About John
Passionate about real estate and development, John has dedicated his over 30-year career to protecting clients’ property rights and achieving their goals. Practicing in all facets of real estate – including acquisition, disposition, leasing, finance, construction, eminent domain, and real property tax – John represents national and regional clients in industry sectors including commercial, office, retail, industrial, and residential.Notably, John devotes a significant part of his practice to land use and zoning, where he delivers unparalleled solutions in protecting and advancing property rights. He represents clients on a daily basis in matters involving applications for site approvals, variances, conditional use approvals, rezonings, economic development incentives, and litigation related to these issues. He develops and implements strategies to overcome objections by governmental authorities and community activists to secure approvals for clients in some of the most controversial and difficult cases. John is actively involved in the real estate community on a local and national level, including his engagement as a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor on real estate and land use issues. He also is an adjunct professor of law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law teaching Land Use Regulation.
Passionate about real estate and development, John has dedicated his over 30-year career to protecting clients’ property rights and achieving their goals. Practicing in all facets of real estate – including acquisition, disposition, leasing, finance, construction, eminent domain, and real property tax – John represents national and regional clients in industry sectors including commercial, office, retail, industrial, and residential.
Notably, John devotes a significant part of his practice to land use and zoning, where he delivers unparalleled solutions in protecting and advancing property rights. He represents clients on a daily basis in matters involving applications for site approvals, variances, conditional use approvals, rezonings, economic development incentives, and litigation related to these issues. He develops and implements strategies to overcome objections by governmental authorities and community activists to secure approvals for clients in some of the most controversial and difficult cases. John is actively involved in the real estate community on a local and national level, including his engagement as a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor on real estate and land use issues. He also is an adjunct professor of law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law teaching Land Use Regulation.
Practice Areas
Professional Affiliations
Awards & Recognition
- Lawyer of the Year: Real Estate Law, Cleveland (2026)
- Lawyer of the Year: Land Use and Zoning Law, Cleveland (2025)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, Cleveland (2025)
- Lawyer of the Year: Land Use and Zoning Law, Cleveland (2020)
- Lawyer of the Year: Land Use and Zoning Law, Cleveland (2017)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Real Estate, Cleveland (2016)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Real Estate, Cleveland (2013)
- Recognized: Land Use and Zoning Law
- Recognized: Real Estate Law
- Recognized: Litigation - Real Estate
- Recognized: Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
- Special Focus: Commercial
- Special Focus: Commercial Landlord Tenant
- Special Focus: Condemnation
- Special Focus: Development
- Special Focus: Eminent Domain
- Special Focus: Industrial
- Special Focus: Land Use
- Special Focus: Planned Real Estate
- Special Focus: Public Finance
- Special Focus: Real Property Law
- Special Focus: Residential
- Special Focus: Shopping Center Transactions
- Special Focus: Tax Certiorari
- Special Focus: Zoning
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® (2007-2025).
- Selected for inclusion in Ohio’s Super Lawyers® (2004 – 2025), as voted by his peers.
- Selected to Ohio’s Top 100 Super Lawyers® list (2012) and Cleveland’s Top 50 Super Lawyers® list (2012).
- Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating of AV® Preeminent™, which is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards as established by confidential opinions from members of the Bar.
- Recipient: “Associate Supplier of the Year Award” from the Home Builder’s Association of Portage and Summit counties for his volunteer work assisting the association with drafting their form contracts.