DeBaltzo Law Firm operates as of counsel to Dinn, Hochman & Potter, LLC, a relationship that positions a boutique transactional practice within a broader legal network while maintaining its own client-facing identity. The firm focuses on entrepreneurial and growth-oriented businesses, representing them in corporate law, business transactions, and real estate across Ohio and Florida. The Mayfield Heights office is at 5910 Landerbrook Drive, Suite 200, Mayfield Heights, Ohio 44124, and can be reached at (440) 544-1104.
Practice Areas
Corporate and Business Law
The firm represents clients from diverse industries in corporate and business matters. The client profile emphasized in the firm’s materials is entrepreneurial: companies that are growing, adapting, and need legal counsel that keeps pace with their development. Corporate representation covers governance structures, shareholder and operating agreements, capital transactions, and business-to-business dealings.
The firm’s expressed approach to business law prioritizes timeliness and cost-effectiveness. For business clients, legal costs and response time are practical concerns, and the firm’s stated model reflects awareness of this.
Real Estate
Real estate work spans residential, retail, industrial, and commercial properties in Ohio and Florida. The firm assists individuals and businesses with:
Purchase and sale transactions: from early planning through due diligence, including negotiation of purchase agreements, review of title and survey reports, and coordination of closing requirements.
Due diligence: examining the legal status of a property before a transaction closes, including reviewing title, environmental reports, survey, zoning compliance, and existing lease obligations.
Commercial leasing: drafting and negotiating commercial leases from both the landlord and tenant perspective, as well as enforcement of lease terms when disputes arise.
Contract Law
Commercial contract drafting and review across the firm’s practice areas. For business clients, contracts are the foundation of ongoing legal risk management. The firm reviews and drafts agreements including vendor contracts, service agreements, employment contracts, and the various agreements that accompany real estate and corporate transactions.
Business Formation and Governance
Selecting the appropriate entity type, drafting formation documents, and establishing operating agreements or bylaws are foundational steps for new businesses and businesses that are restructuring. The firm handles entity formation for LLCs, corporations, and other structures and advises on governance documents.
Litigation Support
When business or real estate disputes progress to litigation, the firm provides support. The firm’s of-counsel relationship with Dinn, Hochman & Potter, LLC provides access to a broader network for matters requiring litigation resources beyond a boutique firm’s direct capacity.
The Attorney
Nicholas DeBaltzo is the principal attorney and is listed as a corporate and business lawyer licensed in Ohio. The firm’s of-counsel relationship with Dinn, Hochman & Potter, LLC reflects a deliberate structure that provides access to resources and collaboration opportunities while maintaining boutique client service.
Geographic Reach
The firm’s real estate practice covers both Ohio and Florida properties. For clients with assets or transactions in both states, or who are based in Ohio and purchasing in Florida, the firm’s cross-state real estate experience is directly applicable. The corporate and business practice is centered in Ohio with the broader reach that comes with the of-counsel arrangement.
Contact
DeBaltzo Law Firm can be reached by phone at (440) 544-1104 or by email at [email protected]. The firm’s website is https://debaltzolaw.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “of counsel to Dinn, Hochman & Potter, LLC” mean in practice?
An of-counsel relationship is a formal professional affiliation between a law firm and an attorney or smaller firm. It is neither a full employment relationship nor a partnership. For clients, it means DeBaltzo Law Firm operates independently but has a formal connection to a larger legal network, which can facilitate access to resources and collaboration on matters that require it. DeBaltzo Law Firm maintains its own client relationships and billing under its own identity.
Does the firm handle both sides of real estate transactions?
For residential and commercial real estate in Ohio and Florida, the firm typically represents one party to a transaction. It can represent buyers, sellers, landlords, or tenants depending on the matter. The firm’s due diligence process covers title review, survey analysis, and environmental and zoning compliance as part of transaction representation.
What types of businesses does the firm represent?
The firm’s stated focus is entrepreneurial and growth-oriented businesses. This includes startups, small and mid-sized companies, and businesses in expansion or transition stages. Industries served include those typical of corporate and real estate transactional practice. The firm does not limit itself to a particular industry sector.
Can the firm assist with a business purchase or sale?
Yes. Business acquisitions and sales involve both corporate law (structuring the transaction, negotiating representations and warranties, reviewing due diligence) and often real estate law (if the business owns or leases property). The firm handles both components of transactions where both are present.
Is the firm available for clients in Florida, or only Ohio?
The firm’s real estate practice explicitly covers Florida in addition to Ohio. Corporate and business matters are primarily Ohio-based, though the of-counsel relationship with Dinn, Hochman & Potter, LLC provides access to broader capabilities. Clients with Florida real estate transactions should contact the firm to discuss their specific matter.