High Bars

Eduardo Kim, 36

In brief: A partner in Thompson Hine’s commercial and public finance practice group, Eduardo Kim is fluent in many things: three languages, world travel and hotel management. A Korean born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he spent a year after college working in his parents’ hotel, a Best Western in Sparks, Nev.

The path to Cleveland: The hotel industry wasn’t his calling. “It was fine to work in,” Kim says. But he had other plans. He enrolled at Cornell University Law School after the hotel experience, and his wife, a native of Northeast Ohio, eventually led him to the city.

No sweat: Kim was named a partner last December. So far, the largest sum he’s dealt with is $1.25 billion. “Clients pay us well to do our job,” Kim says. “So there is not any more pressure.” Kim says sometimes the hardest transactions are the smaller ones, because they tend to be more complicated.

On being named partner: “My mother cried,” Kim says.

Family man: Kim has three kids and several siblings that live in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. He enjoys golfing in the Cleveland Metroparks and attending local sporting events. His spare time is limited, though. “With me, family is Numero Uno,” Kim says.

Versatile speak: Kim is fluent in English, Spanish and Korean. While at Cornell’s law school, he learned law terms in English. However, he’s a native Spanish speaker. Knowing Spanish has helped him at various points at Thompson Hine, though he hasn’t tapped into his Korean yet.

State of banks: When National City Bank was bought out by PNC, Kim says it was a “big blow” to Cleveland. It could be worse, though. About 15 years ago, Kim traveled to a rural Romanian city. “There were no banks there,” he says. If you needed cash, you’d have to find a local with a briefcase full of it to make a transaction.

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Majeed G. Makhlouf, 32

In brief: Growing up in the West Bank city of Ramallah under military occupation, Majeed G. Makhlouf envisioned pursuing higher education in Paris or perhaps the University of California at Berkeley, where his uncle taught. But a high school encounter with a Hiram College recruiter brought him to Northeast Ohio instead. He’s now a senior associate at Taft Stettinius & Hollister and a champion of diversity initiatives in his firm and citywide.

His diversity philosophy: Don’t just populate your staff to look appropriately multicultural. “A diverse team always outperforms a homogenous team,” he says. “People from different backgrounds will always come up with the best result.” That approach informs his involvement in diversity committees at Taft and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and as co-chair of the bar’s Minority Attorney Roundtable.

Proudest legal accomplishment: Helping property owners during the six-week litigation and settlement of the Flats’ East Bank eminent domain cases

Favorite on-screen lawyer: Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny. “He’s this poor guy who doesn’t know what he’s doing, up to his shoulders in this case. You’re laughing at him, but you’re still rooting for him.”

Hiram advantage: Native Arabic-speaker Makhlouf credits Hiram’s small college-town atmosphere for his exceptional English, which carries hardly a hint of accent. “[Being there] forced me to speak English.”

Don’t look for him on the golf course: Life with his professional pianist wife and daughters, 5 and 2, makes spare time “a rare commodity.” Plus, “I’m probably one of the worst golfers on the planet.”

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Jonathan Leiken, 37

In brief: This once aspiring actor turned his passion for performance into a successful legal career. A Shaker Heights native, Leiken was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, one of the top U.S. attorney offices in the country. His office worked on the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui — the “20th hijacker” in the 9/11 attacks.

And justice for all: Through the Cleveland Municipal Bar Association, Leiken co-initiated “Criminal Justice Day,” an annual program introducing Cleveland public school students to the inner workings of the criminal justice system. “We wanted to inspire them about the ideals and values behind our criminal justice system and show them what kinds of careers are available as a prosecutor, a defense attorney, a judge or law enforcement officer.”

Father knows best: His dad, Shaker Heights Mayor Earl Leiken’s best advice: “You can’t please everyone; follow your convictions and have a thick skin.”

Pivotal moment: Sept. 11, 2001. His wife, eight and a half months pregnant, walked five miles from her office near the World Trade Center to their apartment after the towers fell. Upon arrival, she gave birth to their first child via emergency C-section. “After that, we decided our priorities were to be near family and friends, and made plans to return to Cleveland.”

9/11 interviews: As part of the Moussaoui trial, Leiken interviewed victims of 9/11 in a large New York hotel in 2002. It allowed him to meet the families and tell his own story. “It was very moving to be able to tell people who lost a loved one that life was brought into the world on that day. I could tell it was meaningful to them.”

