SINGERMAN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate in the Cleveland Law Firm
Alena M. Fiocca is an associate in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where she practices primarily in the areas of real estate law, business law, and corporate and real estate financing.
Ms. Fiocca's practice focuses on commercial real estate, commercial lending, and business organizations and transactions. She assists buyers and sellers in the acquisition, disposition, and leasing of real estate, and represents both borrowers and lenders in commercial loan transactions. Additionally, Ms. Fiocca assists businesses with various legal matters, including business formation and contract drafting.
Ms. Fiocca received her B.S. from Kent State University in 2017 and earned her J.D. degree from the University of Akron School of Law in 2021. During her time at the University of Akron, Ms. Fiocca served as Vice-President of the Law Association for Women. She also spent time working with the Small Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Clinic where she worked on a variety of legal matters for small businesses and start-ups.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan
- Principal With the Cleveland Law Firm
Christopher O'Connell is a Principal with the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices in the area of litigation.
Mr. O'Connell focuses his practice on commercial, contract, real estate, and general litigation. Prior to joining Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., he was an associate with a mid-size corporate and transactional firm, where he practiced in the areas of commercial litigation, employment law, real estate, tax complaints, and construction disputes. Mr. O'Connell has represented clients before various state and federal courts as well as administrative agencies. In his practice, he is experienced in both plaintiff's side and defendant's side litigation and has represented privately held companies from various business segments, including those in mortgage, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, retail and entertainment sectors.
Prior to his legal career, Mr. O'Connell served five years as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps.
Mr. O'Connell is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan and Ohio State Bar Associations.
Mr. O'Connell received his undergraduate degree from The Citadel in 1993, and earned his J.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2002.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan
- Principal in the Cleveland Law Firm
Edmund G. Kauntz is a Principal in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of corporation, partnership and limited liability company law, taxation law, estate and trust administration and estate planning law, and related succession planning.
Mr. Kauntz is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan (member, Estate Planning and Probate Section), Ohio State (member, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section) and American (member, Tax Section and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section) Bar Associations.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of the International Council of Shopping Centers
- Principal in the Cleveland Law Firm
Evan S. Hirsch is a Principal in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of real estate and business law.
Mr. Hirsch focuses his practice on representing individuals and companies engaged in real estate and business transactions. His clients include manufacturers and service providers in various industries, as well as tenants, landlords, developers, and lending institutions. Mr. Hirsch has experience in commercial real estate acquisitions, sales, development, financing, leasing and joint venture formation. He is also experienced in business acquisitions and sales, corporate organization/governance, and general contract drafting and review.
Mr. Hirsch is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, and American Bar Association. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and the Board of Trustees for the Orange Hill Estates Homeowners Association. Mr. Hirsch also serves as an attorney volunteer for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.
Mr. Hirsch has served as a contributing author to Consumer Credit: Law Transactions and Forms, published by Matthew Bender & Company, a host of the Forum 360 television program in Northeast Ohio, and a Councilman in Orange Village, Ohio.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of the Cleveland
- Principal in the Cleveland Law Firm
Gary S. Desberg is a Principal in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of real estate law, business law and secured lending.
Mr. Desberg is a member of the Cleveland (member, Corporation, Banking and Business Law Section and Real Estate Law Section), Ohio State, Florida State and American (member, Business Law Section and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section) Bar Associations. He served as Co-Chair of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association's Real Estate Law Institute in 1996 and 1997, and he is a frequent speaker at legal seminars. Mr. Desberg was the recipient of the 2022 Rosewater Award for his long-term commitment and service to the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and its Real Estate Section. Recipients of the Rosewater Award are recognized leaders and experts in his/her field, have extraordinary accomplishments and are involved in community service related to real estate interests as well as general community service. Mr. Desberg also is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Jacqueline Hoelting is a Principal in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where she practices primarily in the areas of real estate law, business law, and corporate and real estate financing.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan
Jean M. Cullen practices law with the Cleveland firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where her primary focus is estate planning and the administration of trusts and decedents' estates.
Ms. Cullen works closely with clients to develop and analyze estate plans appropriate to their needs and objectives. She provides counsel on the use of wills and trusts, gift planning, lifetime and post-mortem tax planning, living wills, and health care and financial powers of attorney. Her practice also includes the administration of probate and guardianship estates.
