In 1969 he started a unique tourist business known as African Lion Safari, located in Port Clinton, Ohio, and in 1973 built a campground known as Fort Firelands Recreation Park. While practicing law full time he also served as President of both corporations until they were later sold. In 1972 he was elected to the Sandusky Public Schools Board of Education.
In 1980, Ronald was elected as the Common Pleas Judge of the Probate Division for Erie County, Ohio. While serving in that capacity, he was appointed by the Supreme Court of Ohio to hear cases in the General Division of Erie County Common Pleas Court and many other courts throughout the State of Ohio where he heard a large variety of civil and criminal law cases. The Probate Judges’ Association appointed him to chair a committee to create and establish the first set of recommended Probate Court local rules. Subsequently, the Ohio Supreme Court appointed him to chair a committee to create the first set of Rules of Superintendence for the Probate Courts of Ohio.
After leaving the bench, Ronald served as magistrate of the Huron County, Ohio Common Pleas Court for eleven (11) years, hearing domestic relations cases, and other civil cases in that court, until he retired from the court in 2000. While a Magistrate in Huron County he maintained his full time private legal practice in Sandusky, Ohio. He has served as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, Arbitration Forums, Inc., a lecturer for Ohio Common Pleas Judges’ Association, the Ohio State Bar Association and the Elder College of Bowling Green State University.
Ron has served on many boards including President of Sandusky Rotary, President Emanuel United Church of Christ, Sandusky Blue Streaks Booster Club, Secretary of the University of Toledo Foundation Board and President Erie County Bar Association. He is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Erie County Bar Association. Ronald is admitted to practice in all levels of the courts in Ohio, the United States Court for the Northern District of Ohio and the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. He is married to his wife Jacklyn (Darby) Kaufman with whom he had four children, and five grandchildren.
Ronald’s broad education and experience makes him uniquely qualified to practice in a general practice law firm with an emphasis on Estate Planning, Probate, Elder Law, Personal Injury, Business Law, and Real Estate Law.