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20090622-NEWS--11-NAT-CCI-CL_-- 6/18/2009 4:03 PM Page 1 JUNE 22-28, 2009 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 11 LEGAL AFFAIRS Lawyers: Real estate law hit hard Committed to continued from PAGE 9 rience doing real estate law, an area sets in for a more permanent job to hit hard by the economic collapse. Helping Our Clients support his family. She said she’s trying to branch out to “Where do you draw the line? I other practice areas, but hasn’t been don’t know where the line is,” he said. able to find any opportunities. Attain Their Goals “It’s a wild, wild situation out there. It’s difficult to remain optimistic Who knows what’s going to happen?” about her chances, she said. Mary Whitmer, who was slated to “I can’t even tell you how far my be installed as president of the résumé has been sent,” she said. “It’s Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Associ- frustrating to have all this education, ation last Friday, June 19, said more and I don’t know what my next step is.” PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS legal staff than lawyers have been Ms. Kopfinger said she would like getting the ax. to stay in Cleveland, but doesn’t 220 attorneys • 40 areas of practice • 11 offices Still, she said, there’s no doubt that know that she’ll be able to if a job One Address: www.ralaw.com/cleveland many lawyers have been affected by doesn’t materialize locally. layoffs as well — both in Northeast Ohio and across the country. Opportunity knocks Hugh Kinast considers himself Roetzel & Andress’ entrepreneurial philosophy encourages our attorneys to On the hunt lucky to have found a position as Mari A. Zacharyasz, an attorney in-house counsel at Sherwin-Williams understand our clients’ businesses, embrace their goals and recommend innovative who was laid off from her job at after being laid off earlier this year approaches to achieve those goals. Roetzel & Andress in February after from a large, local law firm he did losing two other law firm jobs since not want to name. He said three With over 130 years of experience, Roetzel & Andress offers sound legal counsel to July 2007, said it’s much harder this months of severance pay allowed a broad spectrum of clients locally, regionally and internationally. We partner with time than it was in the past. him to consider his options. Fewer jobs are available, she said, He knew his job in the banking our clients to serve as trusted advisors and extensions of their management teams. and with more experience — she and real estate practice group could has been licensed to practice since be in danger before he lost it, but was 2000 — she’s a less desirable hire, wary of looking for a new position 222 South Main Street One Cleveland Center, 1375 East Ninth Street costing more than attorneys with earlier for fear of being the “last one Akron, OH 44308 Cleveland, OH 44114 less work under their belts. in, first one out” at another firm. 330.376.2700 216.623.0150 Ms. Zacharyasz said she’s focused “If I knew I was going to be laid off, her application energies on govern- I could have been more aggressively ment positions, believing the looking, considering my options,” he Akron Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus Toledo Fort Lauderdale government to be a more stable said. Fort Myers Naples Orlando Tallahassee Washington, D.C. employer and more likely to hire Had he not been hired at Sher- than a private law firm. But with so win-Williams, his next step would many applicants on the market, have been to open up his own employers can afford to be pickier. practice, Mr. Kinast said. So with her experience in labor and That’s what his former co-worker, employment law, she’s expanded Phillip Helon, did. But Mr. Helon said her search to human resources he sees the chance to open his own positions, as well. firm as an opportunity. Opening her own firm also is a He originally started the firm as a possibility. “I hate having to open a way to bridge the gap between practice, open it out of my home, but getting laid off and finding another I think I’m going to have to,” she said. job, Mr. Helon said, but has enjoyed The whole experience, Ms. the experience so much he said he Zacharyasz said, has been “extremely intends it to be a permanent venture. overwhelming.” She worries about “I no longer have any intention of health care and paying her mortgage ever going back to large-firm prac- and can’t follow the advice of friends tice,” he said. “It’s been going very and others who tell her to enjoy the well. I’ve been keeping very busy.” time off while she has it. Mr. Helon said because there are Unparalleled Performance “I don’t have any money coming no restrictions on competition in