All the world’s a stage: A fine arts buff, Leiken serves on the Great Lakes Theater Festival’s board of trustees. He also plays the piano and sings in a rock band with fellow lawyers called “Rule 11 and the Sanctions,” whose performances benefitted the Great Lakes Theater Festival the past two years.

Strollin’ with my sweetie: His former attorney wife, Erika, co-owns a baby stroller business.

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Jeana M. Singleton, 29

In brief: If music lessons can make kids smarter (and research suggests that it does), then Jeana Singleton must be one heck of a brainy lawyer. A classically trained pianist, the 2005 University of Akron School of Law grad works in the health law department at Brennan, Manna & Diamond. Singleton says the skills she learned as a pianist transferred very well into law school.

“When you’re a musician studying to be a professional musician, you have to be very detail-oriented,” she says, “and the law is the same way.”

Healthy appetite for learning: Singleton had no background in health care before turning to it for her practice. “I have been able to teach myself a lot about health care law.”

Still playing: Singleton remains active in Akron’s music scene. She sits on the board of trustees for the Greater Akron Musical Association and freelances as a pianist at local churches and other community organizations.

Favorite composer? “On the classical side, it’s definitely Beethoven.” But she was just as keyed up for the Billy Joel and Elton John face to face concert tour.

Music school adventure: As the assistant conductor and accompanist for the Miami University women’s choir group, the Choraliers, for three years, Singleton remembers the group’s performance tour of Australia and Fiji as the “coolest thing I did during music school.”

Facebook or MySpace? Singleton doesn’t have a MySpace account, but she does use Facebook. “It’s helped me to reconnect with a lot of friends from my childhood and stay connected with current friends.”

Watch a lot of crime TV? “I don’t have a lot of time to watch TV, but when I do, I prefer to watch things like Dancing with the Stars and American Idol.”

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Terrence Link II, 36

In brief: You might recognize Terry Link II — everybody else seems to. The 36-year-old partner at Roetzel & Andress in Akron, who specializes in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and trademark law, has been named one of the 30 for the Future by the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce and in Crain’s Cleveland Business’ 40 Under 40. Which begs the question: Any goals for 50? “Please, my wife Lauren and I have a 6-year-old, a 4-year-old and a baby on the way. Don’t make me feel any older than I do right now.”

Who’s No. 1? “It’s a privilege to share my father’s name. He’s always been a great role model.”

Tense negotiations: “I had someone scream their lungs out at me, storm out of the room and then immediately walk back in and sign the papers. Never saw that before.”

Favorite fictional lawyer: Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird. “He was a man of integrity and principle, and he always tried to do what’s right, even if it wasn’t popular.”

Order on the court: Link coached high school wrestling before law school, and this past winter, he helped coach his son’s kindergarten basketball team. “It was really fun to watch the kids grow on the court.”

Advice to live by: “The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

Three songs on his iPod: “Alive” by Pearl Jam, “Strange Times” by the Black Keys and “Freefallin’ ” by Tom Petty

Bic shot: “Expensive pens don’t work for me. I lose them. I stick with the basic cheap ones.”

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Gregg Eisenberg, 37

In brief: Gregg Eisenberg is all business. As a partner and executive committee member of Benesch Friedlander, the 37-year-old Eisenberg focuses on mergers and acquisitions and institutional corporate work. “I really get a high out of doing a deal.” He also enjoys being involved in his community, serving on boards for Opportunities Unlimited, Team NEO and others. The Beachwood native lives in Pepper Pike with his wife, Regina, and two children.

Double-g for short: Eisenberg says he has two g’s at the end of his name because his parents didn’t want him to be Gregory. “They just wanted it to be Gregg.”

Tooth aches: “Sometimes I feel like we’re the dentist. People don’t like talking to us unless they need us.”

Favorite (law) suit: “I prefer a black suit, a white shirt and a dark tie. I think it’s intimidating.”

Guilty TV pleasure: Rock of Love with Bret Michaels

... Or love of rock: If he wasn’t a lawyer, he’d be a rock star ... “If I could sing.”

His favorite thing to do when he’s not working: “I love to go on dates with my wife. Please make sure you put that in there.”

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Lynnette Rodgers, 38

The brief: Lynnette Rodgers grew up in a low-income Cleveland Heights neighborhood and was the only one of her siblings to graduate high school. She earned advanced degrees in social work, public administration and law, and the former associate at Ulmer & Berne is seeking a new firm where she can practice employment and labor law. Community involvement takes her back to the neighborhoods of her youth, where her example gives at-risk kids a glimpse of what their own futures could be.

