| Jim Rutledge is a partner with Bricker & Eckler LLP and a member of the business law group. He focuses on solving problems of business owners and their businesses, with a broad business law and tax practice. He advises private companies and their owners in sales, acquisitions and other transactions having income tax, estate tax and gift tax consequences. He is experienced in business planning, partnership and limited liability company law and taxation, business organization and operations, business succession and exit planning for C corporations, S corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships; estate and wealth preservation planning; litigation management and dispute resolution; executive compensation, pension, profit sharing and employee stock ownership plans.
 Representative Experience
 
 Closed tax free merger of family-owned manufacturing business for consideration in excess of $1 billion after having served as general counsel to the business and its majority owners for several years
 
 Counsels private businesses and their owners in various industries:
 
 Manufacturing
 
 High Tech
 
 Distribution, Sales and Marketing
 
 Professional Services
 
 Represents numerous companies utilizing Employee Stock Ownership Plans
 
 Former Chair of law firm's Federal Tax Department
 
 Community and Professional Activities
 
 Columbus Bar Association Business Tax Committee and Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Committee, Former Chair
 
 Chair, Columbus Bar Association Pension Advisory Committee (1989-present)
 
 Member, American, Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations
 
 Publications
 
 Lectured at numerous tax planning and business law programs including:
 
 Family Limited Partnerships vs. Family Limited Liability Companies Ohio Wealth Preservation Conference
 
 Exit Strategies for Owners of Closely Held Businesses, Ohio Advanced Federal Tax Symposium
 
 Choice of Business Entity, Ohio Tax Planning Institute
 
 Use of ESOPs by the Closely Held Corporation, Columbus Tax Conference
 
 Education
 
 University of Dayton (B.A., summa cum laude, 1974)
 
 The Ohio State University College of Law (J.D., 1977).
 
 
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