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Category: Attorney Awards

Geoffrey S. Goss was named President of the University Settlement Board of Directors.


May 23, 2015

Geoffrey S. Gossandnbsp;was named President of the University Settlement Board of Directors. University Settlement is a neighborhood center which provides social services to residents of southeast Cleveland’s Broadway-Slavic Village neighborhood.

2015 Edition of Cleveland’s Best Lawyers®


April 23, 2015

Walter | Haverfield is pleased to recognize eleven of the firm’s attorneys, who have been selected for inclusion in the 2015 Edition ofandnbsp;Cleveland’s Best Lawyers®, a custom publication which appeared inandnbsp;The Plain Dealerandnbsp;andandnbsp;The Wall Street Journalandnbsp;on April 3, 2015. The information in this publication is based upon that found in the 21st edition ofandnbsp;The Best Lawyers in America©, which was published by Woodward/White Inc. in August, 2014. Those listed inandnbsp;Cleveland’s Best Lawyersandnbsp;include:

In addition,andnbsp;Ralph E. Cascarillaandnbsp;was named byandnbsp;Cleveland’s Best Lawyersandnbsp;as the 2015 Bet-the-Company Litigation “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland. Only one lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area has been listed as a “Lawyer of the Year,” based upon the highest peer ratings received.

Darrell A. Clay was recently selected as Vice President of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association


Darrell A. Clayandnbsp;was recently selected as Vice President of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, effective July 1, 2015. Under the Bar Association’s automatic plan of succession, he will serve a one-year term as Vice President and another as President-Elect, prior to assuming the office of President on July 1, 2017.

Darrell was also appointed by the Supreme Court of Ohio to its Board of Commissioners on Character and Fitness, for a three-year term commencing on January 1, 2015.

2015 Edition of Chambers USA


January 23, 2015

Congratulations toandnbsp;Ralph E. Cascarilla,andnbsp;Michael A. Cyphertandnbsp;andandnbsp;Russell C. Shaw, who have been selected for inclusion in theandnbsp;2015andnbsp;edition ofandnbsp;Chambers USA. Designated as “Leaders in their Field” by the London-based publisher, Chambers and Partners, they were recognized for their accomplishments in the following areas of practice:

Chambers USAandnbsp;selects their honorees based upon submissions put forward by legal practices, interviews with attorneys and clients, and the publication’s own database resources. According to Chambers, ratings are issued on the basis of an attorney’s “…technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities that the client considers relevant.”

2015 Ohio Super Lawyers


December 23, 2014

Walter | Haverfield LLP is pleased to announce that 11 of its attorneys were selected for inclusion on theandnbsp;2015 Ohio Super Lawyersandnbsp;list. Super Lawyers selects attorneys as a result of a multiphase selection process, in which peer nominations and evaluations are combined with third party research. Candidates are evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement and, each year, selections are made on a state-by-state basis. No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in Ohio are recognized by Super Lawyers in their annual listing.

Those named to the 2015 list, and their areas of practice, are as follows:

Two other attorneys have been named to theandnbsp;2015 Ohio Rising Starsandnbsp;list. The selection process for the Rising Stars list mirrors the Super Lawyers selection process, except that candidates must be either 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or less. No more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in Ohio are selected for inclusion on the Rising Stars list.

Those named, and their areas of practice, are as follows:

  • Eric J. Johnsonandnbsp;– Employment and Labor
  • Andrea E. M. Stone – Schools and Education

In addition,andnbsp;Ralph E. Cascarillaandnbsp;was named by Super Lawyers to both theirandnbsp;”Top 100 Ohio Attorneys”andnbsp;list and theirandnbsp;”Top 50 Cleveland Attorneys”andnbsp;list.

On December 22, 2014,andnbsp;Craig A. Marvinneyandnbsp;was re-appointed to the United States District Court (Northern District of Ohio) Alternative Dispute Resolution Panel for an eighth three-year term. This, despite the fact that the Court has cut the Panel membership by nearly two-thirds. Craig has been a member of the Panel since its inception in 1993. The Panel aids the Court’s judges in reducing case loads and speeding case resolution, where members are – among other roles – mediators, arbitrators, and early neutral evaluators.

2014 U.S. News


November 23, 2014

On November 3, 2014,andnbsp;U.S. News -andnbsp;Best Lawyers®andnbsp;announced their 2015 “Best Law Firms” rankings. This is the fifth consecutive year that these rankings have been issued and Walter | Haverfield was pleased to learn that, this year, the firm was recognized for its achievements in 16 areas of practice:

National Tier 3
  • Litigation – ERISA
Metropolitan Tier 1

Cleveland

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Education Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
  • Litigation – Municipal
  • Municipal Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Tax Law

METROPOLITAN TIER 2
Cleveland

  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Litigation – Environmental
  • Litigation – ERISA
  • Trusts and Estates Law

METROPOLITAN TIER 3
Cleveland

  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Litigation – Construction

According toandnbsp;U.S. News -andnbsp;Best Lawyers®, firms included in this year’s listing “…are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.” This year’s ratings were based upon the largest number of participating firms and the highest number of client ballots since these rankings were initiated – more than 17,000 attorneys provided nearly 600,000 law firm evaluations, and almost 7,500 clients also participated in the evaluation process.

U.S. News -andnbsp;Best Lawyers®andnbsp;also explained that, “Ranked firms, presented in tiers, are listed on a national and/or metropolitan scale. Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism and their integrity.”

Lacie L. O’Daire was recognized for her achievements in the area of Tax Law


June 23, 2014

On June 23, 2014,andnbsp;Lacie L. O’Daireandnbsp;was recognized for her achievements in the area of Tax Law in a special section ofandnbsp;Crain’s Cleveland Business, titled “Who to Watch in Law.”

Gary A. Zwick Awarded One of Three Kenneth Black, Jr. Journal Author Awards


May 23, 2014

An article co-authored byandnbsp;Gary A. Zwickandnbsp;and published in theandnbsp;Journal of Financial Service Professionalsandnbsp;was recently awarded one of three Kenneth Black, Jr. Journal Author Awards for best article of the year. This article, titled “Why Tax Minimization is Overrated in Estate Planning,” appeared in theandnbsp;Journalandnbsp;in March 2013 and was co-authored by James Jurinski, a professor at the University of Portland and a practicing attorney in Oregon.

2014 Edition of Chambers USA


March 23, 2014

We are pleased to announce that three of our attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2014 edition ofandnbsp;Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Designated as “Leaders in their Field” by the London-based publisher, Chambers and Partners, they were recognized for their accomplishments in the following areas of practice:

Chambers USAandnbsp;selects their honorees based upon submissions put forward by legal practices, interviews with attorneys and clients, and the publication’s own database resources. Rankings are issued on the basis of an attorney’s technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities that the client considers relevant.

2014 Ohio Super Lawyers


December 24, 2013

Walter | Haverfield is pleased to announce that ten of its attorneys were selected to theandnbsp;2014 Ohio Super Lawyersandnbsp;list. Those listed, and their areas of practice, are as follows:

In addition, the firm would like to recognize its three attorneys who have been named to theandnbsp;2014 Ohio Rising Starsandnbsp;list:

  • Eric J. Johnsonandnbsp;– Employment and Labor
  • Elise C. Keating– Schools and Education
  • Andrea E.M. Stone – Schools and Education

Congratulations to all of the honorees!

Education Law Group Honored by U.S. News – Best Lawyers


November 17, 2013

Walter | Haverfield LLP is pleased to announce that it has been named a Tier 1 firm in Cleveland forandnbsp;Education Lawandnbsp;byandnbsp;U.S. News – Best Lawyersandnbsp;in its 2014 “Best Law Firms” rankings. According toandnbsp;U.S. News – Best Lawyers, firms “…are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.” Theandnbsp;U.S. News – Best Lawyersandnbsp;”Best Law Firms” rankings are based on peer review by other attorneys as well as evaluations submitted by clients.

Walter | Haverfield is one of the few firms in Ohio with a designated Education Law Group. Our education law attorneys represent school districts of various sizes throughout Ohio in all facets of education law.

2014 Edition of Cleveland’s Best Lawyers®


August 24, 2013

We are pleased and honored that eleven of our attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2014 edition ofandnbsp;The Best Lawyers in America. In existence for more than 30 years,andnbsp;Best Lawyersandnbsp;based its listing upon the results of an exhaustive, rigorous peer review survey comprising more than three million confidential evaluations of attorneys by their colleagues. Those who will be honored in the 2014 edition include: