Page 14 - Ohio Vol 4 No 7

2018 VETERAN IN LAW
DANIEL K.
GLESSNER
On Sacrifice & Perseverance
AALM: Tell us a bit about your military career.
Glessner: I had many in- teresting jobs in the Army. I was commissioned
as a eld artillery o cer out of the University of Dayton ROTC in 1988. A er attending the Field Artillery O cer’s Basic Course, I joined the 3/92nd Field Artillery in Akron, Ohio. I remained with FA units for the rst 10 years of my career. I then transitioned into the 319th QM Battalion as a petroleum support o cer and served as a battalion operations o cer and battalion executive o cer. I was a detachment executive o cer for the 319th QM Detach- ment in Iraq from June 2005 through my return in Octo- ber 2006.
Our detachment was responsible for importing, storing and distributing fuel for all military operations in Iraq. I was based out of Balad, and had teams stationed in Al Asad (near the Syrian border), Baghdad (working with the State Department) and Mosul (in Northern Iraq).
My nal 10 years I spent as an instructor of Command General and Sta College. I taught a course to aspiring majors that they needed in order to be considered for pro- motion to lieutenant colonel. is job was very rewarding. I taught in Columbus, Canton and did two-week rotations in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin and Fort Dix, New Jersey.
AALM: When did you rst know you wanted to become an attorney? What drew you to this career?
Glessner: De nitely Mr. John Lowry’s senior year gov- ernment class led me toward practicing law. We had a mock trial in which I played a key part and decided that a career in law was something that interested me. He was a great teacher and mentor!
AALM: What was the greatest lesson you learned in the military or law school?
Glessner: e greatest lesson I learned in the military was to put my own needs and wants behind the needs and wants of a higher purpose. Sacri ce is a way of life for our men and women in uniform. Whether that means eating
last so that you make sure that your soldiers get enough to eat or whether it means leaving your family and small children behind to answer the call, there are plenty of op- portunities for sacri ce. Law school and the military also taught me perseverance. Both required me to put my nose to the grind stone and work through. is is a life lesson that I try to employ in everything that I do.
AALM: What experience taught you the most?
Glessner: I attended the Saddam Hussein trial. It was eye opening to see the di erences between our court sys- tems. I only attended one day of the trial, but I was able to see inside the Iraqi people and get perspectives from the prosecutors, the victims, and Saddam Hussein himself as I watched their testimony and comments in awe. is was a country that was badly hurting from years of his rule and a country that was showing resolve in nding a way forward.
AALM: What rst drew you to your rm?
Glessner: Brouse McDowell’s well-known reputation drew me to the rm. A er my deployment there was an opportunity to join the rm and head their health care practice group. e rm enabled me to develop health care clients as I was able to assist them with the wide array of issues beyond my specialty. I was the health care prac- tice group chair for several years and now have concen- trated my e orts to the rm’s executive committee. is enables me to be involved in strategic decisions to put us in the best position for the rm and my colleagues to suc- ceed into the future.
AALM: How would you describe the culture of the rm?
Glessner: Our culture is excellent. We do not oper- ate with an individualistic mindset. I have the privilege to serve with some of the best attorneys in their area and frankly with some of the best people I have met in my life. We are team oriented and do not have to succeed at the expense of each other. I have had two jobs in my le- gal career. I spent 17 years as in-house counsel at Akron General Medical Center, another wonderful organization, and now have been at Brouse McDowell my entire private practice career for 11 years. I consider myself very lucky to have been associated with the Army, Akron General and Brouse – three rst-class organizations.
ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · CLEVELAND · VOL. 4 NO. 7 14