David J. Naftzinger

Joe Gibbons joined the Firm in May 2005 and became a Partner in January 2006. Prior to joining the Firm, Joe spent the majority of his career with McGinty, Gibbons, Hilow & Spellacy Co., LPA, and Carney & Broadbent, both located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Over the years, Joe has represented a variety of individuals, businesses, institutions, and governmental entities. His primary practice areas include estate planning, estate and trust administration and related litigation, real est...

Jeff Smith is a partner in the Cleveland office and a member of the firm's Employee Benefits Practice Group. He works with clients to create, implement and maintain their retirement and health plans. He also advises employers on the impact of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as well as Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) and Voluntary Employer Beneficiary Associations (VEBAs). While in la...

David M. Paris, senior partner at Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy, started with the firm as a law clerk while attending the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Over the past 40 years, he has appeared in more than 50 jury trials and has represented thousands of injured victims as well as 700,000 consumers in class actions. He has achieved in excess of 50 seven-figure and eight-figure settlements and verdicts for his clients with more than $250 million in total recoveries. Many of the ca...

Peter S. Nealis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law. Peter S., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Peter S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Howard Bobrow is chair of Taft's Venture Capital and Emerging Companies practice. His practice is primarily devoted to mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital. Howard is a trusted advisor to private equity funds, venture capital funds, and emerging growth companies. He 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. How...

John R. Mitchell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bet-the-Company Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. John R., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Robert C. Petrulis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Robert C., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Dennis R. Rose represents clients across a wide spectrum of industries at both the trial and appellate level. Dennis has extensive experience handling a broad range of disputes in federal and state courts throughout the country. He has served as national litigation counsel in products liability litigation and Ohio counsel for lender liability and toxic tort matters. He represents clients in a diverse spectrum of industries, including financial services, paper, manufacturing, retail, real esta...

Mr. Kelley’s primary career focus has evolved over the years beginning with an extensive general liability and insurance defense practice. He has considerable experience handling several specialty claim areas including transportation law, professional liability, product liability, construction negligence, construction defect, commercial trucking, employer intentional tort and community association claims. Steve’s practice remains broad based and includes defense of architects, eng...

Adrian D. Thompson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Education Law, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Adrian D., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adrian D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.