Type: News
Date: 02/09/2015

Taft Adds Two New Members to Executive Committee

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP is pleased to announce that the firm has added two new members to its leadership team. The new executive committee members are Indianapolis Partner Thomas A. Barnard and Columbus Partner Catherine T. Dunlay.

Taft’s executive committee consists of 12 members spanning six of its offices in the Midwest. According to Managing Partner Thomas T. Terp, firm leadership “worked very hard to be mindful of ‘proportionality’ among offices, practice groups and other constituencies within the firm when making decisions about committee assignments.” Following are short biographies of the 12 executive committee members.
 

Managing Partner Thomas T. Terp has concentrated on commercial litigation and environmental matters for the past 35 years. He has represented clients throughout the United States, frequently in precedent-setting litigation. He also has advised clients on environmental issues in connection with real estate transfers, loan transactions and mergers and acquisitions.

Indianapolis Partner Thomas A. Barnard has substantial personal experience in complex litigation, particularly involving environmental, insurance coverage, takings and securities issues. For over 26 years, he has represented clients in federal and state courts from Indiana to Washington, D.C. Barnard was the primary drafter of Indiana’s Environmental Audit Privilege law, and when the bill passed in 1996, Indiana became only the second state in the country to provide litigation protection for companies conducting compliance audits.

Cleveland Partner Howard J. Bobrow counsels private equity and venture capital funds and other institutional investors, as well as angel investors, on all aspects of acquisitions, dispositions, capital formation, and private placements. He has a wide range of experience with structuring and closing a myriad of early-stage and growth-stage capital formation transactions, including technology validation, technology transfer, technology licensing, seed investment, early-stage investment and follow-on investment transactions.

Indianapolis Partner Frank J. Deveau has advised and defended clients in relation to environmental litigation involving private parties and federal and state government for over 30 years. He has also assisted clients in administrative proceedings, obtaining and maintaining compliance with all types of environmental permits. Deveau also advises clients in relation to environmental issues relating to insurance coverage, brownfield redevelopment and property transfers, with projects ranging from multi-million dollar industrial sites to commercial properties.

Cincinnati Partner W. Stuart Dornette has substantial personal experience in complex litigation — particularly involving financial, corporate and securities issues — in state and federal courts within and outside Ohio. He has also represented the Cincinnati Bengals in many aspects of their business operations and has been involved in all aspects of the development, financing, leasing and construction of the Paul Brown Football Stadium. In addition, he has worked extensively with technology clients of the firm.

Dayton Partner Barbara A. Duncombe practices in the area of government contracts law, representing clients regionally and nationally. For over 25 years, she has worked with clients to address questions or problems with public contract formation, performance, administration, payment and dispute resolution. She has represented prime contractors, subcontractors and public buyers. Her experience focuses on analysis of contract problems and their resolution through discussion, claims and other dispute forums/processes.

Columbus Partner Catherine T. Dunlay represents hospitals, physicians and other health care organizations and professionals in mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and contractual arrangements, including a variety of hospital physician relationships. She also counsels clients on operational and compliance matters, including Anti-Kickback and Stark physician self-referral laws, and Medicare and Medicaid coverage and reimbursement issues.

Chicago Chairman Cezar “Cid” M. Froelich concentrates his practice in corporate finance/securities, mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance and gaming. He advises a broad range of clients, including investment banking and brokerage firms, publicly-held entities, including boards of directors, audit and compensation committees, governmental entities and privately held entities.

Indianapolis Partner-in-Charge Robert J. Hicks focuses his practice on complex business and commercial transactions, private equity and venture capital transactions, mergers and acquisitions, structured financings, business advisory services, and structural tax matters. He serves as outside counsel for the largest private equity fund in Indiana, along with several businesses. Hicks took a hiatus from the private practice of law from 1996 through 2001. During that period, he served as executive vice president, strategic development for the CIT Group (and its predecessor, Newcourt Credit Group), president of its largest U.S. financing division, and CEO of RealMed Corporation, its largest portfolio company.

Cincinnati Partner Margaret A. Lawson represents clients ranging from start-up businesses, software developers, inventors and authors to established research institutions, banks and nationwide franchisors in IP protection, enforcement and transactions. She has extensive experience negotiating licenses and technology transfer agreements in areas that include biomedical technology, software, e-commerce, data storage and security, publishing and franchising. She oversees the registration and maintenance of IP portfolios in the United States and foreign countries and assists clients with cross-border transactions.

Chicago Partner Michael J. Schaller has a wide-ranging corporate practice that emphasizes securities and corporate finance law. He primarily focuses in the areas of federal and state regulation of securities, public and private finance, corporation and partnership tax, gaming, hotel and resort development, real estate ventures and health care law.

Cincinnati Partner James M. Zimmerman represents businesses, entrepreneurs and investors on a range of matters, including financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, technology licensing agreements and stock options/executive compensation. He serves as outside counsel for numerous startups and growth companies and represents private equity and venture capital groups in fund formation and investments. He also has significant experience leading complex financing and M&A transactions.

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