Biography

Cody is an experienced business lawyer and serves outside general counsel to corporate clients throughout every stage of the business lifecycle, from startup and formation through capital raising and, ultimately, exit, including M+A, corporate finance, and succession planning. He joined Kegler Brown in 2019 after clerking for the firm as a law school summer associate.

Corporate Law and M+A

Cody serves as outside general counsel to a number of clients. He has developed strong relationships through which he is able to provide counsel to businesses and entrepreneurs during every stage of the business life cycle, from entity formation to succession planning. He assists business owners and in-house counsel with M+A due diligence, filings and exceptions, and securities planning. Cody provides essential assistance to both buyers and sellers, especially growth-stage companies interested in accelerating their growth through acquisitions, or seeking an exit.

Estate Planning + Business Succession Planning

Cody works with high-net-worth families in the planning and implementation of a variety of strategies with their goals in mind, including estate and income tax planning, asset protection, charitable giving, and special needs planning. He is experienced in drafting complex estate plans for sophisticated individuals with taxable or complicated estates.

He advises both new and established businesses in matters related to organization, capitalization, finance and structure, contract negotiation, and the fiduciary duties of an organization’s directors and officers. He helps business and individual clients identify, protect and preserve their assets by providing counsel on issues regarding estate planning and succession planning for business owners, such as buy-sell agreements and wealth transfer strategies. He also assists clients with succession planning, helping to make sure that their legacy is honored and wealth is distributed when and where they want.

Gaming + Sports Betting

Cody advises businesses in the gaming industry with respect to entity formation, corporate governance, and licensing requirements in the state of Ohio. Cody advises restaurants, bars, and other establishments in the state of Ohio on legal and effective strategies to offer sports gaming to their patrons. Cody works to understand the specific needs and goals of each gaming client to give tailored advice on how to comply with the various and ever-changing laws and regulations affecting the industry. He counsels clients on a variety of issues, including preparing agreements between hosts and proprietors concerning the provision of sports gaming, drafts lease agreements for gaming businesses entering the Ohio market, drafting licensing documents, and advocating on our gaming clients’ behalf before the Ohio Lottery and Ohio Casino Control Commission. He also advises gaming businesses with respect to strategic acquisitions and mergers.

Real Estate

Cody assists clients in the development, acquisition, disposition, and leasing of commercial and residential properties. He has experience in associated real estate matters, including real estate transactions, zoning, and public and private improvements.

Practice Areas

Education

  • University of Dayton School of Law (J.D., 2019)
    • Summa cum laude
    • University of Dayton Law Review, business editor
  • The Ohio State University (B.S., 2016)
    • Summa cum laude

Bar Admissions

  • Ohio

Professional Affiliations

  • Columbus Bar Association, member
  • American Bar Association, member
  • Ohio State Bar Association, member

Special Honors

  • Graduated first in his class from the University of Dayton School of Law in 2019

Charitable + Civic Involvement

  • Open Door Columbus (Columbus Center for Human Services), board of directors