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Ben Sigall
Attorney at Law

Ben Sigall

About Me:

I graduated second in my class in 2007 and took a job in Big Law in a business law practice group that revolved around tax, corporate, M&A, and finance in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  I moved back to Ohio to be closer to family and friends and began private practice.  Since then, I have had extensive courtroom experience as a prosecutor at the city, county, and state level. 

Most recently prior to starting Sigall.law, I augmented my civil experience by taking a position as a senior attorney at a highly respected boutique firm with a national practice that focused on regulatory compliance, consumer class-action defense, and federal trial and appellate litigation.  As an example of my time there, I successfully litigated on behalf of Sirius XM Radio before the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. 

I also worked to develop an intellectual property practice, happily taking the opportunity to build on some areas of interest from law school, where I was first in my class in copyright and trademark law, received a top score in patent law, wrote on intellectual property topics in connection with my positions on law review, and won the overall intellectual property award at my law school for the graduating class.

Now I am looking to leverage my breadth of experience to cultivate long term client relationships as a fractional or outside general counsel.

I'm ready to put my years of experience to work for you and your business.

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Ohio

  • Pennsylvania

  • Supreme Court of the United States

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

  • United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois

  • United Stated District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

  • Unites States Patent and Trademark Office

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE  

Mac Murray & Shuster LLP (2019 – 2023) 

Senior Associate, of Counsel 

  • Successfully represented several publicly traded companies, including Sirius XM Radio in federal district court, 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and before the Supreme Court of The United States opposing certiorari 

  • Developed and oversaw firm’s trademark practice 

  • Represented businesses in complex consumer civil litigation, including class action defense, TCPA, FCRA, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, deceptive trade practices, unfair competition. Tortious interference, trade secrets, trademark infringement  

  • Served as outside general counsel for the County Engineers Association of Ohio 

  • Advised and audited clients on best practices and regulatory matters 

  • Negotiated commercial contracts, including financing structure between major car dealership and partner banks 

City of Chillicothe, Ohio (2013 – 2019, 2021 – Present) 

Assistant City Law Director 

  • Represented the government as prosecutor in all level of misdemeanor cases and early stages of felony cases occurring in Ross County, Ohio, including jury trials, negotiating plea agreements, arguing at motion hearings, and handling appeals 

  • Performed legal research and provided advice on legislative and policy issues under consideration by city council, civil issues affecting the city, and various formal questions submitted to Law Director by city officials 

Fairfield County, Ohio (2016)  

Assistant County Prosecutor 

  • Provided auxiliary support to outgoing county prosecutor, including service as duty prosecutor to advise law enforcement about legal questions, presentation of felony cases to the grand jury for indictment, and review of pending investigations for recommendation of indictment, specific additional investigation, or case closure

Ohio Attorney General (2012 – 2013) 

Assistant Attorney General 

  • Responsible for indictment and prosecution of felony white collar criminal fraud cases, specifically Medicaid fraud, as well as cases of nursing home abuse, neglect and misappropriation 

  • Instructed and coordinated with team of investigative special agents as part of Ohio’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and provided legal support at all stages of the investigative process  

City of Circleville, Ohio (2011 – 2012, 2016 – 2019, 2022) 

Assistant City Law Director 

  • Represented the government as prosecutor in all level of misdemeanor cases and early stages of felony cases occurring in Pickaway County, Ohio, including trying cases, negotiating plea agreements, arguing at motion hearings, and handling appeals.

Kevin O’Brien & Associates Co., L.P.A. (2008 – 2011) 

Of Counsel 

  • Obtained notable judgments in commercial cases, including $1.24 million judgment on behalf of local community bank, $350,000 judgment against lessees for breach of lease, and several additional judgments in excess of $50,000 

  • Secured temporary injunction to oust defaulted purchaser of 80-unit apartment complex within six days of filing suit 

  • Represented automobile dealerships in many disputes, including claims based on Consumer Sales Practices Act and Retail Installment Sales Act 

  • Successfully litigated against consumer advocacy group regarding client’s ability to invoke Federal Arbitration Act provisions contained in a cash advance loan contract, and thereby avoided an attempted class action lawsuit 

  • Prepared invitation to bid and sales agreement documents in connection with U.S. Government-sponsored auction of over $3.2 million in foodstuffs in Kabul, Afghanistan 

  • Drafted contracts central to clients’ businesses, including loan agreement for standard use by cash advance lender, independent contractor agreement for real estate broker to use with its sales agents, governing documents for corporate entities, and land sale agreement for commercial real estate 

  • Utilized wide array of involuntary collection mechanisms, including writs of execution, judgment debtor exams, judgment liens, wage garnishments, non-wage garnishments, replevin actions, actions for fraudulent transfer, and creditor’s bills. 

