.

Bronson retired in 2024, leaving behind a legacy of professional excellence, community service, and trailblazing leadership in the legal field.

The University of Cincinnati College of Law recognizes Thomas Cuni for his nearly five decades of exemplary service to the legal profession and the Cincinnati community.

Admitted to practice in Ohio in 1975, Cuni has held leadership roles at several respected law firms, including Osborne & Cuni, Schwartz, Manes & Ruby Co., and Cuni, Ferguson & LeVay Co., LPA. He currently serves as Of Counsel at the Thomas Downing Law Firm. His practice areas include corporate law, business acquisitions, commercial real estate, litigation, and tax-deferred exchanges.

In addition to his legal career, Cuni has been a dedicated advocate for children through his volunteer work with ProKids, Inc. since 2014, representing children in cases of abuse and neglect. His longstanding commitment to service has earned him numerous accolades, including the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Trustees Award, Ohio CASA’s Volunteer Attorney of the Year Award, and the University of Cincinnati College of Law’s Outstanding Alumni Award.

Cuni has twice served as president of the Cincinnati Bar Association and has been an active member of both the Ohio State and American Bar Associations. For more than a decade, he has also mentored the next generation of legal professionals as a supervising attorney at UC Law’s Entrepreneurial and Community Development Clinic. His leadership extends beyond the legal field—he is a past Board President of ProKids, Inc. and currently serves as president of the Literary Club of Cincinnati.

The University of Cincinnati College of Law recognizes Zahki Davis as the Young Alumni Honoree, celebrating his rising influence in corporate law and his leadership within both the legal and civic communities.

A native of Newark’s West Ward, Davis played basketball at Ohio Wesleyan University before earning his Juris Doctor from the UC College of Law. During law school, he served as president of the Entrepreneurship Law Club and gained practical experience through positions with Katz Teller, OCEAN Accelerator, MORTAR, and an externship with Judge Jeffery Hopkins at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Davis began his professional legal career as the inaugural fellow in the Fifth Third Bank/UC Law Fellowship Program, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments, and corporate governance. He went on to serve as Legal Counsel at Fifth Third Bank and later as an associate at Taft Stettinius & Hollister, where he played a key role in several major transactions—including the landmark Paycor Stadium naming rights deal.

Earlier this year, he was appointed vice president of Legal at Harbinger Sports Partners, where he is helping to shape the future of investment in professional sports through strategic legal insight.

Named a National Black Lawyers “Top 40 Under 40” honoree, Davis is also a dedicated community leader. He serves on the boards of the Cincinnati Ballet, Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation, MORTAR Cincinnati, and FundNoire, contributing his legal and business acumen to support fairness and entrepreneurship across the region.

The University of Cincinnati College of Law recognizes Paul Muething in honor of his outstanding legal career and deep commitment to civic leadership.

A highly respected attorney, Muething has built a distinguished career specializing in business planning, corporate law, and real estate development. He has represented both public and private companies throughout his career and served as managing partner of his law firm from 1995 to 2017.

In addition to his professional achievements, Muething has been a dedicated leader in the Cincinnati community. He currently serves as president and trustee of Cincinnati Southern Railway and has held prominent leadership positions with Xavier University, Chatfield College, Ursuline Academy, and the Southern Ohio chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He also chaired the 2010 Catholic Inner-City Schools Education Fund (CISE) campaign and serves on the board of directors of Merus (formerly Al Neyer Corporation).

His legal excellence has been widely recognized. Muething holds an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 2007. He was named “Cincinnati Best Lawyers’ Securities/Capital Markets Law Lawyer of the Year” in 2020 and “Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year” in 2019. He has also been recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyer from 2004 to 2018 and was named a 2024 Ohio Leading Lawyer.

Through his legal acumen, leadership, and philanthropic efforts, Paul Muething has made a lasting impact on both his profession and the broader Cincinnati community.

Thank you to our supporters:

Presenting Supporter: KMK|Law

Table Supporters: Thomas & Sally Cuni, Zahki D. Davis, Esq.

Altman Newman Co. LPA, Dinsmore, Frost Brown Todd, GE Aerospace, MedPace, P&G, Squire Patton Boggs, Taft, Thompson Hine

Photos + Videos: Joey Yerace