Matthew D. Smith

Area of Emphasis Cary Snyder is a shareholder in the Litigation Group of Babst Calland. He primarily works in the areas of complex commercial litigation and appellate practice. Mr. Snyder has experience in all stages of litigation, from drafting complaints through dispositive motions, discovery, settlement, and trial. He also represents clients in matters before federal and state appellate courts. Prior to joining Babst Calland, he was an associate in the Cleveland, Ohio office of a full-serv...

Daniel A. DeMarco represents creditors, both secured and unsecured, creditor’s committees, indenture trustees, trustees, receivers and debtors in numerous reorganization proceedings. He served as chair the firm’s Commercial Services & Restructuring Practice Group and was a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. Dan represents secured lenders including The CIT Group, U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finance, Inc., Textron Financial Corporation, BMW Financial Services NA LLC, Foot...

Jeffrey W. Van Wagner is the Managing Shareholder of BSPH. His career as a litigator and trial attorney has now spanned three decades. He is a 1979 graduate of Case Western Reserve School of Law and has extensive litigation and trial experience in the areas of nursing home liability, medical malpractice defense of physicians and institutions, and product liability. He has extensive experience in defending physicians and institutions where opioid prescription practices are at issue and is well...

With over 30 years of experience, Jim litigates negligence, product liability, toxic tort, employer intentional tort, insurance, commercial, and construction related claims in federal and state trial courts, as well as state appellate court. His liability defense concentration includes personal injury, property damage, construction defects, product liability, and general litigation. Jim has achieved the highest ranking, AV Preeminent®, from Martindale-Hubbell® and has been listed as a...

Geoffrey D. Wills is an Associate Attorney in the Firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group. He focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, and taxation. Prior to joining the Firm, Geoffrey was an Associate Attorney at another Cleveland law firm, where he built a solid base of estate, trust, and tax knowledge. He was also a Tax Analyst at Bloomberg Industry Group in Washington, D.C., where he analyzed federal tax laws, rules, and regulations t...

Michael R. Stavnicky is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Real Estate. Michael R., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Dave Schreiner is a partner in the firm's Cleveland office. Although he has counseled employers in virtually all areas of labor and employment law, his primary focus is in the traditional labor relations area. He has extensive experience in successfully counteracting union organizing drives, developing programs designed to maintain union-free status, and obtaining favorable contract results at the bargaining table. Dave has been recognized as one of the top labor attorneys in the Best Lawyers...

Philip R. Bautista is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Insurance. Philip R., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Philip R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Douglas C. Carlson has extensive experience in corporate, partnership, individual and estate tax matters. The primary emphasis of his practice is on transactional planning, including acquisitions and dispositions, reorganizations and limited partnership syndications, liquidations and executive compensation, including stock options and deferred compensation. He has substantial experience in compliance activities, controversy matters, and state and local tax matters. As a business law attorney,...

Paul J. Singerman is the Chairman of the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of real estate law, secured lending, and business law. Mr. Singerman has extensive experience in real estate and business transactions. Mr. Singerman represents residential and commercial developers in connection with all aspects of their real estate acquisitions and development in his real estate practice. Mr. Singerman counsels develope...