Education

• John Carroll University

  (B.S.B.A., Finance, cum laude, 1977) William J. Millor, S.J. Orator, 1977

• Case Western Reserve University School of Law

  (J.D., 1980) Member, National Moot Court Team, Dean Dunmore Award Recipient

Admissions

• State of Ohio
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
• U.S. Tax Court

Client Alerts

• “New Property Values? Time to Appeal,” Ulmer & Berne LLP, Client Alert (February 2016)

Publications

• “Cool Pools Rule: Development and Financing of 21st Century Student Housing; Public Private Partnerships and Other Private Housing Development,” American College of Real Estate Lawyers (October 2015)
• “CBLR – CDO Business Law Brown Bag,” Case Western Reserve University School of Law (February 2014)
• Opinion Letter Roundtable, Presenter, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Real Estate Law Institute (November 2011)
• “Real Estate Practice Survey – What’s Market in Cleveland, ” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Real Estate Law Institute(October 2010)
• “Loan Workout Situations Require Analysis of Nonrecourse Carveouts,” Author, Business First’s Commercial Developers Resource (February 2010)
• “Commercial Financing To Remain a Struggle in 2010,” Author, Commercial Real Estate News (January 2010)
• “Roundtable: Legal Issues,” Midwest Real Estate News (June 2008)
• “TIFs Provide a Versatile Funding Source for Development,” Author, Inside Business Magazine (September 2000)
• “Reforging the Boilerplate: Another Look at Standard Real Estate Contract Provisions,” Author, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (October 2004)
• “It’s Property Tax Time Again,” Author, Properties (January 2010)
• “What’s in the Future for the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program?,” Author, Properties (January 2008)
• “Compensation Review a Key Feature of Corporate Governance Even for Non-Profits,” Author, Business and Tax Law Letter, Ulmer & Berne LLP (November 2003)

Presentations

General Real Estate Topics

• “Cool Pools Rule: Development and Financing of 21st Century Student Housing; Public Private Partnerships and Other Private Housing Development,” American College of Real Estate Lawyers (October 2015)
• “CBLR – CDO Business Law Brown Bag,” Case Western Reserve University School of Law (February 2014)
• Opinion Letter Roundtable, Presenter, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Real Estate Law Institute (November 2011)
• “Real Estate Practice Survey – What’s Market in Cleveland, ” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Real Estate Law Institute (October 2010)
• “Springing Liability:  Will the ‘Bad Boy’ Trap Spring Shut,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Real Estate Law Institute (October 2009)
• NAIOP Developing Leaders and The Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club Annual Leadership Series, Panelist (June 2009)
• “Legal Basics of Buying and Selling Property Out of Bankruptcy,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Real Estate Institute (November 2008)
• “Sandtraps and Other Hazards: Due Diligence in Buying and Selling Golf Course Properties,” Moderator, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (November 2007)
• “Today’s Real Estate Law Practice,” Speaker, CWRU Law School Business Law Brown Bag Lunch Series (January 2007)
• “Title Insurance Controlled Business Arrangements,” Speaker, NorthStar Title Real Estate Forecast 2007 (January 2007)
• “More Tax Nuggets for Real Estate Lawyers – 2006 Edition,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (October 2006)
• The Commercial Real Estate Deal Maker Forum, Moderator, Cleveland, Ohio (Annually, 2000-present)
• “Tax Nuggets for Real Estate Lawyers,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (October 2005)
• “Fundamentals of Ohio Mechanic’s Liens for the General Contractor on the Commercial Project,” Speaker and Author (Summer 2001)
• “The Use of Single Member LLCs in Real Estate Transactions,” Speaker (Spring 1998)
• “The Enforcement of Arbitration Clauses in Bankruptcy,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Bar Association Bankruptcy Institute (December 1998)

Leasing Topics

• “Exit Strategies in Retail and Office Leasing,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (October 2003)
• “Defaults and Remedies Under Commercial Leases,” Speaker, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (October 2002)
• “Litigating Lease Disputes: The Covenant of Continuous Operation,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (November 1999)
• “Mixed Use Commercial Development,” Panel Moderator, Cleveland Bar Real Estate Institute (November 1998)

