Biography

David serves as chair of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group.

David is a member of the Corporate Department and the Firm’s Transactional and Banking and Financial Services practices. He concentrates his practice on Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Governance, Employment and Real Estate.

David is problem solver with a reputation for a direct, business oriented, “clients first” approach that focuses on finding a way to “yes”. Employing the leadership traits instilled during years of service in Marine Corps and Army infantry roles and hands-on experience during his formative years of practice in finance, litigation and troubled debt restructuring, David provides the owner/manager team practical, business oriented advice across the many phases of the business life cycle from acquisition and capitalization to the opportunities and challenges associated with sustained growth to succession planning and divestiture. Having the experience to recognize the complexity of issues arising for his clients, David leverages his own strengths with his partners’ wealth of knowledge and experience and a network of related professionals to best serve his clients’ needs. Client satisfaction with David’s approach is evident given that the bulk of his clients have either worked with him for over a decade or were introduced by someone who does.

Prior to being admitted to the bar, David enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he had the honor of being selected for service in the Presidential Guard at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., marching in the inauguration of President George H.W. Bush and later serving in the security detail for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Following his honorable discharge from active duty, David served as a reservist with E Company, 4th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion in Anchorage, Alaska where he successfully completed the grueling 12-week Basic Reconnaissance Course and the United States Army Airborne School; desiring to earn his commission as an officer, he later joined the Army National Guard where he successfully completed Officer Candidate School and the Infantry Office Basic Course, eventually resigning from the U.S. Army Reserve at the rank of Captain to focus on his legal career.

Representative Transactions
  • General counsel (outside) to MobilityWorks, the nation’s largest retailer of wheelchair accessible vehicles and leading manufacturer of wheelchair accessible ambulettes.
  • Represented buyers in more than 50 acquisitions across multiple industries (asset and equity).
  • Advised clients in multiple exempt and international securities offerings raising more than $240 million in aggregate
  • Represented minority ownership group in successful hostile takeover resulting in removal of management and significant subsequent year over year organic growth.
  • Assists client with negotiation and maintenance of commercial lease portfolio including more than 100 properties.
  • Counsel to agents and participants in various syndicated lending transactions to real estate investment trusts, including an individual transaction exceeding $1 billion in value.
  • Advised investment fund in multiple purchases of conduit bonds exceeding $100 million in aggregate.
  • Achieved full recovery for lender facing a fraud loss exceeding $18 million.
  • Served as lender’s or receiver’s counsel in numerous troubled debt restructuring matters.
Awards and Recognitions
  • Recognized by The National Law Journal in its inaugural list of Finance, Banking & Capital Markets Trailblazers (2019).

Personal Military Awards

  • Army Commendation Medal; Joint Service Achievement Medal; Navy Achievement Medal; and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.
Publications
  • Recognized by The National Law Journal in its inaugural list of Finance, Banking & Capital Markets Trailblazers (2019).
Amicus Briefs
  • Reported Cases: Huntington Natl. Bank v. 5777 Grant, L.L.C., 2016-Ohio-7489

David Black

Partner | Chair, Mergers & Acquisitions

Credentials

Admissions

  • Texas
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania

Education

Notre Dame, JD, 2000

University of Washington, BA (Economics), 1994

U.S. Army Infantry Officer’s Basic Course (1997)

United States Marine Corps Basic Reconnaissance Course (1994)

United States Marine Corps Recruit Training (1988)

Prior Law Firm Experience

Ulmer & Berne, LLP