Charles R. Schaefer

Professional Experience

Chuck began his career as a tax and estate planning specialist in 1970. Over the years his practice expanded to general business representation of privately owned and publicly held clients and their owners and executives. One of Chuck’s sub-specialties is negotiating and counseling on many aspects of merger, acquisition and divestiture transactions involving public and privately owned businesses.

Chuck's recent transactions involve the sale of two businesses for retiring owners to publicly held acquirers, acquisition of a large retailer and a franchisor, numerous acquisitions and divestitures of privately-owned businesses, and multiple financing transactions for clients involving lines of credit, revolvers, equipment loans and term loans.

Chuck's most recent publication is an article for the American Bar Association publication Business Law Today concerning counseling the entrepreneur in the purchase and sale of a business.

Areas Of Emphasis

• As counsel to a number of national, local and regional businesses over the years, Chuck is experienced in advice and planning involving mergers, acquisitions and divestitures in business and the health care industry, real estate acquisitions and divestitures, estate planning for business owners and professionals, business expansion, compensation incentives, shareholder relations and disputes, and financing transactions.
  
  
• With every acquisition, merger or divestiture of a business, Chuck has been intimately involved with the transaction’s financing. He has negotiated, drafted and closed bank loans, venture capital loans, mezzanine financing packages and other public and private financing vehicles. The financings have included financing from single sources, as well as participation by multiple lenders.
  
  
• Industries served include broadcasting, moving and storage, document management, propane gas, precision metal forming, automobile dealerships, printing, wood products manufacturing, machine tool, steel and metals, food brokerage, auto parts, medical equipment, executive search, wholesale distribution, general contractors, construction services, computer services and telemarketing.

Professional & Community Associations

• Chuck participates in a variety of community activities. He served as Vice President and Trustee of the Cleveland Area Development Financing Corporation and its successor, Growth Capital Corporation, and Chair of its Loan Servicing Committee. He has also served on the Finance and Budget Committee of Montefiore Home for the Aged.
  
  
• Cleveland Bar Association
  
  
• Baldwin-Wallace College Family and Small Business Institute – One of the Institute Founders
  
  
• Ohio State Bar Association
  
  
• American Bar Association – Business Law and Taxation Sections, Small Business Committee

Awards & Recognition

• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Presentations

• "Section of Business Law, Small Business Committee Forum on New Tax Laws Affecting Business Entities", American Bar Association, Charles R. Schaefer, 2005 Spring Meeting