  • Gained extensive and diverse practical litigation experience, especially regarding motion practice, protecting creditors’ rights under state law and in bankruptcy court, discovery tactics, effective communication with opposing counsel, maximizing leverage in settlement negotiations, and development of case strategy  

Thorp Reed & Armstrong, LLP (2007 – 2008) 

Associate, Corporate and Business Law 

  • Assisted major bank with sale of beneficial interest in nuclear power facility and ensured compliance with associated federal and state regulatory requirements 

  • Participated in drafting of intricate financial instruments, commercial agreements and other important material, such as convertible securities, bridge financing documents, confidential offering memoranda, search fund documents, subscription agreements, franchise agreements, management agreements, operating agreements, limited partnership agreements, asset purchase agreements, corporate resolutions, consumer warranties, and SEC filings, including Form 10-k and Form D 

  • Performed due diligence in connection with complex transactions, including sale of historic theme park to international buyer, sale of domestic bimetallic wire manufacturer to strategically minded Chinese company, and issuance of $100 million credit facility 

  • Counseled about cutting-edge technology and intellectual property issues, including a major utility company’s unauthorized use of images and color schemes evoking likeness of Pittsburgh Penguins NHL team, potential liability issues for the McAfee antivirus company in acquiring the “SiteAdvisor” internet browser plug-in, and the impact of the Communications Decency Act on actionability of otherwise defamatory online statements 

  • Provided tax guidance regarding emerging issues, such as the ability of real estate developers to structure projects so as to obtain capital gains treatment, the applicability of the Pennsylvania Business Privilege Tax in the wake of a certain Pennsylvania Supreme Court case, proper apportionment of federal employment taxes between the buyer and seller of a business, and the applicability of various states’ sales and use taxes to a multi-state lessor of construction equipment 

  • Advised senior litigation partners about critical client matters, including potential antitrust violations by one of the two largest casket manufacturers in the country, possible strategies for blocking attempted hostile takeover of a major corporation, and the potential liability of a parent entity for the illegal actions of its subsidiary 
     

EDUCATION 

  • The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 

    • B.A., Political Science, 2004, Cum Laude 

  • Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA 

    • J.D., 2007, Summa Cum Laude, 2nd in Class 

  • Honors/Activities:  

    • Duquesne Law Review, Staff Member, Vol. 44, Associate Editor, Vol. 45 

    • CALI Award for Highest Grade in Constitutional Law 

    • CALI Award for Highest Grade in Copyright & Trademark Law 

    • CALI Award for Highest Grade in Criminal Law & Procedure 

    • CALI Award for Highest Grade in Torts 

    • Carol Los Mansmann Oral Argument Competition Semi-Finalist 

    • Corporate Law Society, Treasurer 

    • Trial Advocacy Team 

    • ABA/BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Intellectual Property Law 

    • Duquesne’s Nominee for National AIPLEF Award for Intellectual Property 

    • Duquesne University Law Faculty Scholarship for Excellence 

    • Several Full-Tuition Scholarships 

  • The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 

    • B.A., Political Science, 2004, Cum Laude

COURTS BEFORE WHICH I HAVE PRACTICED

  • Federal

    • Supreme Court of the United States

    • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

    • United States District Court for the District of Idaho

    • United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois

    • United States District Court for the Central District of California

    • United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

    • United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

    • United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio

    • United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio

    • United States Patent and Trademark Office

    • American Arbitration Association

  • Ohio

    • Fourth District Court of Appeals

    • Tenth District Court of Appeals

    • Common Pleas Courts:

      • Adams County

      • Athens County

      • Auglaize County

      • Butler County

      • Champaign County

      • Cuyahoga County

      • Fairfield County

      • Fayette County

      • Franklin County

      • Greene County

      • Hamilton County

      • Hocking County

      • Jefferson County

      • Licking County

      • Lawrence County

      • Muskingum County

      • Pickaway County

      • Sandusky County

      • Scioto County

    • County Courts (not Common Pleas):

      • Belmont County Court

      • Highland County Court

      • Meigs County Court

      • Pike County Court

      • Warren County Court

    • Municipal Courts:

      • Bellefontaine Municipal Court

      • Bowling Green Municipal Court

      • Chillicothe Municipal Court

      • Circleville Municipal Court

      • Clark County Municipal Court

      • Darke County Municipal Court

      • Dayton Municipal Court

      • Fairfield County Municipal Court

      • Findlay Municipal Court

      • Franklin County Municipal Court

      • Fremont Municipal Court

      • Hamilton Municipal Court

      • Hardin County Municipal Court

      • Hillsboro Municipal Court

      • Ironton Municipal Court

      • Jackson County Municipal Court

      • Lawrence County Municipal Court

      • Lebanon Municipal Court

      • Licking County Municipal Court

      • Madison County Municipal Court

      • Marietta Municipal Court

      • Marion Municipal Court

      • Marysville Municipal Court

      • Miamisburg Municipal Court

      • Montgomery County Municipal Court – Eastern Division

      • Montgomery County Municipal Court – Western Division

      • Morrow County Municipal Court

      • Scioto County Municipal Court

      • Upper Sandusky Municipal Court

      • Washington Court House Municipal Court

      • Wayne County Municipal Court

    • Mayor’s Courts:

      • Gahanna Mayor’s Court

      • Hanging Rock Mayor's Court

      • Pickerington Mayor’s Court

      • Reynoldsburg Mayor’s Court

      • Upper Arlington Mayor’s Court

      • Whitehall Mayor's Court

  • Pennsylvania

    • Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas

  • Pro Hac Vice and collaborative involvement in sundry other state and federal venues