Mr. Brian D. O’Keefe

Brian is a founding shareholder of Lippitt O’Keefe Gornbein, PLLC. He supervises the firm’s transactional, real estate, business, and personal planning departments. Brian represents local, regional, and national entities in general business and corporate matters, including formations, financings, mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, dissolutions and reorganizations. He represents lenders, borrowers, and developers in sophisticated real estate transactions. In addition, he represents individuals and entities in business, asset protection and personal planning matters.

Brian is also actively involved in the area of venture capital financing where, among other things, he represents both private and public funding sources and individuals and entities receiving angel and venture capital. Recently, Brian was a leading advocate for the Retirees and their Associations in the City of Detroit bankruptcy proceedings.

Finally, Brian is outside general counsel to Realcomp II, Ltd; the largest real estate multi-listing service in the State of Michigan. Over the course of his career, Brian has been legal counsel in transactions with a cumulative value in excess of $1 billion.

Brian received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University in June 1981, graduating cum laude. He then attended Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he achieved the degree of Juris Doctor in May 1986.

Brian’s professional memberships include the State Bar of Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Brian sits on the Board of Directors of the Manresa Retreat House and has previously served on the Board of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization of Michigan. Brian has been given the highest ranking of AV Preeminent® by the Martindale Hubbell® Law Directory and is recognized by Super Lawyers®, Crain’s and dBusiness in the area of corporate law.

Primary Areas of Expertise

·    Business and Corporate Law

·    Commercial Transactions

·    Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestitures

·    Venture Capital

·    Workouts and Reorganizations

·    Real Estate Law

·    Acquisition, Development, and Disposition of Real Estate

·    Commercial Real Estate Investment

·    Business Succession and Family Entity Formation

·    Estate, Financial, and Asset Protection and Planning

·    Commercial and Business Litigation

·    Representation for Creditors in Chapter 7, 9 and 11 Proceedings 

Bar Admissions

·    Michigan

·    U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

·    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Education & Academic Honors

·    Michigan State University, B.A., 1981, cum laude

·    Exceptional Contribution Award, American Marketing Association

·    Member, Golden Key International Honor Society

·    Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, J.D., 1986

·    Business Manager, The Judicial Notice

·    Member, Communication Law Institute Association

Honors

·    AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale Hubbell®

·    Michigan Super Lawyers®, 2014, 2015, 2016

·    Crain’s Detroit Business Michigan Top Attorneys, 2014

·    dBusiness Top Lawyers, 2015 

Memberships & Appointments

·    State Bar of Michigan (Real Property Law, Business Law, and Taxation Sections)

·    Oakland County Bar Association

·    American Bar Association (Business Law, Real Estate, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Sections)

·    Member, Board of Directors, Young Entrepreneurs Organization, 1997-2001

·    Member, Board of Directors, World Entrepreneurs Organization, 2001-2003

·    Member, Board of Directors, The Manresa Retreat House, 2000-Present

·    Member, Association of Food and Petroleum Dealers

·    Member, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce

·    Member, Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce

Published Works & Presentations

·    Lecturer, National Business Institute