CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ulmer & Berne LLP is pleased to announce that it has named Howard Groedel chair of its Business Law Practice Group. The firm also appointed partners Douglas K. Sesnowitz and Marie C. Kuban as the group’s vice chairs. Separately, Ulmer named partner Lori Pittman Haas as vice chair of its Real Estate Practice Group, which is chaired by Mary Forbes Lovett.
Groedel focuses his practice on securities law, corporate transactions and financial services regulation. He counsels broker-dealers, investment advisers, banks, trust companies, private equity funds and other financial institutions with respect to regulatory and governance matters. He also counsels public and privately held companies in the issuance of debt and equity securities, acquisitions and divestitures, Exchange Act reporting requirements, and general corporate transactional and governance matters. A frequent author and speaker on securities law and regulatory subjects, Groedel regularly represents companies and individuals in connection with government and regulatory investigations involving securities and financial regulatory law matters. He earned his B.A. from Miami University (Ohio) and his J.D. from George Washington University Law School.
Sesnowitz counsels public and private companies in a wide range of industries on a variety of corporate matters and has served as general counsel and advisor to many closely held and middle market companies in the manufacturing, distribution, retail, and service industries. Sesnowitz also has significant experience structuring and negotiating mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. He earned his B.A. from Washington University (St. Louis) and his J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
Kuban represents public and private companies and private equity firms in structuring and negotiating corporate acquisitions, divestitures, mergers and joint ventures, and advises on general corporate matters. She also has extensive experience in representing financial institutions and private lenders, as well as borrowers, on asset-based, cash flow, acquisition and other commercial financing transactions, including agented and syndicated loan transactions. She earned her B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University and her J.D. from the Western New England College School of Law.
Haas represents buyers and sellers in the acquisition, disposition, and development of commercial property, including convenience stores with fuel facilities, retail centers, office buildings, and mixed use developments. She advises shopping center developers and commercial property owners in the financing of development projects utilizing Historic Tax Credit, New Markets Tax Credits, construction financing, and conventional financing. She also represents landlords and tenants of commercial real estate (retail, office, and warehouse). Haas earned her B.S.B.A. from Youngstown State University and her J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law.
“Our Business Law and Real Estate Practice Groups form most of the core of the ‘non-litigation’ side of our firm, so ensuring that we have leaders in place who understand our overall firm vision and how it relates to their respective practices is critical to Ulmer’s long-term success,” said Scott Kadish, Ulmer’s Managing Partner. “Howard, Doug, Marie and Lori share common traits with our other practice group leaders throughout the firm. They are all obviously exceptional attorneys, and beyond that, they are strong leaders with a keen understanding of the business of running a successful practice group within the context of the large multi-state law firm. We are proud and excited to welcome them to these leadership roles.”
Ulmer’s Business Law Practice Group helps clients achieve their full potential by combining legal experience with business acumen and creativity. By focusing on its clients’ needs and investing the time to understand their businesses, the group delivers exceptional client service and value. The group represents a wide variety of domestic and foreign businesses, including public companies, private equity groups, venture funds and their portfolio companies, financial institutions, middle market companies, family offices, entrepreneurs, and emerging growth companies in national and international commercial business and cross-border transactions. It also serves as outside general counsel to many of its clients and acts as special counsel to others, either in specialized areas or on a transactional basis.
From the acquisition and financing of a corporate headquarters to the construction of a publicly funded sports facility, Ulmer’s Real Estate Practice Group offers a broad scope of talent and expertise in serving clients across the U.S. The group serves as national leasing counsel to specialty retailers with more than 1,000 stores and locations in almost every state in the U.S., and is regularly engaged by the world’s largest restaurant company for acquisitions and dispositions of locations around the country. The group’s clients also include leading apartment owners and developers, shopping center owners, general contractors, property managers, lenders, investors, municipalities, and school districts.
About Ulmer
At Ulmer, the focus is on exceeding client expectations and delivering superior, customized legal solutions for an exceptional value. From offices in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Chicago, and Boca Raton, the firm's attorneys serve as counselors and partners to a wide range of sophisticated clients to help them solve their complex challenges and achieve their goals. For more information, please visit ulmer.com.