Ms. Cullen is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan and Ohio State Bar Associations. She has lectured before several groups on estate planning matters.
Ms. Cullen received her undergraduate degree in 1976 from the College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, Minnesota, and her J.D. degree in 1991 from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland, Ohio.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan
- Principal in the Cleveland Law Firm
Jeffrey A. Gorski is a Principal in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he focuses his practice on transactional matters in the areas of real estate law, corporate law, and mergers and acquisitions.
Mr. Gorski has significant experience in commercial real estate transactions, including acquisition and disposition of real estate, real estate lending, and industrial, retail and office leasing. He also provides clients with legal advice in the area of corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, secured lending, and general corporate matters. He represents commercial real estate lenders, real estate entities and various entrepreneurial and corporate clients in all types of business transactions.
Mr. Gorski is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan (member, Corporation, Banking and Business Law Section), Ohio State and American Bar Associations. He also is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and has spoken at various ICSC law conferences on a number of topics related to retail leasing. Mr. Gorski was named in The Best Lawyers in America in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Mr. Gorski serves as an Alternate Member of the Board of Zoning Appeals of Twinsburg Township, Ohio.
Mr. Gorski received his Honors B.A. degree from Marquette University in 1990 where he graduated summa cum laude, and earned his J.D. degree in 1994 from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal in the Cleveland Law Firm
Jeffrey W. Gallup is a Principal in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, general corporate law and commercial real estate law.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal in the Cleveland Law Firm
Julie E. Firestone is a Principal in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where she practices primarily in the areas of estate planning, tax law, and closely-held business law and related succession planning.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Counsel at the Cleveland Law Firm
Marvin I. Droz is Of Counsel at the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of business organization, business transactions, and commercial real estate.
Mr. Droz has extensive experience over the last forty years in both private practice and in-house with investors in the commercial real estate and hospitality industries in various stages of the business cycles. Both as an attorney and in executive operating roles, Mr. Droz has directed all manner of capital transactions throughout the United States in connection with hotels, retail, multi-family, and office developments, including acquisitions, debt and equity financings, leasing, and restructurings of debt and equity financing arrangements and joint ventures, Mr. Droz served as general counsel for a multi-state ground-up developer through a period of rapid growth and contraction. In that role, Mr. Droz oversaw all the legal matters for fourteen developer partnerships which were active in multi-property ground-up development in multiple states. Also, Mr. Droz served as general counsel for the then largest independent hotel management company in the United States and was responsible for all legal matters relating to acquisitions and third-party management of hotels throughout the United States and various international locations.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan
- Principal With the Cleveland Law Firm
Michael R. Stavnicky is a Principal with the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he heads up the firm's litigation practice.
Mr. Stavnicky is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan, Ohio State, Geauga County and American Bar Associations.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Adjunct Professor of Legal Analysis, Research
- Associate at the Cleveland Law Firm
Nathaniel D. Tucker is an associate at the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he primarily focuses on advising businesses and individuals on tax issues related to various business transactions, including entity selection, mergers and acquisitions, and asset and stock purchases.
Mr. Tucker's practice focuses on advising businesses and individuals on tax issues related to various business transactions, including entity selection, mergers and acquisitions, and asset and stock purchases. He also represents real estate clients utilizing historic tax credits, new market tax credits, and low-income housing tax credits in the development of their projects. Mr. Tucker also has advised non-profit organizations on a variety of different tax exemption issues and general corporate governance.
Mr. Tucker received his B.S.B.A. in Finance, cum laude, from Ashland University in 2012. He earned both his J.D. degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Akron School of Law and his Master of Taxation from The University of Akron College of Business in 2015.
Mr. Tucker has served as an adjunct professor of Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing at The University of Akron School of Law, and he previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Royalton, Ohio.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Principal
- Chairman of the Cleveland Law Firm
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.
Job Titles:
- President
- Principal
- Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan
- President of the Cleveland Law Firm
Ronald J. Teplitzky is the President of the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of commercial finance and banking, business law, and creditors' rights.
Mr. Teplitzky is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan, Ohio State and American Bar Associations. Mr. Teplitzky has lectured before several groups on lending and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Teplitzky is the Chair of the Ohio University Alumni Association. He is the Alumni Representative for the Ohio University Board of Trustees. Additionally, Mr. Teplitzky is a Member of the Board of Directors of Hillel at Ohio University.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Counsel to the Cleveland Law Firm
- Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Stanley T. Jaros is Of Counsel to the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where his practice focuses on commercial and residential real estate, commercial lending, and business organization and transactions.
