Gary L. Ellsworth

Gary collaborates with in-house counsel and business teams at his corporate, nonprofit and municipal clients to find the right solution to their real estate needs, including those in the construction, banking, environmental, and manufacturing industries. Additionally, he represents clients in the acquisition of mineral interests including oil and natural gas by fee or lease. Gary has also assisted national banks with local and multi-site real estate financing transactions.

Through his work with nonprofit organizations, he structures financial agreements for the acquisition of property, including multi-family housing developments, and helps the organizations obtain certain tax exemptions.

Whether the client is the buyer, seller or looking to develop property, Gary is well versed in the entire real estate lifecycle.

He previously served as Regional Park Planner for the Cleveland Metroparks where his duties included acquiring land for the Metroparks and assisting private landowners and municipalities with issues concerning land and natural resource conservation and protection. Gary also represented Cleveland Metroparks in an eight-county regional park and conservation agency consortium to preserve open space in Northeast Ohio.

He joined Calfee in 2007.

Honors & Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Real Estate Law (2024)

Education

J.D., Cleveland State University College of Law, Law Review Editor, 1991

M.A., Bowling Green State University, 1983

B.A., Bowling Green State University, 1982

Experience

• Represents an industrial mining client for the purchase, sale and leasing of property for mining and future mining reserves. Representation includes preparing purchase agreements and acquisition documents, purchase options for future acquisitions of mining reserves, lease agreements and negotiating railroad agreements for the transportation of mined product.
• Represents a development client with the acquisition of former industrial properties for large-scale redevelopment projects. 
• Represents a client in aviation manufacturing in acquiring properties throughout the Midwest to expand manufacturing operations.
• Represents specialty chemical and products manufacturer with the purchase and lease of real property throughout the United States.
• Represents a utility client with the development of a corporate training center, including the acquisition of the property and obtaining multiple zoning variances for the development.
• Represents a private school located in Cleveland for the continuing acquisition of property for the expansion of school and community health facilities.
• Represents a national banking client for the financing of the construction and ongoing operation of retail stores throughout the Midwest.
• Assists nonprofit clients with the preparation and filing of applications for obtaining real estate tax exemptions for acquired property.
• Represents a real estate trust with the purchase of office buildings and commercial property.
• Represented a non-profit client with the acquisition of property and financing for the construction of a large multi-family development in downtown Cleveland.
• Represented a client for the purchase of over 20,000 acres of coal and mineral reserve property in West Virginia.

Professional & Community

• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member
• Ohio State Bar Association, Member

Articles/Presentations

“At Risk Landlord: How to Protect Your New Lease,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Bar Journal

“All’s Well that Ends in a Well, or Is It? The Impact of Oil and Gas Leasing on Current and Future Mortgages,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Bar Journal

“Advanced Topics in Commercial Real Estate,” Ohio Association of Realtors Legislative Conference and the Ohio State Bar Association Seminar, Ohio