Login | September 14, 2024
Brennan Manna Diamond grows Cleveland office/adds practice area
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: August 23, 2024
Brennan Manna Diamond (BMD) recently added five attorneys to its Cleveland office and established a new esports, media and entertainment law practice area.
Members Scott A. Norcross, Shelly LaSalvia, Kirk Roessler and Michael Sneeringer and partner Paige Rabatin all started at the firm in 2024.
Kate Hickner, managing partner of the Cleveland office, said the recent additions are part of an ongoing expansion effort.
“About two years ago, we built out an expanded new space in Cleveland, which is gorgeous,” said Hickner. “The office is always on the lookout for attorneys who are business-minded and have an entrepreneurial spirit.”
She said the attorneys are “not only skilled advisors and strong advocates but are also genuinely kind people making a positive impact within our community.”
Norcross and Rabatin, who had an extensive esports and athletics practice for years, started in late April, utilizing their experience and existing client base to start the esports, media and entertainment law practice area.
“BMD has a large geographic footprint that will enable me to expand my professional platform and offer a diverse range of services to my existing clients,” said Norcross, partner-in-charge of the new practice area.
“Brennan Manna Diamond offers great resources and has a very passionate group of people,” said Rabatin. “I’m excited to share my expertise within esports, athletics, and entertainment and learn from the existing BMD attorneys as well.”
Sneeringer focuses on estate planning, estate administration and wealth preservation planning.
He is licensed in Ohio, Wisconsin and Florida and will be assisting clients in the firm’s Cleveland and three Florida offices.
“I joined BMD because I respect the leadership provided by Tony Manna, Jack Diamond and Matt Heinle,” said Sneeringer. “The firm provides a strong sense of camaraderie and an enormously talented group of people across all 12 offices.
“Its geographical span allows me to represent my existing clients and grow my client base in many different states no matter where I am located physically.”
Roessler is a seasoned corporate real estate and commercial finance attorney and LaSalvia handles creditor/debtor, business and real estate matters.
“BMD is a larger firm with offices spread across several states and has great resources, allowing me to better assist my clients,” said LaSalvia.
“I like the entrepreneurial approach of BMD and the fact that it is growing,” said Roessler. “They also have young associates and partners who bring energy and vitality to the firm.”
Roessler and LaSalvia, who started in the winter of 2024, have worked together for years.
A native of Cleveland, LaSalvia majored in human resource management at John Carroll University.
After obtaining her juris doctor from Cleveland State University College of Law in 2003, she started at the now defunct firm Novak, Robenalt, Pavlik & Scharf, focusing on creditors’ rights and bankruptcy.
She then moved to Ziegler Metzger where she began working with Roessler and Norcross.
Prior to joining BMD, she was an associate, and later a partner at Walter Haverfield and worked for Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, where she continued to focus on corporate, real estate finance, private equity and fund formation.
“When I graduated from law school, I thought I would do employment law, but those type of firms were going out of business,” LaSalvia said. “I ended up doing corporate because bankruptcies and creditors’ rights matters were plentiful.
“I enjoy what I do, and I like the fact that I have some of the same clients,” she said. “Kirk and I also brought our assistant with us.
“I am looking forward to helping BMD grow as I expand my book of business,” said LaSalvia.
Roessler grew up in Chardon, Ohio and received his undergraduate degree from Kenyon College, where he majored in economics.
After graduating from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 1988, he moved to Los Angeles and started as an associate at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, focusing on real estate.
About four years later he moved back to Ohio and joined Strachan, Green, Miller, Olender & Hobt. He became a partner and began developing his corporate and commercial finance practices.
He continued growing his practice as a partner at Ziegler Metzger and Walter Haverfield.
Prior to starting at BMD, he worked for Porter Wright Morris & Arthur.
He said he now plans to finish his career at Brennan Manna Diamond.
“I want to help grow the Cleveland office and help train some of the younger attorneys,” said Roessler.
Norcross grew up in Bay Village, Ohio, receiving his bachelor’s degree in political science from Miami University in Ohio.
Upon obtaining his juris doctor from The University of Toledo College of Law in 2000, he started at Strachan, Miller, Olender & Roessler Co., where he got to know Kirk Roessler.
He then moved to Ziegler, Metzger & Miller and began developing an esports practice, along with handling business transactions and litigation.
“I found my way into esports after representing an NFL player,” said Norcross.
He continued to work in the esports area at Gallagher Sharp and later at Kohrman Jackson & Krantz (KJK). He remained at KJK until he joined BMD in April.
“At Kohrman between 40 to 50% of my time was spent on esports,” said Norcross. “I really enjoy the connection between traditional sports and the new industry.
“I’ve been passionate about business startups for many years and esports allows me to get involved with startups,” Norcross said. “It’s also very cutting edge. I represent some of the players along with the companies they are working with.
“BMD did not have an esports practice prior to my joining and I’m looking forward to helping to expand the group,” said Norcross. “I would like to see us go from two attorneys to five within the next two years.”
A member of the Cleveland Metropolitan and Ohio State bar associations, Norcross serves on the boards of the Bay Rockets Association, East Academy and West Park Academy.
"Engaging with local events and initiatives brings me a sense of connection, as I witness the positive impact,” said Norcross.
Rabatin was born in Marietta, Ohio, but raised in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
She majored in psychology and minored in criminal justice at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, initially working as a behavioral interventionist for children on the Autism spectrum at ACES in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“I decided I wanted to have a larger impact and I thought law school would allow me to do that,” said Rabatin.
After earning her juris doctor from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2018, she began her legal career at Gallagher Sharp in Cleveland.
“I met Scott at the firm, and we transitioned together to Kohrman Jackson & Krantz prior to BMD,” she said. “We did a lot of corporate work in the esports, athletics and entertainment fields that has kept growing as a focus over the years.
“I thought it was a very interesting area because you get to work with young people on something they are very passionate about,” she said. “I was an athlete growing up and I played Rugby in college.
“There are only two of us in this area at BMD, but we are hoping that will change. We are also involving attorneys from other practices to assist us on some of our matters.”
A member of the Cleveland Metropolitan and Ohio State bar associations, Rabatin serves on the associate board of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission.
She also teaches a class that is part of the gaming certificate program at The University of Akron College of Business.
“I plan to continue expanding my unique expertise as the industries evolve,” said Rabatin.
Sneeringer started at BMD in mid-May.
A native of Erie, Pennsylvania, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania and earned his juris doctor from the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida in 2011.
He also has an LL.M. in estate planning from the Heckerling Graduate Program in Estate Planning at the University of Miami School of Law.
Sneeringer began his career at Nelson & Nelson in North Miami Beach, moving to the Naples, Florida office of Akerman in March 2015.
Prior to starting at BMD, he was a senior associate and then partner in the Naples and Cleveland offices of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur.
“I have clients across Florida and Ohio,” said Sneeringer.
Sneeringer is the vice chair of the Florida Probate Rules Committee and an executive council member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar and chairs the section’s asset protection committee.
In addition, he is a director of the Collier County Bar Association and a former president of the board of directors of Florida Lawyers Assistance Inc.
“I believe I found a great home for my estate planning practice at BMD,” said Sneeringer. “The firm is working with me to grow my practice nationally.”