Drew Emmert

Partner

Drew is a partner in the Real Estate, Banking & Commercial, Business & Transactional, Construction, Estate Planning & Probate and Tax Planning & Compliance practice groups at DBL Law. Mr. Emmert provides general counsel services to individuals and privately-held businesses in a wide range of industries, and to real estate owners, investors, tenants and developers.

Drew concentrates his practice in general business matters, real estate and construction, probate, estate planning and intellectual property matters. His business practice focuses on all aspects of corporate, limited liability company and partnership law, including purchases and sales of businesses, business entity selection and formation, financing arrangements, contracts, commercial transactions, employment law and business succession planning. Clients benefit from Drew’s years of work experience in the financial markets, commercial lending and securities brokerage, as well as, his undergraduate degrees in accounting and finance.

Drew’s real estate practice focuses on acquisition, development and sales of commercial real property, including retail, multi-family, office, mixed use, and industrial projects. He has extensive experience in all real estate transactions, leasing, sale-leaseback transactions, tax deferred 1031 exchanges, cell tower easements and sales to tower consolidators, zoning, construction contracts and challenges to real estate tax valuations.

Drew has successfully lowered clients’ real estate tax bills by challenging property valuations for residential and commercial properties, including retail shopping centers and strip centers, office buildings, hotels, manufacturing plants, distribution warehouses, parking garages and mobile home parks.

In 2007, Drew became a Board Certified Specialist in Business, Commercial and Industrial Real Property Law by the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA). Also in 2007, Drew was appointed by the President of the OSBA to the Real Property Law Specialty Board. He was recently appointed to his second term on the Real Property Law Specialty Board, which is charged with identifying the competency areas for real estate specialists, review and approval of test applicants and preparation and administration of exams to lawyers seeking real estate specialist certification.

Drew’s Intellectual Property practice focuses on trademark registration and conflicts, as well as copyright law and licensing.

Drew was selected by his peers for recognition in “The Best Lawyers in America,” in the fields of Corporate Law and Real Estate Law. Drew is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, the highest rating given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell, and has held this rating since 1998, his first year of eligibility.

Honors & Distinctions
  • Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law, Cincinnati, 2021-2023 Editions
  • Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, Cincinnati, 2021-2023 Editions
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 1998 to Present
  • AVVO Rating 10.0, Superb, Top Rated Real Estate, AVVO.com Lawyer Referral Website, 2016 – Present
  • Board Certified Specialist in Business, Commercial and Industrial Real Property by the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA), 2007 to Present
  • Appointee and Member – OSBA Real Property Law Specialty Board, 2OO7 to Present
  • Chair, Real Property Law Practice Committee, Cincinnati Bar Association, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2016 – 2019
  • Appointee and Member, University of Cincinnati Foundation, Legal Advisor to group of professionals charged with evaluating potential donations of real estate to UC Foundation
Professional Affiliations
  • Appointee and Board Member, Real Property Law Specialization Board, Ohio State Bar Association – 2007 to Present
  • Appointed by OSBA President in 2007, Re-Appointed 2012. Responsible for reviewing prospective applicants for specialization, preparing test questions, and test administration for both commercial and residential real property specialist exams given in November of each year.
  • Real Estate Roundtable, University of Cincinnati, Lindner College of Business – 2006 to Present – Member
Community Involvement
  • Director, Rotary Club of Cincinnati, 2017 – 2020
  • Member, Rotary Club of Cincinnati, 2013 – 2020
  • Board Member, Real Property Law Specialization Board, OSBA – 2007 to Present
  • Real Estate Roundtable, University of Cincinnati, Lindner College of Business – 2006 to Present – Member
Presentations
  • “Commercial Leasing” – Real Property Law Institute, Cincinnati Bar Association, December 2016
  • “Purchase Options, ROFRs and Similar Rights Core Topics for Real Estate Practitioner” – Cincinnati Bar Association, June 2014
  • “Advanced LLC Issues – Minority Rights and Fiduciary Obligations” – NBI Seminars, Continuing Legal Education, August 2009
Publications
  • SVN Southland Commercial Blog, Title: The Dark Corners of the Commercial Lease – August 2015; republished with permission by www.thebrokerlist.com; www.lee-cincinnati.com; and www.scoop.it
  • Geneva Group International, Real Estate News, “Drop-Down LLC. Transaction Constitutes Value For Real Estate Tax Purposes”
Admissions
  • State of Ohio
  • Commonwealth of Kentucky
  • Federal District Court, Southern District, Ohio
11DBL Attorney Drew Emmert
Contact
aemmert@dbllaw.com
(513) 357-5289

Education

J.D., The University of Cincinnati College of Law
B.B.A., The University of Cincinnati, Accounting and Finance Double Major, cum laude

Practice Areas

Banking & Commercial
Business & Transactional
Construction
Estate Planning & Probate
Excel Title
Real Estate
Tax Planning & Compliance