the in,” she said. “I just need something practice of law, he was able to take Our Business & Finance Team is Built on a Track Record of Experience to get me back on track financially. several of his clients with him, and This threw me into another realm now has more flexibility in creating that I never, ever thought I’d be in.” his own rate structure or offering The future doesn’t look any alternative billing arrangements. At Taft we work as One Team – brighter for Aileen Sexton Kopfinger, When he first lost his job in one of two attorneys with Taft February, he said he had several driven to help you succeed and Stettinius & Hollister laid off this interviews with firms that were committed to being involved in your spring. In addition to sending off interested, but in the end were hundreds of applications across the unable to bring him on board. business. Our Business and Finance country, she said she’s crossing her But his clients like working with fingers and hoping to survive. him directly, he said, and he said he attorneys provide sophisticated “I’m primarily collecting unem- thinks he is a good enough marketer advice to businesses ranging from ployment,” Ms. Kopfinger said. “It’s that he can grow the practice. not like it’s going to pay my bills “This is what I do to pay my private entrepreneurial start-ups and much longer.” bills,” he said. “It’s definitely been a emerging growth companies to Ms. Kopfinger has 10 years of expe- good opportunity.” ■ NYSE corporations, as well as private equity and venture capital funds. shrinking workloads. Is the bar as- Learn more about how Taft’s Interview sociation doing anything to assist individual attorneys and firms dur- Business and Finance transaction continued from PAGE 9 ing these down times? team can help your business land’s Volunteer Lawyers Program to provide pro bono legal services A: In July, we will offer a course for performance at www.taftlaw.com. to individuals in need. The economic attorneys in transition at no cost for climate certainly heightens the attorneys without current positions. demand for service. One of our The CMBA also provides networking primary duties is to make the case and marketing opportunities for to our members to increase their our members. Regarding member- participation in providing pro bono ship, we offer specialized payment legal service to our neighbors in need. structures and reduced rates for Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP laid-off and part-time attorneys as Q: Some law firms have felt the well as volume pricing for continuing 200 Public Square, Suite 3500, Cleveland, OH 44114-2302 / P: (216) 241-2838 / www.taftlaw.com negative effects of the recession, legal education for our individual Cincinnati / Cleveland / Columbus / Dayton / Indianapolis / Northern Kentucky / Phoenix / Beijing resulting in attorney layoffs and members and law firms. 20090622-NEWS--12-NAT-CCI-CL_-- 6/18/2009 3:22 PM Page 1 12 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS JUNE 22-28, 2009 INSIDE 13 PRIVATE SCHOOLS GROOM STUDENTS EARLY FOR EDUCATION COLLEGE. PREPANDPAROCHIAL Enrollment the steady in unstable economy BIG Natalie Babbitt By KATHY AMES CARR Natalie Moore NOW [email protected] Writer, illustrator THEN he recession has strained the Laurel School finances of some households whose children attend pri- picture vate schools, but administra- Ttors say the economic downturn is Today’s leaders praise alma maters not enough to turn families away. Still, administrators of local private and parochial schools are seeing for influencing their careers, lives other effects of the down economy despite fall enrollment that is holding fairly steady compared to last year. By ARIELLE KASS School officials say more families [email protected] are seeking financial aid, and a challenging fundraising environment uick — where did NBA MVP and Cavaliers has meant less financial support for star LeBron James go to high school? many of these institutions, which are Chris Connor funded primarily through tuition, The answer? St. Vincent-St. Mary. charitable contributions, endowment Chris Connor OK. Maybe that was an easy one. How about Walsh JesuitTHEN High School income and parish subsidies. Both situations reflect national trends. Q Cleveland’s own Iron Chef, Michael Symon? NOW CEO, Sherwin-Williams Co. Take Western Reserve Academy in He’s a St. Edward High School grad. Talk show host Hudson, for example: Financial aid Phil Donahue, too. requests are up about 10% to 15%, while contributions to this year’s And Neel Kashkari, the man who jumped into the news annual fund fell $200,000 short of the last fall by heading up the government’s Troubled Asset school’s $1.8 million goal.

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