Proudest moment: Bumping into a young woman she’d mentored years ago. “She told me I was the reason she was in college. She always thought she had to be streety to be popular but realized you can also be smart and get good grades.”

On Obama: Emotions over Obama’s election “run really deep,” says Rodgers, who is herself bi-racial. Her own maternal grandmother “thought I would be striped or polka-dotted when I was born. ... It gives me hope that my nieces and nephews won’t have to justify what they are.”

Hidden ink: Rodgers has an upper-arm tattoo of a phoenix rising from the ashes and roses on her back with a blood-soaked thorn. “[The roses] are like family: It’s the most beautiful thing in the world, but it also hurts you the most.”

Find her on a Saturday night: Dinner at Mallorca, then Sunset Lounge for salsa dancing

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Allen Kacenjar, 34

In brief: On any given day, Allen Kacenjar’s environmental law practice might have him walking brownfields to explore redevelopment or litigating complex environmental cases for industry clients. He was on a legal team that argued a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court at the age of 29. But this senior associate at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey says every day is an exercise in balancing sustainable industry with a healthy planet.

Pass the word: Lawyers have a unique role to play in the green movement, says Kacenjar, bridging the communication gap between the scientists, legislators and the general public. “There’s so much miscommunication, particularly on climate change. People are scared when they don’t need to be about things they can’t affect.”

Green pet peeve: “The word ‘sustainability.’ It means something different to everyone who uses it. It becomes a subterfuge. ... Just explain what you’re attempting to accomplish in plain English.”

Favorite TV lawyer show: LA Law. “It took real issues from the day and ran with them to the absurd.”

Dramatic flair: Kacenjar puts skills from his high school drama club days to use in the courtroom. “How you present yourself plays an enormous role in what you’re able to accomplish.”

Favorite lawyer joke: “What do you call 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the sea? A good start.”

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Amanda M. Leffler, 31

In brief: Amanda M. Leffler hasn’t had to travel very far to find success. In fact, she probably could have used a bike. After graduating from the University of Akron Law School, the Tallmadge native accepted a position with Brouse McDowell in Akron, where she’s been a business litigator for the past seven years. “I put my heart and soul into what I do.” When the 31-year-old Leffler isn’t focused on her practice, she enjoys gardening, reading and spending time with her husband, Daniel, who’s also an attorney.

Who wins the arguments at home? “If you ask me, I always win.”

Flower power: The nicest thing a client ever did was send her flowers with a note that said he didn’t think anyone could have done a better job.

Garden party: Leffler has everything from marigolds and petunias to a full vegetable garden, basil and herbs growing in her yard. “My favorite thing of all, though, are lilacs.”

The worst part of her day: Billing time to clients is just painful, Leffler says. “I wish we could do it another way.”

Her three favorite Web sites: westlaw.com, a legal search engine; ohio.com; and coach.com. “What can I say? I’m a big Coach purse fan.”

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Elena Lougovskaia, 32

In brief: There are many routes to building a successful law career in Northeast Ohio. Not many start in Siberia. Elena Lougovskaia left the oil fields of Russia at 16 to attend college at Denison University and then law school at Case Western Reserve University. Today, the 32-year-old founding partner at Lougovskaia Boop focuses her practice on immigration and civil litigation. “The one thing I’ve learned from my experiences is how important it is to put everyone on the same level and treat everyone equally.”

Cold shoulder: There’s no comparison between our winter and Siberia. “My mom says it was minus-50 [Celsius] on the day I was born,” she says. “And that was only October.”

Pottery barn: Lougovskaia loves pottery. Although if you ask her, she say she’s not quite world-class yet: “Most of my pieces are very grotesque. I just pretend I intended them that way.”

Russian potty-mouth: In Russia, you actually have to pay to get in to most clean public restrooms, Lougovskaia says.

Emailer or texter? Big texter. “I kind of have a problem, actually. I am constantly upping my plan. I Twitter, too. Don’t ask.”

Family-friendly: Lougovskaia’s mom visited Cleveland this past spring. “She was amazed that people can actually leave things on their lawn and nothing is stolen.”

Do people ask you to spell your name for them? “Every single time! And then they ask me how to pronounce it. I tell them to look up in the sky, and that’s how you say it: Loo-gus-sky-ya.”