Property Taxation Topics

• “Property Tax Issues for Affordable Housing Projects,” Speaker, Ohio Housing Council’s Spring Symposium, Columbus, Ohio (April 2004)
• “Property Taxation in Ohio,” Speaker and Author, National Business Institute (December 2002, September 2001, September 2000, September 1999, and September 1998)
• “Community Reinvestment Area and Enterprise Zone Tax Abatement in Ohio,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (October 2001)
• “Board of Revision Procedures,” Panel Moderator, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (November 2000)
• “Real Estate Tax Complaints,” Panel Moderator, Cleveland Bar Association Real Estate Institute (October 1997)

Corporate Governance Topics

• “Designing Executive Compensation,” George A. Leet Business Law Symposium (October 2012)
• “High Performance in Non-Profit Boards:  Adding Value and Impact,” Panelist, National Association of Corporate Directors Annual Corporate Governance Conference, Washington, D.C. (October 2007)
• “Advantages of a Public Company Governance Mindset In the Nonprofit Boardroom,” Panelist, National Association of Corporate Directors Annual Corporate Governance Conference, Washington, D.C. (October 2006)
• “New Executive Compensation Disclosure Rules,” Presentation to Association of Corporate Counsel of America (ACCA), Central Ohio Chapter, Columbus, Ohio (April 2006)
•  “Investor and Governmental Response to the Perceived Crisis in Executive Pay,” Slam Dunk Corporate Governance (February 2006)
• “Role of the Board, CEO and Shareholders in Succession Planning,” Panelist, National Association of Corporate Directors Annual Corporate Governance Conference, Washington, D.C. (October 2005)
• “Executive Compensation or Executive Headache: Avoiding IRS Sanctions,” Speaker, Presentation at Non-Profit Spring Lecture Series (May 2004)
• “Corporate Governance Standards Applicable to Executive Compensation,” Speaker and Author, Cleveland Bar Association Securities Law Institute (February 2004)
• “Corporate Governance Standards,” Speaker and Author, Private Board Presentation, Cleveland, Ohio (December 2003)
• “Governance Committees: Structure, Roles and Responsibilities,” Speaker, National Association of Corporate Directors Annual Corporate Governance Conference, Washington, D.C. (October 2003)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• American College of Real Estate Lawyers (Fellow)
• American Bar Association (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section; Forum on Construction Industry; Affordable Housing and Community Development Law Forum)
• Ohio State Bar Association (Real Estate Section)
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (Real Estate Section)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• John Carroll University (Member, Board of Directors, 2023-present)
• SPACES (Board of Directors, 2019-present; Board President, 2023-present)
• Gordon Square Arts District (Board of Directors, 2017-2019)
• Case Western Reserve University School of Law (Member, Alumni Advisory Board, Center for Business Law & Regulation 2011-2019)
• American Red Cross Greater Cleveland Chapter (Member, Board of Directors 1987-2000; 2011-2014)
• American Red Cross National Board of Governors (Member June 2000-May 2006; Vice Chairman 2005-2006; Executive Committee Member 2003-2006; Former Chairman, Governance/Executive Compensation Committee 2003-2005)

FIRM INVOLVEMENT 

• Committee on Legal Opinions (Former Member)
• Real Estate Practice, Chair (1999-2014)

HONORS

• Ranked as one of Ohio’s “Leaders in Their Field” in Real Estate by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2005-2019)
• Fellow, American College of Real Estate Lawyers
• AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated – Martindale-Hubbell
• Designated Best Lawyers Litigation – Real Estate “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland (2015)
• Designated Best Lawyers Construction Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland (2014; 2020)
• Named to The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law; Construction Law; Litigation – Real Estate (2007-2020)
• Society of Benchers, Case Western Reserve University School of Law
• Selected to appear in Midwest Real Estate News’ Forty Plus Over 40 Feature (December 2007)
• Named to the Ohio Super Lawyers list (2004-2020)
• Named a “Leading Lawyer” by Inside Business magazine (2003-2011)
• Named a Top Rated Lawyer in Construction Law by American Lawyer Media (2012)

• Ohio Super Lawyers Honors Ulmer Attorneys in 2020 Lists
• Best Lawyers® 2020: 60 Ulmer Attorneys Recognized, Two Partners Named “Lawyer of the Year”
• Bill J. Gagliano Appointed to SPACES Board of Directors
• Ulmer & Berne Receives Top Rankings from Chambers USA