Full Name
Sam Porter
Job Title
Partner
Company
Ice Miller
Speaker Bio
Samuel H. Porter III navigates the ever-changing expanse of Ohio’s regulatory landscape. A partner in Ice Miller’s Government Affairs and Regulatory Law Group and Ohio Government Law Group, Sam employs his deep experience in the state’s most analyzed sectors, balancing the legalities of gaming, alcohol, and cannabis law to help clients within and adjacent to these industries overcome challenges and seize opportunities to achieve their business goals. His broad scope of services has allowed him to cultivate a career built on forward thought and government insight at the highest level.
Prior to joining Ice Miller, Sam was the regional director of compliance for Penn Entertainment (Penn). From ensuring compliance with the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s guidelines to managing relationships with gaming executives and regulators, Sam managed a team of seven compliance officers and worked with other Penn compliance officers across the country to help direct, implement, improve, and streamline processes and procedures at the company.
As Executive Director of the Ohio Liquor Control Commission, Sam served as the chief regulator overseeing the regulation and quasi-judicial hearing process protecting both the public and liquor permit holders. He also was responsible for providing counsel on all legal and policy matters, including legislative changes involving liquor and gaming.
Sam has helped orchestrate, launch, and maintain compliant programs in highly regulated industries, representing clients in any industries that require advocacy—whether that is before a governing agency or at the statehouse. His practice spans an array of industries that aim to connect people and build community, representing clients in any industries that require advocacy—whether that is before a governing agency or at the statehouse. Before his career in Ohio, Sam gained valuable political experience in Washington, D.C. as a legislative correspondent to Congresswoman Deborah Pryce, with whom he worked on legislative issues and served as a liaison to her constituents, as well as a staff assistant at the United States Republican Conference. He also served as a clerk for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. In these roles, he was immersed in federal policymaking and gained an understanding of federal government operations, helping him build the blueprint for navigating legal and policy matters through his career.
From the courtroom and Governor’s office to the frontline of industry regulation, Sam consistently works to elevate his practice and connect people. As Assistant Chief Counsel to the Office of Governor John Kasich, Sam worked on a myriad of legal matters that were critical to the citizens of Ohio and served as a legal liaison with the executive state agencies to brief the Governor. His background as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Franklin County helped him build a solid foundation in litigation and public safety, prosecuting more than 1,500 felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile cases, experiences that further afforded him the ability to think on his feet and argue cases before a jury. These undertakings ultimately helped build a skillset that would prove invaluable in Sam’s ability to translate legal complexities into policy.
Throughout his career, Sam has built a reputation as a strategist, not only interpreting the law but also playing an instrumental role in shaping it. His ability to bridge the gap between law, politics, and business, while anticipating challenges and cultivating solutions, makes him an authority in Ohio’s legal landscape.
Prior to joining Ice Miller, Sam was the regional director of compliance for Penn Entertainment (Penn). From ensuring compliance with the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s guidelines to managing relationships with gaming executives and regulators, Sam managed a team of seven compliance officers and worked with other Penn compliance officers across the country to help direct, implement, improve, and streamline processes and procedures at the company.
As Executive Director of the Ohio Liquor Control Commission, Sam served as the chief regulator overseeing the regulation and quasi-judicial hearing process protecting both the public and liquor permit holders. He also was responsible for providing counsel on all legal and policy matters, including legislative changes involving liquor and gaming.
Sam has helped orchestrate, launch, and maintain compliant programs in highly regulated industries, representing clients in any industries that require advocacy—whether that is before a governing agency or at the statehouse. His practice spans an array of industries that aim to connect people and build community, representing clients in any industries that require advocacy—whether that is before a governing agency or at the statehouse. Before his career in Ohio, Sam gained valuable political experience in Washington, D.C. as a legislative correspondent to Congresswoman Deborah Pryce, with whom he worked on legislative issues and served as a liaison to her constituents, as well as a staff assistant at the United States Republican Conference. He also served as a clerk for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. In these roles, he was immersed in federal policymaking and gained an understanding of federal government operations, helping him build the blueprint for navigating legal and policy matters through his career.
From the courtroom and Governor’s office to the frontline of industry regulation, Sam consistently works to elevate his practice and connect people. As Assistant Chief Counsel to the Office of Governor John Kasich, Sam worked on a myriad of legal matters that were critical to the citizens of Ohio and served as a legal liaison with the executive state agencies to brief the Governor. His background as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Franklin County helped him build a solid foundation in litigation and public safety, prosecuting more than 1,500 felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile cases, experiences that further afforded him the ability to think on his feet and argue cases before a jury. These undertakings ultimately helped build a skillset that would prove invaluable in Sam’s ability to translate legal complexities into policy.
Throughout his career, Sam has built a reputation as a strategist, not only interpreting the law but also playing an instrumental role in shaping it. His ability to bridge the gap between law, politics, and business, while anticipating challenges and cultivating solutions, makes him an authority in Ohio’s legal landscape.