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Meaghan E. Spaner, 29

In brief: She makes it sound so easy. She landed an internship at Parker Hannifin because nobody wanted to hire an intern who was studying abroad in Japan and couldn’t come in for an interview. A Cleveland State law professor hooked her up, and Parker held the position until she could interview. She started a week later. After her third year, the company said she could stay on as an intern until she found a real job — then Parker Hannifin hired her. In her job as corporate counsel, she works on commercial transactions and litigation, nondisclosure agreements, trademarks, government contracting and import-export issues.

Five-year plan: “Actually, this is what I hoped to be doing, but typically, this isn’t where you land until after your fifth year.”

Japanese breakfast: If you stay out late in Japan, sometimes it just makes sense to stay out later. “In Japan at night, if you’re out after midnight, the trains stop running. So we’d take the train into Tsukiji and eat sushi for breakfast at the fish market at 5 a.m.”

Begged-for legal advice: The first question her nonlawyer friends asked her once she got barred was, “Could you get me out of a DUI if I needed it?” She clarifies, “ ‘Not will you, but could you?’ My answer is always no. I’ll let them sit in jail.”

Friday night happy hours: “If you’re in my legal department, we’re going to Champps in Lyndhurst. If you’re a friend, we’re going to Cork-N-Bottle, the really gross dive bar next to Hillcrest Hospital. It’s so gross and so good.”

Least to most hated — news media, lawyers, used car salesmen, purse snatchers. “Lawyers. We have no self-hate. News media. They’re just doing their job. Boy, then it’s a tossup. I’d say purse snatchers, then used car salesmen.”

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Christina Moser, 35

In Brief: The intellectual property and patent lawyer must have loved high school English class. An interpersonal communications major at Ohio University, “a lot of my studies involved symbolism in communication, and that is the essence of trademark law,” she says. Moser, who has a master’s of law degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, has always enjoyed the arts, which helped cement her interest in legal issues in the entertainment community.

Seeing stars: Moser was an actress in high school and college plays. “I had a bunch of different kinds of roles, from supporting to the lead in a couple.”

Favorite lawyers on TV: “I think the old stand-by would be Law & Order. I don’t relate to it necessarily as an attorney, but I do find the stories and the attention to detail interesting.”

Green thumb: Spending time in the garden is one of Moser’s most beloved pastimes. “I putter. I have a house on the lake, and I putter in my yard a lot, gardening.”

How does your garden grow? She has several hydrangea varieties. “This past weekend, I demolished a raised bed and built a new one.”

Mistake by the Lake? Moser sees a side of Cleveland that people from other cities may not. “I think it’s a pretty city. I feel that Cleveland has, per capita, more cultural resources than other cities of its size. It has a fantastic history and a great location.”

Not so secret garden: “During the summer, the library garden is a great respite from the day.”

A hidden gem: The Grovewood Tavern. “It’s really unassuming, and it’s a neighborhood place, but basically any mood you’re in, you can go to the Grovewood and find anything that suits you.”

Measuring success: “I think my personal accomplishments as an attorney are measured day by day, situation by situation. They’re little triumphs that allow me to recognize what I’ve learned as an attorney and what I can learn in the future.”LawHigh Bars Matthew Gurbach, 31

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In brief: Change is coming, and Matthew Gurbach wants to be part of it. A partner and litigator at Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell, Youngstown’s largest firm, Gurbach believes his adopted hometown is on the verge of a renaissance and plans to be on the front lines of it. He’s the dean’s visiting counsel for Youngstown State University and sits on the boards of the Youngstown Symphony and the American Red Cross.

The Y-town advantage: “I’ve been able to get involved civically much faster than I would have in Cleveland. Unless I donated gobs of money, I don’t think I would be on the board of the Cleveland Orchestra at 31.”

Closing argument: Gurbach is a Browns fan married to a Pittsburgh native and devoted Steelers fan. Both are already trying to influence the allegiances of their 7-month-old daughter. “I’m going to have a heck of a case to make for her to be a Browns fan. I can’t argue against facts.”

Kitchen confidential: Gurbach loves to cook and planned to attend culinary school before opting for the law.

His signature dish: Pan-seared scallops served with corn salsa

Facebook or Twitter?: “At first, I dismissed all of it as something for the kids ... but absolutely, Facebook.”

