2009-07-30 20:45:02 -

Ulmer & Berne LLP announced that the Firm and seven of its partners have received top rankings in the 2009 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. This is the seventh year in a row that Ulmer & Berne and its attorneys have been ranked so highly.

The Firm was distinguished as a leading law firm in Ohio for its construction, employee benefits & executive compensation, litigation and real estate practices.



Construction: Chambers USA notes that Ulmer & Berne “earns its status as one of Ohio’s leading groups for its exceptional representation of architects, engineers and other design professionals, but it is also skilled at advising owners and contractors. The group is widely praised for its extensive knowledge of the engineering sector and it

has handled a number of important professional, products and premises liability matters.”


Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation: Chambers USA reports that the Firm’s “growing group has expertise in all areas of employee benefits, and is well known as a strong ERISA practice.” The publication also recognizes the group’s handling of work for “a number of prestigious midmarket clients” and references the recent defense of one of these clients in a class action claim for entitlement to retiree medical benefits.



Litigation: Chambers USA recognizes Ulmer & Berne for its sizable litigation practice which “covers the entire spectrum of commercial litigation issues, but particularly excels in products liability cases, complex insurance defense and consumer class actions.

The team is also praised for its IP and employment litigation capabilities.”


Real Estate: Chambers USA details the Firm’s strong reputation for representing companies “in all types of real estate matters throughout Ohio and further afield. The team has been increasingly active in affordable housing, handling a number of substantial national cases. It has also undertaken significant cases for clients involved in the self-storage sector, and continues to handle related acquisition, construction and financing matters.”

Seven Ulmer & Berne partners were recognized by Chambers USA, including.

Joseph A. Castrodale (Litigation), Bill J. Gagliano (Real Estate), Ronald L. Kahn (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation), Marvin L.

Karp (Litigation), Craig S. Miller (Real Estate), Patricia A. Shlonsky (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation), and Michael N. Ungar (Litigation).



Joseph A. Castrodale, a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Business Litigation Practice Group, represents numerous large publicly traded companies and his practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and class action litigation. He also represents clients in shareholder disputes, contract disputes, and UCC matters. Additionally, Joe’s expertise includes all types of ADR proceedings. Joe has also been named an “Ohio Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines and named to Best Lawyers in America by Woodward/White.


Bill J. Gagliano, Chair of the Firm’s Real Estate Group, has more than 25 years of experience. Bill was recognized by Chambers USA for the fifth consecutive year for his “broad-ranging practice which includes affordable housing and representing relevant developers, construction and leasing.” He has also been named to Best Lawyers in America, recognized as an “Ohio Super Lawyer,” and named a “Leading Lawyer” by Inside Business magazine.


Ronald L. Kahn, Chair of the Firm’s Tax Practice Group, has over 30 years of experience and expertise in the areas of taxation and employee benefits. Kahn was recognized by Chambers USA for the fourth straight year for his work in employee benefits and executive compensation. The publication states Ron “is skilled in ESOPs, general plan design and compliance, and multiemployer disputes.” He has also been named to Best Lawyers in America and named an “Ohio Super Lawyer.”


Marvin L. Karp, Chair Emeritus of the Firm’s Litigation Department, has more than 45 years of trial and appellate experience in business, corporate and insurance litigation. He was honored by Chambers USA as a Senior Statesman in Ohio. The publication recognized Marv as “one of the most accomplished litigators in the state,” saying “sources laud his experience and busy caseload.” In 2007, Karp received The Ohio Bar Medal for “unusually meritorious service to the legal profession and the community.” He has also been recognized as one of the Top 10 attorneys in Ohio, and has been listed in every edition of Best Lawyers in America since 1983.



Craig S. Miller, Chair of Ulmer & Berne’s Public Law Group, has over 30 years of experience. He has been distinguished by Chambers USA for his “zoning expertise in projects in the city of Cleveland and the wider Ohio districts.” Craig has also been recognized as an “Ohio Super Lawyer” and a “Leading Lawyer.”


Patricia A. Shlonsky, Chair of the Firm’s Employee Benefits Group, has more than 20 years of experience assisting clients in the establishment, qualification and maintenance of all types of employee benefit plans. Patty is noted in Chambers “for dealing with ERISA litigation and subsequent M&A concerns, and has a broad range of expertise.” Patty has also been recognized as a “Top 50 Female Super Lawyer”, named to Best Lawyers in America and also listed as a “Top Lawyer” by Northern Ohio Live magazine.



Michael N. Ungar, Chair of the Litigation Department, has a national business litigation practice that encompasses a broad range of general business disputes, with a focus on banking, securities and broker-dealer matters, class actions and other types of complex litigation, including defense of shareholder and derivative claims, trade secrets/unfair competition, SEC, NASD and NYSE investigations, and professional liability. Chambers USA notes Mike’s activity in a range of national business cases and class actions and his focus on commercial and financial matters. He has also been recognized as one of the Top 10 attorneys in Ohio and an “Ohio Super Lawyer,” named to Best Lawyers in America, and selected as a Leading Lawyer.

Chambers has been publishing legal directories for over 20 years.

The US directory lists top attorneys by state. The attorneys listed were chosen after more than 50 full-time researchers conducted thousands of interviews with clients and attorneys. According to Chambers & Partners, law firms and individual attorneys are ranked based on “technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment and other qualities most valued by the client.” The directory also includes comments on each attorney that come directly from the interviews conducted by the researchers.

Ulmer & Berne, 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 : .



Ulmer & Berne LLPKimberly G. Schmittel, direct 216-583-7388Marketing
Managerdirect fax 216-583-7389 kschmittel@ulmer.com : mailto:kschmittel@ulmer.com