Jim Juliano specializes in providing general counsel services to small and closely held businesses as well as public sector entities such as municipalities and school districts. His practice includes business transactions, civil litigation, buy/sell agreements, and real estate, labor, and employment matters.
Jim also practices sports law and has spoken nationally on various sports law issues.
He is a two-term member of the Pepper Pike City Council and has previously served as the city law director in Cleveland Heights and other municipalities.
Principal practice areas
- Sports and sports entertainment law
- Municipal and public sector law
- Business transactions
- Buy/sell agreements
- Litigation
- Labor and employment issues
- Real estate matters
- General counsel services for sports ventures, small and closely held businesses of various industries and public sector entities, including municipalities
Representative experience
- Negotiation of purchases and sales of minor league baseball teams and other privately held businesses
- Representation of buyers and sellers in asset transactions, equity transfers and debt instruments
- Counseling of baseball team in connection with ballpark construction
- Representation of baseball teams in obtaining approvals from Minor League Baseball and the commissioner of Major League Baseball
- Negotiation of labor agreements for public and private entities
- Labor disputes
- Civil litigation including jury trials
- Legislation for municipalities and school districts
- Management of own law firm, of Nicola Gudbranson and Cooper, and of two different city law departments
Bar admissions
Career and educational background
- Director of law, Cleveland Heights (2014-2019); assistant director of law (1997-2014)
- Director of law, assistant director of law, and prosecutor for other municipalities
- Lecturer, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University (2014-2017)
- Adjunct professor of law, Case Western Reserve University School of Law (2012-2014; 2017)
- Member, management committee, Nicola, Gudbranson & Cooper (2008-2016); member of the firm (1994-2022), currently Of Counsel
- Owner, L. James Juliano Jr. & Associates (1982-1994)
- Sole practitioner associated with private firms (1977-1982)
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law (JD, 1977)
- Case Western Reserve University (BA, English, 1974)
Professional and civic activities
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association
- Member, New York State Bar Association, Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section
- Member, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
- Member, Sports Lawyers Association
- Council member, City of Pepper Pike (2014-2021)
Publications and interviews
- Author, 'To Legalize or Not: Sports Gambling in Ohio, NGC Legal Insights (Fall 2018)
- Author, 'Avoid the Class Action,' NGC Legal Insights (Winter 2017)
- Author, 'Steps Companies Can Take Now to Prepare for the New Overtime Rule,' NGC Legal Insights (Summer 2016)
- Author, 'Coach's Contract Dispute is a Lesson in Liquidated Damages,' NGC Legal Insights (Fall 2015)
- Author, 'Liability Doesn't Take a Holiday: Responsible Steps for Company Festivities,' NGC Legal Insights (Winter 2014-2015)
- Quoted, “City is Applying Admissions Tax to Sellers Who Make Profits on Flash Seats,” Crain’s Cleveland Business (Oct. 19, 2014) (subscription required)
- Quoted, 'Baseball Fan Hit in Eye with Hotdog can get New Trial,' Missouri Lawyers Weekly (June 24, 2014) (subscription required)
- Author, “What's Next for Student Athletes?,' NGC Legal Insights (Winter 2013-2014)
- Author, 'Update on Employment of Interns,' NGC Legal Insights (Summer 2013)
- Author, “Minor League Baseball—Behind the Numbers,” Crain’s Cleveland Business guest blog (posted Sept. 24, 2012)
- Author, 'Penn State Case: Reporting & Preventing Child Abuse,” World Sports Law Report blog (posted June 27, 2012) (reprinted from Legally Speaking [Winter 2012])
- Author, 'Reporting and Preventing Child Abuse,' NGC Legal Insights (Spring 2012)
- Quoted, 'Three Ticket Brokers Sue Cleveland over Tax,' Crain's Cleveland Business (April 23, 2012) (subscription required)
- Profiled, 'Cleveland Attorney Discusses Current Issues Faced by the Sports Industry,' Ohio State Bar Association (Dec. 19, 2011)
- Interviewed, 'Saturday Night: Baseball Fan Tragedy,' Saturday Night with Esme Murphy, News Radio 830 WCCO (a CBS affiliate in Minnesota) (July 16, 2011)