Favorite TV lawyer: Jack McCoy from Law & Order. “He can deliver a hell of a closing argument.” Shannon Polk, 34

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In brief: Shannon is the name. That’s Shannon with a “$.” Last year, Polk and his partner, Richard Haber, won the largest single plaintiff employment verdict in Ohio history when a jury awarded a fired employee $46.7 million. “The case is currently on appeal,” says Polk. “It’s going to be a while until this whole thing is over.” Regardless, life and business are good for the 34-year-old Michigan native, who enjoys playing basketball, golf and spending time with his 8-month-old son, Caden, and wife, Laura Volpini, who’s also a partner in the firm.

Firm beginnings: Polk says starting his own firm wasn’t scary, but it was definitely a gamble. “Fortunately, it’s paid off.”

Myth busters: Polk says the biggest misconception about lawyers is that they don’t care about their clients. “If I don’t treat a client like a member of my family, they’re not going to get the best advocacy.”

Twelve sleeping men: If someone falls asleep in the juror’s box, you either wake them or let sleeping dogs lie. “Depending on the situation, you either hope they’re listening or hope they’re not.”

Your wife works for you. How’s that going? “Careful with the word choice. Can’t we just say we work together?”

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Eric Johnson, 33

In brief: Just shy of his 31st birthday, Eric Johnson became the youngest partner in Walter & Haverfield’s 77-year history. Today he serves as practice head for the firm’s labor and employment group and founding chair of its education law group. But he says his greatest accomplishment is the balance he’s been able to strike between a legal career, civic involvement and family life.

Believe it or not: He makes it home to Painesville Township to have dinner with his wife, Kelly, their 4-year-old and 9-month-old sons most nights, and rarely goes to the office on weekends. “The last thing I want is for any success I have legally to come at the expense of family life.”

Moving on up: Johnson came from working-class roots — his dad’s a retired snack-food deliveryman for Dan Dee, and his mom is an X-ray tech supervisor at LakeWest Hospital — and was the first in his family to graduate college. “ ‘Lawyer’ didn’t have a very positive connection for us growing up ... but [my father] said, ‘That’s what I want you to be. I don’t want you to have to deliver potato chips for 30 years.’ ”

If he wasn’t a lawyer ... “I would have loved to be a marine biologist or a vet. But I couldn’t pass chemistry.”

Facebook or Twitter? “I’m more of a LinkedIn guy.”

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Resource Directory

Benesch, Friedlander,
Coplan & Aronoff LLP

200 Public Square, Suite 2300
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 363-4438
(216) 363-4588 (fax)

Benesch is a business law firm with multiple offices in Cleveland; Columbus; Wilmington, Del.; Philadelphia; and Shanghai. The firm services national and international clients that include public and private, middle-market and emerging companies as well as private equity funds, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, trusts and estates.

Frantz Ward LLP

Founded in 2000 by 13 attorneys, Frantz Ward has grown to more than 60 attorneys to become one of Ohio’s premier law firms. The firm’s attorneys and staff are committed to providing exceptional client service and excellent legal work in a practical and cost-effective manner.

One Cleveland Center, Ninth Floor
1375 E. Ninth St.
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 623-0150
(216) 623-0134 (fax)
inquiries@ralaw.com

Roetzel & Andress is a full-service, progressive law firm with 11 offices throughout Ohio, Florida and Washington, D.C. The firm’s 220 attorneys provide counsel in more than 40 different areas of law and serve a broad spectrum of clients on a regional, national and international basis.

4900 Key Tower
127 Public Square
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 479-8500
(216) 479-8780 (fax)
www.ssd.com

Founded in 1890, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP has lawyers in 32 offices and 15 countries throughout the world. With one of the strongest integrated global platforms and our longstanding one-firm philosophy, Squire Sanders provides seamless legal counsel worldwide.

200 Public Square, Suite 3500
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 241-2838
(216) 241-3707 (fax)
kmajor@taftlaw.com

Taft attracts attorneys who are talented, committed and smart. Our firm spans eight offices, growing successfully through the people we hire and the clients we retain. As contributing members within our communities, Taft attorneys are motivated to deliver real-life solutions to the issues our clients face every day.

1301 E. Ninth St., Suite 3500
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 781-1212 ext. 2942
(216) 575-0911
gbloom@walterhav.com

Founded in 1932, Walter & Haverfield LLP provides legal guidance to individuals as well as corporations, institutions and public entities of all sizes. Our team of 50 attorneys focuses on labor and employment, public law, education law, litigation, business/tax, real estate, health care and telecommunications law.