Jordan Berns
Jordan is a commercial litigator and transactional lawyer with extensive experience representing parties in land use, planning and zoning, commercial and residential real estate, contract, business tort, limited liability company, corporation, partnership and securities matters.
As a land use and zoning lawyer, Jordan has substantial experience representing national, regional, and local developers before municipal architectural review boards, boards of zoning appeals, planning commissions, township zoning commissions, boards of zoning appeals, and boards of trustees, and city councils throughout Northeastern Ohio. He also represents parties in administrative appeals from decisions of building and zoning officials, boards of zoning appeals, and city councils. Jordan has litigated zoning and land use disputes in Ohio's trial and appellate courts and has appeared and argued before the Ohio Supreme Court. Jordan also routinely negotiates and drafts development agreements between municipalities and clients. Developments for which Jordan has served as land use and zoning counsel in Northeastern Ohio include the Pinecrest mixed-use development in Orange Village; Amazon's distribution centers in Euclid, North Randall, and West Jefferson; and residential developments throughout the region including in Avon, Beachwood, Chagrin Falls, Concord Township, Mentor, Norton, Orange Village, Painesville Township, Rocky River, and Solon.
As a transactional lawyer, Jordan represents purchasers, sellers, landlords, tenants, lenders and borrowers in a wide variety of transactions involving industrial, retail, office, and residential properties including the purchase and sale of real estate, commercial loans, leases, and contractor and subcontractor agreements. He drafts contracts for the purchase and sale of real estate, leases, easements, and homeowners association and condominium association governing documents. He has also represented buyers and sellers of publicly- and privately held businesses, from exercise studios and restaurants to automobile dealerships.
As a real estate litigator, Jordan has litigated and tried construction, commercial landlord/tenant, mechanic's lien, and commercial and residential lending disputes. Jordan also has extensive experience litigating insurance coverage disputes on behalf of property owners. He also has extensive experience representing property owners in eminent domain proceedings.
In addition, Jordan has counseled clients regarding, corporate governance disputes involving partnerships, limited liability companies, and publicly- and privately-traded corporations and litigated the same if needed. Jordan has litigated contract disputes under the Uniform Commercial Code involving everything from plush toys to high quality steel. He has substantial experience representing both companies and individuals throughout the country in trade secret and unfair competition disputes and in actions involving enforcement of non-competition and non-solicitation covenants. He also represents both plaintiffs and defendants in fraud claims, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and claims for tortious interference with contracts and other business relations.
Prior to founding Berns, Ockner and Greenberger, LLC, Jordan was a partner in the litigation group of Baker & Hostetler, LLP, a large full-service law firm headquartered in Cleveland. There, Jordan practiced as a general commercial litigator with a focus on limited liability member and partnership disputes, real estate, and complex contract and business disputes. He also served as a judicial extern to The Honorable John M. Manos, United States District Court, N.D. Ohio.
Practice Areas
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Land Use and Zoning
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Real Estate Development and Transactions
- Real Estate Litigation
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Business and Commercial Litigation
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Business Organization and Transactions
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Education
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The Ohio State University College of Law, J.D., Summa Cum Laude, Order of the Coif, 1990
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University of Michigan, A.B., with distinction, 1987
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English Literature
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Bar Admissions
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Ohio
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United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
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United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
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Professional Honors
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Best Lawyers®, 2023 Lawyer of the Year, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning Law, Cleveland
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Best Lawyers®, 2022 Lawyer of the Year, Land Use and Zoning Law, Cleveland
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Best Lawyers®, Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, and Real Estate Law, 2014 through 2024
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Ohio Super Lawyer®, 2020 through 2024
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Peer-review rated AV Preeminent with High Ethical Standing by LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell
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Chambers®, Band 1 Ranking, Ohio-Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use, 2023
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