- Quoted, 'KSU Lawyer: Ford Contract Language Is Clear,' recordpub.com (May 13, 2011)
- Interviewed, 'Breaking Down the Legalese of the NFL Lockout,' Joel Hammond SportsBiz blog, crainscleveland.com (April 27, 2011)
- Quoted, 'New Year, New Policy Challenges,' shrm.org (Society for Human Resource Management) (Jan. 11, 2011)
- Quoted, 'Cedar Park Woman Hurt at Ballgame Wants to Warn Others,' Austin (Texas) American-Statesman (Nov. 29, 2010)
- Interviewed, 'Five good Minutes with Jim Juliano,' Joel Hammond SportsBiz blog, crainscleveland.com (Nov. 10, 2010)
- Quoted, 'The Lowdown on Unpaid Internship Programs,' HR Magazine (November 2010)
- Quoted, 'Owning Multiple Sports Teams in One City: Good or Bad?,' Joel Hammond SportsBiz blog, crainscleveland.com (Oct. 6, 2010)
- Author, 'As Opening Day Nears, Ballpark Liability Issues to Remember,' Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal, Volume 12, Issue 46 (March 22-28, 2010)
- Author, legallyspeakingonline.com and Legally Speaking® newsletter
Speaking engagements
- Presenter, 'Negotiating Sports Franchise Purchase Agreements,' Case Western Reserve University School of Law (Summer 2018)
- Panel moderator, 7th Annual Entertainment and Sports Law Association Symposium, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University (2017)
- Guest faculty member, Great Lakes Sports and Entertainment Law Academy (a joint program of the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University law schools (2017)
- Panelist, 'Sports and the Law: Negotiation Strategies in Sports Management,' Great Lakes Sports and Entertainment Law Academy (2016)
- Speaker, 6th Annual Entertainment and Sports Law Association Symposium, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University (2016)
- Moderator and featured speaker, 'Owning and Operating a Sports Venue,' 5th Annual Entertainment and Sports Law Association Symposium, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University (2015)
- Panelist, Legal Round Table, Mid America Conference, American Federation of Musicians (2014)
- Speaker, 'Things You Can Do Now to Save Problems Later: Off-Season Record Reviews That Will Keep You Out of Trouble,' Bob Freitas Business Seminar and Workshop Series, Baseball Winter Meetings, Orlando (2013)
- Moderator, 'Construction and Contractual Agreements: How to Maximize the Revenue of Sport and Entertainment Venues,' Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University (2013)
- Moderator, Cleveland Indians/MLB panel, symposium on “Cleveland and the Three Major Leagues: How the Recently Agreed NFL, NBA and MLB Collective Bargaining Agreements Will Help (or Hurt) Our Hometown Teams Win a Championship,” Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University (2012)
- Speaker, amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), liability for crowd control and stadium railing heights, Northwest League board of directors, Baseball Winter Meetings, Dallas (2011)
- Guest panelist and lecturer, 'Sports and the Law: Negotiating and Drafting Sports Venue Agreements Seminar,' Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University (2011)
- Moderator, 'Legal Governance of the LPGA,' symposium on 'The Legal Evolution of Professional Golf and Tennis,' Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University (April 15, 2011)
- Speaker, 'Developments That Will Affect Your Team in 2011,' Bob Freitas Business Seminar, Baseball Winter Meetings, Orlando (2010)
- Speaker, 'Sponsorship and Naming Rights Agreements,' Minor League Baseball Promotional Seminar, Las Vegas (Sept. 29, 2010)
- Speaker, 'Ballpark Leases, MiLB-Regulated Transactions, Liability Update,' Bob Freitas Business Seminar, Baseball Winter Meetings, Indianapolis (2009)
- Speaker, 'How the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 Affects Your Clubhouse; Ballpark Liability Update,' Bob Freitas Business Seminar, Baseball Winter Meetings, Las Vegas (2008)
- Speaker, 'Legally Speaking - A Fresh Look at Employment and Liability,' Bob Freitas Business Seminar, Baseball Winter Meetings, Nashville (2007)
- Speaker, 'Preventing Employment Pitfalls,' Bob Freitas Business Seminar, Baseball Winter Meetings, Orlando (2006)
- Speaker, 'Inside-the-Park Liability,' Bob Freitas Business Seminar, Baseball Winter Meetings, Dallas (2005)
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