Timothy T. "Tim" Brick

Jim Vail joined the Firm in 1979 and has been a Partner since 1986. He served as the Firm's Managing Partner from 1996 through 2019. Jim primarily counsels businesses, nonprofit and health care organizations in all aspects of their operations, including formations, mergers and organizations, joint ventures, contracting, and succession planning. Jim argued a case before the United States Supreme Court where he obtained a unanimous favorable decision. Spectrum Sports, Inc. v. McQuillan, 506 U.S...

Publications: City of Cleveland v. Deusche Bank Trust Co., et al. , LexisNexis Expert Commentaries (February 2008). Consumer Credit: Law, Transactions and Forms , author, Matthew Bender & Company, six volumes (1984-present). Banking Law , contributing principal author, Matthew Bender & Company, four volumes, part of a 13-volume treatise (1980-present). Rabkin & Johnson Current Legal Forms , contributing author, Matthew Bender & Company (1979-1999). Credit Union Law Service , c...

Jeffrey W. Gallup is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Jeffrey W., 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 Jeffrey W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Arthur E. Gibbs III is a partner in the Trusts and Estate Planning Group and is licensed to practice law in Ohio and Florida. Art is an Ohio State Bar Association Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and focuses on providing creative estate, tax and business planning advise to business owners and other wealthy individuals, as well as representing individuals, financial institutions, and non-profits in estate disputes. Art is a past Chair of the firm’s Cle...

Andrew has a history of representing corporate clients in sophisticated, complex, and sensitive matters in a wide variety of industries and disciplines. He has tried cases to verdict in Ohio, Florida, and California and has served as lead appellate counsel in the defense of a class certification denial. For the past 15 years, however, his focus has been in spearheading insurance recoveries for corporate policyholders in a variety of business sectors, under various state and international laws...

Ronald O’Keefe handles a wide range of corporate law for clients, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, spinoffs, securities, and corporate governance. He also provides guidance to financial-services clients. Ron enjoys taking a concept such as a merger and making it into reality by dealing with the various business, financing, regulatory and personnel issues along the way. He finds satisfaction in solving client challenges and brings 37 years of corporate experience to his ...

John Polito (Of Counsel) is one of the founders of the firm. His practice is devoted to the defense of medical malpractice claims against physicians and hospitals. Mr. Polito has been the lead trial attorney in excess of seventy-five jury trials. His trial experience has covered almost all of the recognized medical specialties. Mr. Polito has been a frequent lecturer to medical residents on the subject of medical malpractice litigation. In addition, he has presented several continuing educati...

Jim Bright has been practicing law since 1976. He applies his considerable expertise to advising individuals and families on estate planning, tax planning (including income and estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes), and charitable gift planning. He also provides counsel to trustees of private foundations on administration, initial formation, and tax qualification. Prior to the formation of SSSB, he served as President of Spieth, Bell, McCurdy & Newell Co., L.P.A. Jim is a Fellow of...

Stephen J. Knerly, Jr. focuses his practice on matters involving art transactions, nonprofit corporate law, closely held and family-owned businesses and international commercial transactions. Josh serves as Co-Chair of the Firm’s Non-Profit Institutions section. In his art law practice, Josh has represented museums, foundations, trusts and collectors in the acquisition, disposition, lending and borrowing of and estate planning for works of art, including domestic and international trans...

EDWARD J. LEADER counsels clients in all aspects of the acquisition, disposition, financing, development, leasing, construction and exchanging of commercial, industrial, and multi-family real estate. Ed also serves as a business advisor to clients in structuring real estate and other investment transactions. Ed's experience includes commercial finance, loan workouts and foreclosures, real estate bankruptcy issues, tax valuation complaints, and the real estate aspects of corporate acquisitions...