January 05, 2009 12:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time 

Ulmer & Berne Elects Three New Partners and Seven Counsel

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ulmer & Berne LLP, a major Ohio-based law firm with four offices throughout the Midwest, announced today that it has elected Yelena Boxer, Stephanie E. Kennedy, and Gregory J. Phillips to the partnership; while David L. Eidelberg, E. Beth Farrell, Pamela K. Ginsburg, Gary S. Greenlee, Karen L. Imbus, Joseph S. Simms, and Linda DelaCourt Summers have been promoted to the position of Counsel.

“Each of these attorneys has made significant contributions to the overall success of Ulmer & Berne,” stated Kip Reader, the Firm’s managing partner. “We are pleased to recognize their efforts.”

Yelena Boxer of the Firm’s Cleveland office currently focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation. She represents publicly traded companies and small businesses in state and federal jurisdictions nationally and is experienced in resolving disputes involving intellectual property, breach of contract, construction, general tort, real estate, products liability, insurance, employment, employee benefits, securities, probate and elections matters. She received her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, magna cum laude graduating Order of the Coif, and her B.Phil. from Miami University, magna cum laude.

Stephanie E. Kennedy of the Firm’s Cleveland office focuses her practice on employment litigation. She includes both large corporations and smaller businesses among her clients and has extensive experience working with business owners, employees, HR departments and corporate counsel in the defense of employment claims. Stephanie has handled a wide range of employment matters including harassment, discrimination, retaliation and wrongful discharge claims, as well as those involving the Family Medical Leave Act and most other employment-related issues. She also counsels employers on avoidance of employment claims and compliance with various federal and state related statutes. She has been recognized as an “Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines. Stephanie earned her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, cum laude, and her B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder, magna cum laude.

Gregory J. Phillips, a trial lawyer in the Firm’s Cleveland office, focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation. His practice includes commercial contract disputes, business torts, product liability defense, antitrust, trade secret and noncompete litigation, and appeals. He was a law clerk to Judge Albert V. Bryan, Jr., U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He has been recognized as an “Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines. Greg received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and his A.B. from Princeton University, magna cum laude.

David L. Eidelberg of the Firm’s Columbus office concentrates his practice on first-party insurance defense litigation, credit life and disability insurance defense litigation, commercial landlord-tenant litigation and workers’ compensation defense. In first-party insurance defense litigation, David’s expertise includes arson fraud, theft fraud, bad faith/punitive damages and coverage issues. David represents shopping centers and others in commercial landlord-tenant litigation. He represents employers with regard to workers' compensation coverage, employer safety compliance, VSSR investigations and hearings and obtaining retroactive coverage. David also practices general commercial litigation. He received his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, cum laude and his B.A. from Oberlin College.

E. Beth Farrell of the Firm’s Cincinnati office focuses her practice on real estate and business law. She is experienced in all aspects of real estate law including the acquisition, sale, development and construction of real estate and is experienced in the representation of owners and tenants in the negotiation, drafting, and reviewing of leases for retail, commercial and industrial properties. Beth's business law practice includes counseling clients on business transactions and general business and corporate governance law. In corporate transactions, she negotiates and drafts documents for both stock and asset transactions for the sale and purchase of businesses. Beth earned her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, her L.L.M. from Capital University Law and Graduate Center, and her B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

Pamela K. Ginsburg of the Firm’s Cincinnati office uses her diverse experience to represent businesses and individuals regarding a wide spectrum of issues, including contract and warranty disputes, claims for breach of fiduciary duty, employment disputes, trust and estate litigation, insurance coverage issues, customer complaints, and general tort litigation. In addition to handling matters in trial and appellate courts, Pamela also has extensive experience in resolving matters through arbitration and mediation. She received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University and her B.A. from Belmont University, cum laude.

Gary S. Greenlee of the Firm’s Cleveland office focuses his practice on insurance coverage, especially first-party property and third-party liability coverage. He counsels insurance companies with respect to complex and extraordinary coverage issues. In addition, he represents insurance companies in coverage litigation, including bad faith claims, declaratory judgment actions and appeals. Gary earned his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and both his B.A. and M.A. from Bowling Green State University.

Karen L. Imbus of the Firm’s Cincinnati office concentrates her practice on employment law and labor relations, including handling arbitrations and unfair labor practice charges before the State Employment Relations Board. Karen also represents clients in general civil litigation matters and has been involved in complex product liability litigation with a concentration on the defense of pharmaceutical companies. She received her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, her M.Sc. from The London School of Economics, and her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.

Joseph S. Simms of the Firm’s Cleveland office focuses his practice on complex business and commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution. He represents public and private companies and individuals in the financial services, banking, brokerage, insurance, real estate, manufacturing and construction industries in a wide array of cases involving breach of contract and fraud claims, issues relating to claims of unfair competition and trade secrets violations, and general tort litigation. Joe also has significant experience representing individuals in domestic relations and family law matters. His primary focus is complex securities litigation and arbitration, financial institution litigation, regulatory investigations and inquiries, and broker-dealer liability defense, in which he represents banks, insurance companies, brokers, broker-dealers and investment advisers in claims involving allegations of professional misconduct. Joe received his J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and his B.A. from The Ohio State University.

Linda DelaCourt Summers of the Firm’s Cleveland office focuses on estate planning, estate administration and taxation. She works with clients to achieve all of the personal and financial goals for proper and complete estate planning from the establishment of a simple trust for minor children to the complex succession planning necessary for the business owner. Linda counsels clients through the probate and estate administration process by advising the fiduciary and the decedent's family on all aspects of a decedent's estate. This includes the preparation and filing of the necessary probate court forms, the payment of any proper debts and expenses, the location and valuation of assets, and the seamless transfer of assets to the beneficiaries. She also focuses on all aspects of taxation, including the preparation and filing of the required state and federal estate tax returns and individual, estate and trust income tax returns. Linda received her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, cum laude, and her B.S.B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Ulmer & Berne LLP, established in 1908, is one of Ohio’s largest law firms. A full-service firm with approximately 175 attorneys in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Chicago, Ulmer & Berne represents publicly traded and privately held companies, financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, family businesses, international joint ventures and affiliations, investor groups, start-ups and emerging businesses, public bodies, and nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.ulmer.com.