Brouse McDowell

Managing Partner: Daniel K. Glessner

Number of partners: 44 Number of lawyers: 78

Offices: Akron, Cleveland, Toledo and Youngstown, Ohio; Sharon, Pennsylvania; Naples, Florida

Firm Overview

Brouse McDowell is a full-service business law firm with nearly 80 attorneys across six offices, serving clients ranging from the nation’s largest corporations to mid-market entities, sole proprietorships, municipalities, and not-for-profit organizations. With more than 100 years of history, the firm is known for its longstanding client base, unwavering service, collaborative approach and vigorous advocacy.

Main Areas of Practice

Business Restructuring, Bankruptcy & Commercial Law:

Assists clients in transactions, multi-party negotiations and litigation concerning the financing of their operations, business reorganization, and debt restructuring, as well as their commercial relationships with customers and vendors. Handles issues arising under the Bankruptcy Code and state receivership statutes, as well as those arising under the Uniform Commercial Code, including sales of goods, leases, checks and negotiable instruments, loan transactions, letters of credit, and security interests and liens.

Business Transactions & Corporate Counseling:

Offers general corporate counseling on all facets of business as well as mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, financing, securities matters, commercial contracts, cybersecurity and data privacy matters, employee benefits, tax issues, franchising and real estate law. Advises a broad range of clients from startups to well-established companies, including publicly traded, privately and closely held, and family-owned businesses in a variety of industries.

Cybersecurity & Data Privacy:

Assists clients with pre-breach and cybersecurity planning, regulatory compliance planning, data privacy transactions and contract review, cyber liability insurance reviews and post-breach remediation to help counteract the threats posed to businesses.

Environmental:

Provides counseling on regulatory matters, including permitting and compliance with federal, state, local and international environmental laws, the environmental risk associated with commercial and corporate transactions, and environmental litigation.

Family Law:

Understands complex and sensitive family matters and has particular experience with domestic relations, juvenile, probate and mediation. Advises clients in cases in Domestic Relations Court and has experience drafting prenuptial agreements. Works closely with our Trusts & Estates, Tax, and other practice groups to provide comprehensive legal counsel to our clients.

Health Care:

Addresses broad legal needs of health care clients including organizational design, regulatory compliance, HIPAA and patient privacy issues, reimbursement, corporate financing, labor and employment, real estate, taxation and employee benefits, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, and litigation, among others. Well-versed in government and industry-sponsored reform initiatives, regulatory restrictions on compensation and other financial arrangements, reimbursement concerns and other issues affecting the ways in which clients do business.

Insurance Recovery:

At the forefront of legal developments in insurance for more than 30 years, including leading critical amicus efforts in federal and state courts. Advises policyholders in navigating insurance claims of all types to maximize net recovery, from claim submission through the resolution of disputes in litigation. Interprets, evaluates and negotiates policy provisions, terms, forms and endorsements; advises on notice and claim presentment issues; evaluates coverage prospects, formulates coverage positions and implements effective coverage litigation strategies; and assists in managing and settling underlying claims.

Labor & Employment:

Advises on employment policies and procedures that are often the cornerstone to providing a strong defense to employee claims. Defends employers in civil rights litigation and handles restrictive covenant and trade secret issues, employment disputes, wrongful discharge and other statutory causes of action such as claims asserted under the Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act and Whistleblower statutes. Counsels employers on issues impacting employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements and works with individuals and businesses to resolve benefit issues arising under state and federal laws, including ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ADEA, ADA and the Affordable Care Act.

Litigation:

Handles contested matters on behalf of large, medium and small businesses and individuals, in many cases coordinating multiple and recurring litigation matters for clients on a nationwide basis. Advises on appeals, alternative dispute resolution, appellate proceedings, arbitration, business litigation, class actions, commercial collections, commercial litigation, construction, copyright infringement, employment, environmental, ERISA, health care, insurance recovery, noncompetition agreements, probate, product liability, real estate, land use, zoning, real estate and title insurance, receiverships, securities, and tax, among others.

Litigation & Information Management:

Focuses on coordination and management of discovery and litigation strategies and projects in both serial and individual complex litigation matters; development and implementation of information governance policies in the digital age; and claims management and administration.

Real Estate & Construction:

Advises on commercial, industrial, retail and residential real estate transactions, real estate development, lease negotiations and construction projects. Assists with public and private construction contracting. Litigates, arbitrates, and mediates real estate and construction disputes, including complex insurance disputes between construction project participants and their insurance carriers. Represents clients in zoning and rezoning, conditional use permits, variances, and land use development. Represents title insurance companies and their insureds in matters involving title claim defense and prosecution.

Tax – Business & Corporate:

Creates and implements plans, structures and instruments so that clients can successfully complete their business transactions while achieving the most favorable tax results. Addresses tax issues relating to formation, structuring and operation of public charities, private foundations, and other tax-exempt organizations. Represents clients in tax controversies.

Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets:

Manages trademark and copyright application process through to registration, and when needed, provides enforcement in both federal and state courts through restraining orders, injunctions, trials and judgments. Defends clients against various allegations of infringement and invalidity.

Trusts & Estates:

Works closely with clients to meet estate planning needs and objectives ranging from simple wills to sophisticated planning techniques involving estate and gift tax planning, succession planning, and special needs trusts. Counsels clients in complex probate and trust administration, including contested estates that result in litigation due to undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and elder abuse. Organizes private family foundations, advises public charities and structures gifts to those organizations.