December 2001
Vol. 10, Issue 4
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Gerald Chattman Becomes Shareholder-in-Charge
Jerry Chattman will assume the role of Shareholder-in-Charge of the Cleveland office. He plans to work closely with Terry Vincent, who has been providing effective leadership for us. I know that both new and ongoing clients will continue to receive the responsive, client-centered service we have offered since our Firm's founding in 1913.

In joining Buckingham, the attorneys from the Chattman firm are also continuing a long tradition of service. Gerald Chattman's father, Harold M. Chattman, established the Chattman firm, and since that time, the firm has built an excellent reputation for commitment to the welfare of their clients. We know that the attorneys from the Chattman firm are looking forward to having BDB's extensive resources to draw on as they take their practices to the next level.

New Attorneys From the Firm of Chattman, Gaines & Stern
So that you can get to know a bit about the outstanding individuals who are joining or have joined our Cleveland office in 2001, here is some information on their backgrounds and achievements:

Gerald B. Chattman – Shareholder, Employment Law Practice Group 
My long-time friend Jerry Chattman has been the managing partner of Chattman, Gaines & Stern and has been providing labor and corporate services to Cleveland-area companies since he passed the bar exam in 1967 with the second-highest score in the state. He also advises non-profit organizations on a range of governance issues including grants and process conflicts. An adjunct professor at both Case Western Reserve Law School and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Jerry is a frequent speaker on arbitration, brief writing and advocacy. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America® (2001-2002) and has recently published his first novel, An Education in Murder.

Jerry is the March of Dimes State of Ohio Chairman and Northern Regional Chairman, National Office of Volunteers, and is the Bellefaire Jewish Children’s Bureau President and Life Trustee. He is a member of the Rape Crisis Center Board, the Center for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Board, and the United Way of Cleveland Panel.

Lawrence Friedlander – Of Counsel, Workers’ Compensation Practice Group
Lawrence focuses his practice on Workers’ Compensation, Social Security, personal injury, civil litigation, administrative hearings and appeals, arbitration, children’s rights and negligence. He has served as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association and the Common Pleas Court. He frequently speaks to employer groups concerning the impact and operation of the Workers’ Compensation law in Ohio.

Morris L. Hawk – Associate, Employment Law Practice Group
Morris, who focuses his practice on labor, employment and employee benefits law, has written many articles, frequently publishing in the Ohio Staffing Services Association Newsletter. His most recent article is titled “‘Tempnapping’: A Legal Update and Some Practical Tips for Members of the OSSA.” An earlier publication is “The Nuts and Bolts of Making Reasonable Accommodations for Disabled Employees Under the Americans With Disabilities Act.”

Dale A. Nowak – Of Counsel, Litigation Practice Group
Dale’s areas of expertise include personal injury, Workers’ Compensation, civil litigation and appellate practice. He frequently writes and speaks on developments in Ohio’s Workers’ Compensation law and on practical approaches to minimizing Workers’ Compensation costs. He has served as an instructor at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, teaching legal writing, advocacy, research and appellate practice.

Douglas J. Paul – Shareholder, Litigation and Employment Law Practice Groups
Doug’s legal expertise covers employment law, business and construction litigation, computer law and mediation. He has a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV, indicating very high to preeminent legal ability and ethical standards as established by confidential opinions from members of the bar. He is a frequent presenter at seminars on employment discrimination, sexual harassment, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), covenants not-to-compete and other employment issues. Doug is an adjunct faculty member at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in trial advocacy.

Ronald F. Wayne – Shareholder, Trusts & Estates Practice Group
Ron focuses his practice on probate, estate law, elder law and taxation. He administers complex trusts and probate estates in Ohio and Florida and is routinely engaged to design and implement multi-generational family estate and business succession plans. He is actively involved in representing individuals before the Internal Revenue Service in estate, gift and personal income tax controversies. Ron also has a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV. He lectures on behalf of brokerage houses, insurers and financial planners on estate planning and charitable giving techniques.

Ron’s publications include “What Every Ohio Lawyer Should Know About Florida Law” and “Elder Law: Taking Control of the Planning Process.” He is a member of the Planned Giving Advisory Committee of University Hospitals and the Planned Giving Committee of the March of Dimes.

Additional Attorneys Who Are New to Buckingham’s Cleveland Office
In addition to describing this great group of attorneys from the Chattman firm, I would like to tell you a bit about three others who have joined the Cleveland office in 2001.

Anne Markowski – Staff Attorney, Medical Malpractice Defense Practice Group
Before joining Buckingham, Anne was an attorney in the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office in Dayton. She worked in the Child Support Enforcement Division in the process of establishing paternity and collecting child support. She also served the Grand Jury Division, where she presented felony cases to the Grand Jury.

Beth A. Nagel – Associate, Medical Malpractice Defense Practice Group
Beth was a litigation associate with Gallager, Sharp, Fulton & Norman before joining us this year. Her practice areas are medical malpractice, personal injury and general liability. Prior to obtaining her law degree, Beth was a staff nurse with Columbia St. Luke’s Medical Center, Cleveland Psychiatric Institute.

Michael R. Shanabruch – Staff Attorney, Real Estate & Construction Law and Litigation Practice Groups
Mike came to us after serving as a staff attorney for the Honorable José A. Villanueva of the Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas, conducting case management and pretrial conferences and drafting opinions. He also has extensive experience in appellate work, including winning reversals in insurance and unemployment compensation cases and arguing before the Eighth Court of Appeals. In addition, Mike served as a judicial clerk in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Division.

Plans for the Future
We are fortunate to have such an impressive list of attorneys to add to our roster in the Cleveland office. This process goes on: We continue to search for attorneys and firms whose practices complement our own. In particular we are building our basic business practice to enhance the service we provide to companies throughout Greater Cleveland.

Let me close by wishing you and your families the best holiday season ever, and continuing good health and prosperity in the New Year.

Nicholas T. George, Esq. is Buckingham’s President and is a member of the Business Law and Real Estate & Construction Law Practice Groups.  He can be contacted by email at ngeorge@bdblaw.com or at 330.258.6498.


Save The Date for these Upcoming Presentations:
Business Law Practice Group
On January 10, 2002: Steven A. Armatas (Canton, Ohio Office) will be the featured speaker for the University of Arkansas Distance Learning Forum, via satellite transmission to Little Rock, Arkansas.  The topic will be Evolving Rules of Copyright in Distance Learning.  For additional information, contact the University of Arkansas at 501.575.6999.

Real Estate & Construction Law Practice Group
On January 31, 2002: Kenneth A. Fisher (Columbus, Ohio Office) will speak on Construction Law Case Studies at the Central Ohio Construction Exposition Program.  For additional information, contact the Central Ohio Construction Exposition at www.bx.org.

On February 28, 2002: the Real Estate & Construction Law Practice Group will hold its annual Complimentary Seminar at the Hilton West in Akron, Ohio.  The topics will be Commercial Leases, Mechanics' Liens, The Anatomy of a Construction Contract, Bill 272, and updates & information on Hot Topics. For additional information, contact Maria Hawkins by email at mhawkins@bdblaw.com or at 330.258.6478.

Intellectual Property Practice Group
On February 27, 2002: Steven A. Armatas, David P. Dureska (Canton, Ohio Office), Louis F. Wagner, and Philip R. Wiese (Akron, Ohio Office) will be presenters for the Greater Canton Advertisers Association being held at the Kent State University – Stark Professional Education and Conference Center.  The topics will be Copyright Law: From the Basics to Issues in the Digital Age, Litigating Patent Law Cases, Internet Jurisdiction: Law of Unintended Consequences, and Cybersquatting & Gatoring: The Last Wild Wild West Frontier.  For additional information, contact The Canton Advertisers Association at 330.477.0706.

Out and About – Recent Presentations:

Employment Law Practice Group
Jan E. Hensel, Anna M. Seidensticker and Julie M. Young (Columbus, Ohio Office) spoke on employment law issues at the Employment Law Seminar for the Ohio Association of Medical Equipment on November 14, 2001.

Jan E. Hensel also presented Avoiding the Pitfalls of Hiring, Firing, and Employee Discipline to the Miami Valley Director of Nursing Association.

Finance & Public Law Practice Group
Thomas R. Trotter, Candace Campbell Jackson and Stephen M. Hammersmith (Akron, Ohio Office) presented at Buckingham’s Seminar for Newly Elected Public Officials, Law Directors & General Counsel on November 30, 2001.  The topics were Open Meetings, Public Records and Ethics.

Health Law Practice Group
Thomas W. Hess (Columbus, Ohio Office) presented Nursing Home Litigation – Case Management from Investigation to Trial, sponsored by the National Business Institute.

Litigation Practice Group
Patrick J. Keating, John L. Reyes and Philip R. Wiese (Akron, Ohio Office) in conjunction with Lorman Education Services, presented Bankruptcy: A Creditor’s Perspective in Ohio.

Real Estate & Construction Law Practice Group
Kenneth A. Fisher (Columbus, Ohio Office) presented What Is ADR and Is It Right For You to the American Institute of Architects - Columbus Chapter Program in Columbus, Ohio on November 7, 2001.  In addition, Ken presented Economic Loss Rule and Design-Build Construction Contracting and Insurance Considerations to Professional Education Systems, Inc. on December 7, 2001.  He also spoke to the National Business Institute program in Columbus, Ohio on Construction Contract Clauses in Ohio on December 12, 2001. 

Donald B. Leach, Jr. (Columbus, Ohio Office) was a presenter at the Schneider Lumber Contractor Series on December 4, 2001 and his topic was Basic Construction Contracting Principles.  Don also presented Economic Loss Rule and Design-Build Construction Contracting and Insurance Considerations to Professional Education Systems, Inc. on December 5 and 6, 2001.

Taxation and Employee Benefits Practice Group
David J. Lewis (Akron, Ohio Office) and Terry Vincent (Cleveland, Ohio Office) presented on Tax Fraud at the National Tax Conference.

David J. Lewis spoke on Tax Practitioner’s Privilege at the Cleveland Tax Institute on October 18, 2001 and presented How to be a Lawyer and a Christian Too, to the Holy Assumption Orthodox Church in Canton, Ohio in November.

Robert W. Malone (Akron, Ohio Office) presented Tax Consequences of Exiting Partnerships at the Cleveland Tax Institute.

Trusts & Estates Law Practice Group
Jeffery A. Halm (Canton, Ohio Office) spoke to the Canton Business Network on Estate Planning Opportunities Under the New Tax Law.

Workers’ Compensation Practice Group
Brett L. Miller (Columbus, Ohio Office) was a speaker at the Workers’ Compensation in Ohio Seminar sponsored by Lorman Education Services on November 16, 2001.  His topics were Intentional Torts, VSSR’s and Retaliatory Discharge.

If you are interested in having a speaker from BDB make a presentation to your organization, please contact: Cheryl Warren, Director of Client Relations and Marketing 800.686.2825 ext. 546 or cwarren@bdblaw.com


At BDB we are always improving our processes so that we operate efficiently and effectively. Please let us know how you like our new broadcast format. E-mail: bdb@bdblaw.com Phone: 330.258.6473 Fax: 330.252.5473. 
Thank you.