Brad assists Owners, Operators and Receivers of Hotel, Office and Industrial properties with their Real Estate, Finance, Leasing, Construction and Organizational challenges; specifically, negotiating and drafting hospitality, purchase, sale, financing, leasing, construction, franchise and management agreements. He has in the past and presently serves as general counsel and national real estate counsel to several domestic and internationally based public and privately held companies. Brad represents foreign businesses doing business in the United States and U.S. businesses doing business abroad; and is a former Chairman of World Services Group (www.worldservicesgroup.com) an international consortium of legal and other professionals. Brad has achieved the highest rating, AV Preeminent®, from Martindale-Hubbell®. He is an active member of the Illinois Bar and maintains an office in both the firm’s Cincinnati and Chicago offices. Brad is the editor of the Real Estate Advisor Law blog, a tool that highlights articles and observations of Ulmer & Berne attorneys on various trends and opportunities affecting the commercial real estate and construction industry, and is a frequent speaker on internet and social media issues.

Brad KaplanAs of Monday, March 23, 2020, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky have issued executive orders for the purpose of limiting person-to-person contact to avoid the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. This article summarizes how each of these three states are defining “essential businesses” and “essential services.”

Illinois

Governor J.B. Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-10 on March

As a result of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act (PATH) passed by Congress and signed into law in December, 2015 effective on the 16th of February, 2016 changes to the FIRPTA (Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act) go into effect. The withholding tax on foreign sellers will increase from 10% to 15%

Hotel Blog Post

Recently, I was able to attend the Lodging Conference in Phoenix.  Perhaps one of the best industry conferences I have had the benefit of attending.  Lenders,  investors, brokers, designers, franchise flags, management companies, owners and developers all come together to meet once a year in a relaxed atmosphere where deals for the following year are

Brad Kaplan  Hospitality Industry Practice Contact
Brad Kaplan
Hospitality Industry Practice Contact

After many years of serving the hospitality industry in various capacities, we have brought all of our skills and experiences under one roof as we have formalized our Hospitality Industry practice to serve the growing needs of our hospitality industry clients. The hospitality industry defines

It is no surprise to most real estate professionals that the industry is cyclical. 2008/2009 was rock bottom for the real estate industry. Slowly the industry has made a steady rebound thanks to the private investment. As in many recoveries, the primary major metropolitan areas mostly situated along the East and West Coasts have seen