John Petrony

Focused Exclusively On Business

A law practice focused exclusively on providing business and real estate related services to selected clients. Our clients consist of small to medium size businesses and some individuals (primarily professionals or executives) who were generally referred to us by existing clients or other referral sources. We also prefer to work with people who value long term relationships.

Industry Experience

We work with a wide variety of businesses, but over the years we’ve developed a concentration in the following industries:

Manufacturing

Healthcare (including physicians, dentists, orthodontists, surgeons, anesthesiologists and CRNAs)

Retail

Construction (including both public and private contractors)

Consulting (including software consultants)

Banking/Lending

Real estate developers (including commercial and residential)

Transportation (including trucking)

Distribution

Investment Advisors

Business Law

Business Sales and Acquisitions

We guide both buyers and sellers through business acquisitions, including the drafting, reviewing, and negotiating of asset and stock purchase agreements.

Commercial Transactions

We assist clients in drafting and negotiating a wide variety of commercial transactions, including loan transactions, personal property acquisitions, employment and independent contractor agreements, joint ventures and supply/service agreements.

Securities/Private Placements

We guide business people who are looking to raise capital, including venture capital, through the challenges of complying with state and federal securities requirements.

Franchise and Distribution Matters

We assist both sellers and buyers in preparing, reviewing and negotiating franchise and distribution documents.

Business Reorganizations

We help clients with various kinds of business reorganizations, such as owner buyouts, the creation of new ownership classes, conversions, split-ups and spin-offs.

Limited Liability Company/Corporate Organizations

We help clients form and organize all types of business entities, including limited liability companies (LLCs) and corporations.

Commercial Disputes

We help our clients pursue resolution of various types of commercial disputes before they end up in court.

Business Owner Disputes

Unfortunately, owners of closely held businesses often end up in disputes with each other. We assist business owners in their efforts to settle such conflicts prior to litigation.

Employment Issues

We provide primarily employers, but also employees, with a wide range of assistance on employment issues, including the preparation of employment-related agreements and handbooks, complying with employment laws and handling employee terminations/separations.

Form Agreements

We prepare form agreements for our business clients to use in their operations, including form purchase agreements/orders, terms and conditions of sale or services, non-competition agreements, etc.

Contract Reviews

We review proposed or existing contracts for clients and help them understand the terms.

Non-Profit Organizations

We assist both new and existing non-profit organizations in organizing and/or reorganizing their businesses.

Workouts (Creditor)

We help business clients with financial challenges negotiate agreements with their creditors in an effort to avoid bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings.

Business Dissolutions

We help business entities dissolve and liquidate their assets.

Real Estate Law

Commercial Leases

We assist both landlords and tenants in preparing and negotiating all types of commercial leases, such as office, retail and warehouse leases.

Commercial Sales and Acquisitions

We aid both sellers and buyers in commercial real estate purchases, including those structured as 1031 exchange transactions.

Real Estate Transactions

We also help clients with a variety of real estate transactions not described elsewhere on this page, such as easement agreements, subleases, subordination agreements, retitling of property and subdivision of existing parcels.

Construction

We represent owners, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers concerning both private and public construction issues.

Contract Reviews

Clients often ask us to review existing or proposed real estate agreements, such as leases, purchase agreements and condominium documents, to name a few.

Real Estate Disputes

We assist clients with real estate disputes that are in the pre-litigation phase.

Condominium Issues

We provide services to developers, condominium associations and owners in a wide array of matters pertaining to condominiums.

Oil & Gas Issues

We represent both individual landowners and groups of landowners in oil & gas transactions.

Form Documents

Clients often ask us to prepare form documents, such as lease agreements, purchase agreements and easements.

 

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John Petrony is the owner of Petrony Law, LLC, in Poland, Ohio. He was born and raised in Boardman, Ohio. In 1990, he graduated summa cum laude from Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. John subsequently obtained his juris doctorate in 1993 from The Ohio State University College of Law.

He returned to the Mahoning Valley in 1993 and has resided there ever since. John practiced with two of the larger law firms in Youngstown between 1993 and 2005. From 1993 to 1997, he practiced at Harrington, Huxley, Smith, Mitchell & Reed (now known as Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell, Ltd.). Between 1997 and 2005, he practiced with Nadler, Nadler & Burdman (now Brouse McDowell).

In 2005, John established his own practice, which focuses exclusively on business law and real estate law.

He resides in Poland with his wife, Mari, and their two boys, Luke and Matthew. When not at work, John enjoys golfing and spending time with his family.

Select Seminars & Publications

• Ohio Revised LLC Act, The Estate Planning Council of the Mahoning-Shenango Valley Seminar, November 2021
• Handling the Sale of a Business, National Business Institute seminar, December 2015
• Business Law Update: LLC/Corporate Law Changes and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), Mahoning County Bar Association seminar, August 2013
• LLCs vs. Corporations in Ohio, Ohio Lawyer article, July/August 2004.

Practice Area Memberships

• Ohio State Bar Association Corporate Law Committee. This committee is responsible, amongst other things, for drafting and amending Ohio’s LLC and corporate statutes.
• Ohio State Bar Association Real Property Law Section Council. Among its duties, the council drafts and reviews Ohio’s real property legislation. Council members are appointed for three (3) year terms. They are drawn from the membership of the Real Property Law Section.
• Mergers & Acquisitions Committee of the American Bar Association. This committee, as part of its activities, drafts model agreements for use in negotiating and documenting business acquisitions, mergers and reorganizations.
• American Bar Association Committee on LLC’s, Partnerships and Unincorporated Entities. This group participates in drafting model limited liability company and partnership legislation for use by the states.
• The Real Property Trust and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association. The real estate division of this section addresses all legal aspects of property use, ownership, development, transfer, regulation, financing, taxation and disposal, including, but not limited to, the drafting of model real property legislation for use by the states.

Community Involvement

• Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini Foundation. Current board member.
• Lake Park Cemetery. Current board member.
• Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown. Past board member.
• Downtown Youngstown Revitalization Committee. Past member.

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