Education

• Miami University

  (B.A., 1983)

• Case Western Reserve University School of Law

  (J.D., 1986)

Admissions

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

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

• Represents commercial creditors in out-of-court workouts, foreclosure actions, receiverships, and replevins.
• Represents receivers in asset sales involving operating and non-operating businesses.
• Represents debtors, creditors, and trustees in all aspects of business/commercial Chapter 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcies.
• Represents the interests of commercial landlords in the retail industry when tenant-retailers file for bankruptcy, including issues relating to lease assumptions, modifications, and rejections, cure disputes, and rejection damages claims.
• Represents Chapter 7 trustees in cases involving post-petition inheritance, lien avoidance, exemption challenges, fraudulent transfer, preference avoidance, and asset sales.
• Represents business debtors in out-of-court workouts and restructurings.
• Served as Chapter 11 examiner to investigate potential avoidance actions and claims of business diversion by the debtor’s principal and related entities.

Presentations

• “Commercial Retail Leases in Bankruptcy: You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” William J. O’Neill Great Lakes Regional Bankruptcy Institute (May 2018)
• “Preference Actions,” National Business Institute Bankruptcy Litigation Seminar (November 2014)
• “Sub. H.B. 9 (Receivers): The Taming of the Wild West?” The Ohio Society of CPAs, Financial Institutions Conference (August 2014)
• “Judgment Enforcement,” Lorman Education Services (December 2013)
• “Real Estate Foreclosures as Part of Judgment Enforcement,” Lorman Education Services (December 2013)
• “Receiverships: Finally Free and Clear?!?!” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s 35th Annual Real Estate Law Institute (November 2013)
• “Judgment Enforcement in Ohio: Foreclosures,” Lorman Education Services (November 2008, November 2009, June 2011)
• “Introduction to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code: Claims Process; Priority of Claims; Reclamation and 503(b)(9) Claims,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (December 2009)
• “Protecting Your Collateral,” NACM Midwest Regional Meeting (November 2006)
• “Tight Deadlines and the Limits on Judicial Discretion under BAPCPA,” William J. O’Neill Great Lakes Regional Bankruptcy Institute (May 2006)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (Section Chair, Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section, 2002-2003; Member, Executive Board, 1999-2004; Co-chaired William J. O’Neill Bankruptcy Institute, 1996, 2016; Member, Legislative Review Committee to review Senate Bill 540; Member, Bar Admissions Committee, 1998-present; Member, Committee on Receivership Rules)
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation (Fellow, 2014-present; Board of Directors, 2020-present)
• Ohio State Bar Association (Council of Delegates, 2015-2016; Banking, Commercial, and Bankruptcy Committee, Committee Chair, 2013-2015; Receivership Subcommittee, 2012-present)
• American Board of Certification (Director, 2001-2010; Chair of Standards Committee, 2010; Dean of Faculty, 2006-2008; Executive Committee, 2006-2008, 2010)
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Ohio JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy (Director, 2003-2006; Treasurer, 2003-2006)
• Strategic Planning Committee for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Ohio (Attorney Constituent Member, 1997-2002)
• Notre Dame Academy Bankruptcy for Paralegals Adjunct Professor (1995-1998)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Glenville High School (2010-2011 academic year; co-taught Rights, Responsibilities, Realities, sponsored through CMBA 3R’s program)
• Jane Addams – Design Lab (2011-2012 academic year; co-taught Rights, Responsibilities, Realities, sponsored through CMBA 3R’s program)
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (Volunteer, Bankruptcy Bypass Program, 2009-present)
• Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters Association (Volunteer at Bowl for Kids Sake)
• 1-2-3 Read Program (2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years; assisted in reading program for students in grades 1-3; sponsored by the Cuyahoga County Public Library)

CERTIFICATIONS

• Certified as a specialist in Business Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification (1998-present)

HONORS

• Named to The Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation-Bankruptcy; Commercial Litigation (2008-2024)
• Named to the Ohio Super Lawyers list (2004-2023)
• Named to The BTI Client Service All-Stars (2022)
• Recognized as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the State of Ohio by Super Lawyers (2016; 2021-2023)
• Recognized as one of the Top 50 Lawyers in the city of Cleveland by Super Lawyers (2021-2023)
• AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated – Martindale-Hubbell®

• Ulmer Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 Report
• Ohio Super Lawyers Recognizes 69 Ulmer Attorneys in 2023 Lists
• Ulmer Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2023 Report
• Two Ulmer Partners Named 2022 BTI Client Service All-Stars
• Ohio Super Lawyers Recognizes Ulmer Attorneys in 2022 Lists
• Ulmer Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022 Report
• Ulmer Announces Leadership Change to Corporate Restructuring & Creditors’ Rights Practice and Promotion of Experienced Associate to Counsel
• Ulmer Partner Michael S. Tucker Elected to Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation Board of Directors
• Ohio Super Lawyers Honors Ulmer Attorneys in 2020 Lists
• Best Lawyers® 2020: 60 Ulmer Attorneys Recognized, Two Partners Named “Lawyer of the Year”