F. Ronald O'Keefe

Senior Counsel

200 Public Square
Suite 2800
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Primary Practices

Ronald O’Keefe handles a wide range of corporate law for clients, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, spinoffs, securities, and corporate governance. He also provides guidance to financial-services clients. Ron enjoys taking a concept such as a merger and making it into reality by dealing with the various business, financing, regulatory and personnel issues along the way. He finds satisfaction in solving client challenges and brings 37 years of corporate experience to his clients.

Ron is experienced in supervising and handling many aspects of federal and state securities work, including registration statements, prospectuses and related documentation for exempt and non-exempt offerings of various securities, including common stock, preferred stock, debentures and Regulation D offerings. He also handles Securities Exchange Act of 1934 reports, including proxy statement and Form 10-K disclosures, mergers and acquisitions and corporate-equity and debt financings.

Ron has experience in representing special committees of boards of directors of publicly held companies with respect to various matters, including mergers and acquisitions, related party transactions, changes in control and going private transactions. In 2007, he was appointed Special Fiduciary Counsel to the board of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

Ron has broad and deep experience in financial institution regulation and in interacting with financial institution regulatory bodies on behalf of the firm’s clients. His experience includes assisting clients in preparing and filing regulatory applications, responding to reports of examination and entering into supervisory agreements. He also has advised clients with respect to compliance with regulatory capital requirements and investment limitations, as well as providing research and advice regarding all aspects of financial institution operations.

Professional History

Partner, Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP, 1992-present; Co-Chair, Corporate and Securities Section, 1995-present; Board of Directors, 2001-09; Co-Chair, Business Practice Area, 1998-2005; Of Counsel, 1989-91
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Broadview Financial Corporation, 1986-89

Accolades

Credentials

Education

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1977
- Honors & Activities: Cleveland State Law Review, Editor, 1976-77; Delta Theta Phi Award, 1977; Sindell Torts Competition Prize, 1977
Georgetown University, A.B., cum laude, 1972
- Honors & Activities: Honors Program in English 1969-72; University Scholarship

Community Involvement

Georgetown University Alumni Association, Deans’ Circle, Member

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Alumni Association, Member

Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland, Past Board of Directors

Awards & Distinctions

The Best Lawyers in America^®, Corporate Law, 2001-25

AV Preeminent^®, Martindale-Hubbell

Ohio Super Lawyers, 2004-05

Bar Admissions

State of Ohio, 1977

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, 1978; U.S. Supreme Court, 2002

Memberships & Affiliations

American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Member, 1977-present

Ohio State Bar Association, Corporation Law Committee, Member, 1977-present

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Corporation, Banking and Business Law and Securities Law Sections, Member, 1977-present

Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals, Member, 1986-present