E. Mark Young

Mark focuses his practice on complex civil litigation matters in federal and state courts. He represents companies ranging from small, local businesses to international companies and financial institutions, serving as "first chair" in multiple matters before the courts. He has also represented clients in bankruptcy cases and in administrative proceedings before a number of government agencies. 

Mark has experience representing parties in commercial real estate transactions and litigation. He is well-versed in drafting and negotiating commercial leases and litigating commercial and residential leases that include: interpretation and enforcement of lease provisions related to: exclusive vs. non-exclusive use, common area calculations and payments, restrictive use provisions, assumptions and assignments, and eviction of commercial and residential tenants.

As a litigator, Mark is intimately familiar with the companies he represents, a familiarity that has enabled him to provide additional counsel regarding business operations. Mark assists clients by minimizing legal exposures and providing practical solutions to identify and resolve challenges before they become legal issues that impact operations. He is also seasoned in preparing and negotiating purchases/sales and/or leases of developed real property in conjunction with the purchase and sale of a business. He has extensive experience preparing and negotiating purchases/sales and/or leases of developed real property in conjunction with the purchase and sale of a business. 

Mark served in an outside general counsel role to a number of companies in multiple industries, including mobile technology, construction supply manufacturing, residential developers of low and moderate-income housing, manufacturers and distributors of alcohol, medical billing and home health care companies, religious institutions, and a number of minority and female-owned businesses.

Within the firm, Mark serves as Chair of the Roetzel & Andress Diversity & Inclusion Committee and supervises the Cleveland Office Summer Associate Program.

Experience

• Successfully represented a large Ohio municipality in the prosecution and enforcement of a performance guarantee contract in connection with an Automated Meter Reading system for water and electric utilities
• Defended a medical device manufacturing client in securing full dismissal of equity ownership challenge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division
• Represented a medical device manufacturer with its business restructuring and investment of $54MM in outside equity
• Represented an African-American owned minority executive search firm with respect to its Fortune 500 company clients 
• Represented medical device contract manufacturer in a manufacturing supply dispute
• Represented a spirits distributor and manufacturer in the negotiation and implementation of multi-state distributorship agreements
• Defended and negotiated a wind down, asset liquidation, and distribution of a family-owned manufacturing business
• Served as Local Counsel for six California partnerships in the bankruptcy case of Arter & Hadden, LLP

Services

• Complex Business & Commercial Litigation
• Bankruptcy & Creditors' Rights
• Construction Law
• Corporate & Transactional
• Real Estate Litigation

Industries

• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Real Estate Industry
• Retail & Hospitality Services

1. Wake Forest University, B.A., Economics
2. The University of Toledo College of Law, J.D.
3. Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University, M.A., Urban Planning, Design and Development

Bar Admissions

1. Ohio

Court Admissions

1. U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
2. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
3. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
4. U.S. Supreme Court

• Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2021-2024); Commercial Litigation (2021-2024); and Corporate Law (2020-2024)
• Selected as an "Ohio Super Lawyer" by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine (2017-2020)
• Selected as an "Ohio Super Lawyers - Rising Star" by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine (2013)

Professional Affiliations

• Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Mediation Professor
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
  • Executive Committee Member and Board of Directors Member (July 1, 2023 - present)
  • Nominating Committee Chair (April 2023)
• National Bar Association
  • Member (2018 - present)
  • Majority Law Firms Division, Treasurer of the Minority Partners (present)
• Northern District of Ohio Bankruptcy Judge Vacancy
  • Merit Selection Panel, Member
  • Merit Selection Panel, Appointed Chair by the Chief Judge of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeal 
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, Former Trustee

Community Affiliations

• Gilmour Academy High School, Executive Committee and Board Member
• Gilmour Academy Alumni Association, Former President
• Cleveland Academy of Scholarship Technology and Leadership Enterprise (CASTLE High School), Former Trustee
• Wake Forest University Alumni Association and Local Alumni Chapter
• ACE Mentor Program of Greater Akron, Former Board Member
• The Consortium of African American Organizations, Former Board Member