Business has always been my calling. Before I became an attorney, I worked for years in the business sector, and I loved the challenge of each new role I took on. To my surprise, one of the challenges I enjoyed most was learning about the legal side of the industry.
You see, our team had several business attorneys we would call upon for advisement, and I could never seem to get enough out of my conversations with them. Rather than just discussing whatever concern brought them to our office that day, I would ask elaborate questions about business laws and best practices. I was fascinated by the work they did, and I began to wonder whether it would be worth the investment to attend law school myself. After very little deliberation, I decided to take the plunge.
During law school, I had the opportunity to be in a small business legal clinic, which allowed me to work directly with business clients under the supervision of a practicing attorney. I had been really enjoying law school up to this point, but it wasn’t until this experience that I was 100% sure I had made the right decision in choosing to become a lawyer. I had found my calling in business years before, but it was at this point that I found my true passion.
In my experience, the best professional relationships begin with a fundamentally fair agreement. That’s what I fight to establish for my own business and
for my clients.
A Counselor to the Core
After becoming a full-fledged attorney, I was called upon to step in and help out a family business. Although this venture slowed down my legal practice for a bit, it gave me a renewed appreciation for all the work that goes into every aspect of running a business. This is a lesson I carry with me each and every day in my work.
Throughout my career, I’ve been a manager, a vice president, a president, a CEO, and a business counselor. With each role I’ve played, I’ve learned invaluable lessons — some the easy way, and some the hard way. My instinct has never been to keep this information from other businesspeople because, in truth, I prefer to base my professional relationships off of a mutually beneficial, fundamentally fair agreement. That’s why, I think, I was meant to be not just an attorney, but a counselor, too.
Experience Matters
Everything I do in my practice is about protecting my clients’ legacies. When it comes to protecting yours, experience really does matter. As a businessman myself, I truly appreciate how hard you’ve worked for everything you have. And as a bonus, I’m extremely knowledgeable about the ever-changing business world, as well as the laws and best practices encompassed within it.
To give you an idea of the extent of my services, here is a list of some of the significant agreements that I’ve drafted and/or negotiated on behalf of my clients over the years:
- Collegiate Licensing Agreement
- Works for Hire Agreement
- Subordination of Landlord’s Lien
- Truck Lease Agreement
- Equipment Lease Agreements
- Confidentiality Agreements
- Consignment Agreements
- Sales Representative Agreements
- Employment Agreements
- Warranty Language
- Building Lease Agreements
- IT Consulting Agreements
- Customer Agreements
- Source Code Escrow Agreements
- Bailment Agreements
- Operating Agreements
- Bylaws
- Asset Based Lending Agreement
- Website Terms and Conditions
- Employee Policies and Procedures
- Restructuring Agreements
- Real Estate Purchase Agreement
- Acquisition Agreements
- Buy/Sell Agreement
- Vendor Agreements (international and domestic)
- Voluntary Surrender of Collateral Agreement
- Reduction of Personal Guarantees to Asset-based Lender
In addition, here’s a list of some significant transactions I’ve overseen:
- Purchase and Sale of Corporate Headquarters
- Purchase of Domestic Mfg. Concern
- Secured Asset-Based Credit Facility
- Spin-out of three divisions of $50+ Million-dollar company into 3 Separate Entities (extensive involvement by outside counsel)
- Negotiated multi-million-dollar real estate transaction
- Assisted in setting up new businesses, obtaining financing, developing policies and procedures, negotiating leases, securing I.P., and negotiating vendor and customer agreements
- Negotiated business succession plan and buy/sell agreement
- Counseled high net worth client in establishing an integrated estate/business succession plan
Even if your particular circumstances aren’t outlined above, please don’t hesitate to give my office a call. I’m happy to answer questions and, whenever possible, help businesses flourish.
Bar Admissions
- Ohio Supreme Court, 2006
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, 2006
Education
- Juris Doctor, University of Akron School of Law, 2005
- B.S.B.A. (Marketing), University of Akron, 1999
Professional Associations & Membership
- Akron Bar Association
- Ohio Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Business Experience
- Polytuf Brands, Inc., President/General Counsel, 2007-2014
- Schott International, Inc., VP Operations, 2000-2007
Volunteer Experience
- Small Entrepreneur and Economic Development (SEED) Clinic at the University of Akron
- V.A.L.I.D. Clinic
- Community Legal Aid
