INTRODUCTION
PRACTICE AREAS: Corporate & Business Transactions, Real Estate & Construction
Mr. Cooke is a member of the Firm's Corporate and Business Transactions Department and serves on the Board of Directors. Practicing law for over 16 years, Mr. Cooke focuses his practice on corporate and transactional matters, specifically handling middle market M&A transactions across a variety of industries. He has extensive experience representing private sellers in M&A transactions with deal values ranging between $2 million and $110 million. In addition, Mr. Cooke represents M&A buyers, both strategic and financial, on transactions such as corporate divestitures and spin-offs. He has advised a number of buyers in management groups buyouts. He also represents private equity and several independent deal sponsors. In addition to his deal practice, Mr. Cooke also serves as outside general counsel to a number of private companies in and around northeast Ohio and nationally. As outside counsel, Mr. Cooke handles all contract and transactional matters, including banking and finance, shareholder and corporate governance matters, employment and executive compensation, succession and strategic business planning, and real estate matters.
Beginning his legal career in San Antonio, Texas, Mr. Cooke advised clients on a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters. Eventually gravitating to a business and transactional practice, Mr. Cooke advised clients on mergers and acquisition transactions, representing publicly traded companies, private business, and private equity. Returning home to Cleveland in 2008, Mr. Cooke continued his practice, primarily focusing on transactional and corporate matters, including M&A. He was selected to the Super Lawyers© Texas Rising Stars List in 2008 and the Super Lawyers© Ohio Rising Stars List in 2018 and 2019.
Mr. Cooke is active in the community, serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the West Side Catholic Center, a committee member of the Innovation Fund America operated by the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise at Lorain County Community College, a committee member for the St. Ignatius High School Alumni Association, and volunteer for the National CMV Foundation.
Contact:
p: 440.695.8060
f: 440.695.8098
BCooke@WickensLaw.com

LEARN MORE ABOUT BEN
2018: National Business Institute - Buying and Selling a Business: Strategically Negotiating the Purchase Agreement and Acquisition Best Practices
2011-2018: Federal Bar Association (Cleveland) - New Lawyer Training: Starting Your Law Practice
Dayton Law Review, Notes and Comments, case note relating to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2004 decision in Ring v. Arizona.
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