Mr. Jaros has extensive experience with corporate mergers and acquisitions, the formation and structuring of business entities, the structuring and financing of commercial and residential real estate developments including condominiums and general business law.
Mr. Jaros is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Ohio State Bar Association. He has been a member of the Cleveland Landmarks Commission and a trustee of the Western Reserve Historical Society and a number of not-for-profit organizations.
Mr. Jaros received his undergraduate degree from Brown University, and holds an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School) and a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University.
Mr. Jaros was an Assistant Law Director for the City of Cleveland from 1973 through 1978, and was a Partner with Gruber, Moriarty, Fricke & Jaros and Moriarty & Jaros P.L.L., its successor firm, from 1978 through 2018.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Law Director for the City of Pepper Pike
- Principal With the Cleveland Law Firm
Stephen Byron is a Principal with the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he leads the firm's Public Sector practice group.
Mr. Byron has extensive experience in municipal law. He holds unparalleled insight on the wide range of problems unique to government entities, such as compliance with open-meeting and public record requirements, analyzing risks of liability for governmental action, and the drafting and administration of defensible zoning laws. Mr. Byron has served as legal counsel to a dozen charter review commissions and served as the chairman of three charter review commissions for the City of Willoughby.
Mr. Byron serves as law director for the City of Pepper Pike, the Village of Waite Hill, the Village of Hunting Valley, and Orange Village and has served each of those communities for at least ten years. Mr. Byron was recently appointed law director of the Village of Kirtland Hills. Further, Mr. Byron has served as the law director for the Village of Chagrin Falls and as the solicitor of the Village of Lakeline and the Village of North Perry.
In addition to those roles, Mr. Byron acts as special counsel to a variety of governmental and non-governmental entities. For example, he has acted as special counsel for the City of Wooster, the City of Willoughby, the City of Shaker Heights, the South Euclid-Lyndhurst School District, the Brooklyn School District, the Willoughby-Eastlake School District, the Ohio Municipal League, the Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association, and the International Municipal Attorneys Association.
Recognized for his expertise, Mr. Byron has often lectured to the Northeast Ohio Law Directors Association, the Cuyahoga County Metropolitan Bar Association, the Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association, and the Ohio Municipal League.
Mr. Byron also advises private parties who are the subject of adverse governmental action, either in the real estate development process or in other building and zoning related matters.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Assistant Law Director for Jackson Township
- Counsel at the Cleveland Law Firm
Thomas A. FitzSimmons is Of Counsel at the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of commercial real estate, commercial lending, business organization and transactions, and governmental relations.
Mr. FitzSimmons has extensive experience as a practicing attorney and business executive for multiple real estate developers, law firms and an Ohio home rule "Mega Township". Mr. FitzSimmons has extensive experience in all types of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisition, financing, refinancing, development, construction, leasing and divestiture of shopping centers and commercial properties across the United States. He has functioned as both attorney and business person in the negotiation and formation of all types of business arrangements, including private equity offerings. He has represented numerous companies in both business and legal capacities in front of over 75 local, state and national governmental bodies in multiple jurisdictions.
Mr. FitzSimmons is the Assistant Law Director for Jackson Township, Ohio. Using his "developer-side" experience to provide counsel to the Trustees and administration on economic development, commercial real estate and general business matters, he has negotiated and closed numerous public-private partnership and other transactions on behalf of the Township.
As General Counsel and Secretary for a Cleveland-based national real estate development and management company, Mr. FitzSimmons created and managed a small law practice within the company. He participated in the company's management as a member of the company's Executive Team as well as managed four corporate departments. Mr. FitzSimmons also served as lead developer for several new retail developments.
Previously, Mr. FitzSimmons was Of Counsel focusing on real estate transactions with a mid-sized Cleveland law firm, worked as a leasing attorney for a large national real estate developer and started his career as an Associate in the Real Estate practice group of a large Cleveland law firm.
Job Titles:
- Principal Emeritus in the Cleveland Law Firm
William M. Mills is a Principal Emeritus in the Cleveland law firm of Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co., L.P.A., where he practices primarily in the areas of estate planning, tax law, and closely-held business law and related succession planning.