Majeed G. Makhlouf
Majeed litigates commercial and real estate disputes on behalf of private and publicly owned developers. Majeed also devotes significant attention to land use, zoning, real estate transactions, as well as Public–Private partnerships and economic development.
Majeed's economic development and construction work has included the development, finance, and construction of the Cedar Point Sports Center and the Cedar Fair Resort and Attraction Management School at Bowling Green State University. Majeed's land-use practice is widespread and has ranged from the zoning for Amazon's distribution centers in Euclid, North Randall, and West Jefferson, to the Meijer/Menard's project in Wooster, to senior and assisted living facilities in Highland Heights and Westlake. Majeed has also represented several municipalities in past zoning matters and litigation.
Prior to joining Berns Ockner, Majeed served approximately four years as Cuyahoga County's first permanent Director of Law, during which time he built the Law Department for Ohio's largest county. As the County's chief legal counsel, Majeed was responsible for advising the County on the full range of legal issues affecting its $1.3-billion operations. He directed the legal teams that structured financing, development, and construction contracts for some of the County's highest-profile projects, including the $272 million Hilton Cleveland Downtown and the establishment of the Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corporation to oversee the management of the $465 million convention center. Majeed also led the County's litigation efforts in response to various class action challenges involving federal and state labor and employment law issues.
Prior to serving as County Director of Law, Majeed was a partner with Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, a large full-service regional law firm, where he litigated, tried, and arbitrated various zoning, business, construction, and public contracting matters. Majeed successfully represented the Cuyahoga County Metropolitan Housing Authority and several private landlords before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in establishing that the U.S. Government breached its housing-assistance payments contracts with landlords through Congress's 1994 amendment of the 1937 Housing Act.
Majeed's current public engagements include serving on the Board of the Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corporation, the entity that manages Cuyahoga County's convention center. He is a founding member and serves on the Board of the Arab American Bar Association of Ohio. He is also a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and served on its Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. Majeed also previously served as a Planning Commission member in the City of Bay Village, Ohio.
Majeed is also an arbitrator and is listed on the American Arbitration Association's Roster of Neutrals for Commercial/Construction Arbitrators.
Majeed is the proud father of four daughters.
Metropolitan Tier 1 – Cleveland
Land Use & Zoning Law
Litigation - Real Estate
Real Estate Law
Practice Areas
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Land Use and Zoning
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Real Estate Development and Transactions
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Construction
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Public-Private Partnerships
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Economic Development
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Business and Commercial Litigation
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Education
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The Ohio State University College of Law, J.D. 2001
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Symposium and Articles Editor, Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution
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Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio, B.A., cum laude, 1989
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International Economics and Management; Political Science.
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Bar Admissions
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Ohio
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New York
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District of Columbia, Court of Appeals
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U.S. Supreme Court
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U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
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U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
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U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
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U.S. Courts of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
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U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
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U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
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U.S. Court of Federal Claims
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Professional Honors
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- Best Lawyers® 2024 Lawyer of the Year, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, Cleveland
- Peer-review rated AV Preeminent with High Ethical Standing by LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell
- Selected to Crain's Cleveland Business' Inaugural Class of Notable Immigrant Leaders, 2020