ShareholderGale S. Finley

Overview

Gale has spent his entire legal career representing businesses and business owners. In addition to general corporate and business formation and counseling, he has extensive experience in all forms of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and restructurings. Gale has been lead counsel in several complex refinancing transactions, including venture capital investments.

Gale’s communication skills and his knowledge of his clients’ business and objectives make him an effective “quarterback” in bringing together resources and other service providers on the client’s team to ensure a cohesive, efficient, and effective plan.

Although he enjoys every aspect of his practice, Gale gets the most satisfaction working with entrepreneurs (budding as well as experienced). He has become a trusted advisor (legal and otherwise) to business owners, assisting with all forms of business-related issues and activities. He finds as much satisfaction in helping to decide what to do and how to do it as in preparing the necessary documents or other work product. He knows that clients want more than an explanation of their options. They want guidance. He listens to the client, considers the options, and provides direct advice about how to proceed. Also, he loves sorting through complicated problems and issues and explaining them in a way that makes sense to non-lawyers.

Professional Experience / Focus Areas

Gale’s practice is national in scope. In addition to numerous local and regional clients, he is general counsel for, or otherwise works with, companies and other organizations operating throughout the U.S. Technology has eliminated barriers that at one time limited an attorney’s ability to effectively work with clients in other parts of the country and other parts of the world. He enjoys being able to offer clients “big city” talent and capabilities with attentive service and Dayton rates.

Gale also represents multiemployer and other Taft-Hartley pension funds, with an emphasis on Department of Labor compliance, fiduciary responsibility issues, and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders. His book, Assigning Retirement Benefits in Divorce, is in its second edition.

Intellectual property law is a large part of Gale’s practice. For many years he represented a software development company that created and licensed numerous consumer software products that were distributed worldwide. He also counsels companies in the development, registration, and protection of trademarks and service marks.

In addition, Gale:

• Represents and counsels clients regarding corporate and business matters, business organization, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, financing, and employee issues
• Helps business owners get a better understanding of legal/business issues
• Negotiates and drafts complex contracts, including commercial leases and licensing arrangements
• Represents boards of trustees of pension funds
• Represents companies that work under government contracts on the federal, state, and local levels
• Advises on general regulatory compliance matters

Personal

Gale is a drummer and loves playing classic rock. He also plays golf and is a cycling enthusiast.

Awards

• Designated Ohio Super Lawyer by Law & Politics Media Inc.
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rated
• Designated a Top Rated Business & Corporate Attorney by Super Lawyers

Business Board Affiliations

• International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans