Two Walter | Haverfield Partners Recognized by the Irish Legal 100
By Walter Haverfield
The Irish Legal 100, a compilation of the most distinguished U.S. legal professionals with Irish roots,
has named Kevin Patrick Murphy and John N. Neal to its 2021 edition. The list includes attorneys, legal scholars and members of the judiciary who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavor.
Kevin, administrative partner of Walter | Haverfield as well as a partner in the firm’s Business Services Group, represents public and private companies on major real estate transactions that include construction, development, financing, leasing, acquisitions, dispositions, exchanges, zoning, and entitlements.
Kevin’s practice also focuses on negotiating acquisitions, dispositions, buyouts, and joint ventures. He advises clients on structuring transactions and corporate governance matters. Furthermore, Kevin represents marijuana business owners, individuals looking to enter the legal cannabis industry, and those looking to effect change in marijuana laws and regulations.
Kevin is an Irish citizen with an Irish passport. He is the second generation in the U.S., and his family is from County Roscommon. Kevin is currently a member of both the East Side Irish American Club and the Irish American Law Society of Cleveland. He has consistently been recognized by Ohio Super Lawyers as well as by Best Lawyers in America©.
John, partner and head of the Hospitality and Liquor Control Group, focuses his practice on Ohio state and federal liquor permit licensing, and the licensing of Ohio’s new medical marijuana industry. At the same time, John has developed a diverse set of legal skills with complex commercial litigation, employment law, business organizations, insurance coverage, real estate, and business transactions. As such, he has been retained as outside general counsel by companies who need same-day answers on a variety of issues.
John’s mother is second-generation Irish ancestry on his mother’s side, and third generation on his father’s side. Most of his maternal side of the family comes from County Mayo. Bishop William Hughes, first cousin of John’s grandmother on the maternal side, founded Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown and officiated John’s wedding in Youngstown in 1999. John is a member of the Irish American Law Society of Cleveland and is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®.
Since 1932, Walter | Haverfield attorneys have served as strategic counselors to private businesses, public entities and high-net-worth individuals, providing creative and customized solutions that deliver outstanding results. Today, the team of nearly 100 attorneys is focused primarily in the areas of business services, real estate, intellectual property, labor and employment, education, tax and wealth management, hospitality and liquor control, litigation and public law.