EXCEL TITLE SERVICES - Key Persons
Aaron Caskey is an associate practicing in the commercial banking, real estate and corporate law practice groups. Aaron joined Dressman Benzinger LaVelle as a summer associate in May of 2013 and is based in the firm's Crestview Hills office.
Aaron obtained his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2014, where he graduated summa cum laude. Upon graduation, he was elected Order of the Coif and also served as Senior Staff Editor of the Kentucky Law Journal.
Prior to attending the University of Kentucky College of Law, Aaron obtained a B.A. in History and Political Science from Northern Kentucky University, where he graduated magna cum laude. He was a member of the Northern Kentucky University Honors Program and received the H. Lew Wallace Outstanding Student in History Award, a memorial award presented to an outstanding history major. While at Northern Kentucky University, Aaron was an intern in the Capitol Operations Department of the Office of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Aaron, an Eastern Kentucky native, currently resides in Cold Spring, Kentucky.
Amy is an experienced closing coordinator and is responsible for many aspects of the daily operations of the commercial loan closing department. Along with her colleagues, she is responsible for receiving and processing new title orders and obtaining all information needed for the closing. She prepares the title commitments and clears any title issues prior to closing. Amy communicates with all parties involved in the closing transaction to make sure everybody is clear on closing requirements. Along with the attorneys of Excel Title, she assists with closings, including disbursing the closing file and funds after the closing.
Job Titles:
- Partner in the Real Estate
Andrew C. Emmert is a partner in the real estate, corporate and business organizations and taxation practice groups at DBL Law. Mr. Emmert provides general counsel services to individuals and privately-held businesses in a wide range of industries, and to real estate owners, investors, tenants and developers.
Drew concentrates his practice in general business matters, real estate, probate and estate planning matters. His business practice focuses on all aspects of corporate, limited liability company and partnership law, including purchases and sales of businesses, business entity selection and formation, financing arrangements, contracts, commercial transactions, employment law and business succession planning. Clients benefit from Drew's years of work experience in the financial markets, commercial lending and securities brokerage, as well as, his undergraduate degrees in accounting and finance.
Drew's real estate practice focuses on acquisition, development and sales of commercial real property, including retail, multi-family, office and industrial projects. He has extensive experience in leasing, sale-leaseback transactions, tax deferred 1031 exchanges, zoning, construction contracts and challenges to real estate tax valuations. Drew also has represented purchasers of properties in foreclosure and redevelopment of distressed projects, including condominiums, retail and industrial projects. Additionally, Drew has represented both lenders and borrowers in troubled loan/workout situations, as well as, tenants and landlords regarding defaults under leases.
In 2007, Drew became a Board Certified Specialist in Business, Commercial and Industrial Real Property Law by the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA). Also in 2007, Drew was appointed by the President of the OSBA to the Real Property Law Specialty Board. He was recently appointed to his second term on the Real Property Law Specialty Board, which is charged with identifying the competency areas for real estate specialists, review and approval of test applicants and preparation and administration of exams to lawyers seeking real estate specialist certification.
Drew is AV Peer Review Rated, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell, and has held this rating since 1998, his first year of eligibility.
Angela M. Gates is a partner practicing in the areas of banking and commercial, corporate and real estate law. Angie represents a wide array of lenders and borrowers, banking institutions, as well as profit and non-profit organizations, and has an extensive commercial loan practice. She is licensed to practice in both Kentucky and Ohio.
In her banking and commercial practice, Angie advises borrowers in bond transactions, asset based lending, commercial mortgage loans, bond loans, and issues opinion letters for borrowers. She acts as outside legal counsel to our valued institutional clients and frequently interacts with owners, directors and corporate officers within these organizations. Her commercial loan practice includes collateralized loans, multi-party secured transactions, and complex financing.
Erin Shaughnessy is an associate attorney practicing primarily in the area of Civil Litigation. She first joined DBL Law as a summer associate in 2018.
Erin received her Juris Doctor from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville where she graduated magna cum laude in 2019. During law school she was the Senior Articles Editor for the University of Louisville Law Review and a member of the Robert F. Wagner Labor and Employment Law Moot Court Team. She also participated in externships with Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, at Signature HealthCARE, and the Kentucky Attorney General's Office.
Prior to attending law school, Erin graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Murray State University. At Murray State she served in various leadership positions with the Student Government Association, including as Chief Justice of the Judicial Board.
Erin is a native of, and currently resides in Louisville, KY.
James A. Dressman III is the Managing Partner/CEO of Dressman Benzinger LaVelle psc. In addition to managing the firm, Jim has an active legal practice. He represents profit and nonprofit entities and individuals in financial transactions, business mergers and asset acquisitions and sales, and real estate acquisitions, and simple and complex development projects. He also provides guidance for entity structuring, reorganization, owner and employee buy/sell arrangements and management and owner succession. Jim advises clients with general business and tax matters, estate planning, and probate matters.
Jim has successfully guided clients through a number of significant matters:
The land acquisition, development, leasing, and financing of various real estate developments including the Kentucky Speedway motor sports complex.
Various transactions in the healthcare industry including bond financing, physician practice mergers and acquisitions.
Diverse joint ventures, sales, mergers and acquisitions in other industries including the sale of a sports complex, the strategic purchase by an industrial valve sales and manufacturing company of an industrial valve servicing company, the acquisition by a specialty paper company of a New England division and the site acquisition and construction of franchised restaurants.
The restructuring and succession planning for family owned businesses and related estate planning.
Charitable giving, including establishing charitable remainder trusts.
Jim has extensive and varied experience in representing financial institutions in all types of financing transactions and in troubled asset workouts. Jim's experience includes the structuring of financing of a floating restaurant and entertainment complex with U.S. Coast Guard registered vessels on a publicly owned leasehold; and its eventual unwind through bankruptcy with no loss to the financial institutions he represented.
Jim has always been active in the community and has served on a number of charitable and community boards. He resides in Edgewood, Kentucky with his wife and has three children and nine grandchildren. He serves on the board of the Freestore Foodbank; Baptist Life Communities, Inc; Northern Kentucky Volunteer Lawyers, and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Board of Advisors. Jim was appointed as a Kenton County representative to the Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-ED). Jim also annually leads a mission trip to Jacob's Ladder, a residential community in Jamaica for severely disabled adults operated by Mustard Seed Communities, where his team has been constructing new residencies.
Kay is a senior title examiner and is responsible for conducting, overseeing and managing title exams. Kay works closely with the attorneys and staff of Excel Title Services to prepare title abstracts, reports, title insurance commitments and policies. She has extensive experience with public real estate records throughout Ohio and Kentucky.
Kayla Campbell is an associate attorney practicing primarily in the area of Civil Litigation. She first joined DBL as a summer associate in 2016 and is based in the firm's Louisville office.
Kayla comes to us from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville where she graduated magna cum laude in 2017. During law school she served in various student leadership positions with the Student Bar Association, and as representative on law school's Honor Council. She was the Notes Editor for the Journal of Animal and Environmental Law and a pupil member of the Louis D. Brandeis American Inn of Court. She also participated in externships at both the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky and the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney.
Prior to attending law school, Kayla graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor Degree from the University of Kentucky in Political Science. While at UK she spent time working in local politics as an intern with the Kentucky General Assembly.
Kayla is a native of, and currently resides in Louisville, KY.
Jamie is responsible for processing new residential title orders. Jamie will obtain all information needed prior to closing, prepare title commitments/reports and clear up any title issues that may be found during this process. Once a closing has been scheduled, Jamie will conduct the closing, disburse and handle recording.
Job Titles:
- Secretary for the Tax Section of the Cincinnati Bar Association
Ryan M. Whitaker will be practicing in the business organization and taxation, estate and succession planning and corporate law sections within the firm. Ryan received his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 2015 and his Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance major, Marketing minor) also from UC in 2012. Ryan comes to the firm after practicing at a local boutique tax law firm.
Ryan serves as the Secretary for the Tax Section of the Cincinnati Bar Association, and is also on the planning committee for the Southwestern Ohio Tax Institute. In his free time, Ryan enjoys hiking, backpacking, and recreational soccer.
Teresa is a senior closing coordinator and is responsible for overseeing and managing the daily operations of the residential loan closing department. She is responsible for receiving and processing new title orders and obtaining all information needed for the closing. She prepares the title commitments and clears any title issues prior to closing. Teresa will communicate with all parties involved in the closing transaction to make sure everybody is clear on closing requirements. She will also conduct the closings, including disbursing the closing file and funds after the closing.