Areas of Practice

Business Law

Spadafore Law’s business practice is focused on small businesses operating in Ohio, including sole proprietors, partnerships, closely held corporations, and limited liability corporations, regardless of industry.

Spadafore Law recognizes that every business has its own unique set of circumstances, challenges, issues, and goals. That is why Spadafore Law works one-on-one with each business it represents to fully understand the inner workings of the business and its market. After taking the time to discuss the nature of the business and its goals and expectations, Spadafore Law can then provide practical and individualized legal advice and representation to address the business’s current and future needs.

    • Including, but not limited to, the following:

      • Business startups

      • Choice of entity and entity formation

      • Business/corporate governance

      • Day-to-day management and operation issues

      • Contracts and business agreements

      • Sales and transactions

      • Mergers and acquisitions

      • Reorganizations

      • Joint ventures and partnerships

      • Franchising

      • Financing

      • Business valuation

      • Stockholder/member buy-sell agreements, redemptions, and transactions

      • Compliance and regulatory matters

      • Owner, shareholder, member, manager, and partner disputes

      • Real estate leasing and transactions

      • Staff and employee matters

      • Dissolutions and winding-up the business

      • Business litigation, arbitration, and mediation

Real Estate and Construction Law

Spadafore Law provides real estate, title, and construction representation to property owners, project owners, entrepreneurs, small business owners, property managers, developers, contractors, subcontractors, construction managers, suppliers, architects, engineers, planners, designers, investors, lenders, servicers, sureties, receivers, buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants.

    • Entity formation and ownership

    • Joint ventures and partnership relationships

    • Draft, review, consult, and negotiate real estate contracts, sales agreements, and options

    • Purchases, sales, and transfers

    • Title and title insurance matters

    • Commercial and residential leasing

    • Landlord-tenant matters

    • Property management

    • Land use, zoning, and easements

    • Licensing and permitting

    • Commercial and residential development

    • Brokerage agreements

    • Financing

    • Franchising and commercial contracts

    • Real estate taxes and assessments

    • Condominium and homeowner associations

    • Land-sale contracts

    • Restrictive covenants

Construction Matters

Spadafore Law handles construction law matters, from the beginning of a project through the end, including contract preparation, review, and negotiation, licensing, bidding, construction liens, insurance issues, environmental issues, delay claims, design professional liability, construction defect litigation and dispute resolution. In addition, Spadafore Law represents owners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and design professionals regarding business formation, operations, and management matters; joint venture and partnerships; creation of client specific documents and forms to be used in day-to-day business operations; contract drafting, consulting, and negotiation; ongoing project specific advice and consultation; and licensing and permitting issues.

Disputes & Litigation

Spadafore Law works directly with its real estate and construction clients to proactively identify problems and manage risk to resolve issues and disputes early, often without litigation or arbitration, and avoid delays and costs. However, Spadafore Law will zealously represent its clients’ interests in state and federal civil litigation, arbitrations, mediations, and administrative actions and appeals when matters cannot be resolved amicably between the parties

    • General real estate litigation and contract disputes

    • Lease disputes

    • Covenant enforcement for condominium, cooperative, and homeowners' associations

    • Nuisance, code violations, eminent domain, and condemnation

    • Evictions and landlord-tenant disputes

    • Defaults, liens, and foreclosures

    • General construction litigation and contract disputes

    • Construction defect and workmanship disputes

    • Delay disputes

    • Bond or warranty disputes

    • Compensation disputes

    • Bidding disputes

    • Construction and mechanics’ liens

    • Mold, water damages, and environmental claims

    • Issues related to notices of commencement, notices of furnishing, notices to owner, claims of lien, contractor’s affidavits, sworn statements of account, applications for payment and releases of lien

Employment Law

Spadafore Law handles a variety of employment-related issues, but unlike most firms, Spadafore Law’s employment practice is focused on representing employees and small local businesses.

