Firm News

Kegler, Brown, Hill + Ritter continues to build on previous Chambers & Partners rankings and was once again honored by one of the world’s premier guides to legal resources. This year, Don Gregory, a director and chair of the firm’s construction practice, and litigator Thomas W. Hill maintained their prestigious “Band 1” rankings. Don remains one of only four lawyers in Ohio to receive this honor and Tom is only one of seven commercial litigators to hold this designation.

This year’s honors included improved rankings for several of the firm’s listed attorneys.

• M+A practice area chair Todd Kegler increased his ranking to “Band 2”
• Steve Barsotti, an intellectual property lawyer, is now ranked in “Band 3”
• Construction attorney Mike Madigan and employment law area co-chair Brendan Feheley both earned acclaim as “Up and Coming” attorneys in their respective areas

The firm was also recognized in the internationally acclaimed non-US Chambers publication, Chambers Global, which identified Vinita Mehra as an “Expert Based Abroad” for Indian companies and also ranked her nationally as a “Foreign Expert” for matters related to India.

Chambers & Partners is an independent company that awards rankings to practice areas and attorneys in Ohio, nationally and internationally. The objective process follows three steps: submissions put forward by legal practices, interviews during the course of research, and Chambers’ own database resources. Only select attorneys and practice areas are ranked in “bands” from 1-6, with 1 recognizing the highest honor. Complete rankings for Kegler Brown are outlined below (quotations used when they "sum up the prevailing opinion in the market," as offered by Chambers).

The following attorneys have received a ranking of “Band 1” by Chambers USA 2015:

Don Gregory (Construction)
Practice chair Donald Gregory is "truly excellent when it comes to construction law and litigation," notes an impressed client. Gregory represents the full spectrum of construction clients on both contentious and non-contentious matters.

Thomas W. Hill (Litigation)
Thomas Hill has more than 35 years' experience in business litigation and intellectual property disputes. A source notes him as "one of the finest lawyers in the community."

The following attorneys have received a ranking of “Band 2” by Chambers USA 2015:

Richard C. Brahm (Land Use + Zoning)
Richard Brahm focuses his practice largely on zoning, annexation and land use issues. He has extensive experience representing clients in front of zoning boards of appeal and planning commissions and is noted for his strong relationships with a number of Ohio municipalities.

Lawrence Feheley (Labor + Employment)
Lawrence Feheley is "one of the finest, most impressive attorneys around," according to a client. He handles a range of labor and employment matters.

Allen L. Handlan (Banking + Finance)
Practice chair Allen Handlan heads the banking and commercial lending practice. He advises a large number of borrowers and lenders and enjoys a fine track record for his work in the manufacturing, retail and technology sectors.

Chuck Kegler (Corporate / M+A)
Chuck Kegler is praised by clients for his corporate expertise, noting that "his breadth of knowledge and skills is a great strength." He has substantial experience across a range of areas, including M+A, estate planning and general corporate advice.

Todd M. Kegler (Corporate / M+A)
Todd Kegler chairs the firm’s M+A practice and provides "exceptional customer service." He frequently works on transactions, such as mergers, acquisitions and divestitures as part of a broader corporate practice.

Scott Doran (Environmental)
Scott Dorani is lauded for his expertise in wetland work and water issues. His clients include a range of regulated utilities.

The following attorneys have received a ranking of “Band 3” by Chambers USA 2015:

Stephen C. Barsotti (IP)
Stephen Barsotti handles IP matters as part of a broader practice and works with clients in the technology and startup areas. Clients describe him as "a good communicator and very smart in thinking through structures, whether it's funding or partnership agreements. He has a real business mind."

Allen L. Handlan (Real Estate)
Allen Handlan has "strength is his breadth of experience" describes a source. He works with a range of financial institutions on financing matters.

Martijn Steger (Corporate / M+A)
Martijn Steger heads up the dedicated international commercial practice. He concentrates on matters involving global business law, IP and litigation. He frequently advises clients on their international strategies and transactions. He also advises clients on how to structure new businesses.

Larry J. McClatchey (Bankruptcy + Restructuring)
Larry McClatchey co-heads the creditors' rights and bankruptcy group. Clients praise his "solution-oriented" approach. Larry advises both debtors and creditors and has a strong litigation experience.

Roger P. Sugarman (Litigation)
Roger Sugarman is a seasoned litigator with specific expertise in securities matters, among other things. He is "extremely good to work with and interacts well with clients," notes a source.

The following attorneys have received a ranking of “Band 4” by Chambers USA 2015:

John Brody (Bankruptcy & Restructuring)
John Brody is "not only a good attorney and a good litigator, but also has a good business mind, as well," states a client.

Loriann Fuhrer (Litigation)
Loriann Fuhrer regularly leads on disputes concerning entities in the financial sector. "She is a wonderful person and a very knowledgeable practitioner."

Foreign Expert in Corporate Mergers + Acquisitions Practice Area

Vinita Mehra (Corporate / M+A)
Vinita Mehra has particular expertise in corporate law and advising clients on matters relating to India. One client notes, "she is very knowledgeable and thorough.” I have confidence that once we have agreed on a direction, we are not leaving ourselves vulnerable in our international dealings."

Up + Coming Attorneys

Michael Madigan (Construction)
As a new director, Michael Madigan handles mediations and represents a range of contractors. Clients describe his work by saying, "Mike has followed through and handled depositions, communications and all aspects of the legal process in the most professional manner."

Brendan Feheley (Labor + Employment)
As co-chair of the employment law practice, Brendan Feheley sources highlight him as having "wisdom well beyond his years."

Associates to Watch

Erin C. Herbst (IP)
Associate, Erin C. Herbst, is praised for being "very practical in her approach and thorough in her execution." She is noted for her expertise in tax and securities, in addition to IP work.

The following practice areas received rankings from Chambers USA 2015:

Corporate / M+A
The Columbus office is the focus for this firm's recently seen significant growth in both deals undertaken and in diversity of client base. This practice area is known for maintaining a focus on midmarket transactions for a range of clients, while gaining particular recognition for its extensive expertise in advising educational institutions in cross-border projects. One key work highlight includes representing Resource, a digital marketing company, in its acquisition of Ammirati.

SOURCES SAY: "The attention to detail in all matters has been exceptional and their learning curve on our particular matters was very short, saving us time and money."

Banking + Finance
Maintaining a particularly strong presence in the Columbus market, the team acts for regional, national and international clients and is particularly noted for its role as counsel to high-profile banks and real estate developers on a range of complex transactions. Key clients include Fifth Third Bank, Huntington National Bank and JPMorgan Chase.

SOURCES SAY: "They are very easy to work with, they are very responsive and they provide creative solutions."

Bankruptcy + Restructuring
The practice is known for representing a range of different financial institutions and maintaining particular expertise in commercial foreclosures and loan workouts.

SOURCES SAY: "They are very attentive, and they are always very good at bringing back the information I need very quickly."

Construction
The team maintains a strong reputation for representing subcontractors in a range of construction issues, including contract drafting and legislative development, both locally and across the country. Significant work includes advising Columbus Downtown Development on its $50 million redevelopment project on the west bank of the riverfront in downtown Columbus.

SOURCES SAY: "Their knowledge in the area of our claim has been rewarding in many aspects, and the client service we have received has been outstanding."

Labor + Employment
With a significant practice in the Columbus market, the team's broad experience encompasses non-compete agreements, employment litigation and work stemming from the FLSA. A key highlight includes successfully representing Gordon Food Service in a case concerning the ADA.

SOURCES SAY: "Their professional standards are at the top of the pack in this market and the individual lawyers are all highly competent. The quality of advice is very high and knowledge of the sector is fresh, relevant and informed."

Litigation
One of the largest litigation groups in Ohio, the team has a well-established reputation for litigating and trying cases. This fantastic litigation practice handles a wide variety of business disputes, including antitrust and complex commercial litigation. Bank of America, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and Catholic Diocese of Columbus are a few of the significant clients the firm has served.

SOURCES SAY: "Performance has been excellent."

Intellectual Property
Both main offices, Columbus and Cleveland, provide IP counsel on a range of matters, including technology licensing and IP commercialization. They are known for representing clients in the public, private and nonprofit arenas, but have a particular focus on the manufacturing and transportation sectors.

SOURCES SAY: "Their performance was outstanding. They deliver high quality at a reasonable price."

Real Estate
Known for representing buyers, sellers and developers in the full range of real estate matters, the lawyers in this practice provide clients with expertise on a genuinely statewide level. A work highlight includes advising Crawford Hoying on its $300 million Bridge Park project in Dublin, Ohio.

SOURCES SAY: "They have performed wonderfully. The nice thing is that they have a lot of in-house resources, which keeps our costs down. They are very responsive and timely."