In more than five decades of practice, Allen has become one of the most recognizable names in the region’s real estate and finance ecosystem. He leads many of the firm’s longstanding relationships with local, regional, and national institutions, and is well known for his extensive work leading real estate negotiations, acquisitions, sales, and financings throughout the United States.
Chambers USA, an international attorney ranking service, highlights his “superior contract negotiation skills and knowledge of the local markets,” and he currently serves as chair emeritus of the firm’s Real Estate + Finance practice.
Banking + Commercial Lending
Allen advises both lenders and borrowers in connection with complex financing transactions involving secured and unsecured multi-facility loan transactions, mezzanine financing, and bond financing.
Real Estate + Financing
Allen uses his extensive experience with real estate transactions, tax valuation issues, and tax exemption matters to help clients navigate the negotiation, documentation, and closing of assets in Ohio and throughout the United States. As one of the region’s most well-respected and established real estate attorneys, his experience includes a tremendous variety of acquisitions, sales, and financings involving office buildings, hotels, parking garages, shopping malls and centers; industrial, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facilities; and multi-family residential projects involving the utilization of public/private partnerships and mixed financing sources (conventional financing, tax credits and bond financing).
- University of Virginia School of Law (J.D., 1972)
- Ohio University (B.A., 1969)
- Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- American Bar Association, Banking and Business Law sections, member
- Columbus Bar Association, Real Property and Business Law committees, member
- National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP), member
- Ohio State Bar Association, Banking, Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Law, Real Property and Natural Resources committees, member
- Upper Arlington Rotary Club, board of directors, past member; Upper Arlington Scholarship Committee, past chair; Community Service Committee, past chair
- Selected as “Lawyer of the Year” in Columbus in the area of Banking + Finance Law by The Best Lawyers in America®, 2023, 2019
- Recognized in Columbus CEO Top Lawyers, 2022, 2023, 2025
- Honored by Chambers USA for expertise in Banking + Finance and Real Estate
- Martindale-Hubbell Rating of AV Preeminent®
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
- Selected to the Ohio Super Lawyers list
- Pilot Guide Dog Foundation, Board of Trustees, Vice President; Past President; Executive Committee, Past Member
- Whetstone Care Center, Board of Trustees, Past Member
- Upper Arlington Rotary, Past - Board of Trustees; Community Service Committee, Chair; Membership Committee, Member; Fundraiser Committee, Member