    • Regulatory compliance

    • Personnel policies, employee handbooks, and employment agreements

    • Employee matters, including:

      • hiring

      • employment contracts

      • non-compete/non-solicitation agreements

      • leaves of absence and accommodations

      • discipline

      • internal/employee investigations

      • employer-employee disputes

      • discrimination claims

      • wrongful termination

    • Labor and union matters, including:

      • contract issues

      • fact-finding

      • mediation

      • grievance and arbitration proceedings

      • litigation

    • Administrative actions and litigation, including:

      • state and federal labor and employment claims

      • harassment claims

      • discrimination claims

      • tort claims

      • Section 1983 claims

      • non-compete and confidentiality agreement claims

      • trade secret litigation

      • unemployment compensation matters

      • wrongful termination

      • Title IX claims

Civil Litigation

When conflicts arise affecting your business, real estate, finances, or professional life, you need an attorney with extensive knowledge and expertise to evaluate the factual and legal issues involved and determine the best course of action based upon your unique circumstances and needs.

Craig Spadafore is an experienced litigation attorney that has represented hundreds of individuals and businesses in state and federal trial courts, appellate courts, arbitration proceedings, mediations, administrative actions, and governmental/employer audits or investigations.

Litigation is time consuming and costly. That is why Spadafore Law often resolves disputes informally and in a cost-effective manner through negotiation, mediation, or alternative dispute resolution programs to minimize costs and avoid interruptions to the client’s business and professional/personal life. But Spadafore Law will always zealously represent its client’s legal rights and is not afraid to go head-to-head in contested cases or take a case to trial when informal resolutions are not possible. At the end of the day, litigation is about problem solving and obtaining results for the client.   

Providing litigation services to clients goes beyond serving demand letters, filing complaints, or defending against claims. Spadafore Law also works closely with its clients to proactively identify and manage risks to avoid litigation or disputes in the future.

    • General Civil Litigation and Appeals

    • Business Litigation, including, but not limited to, the following:

      • Breach of contract or agreements

      • Breach of fiduciary duty

      • Breach of operating Agreements or other documents governing business entities or operations

      • Breach of employment, non-compete, trade secret, confidentiality, and non-solicitation agreements

      • Contractor and vendor disputes

      • Partner, shareholder, owner, manager, and member disputes

      • Business dissolutions

      • Lease disputes

      • Insurance contract disputes

    • Employment Litigation, including:

      • State and federal labor and employment claims

      • Harassment claims

      • Discrimination claims

      • Tort claims

      • Section 1983 claims

      • Non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality claims

      • Trade secret claims

      • Unemployment compensation matters

      • Wrongful termination

      • Title IX claims

      • Union matters, including: mediation, grievance and arbitration proceedings, and litigation

    • Real Estate and Construction Litigation, including:

      • Residential real estate disputes

      • Commercial real estate disputes

      • Lease and landlord/tenant disputes

      • Title defects and disputes

      • Contract disputes

      • Boundary disputes

      • Nuisance disputes or violations

      • Tax liens

      • Foreclosure and default

      • Construction defects

      • Contractor disputes

      • Mechanics Liens involving construction contractors and suppliers

      • Zoning issues

      • Usability issues

    • Healthcare Litigation, including:

      • Contract disputes

      • Credentialing and clinical privilege matters

      • Internal, external, or governmental audits, investigations, administrative processes, appeals, and litigation

      • Medical staff investigations

      • Peer review matters

      • Adverse actions, including focused professional practice evaluations (FPPE), performance improvement plans, changes to clinical privileges, suspensions, and provider termination

      • Administrative fair hearings and appeals

      • Medical board and National Practitioner Data Bank reporting issues

      • Standard of care and medical necessity inquires

      • CMS and OIG matters

      • ALJ hearings and administrative appeals

      • Employment Termination

      • Non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality disputes

    • Professional Licensure Defense

      •  Licensure complaints

      •  Standard of care issues

      •  Criminal charges and convictions

      •  Investigations and investigative interviews

      •  Negotiation of consent agreements

      •  Consent agreement compliance or violations

      •  Fair hearings and due process proceedings

      •  Administrative appeals in the court of common pleas and appellate courts

      •  Disciplinary and sanction matters

      •  substance abuse and mental health diversion programs