Juan Jose (John) is a founding member of the firm. Prior to opening the firm in 1997, John was General Counsel and Vice President of Administration for a $150 million publicly-traded international corporation where he supervised all domestic and international counsel as well as the corporate human resources, risk management and home office administrative functions.

John’s national practice focuses on complex commercial and business litigation including all forms of corporate transactions. He is widely known for defending multi-million dollar construction and real estate litigation cases; many of which include successful outcomes in arbitration and mediation as well as successful jury verdicts for his clients.

John and his wife, Joan, have three sons and five grandchildren. He is active in church and community activities and is fluent in Spanish.

Admissions

United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, 1986

United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, 1988

Ohio Supreme Court, 1985

Florida Supreme Court, 2012

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2015

Supreme Court of New York, 2013

United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1989

United States Tax Court, 1993

United States Supreme Court, 1990

MEMBERSHIPS, BOARD POSITIONS & COMMUNITY SERVICE

• The Ohio State University, Board of Trustees, Member
• The National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, Inc., Member
• Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, Member – Board of Directors

FORMER MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS

• Columbus First Bank, Board of Directors, Asset Liability Committee, Information Technology and Loan Committees, Member
• Mount Carmel Health System, Board of Directors Chair, Member
• Columbus Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Member
• University of Toledo Board of Trustees, Member
• National Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, Governance Committee, Member
• Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, Past Chair, Governance Board
• Task Force on Hispanic Affairs, Member
• National Kidney Foundation Serving Ohio Board, Member
• Columbus Crew Foundation Board, Member
• Ohio Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, Member
• The Gathering, Advisory Board, Member
• Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Council, Member
• Franklin County Foster Parent Association, Member
• Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management, Commissioner
• United Way of Franklin County, Planning, Evaluation and Allocations Committee, Volunteer
• National Association of Women Business Owners, Columbus Chapter, Advisory Board, Member

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, 2024
• Ohio Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2020-Present