Edward D. Bender

Don Rafferty combines his experience in the areas of business restructuring, commercial finance, corporate law, and litigation to provide legal and strategic advice to the firm’s business clients on a wide range of issues. Don frequently counsels clients who either are experiencing financial stress or are dealing with distressed companies. He has advised on sales, acquisitions, and restructurings for numerous middle-market companies. Don has significant experience in transactions, dispu...

Jon Hiltz is a partner in the firm's Business Representation & Transactions Group. His practice is concentrated in the corporate and finance areas, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity capital formation transactions, and general corporate matters. Jon has represented both publicly held and private companies in a wide range of business transactions, including, acquisitions and divestitures of existing businesses, joint venture transactions, private equity fund formatio...

Arthur E. Phelps, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Arthur E., who practices law in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Arthur E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

RUSSELL S. SAYRE is a partner in the Cincinnati, Ohio office of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where he serves as co-chair of the firm's litigation practice group, concentrating his practice on litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution. Since 1990, Mr. Sayre has represented corporate, business and individual clients in federal and state courts, in arbitrations, and before state administrative boards. Mr. Sayre is admitted to practice in all Ohio courts, in the United States Distric...

Kelley Brandstetter Tracy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Finance Law, Corporate Law and Equipment Finance Law. Kelley Brandstetter, who practices law in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kelley Brandstetter is held by other top lawyers in the same...

Lisa Wintersheimer Michel's practice is concentrated in the employee benefits (ERISA) and executive compensation areas. Her practice primarily involves all aspects of qualified retirement plans, including profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and defined benefit plans, executive compensation matters and welfare benefit plans. This includes compliance with laws including tax, labor, COBRA, HIPAA and other applicable laws, and administration and operation of...

Steve Kisling likes to make things simple for his clients, which is fortunate considering the complexity of his employee benefits and tax practice. While it is a generalization, but no great secret, that many lawyers run a little hot-blooded, Steve is calm, patient and always composed. He knows that business owners, benefits professionals and human resources personnel have multiple balls in the air at any given time, and he enjoys relieving some of the strain and worry that comes with the adm...

Mark Sims practices in the business representation & transactions practice group and works primarily in the federal income tax, business planning and healthcare areas. Mark's federal tax practice involves individual, corporate, S corporation and partnership tax planning, including executive compensation and like kind exchanges. He advises clients regarding the tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions. Mark also represents clients on matters before the IRS and state tax agencies. Additional...

Tony Barlow is a trusted commercial real estate and business law attorney based in Cincinnati, serving clients across Ohio and Kentucky. As chair of Strauss Troy’s Real Estate and Finance Department, he advises private and public sector clients on real estate development, commercial leasing, business planning, and complex finance transactions. His real estate work spans mixed-use, retail, office, and residential projects; multi-family housing; 1031 like-kind exchanges; title matters; an...

Allison A. Westfall is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Securities Regulation. Allison A., who practices law in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Allison A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.