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E. Todd Wilkowski
Partner
West Chester, OH
Partner
West Chester, OH
Todd focuses his practice on serving private, closely held and/or family-owned businesses as their outside general counsel and trusted advisor on all legal and risk issues. Besides a prior career as an Air Force officer, Todd also has unique background in construction law, where he has advised companies on myriad legal issues affecting the industry in both private practice and as a general counsel. Before joining Frost Brown Todd, Todd served for seven years as the general counsel for Baker Concrete Construction Inc., the nation’s largest concrete construction specialty contractor, where he had daily oversight over the company’s legal, enterprise risk management, contracts, ethics, compliance, political lobbying and government relations functions. Prior to Baker, Todd was a partner with a large Cincinnati law firm where he gained substantial litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute experience while assisting the firm’s clients in resolving risk issues that threatened their profitable growth or continued sustainability.
Todd’s full time practice is serving as outside general counsel to private and family-owned businesses of all sizes. He (and his team of experts at FBT) provide timely, practical, strategic, and value-added advice on various issues and opportunities faced by closely held companies involving, but not limited to, enterprise risk management, contract drafting and negotiation, litigation and dispute resolution oversight, corporate restructuring, tactical and strategic HR and employment, and intellectual property and government compliance. He also offers business advice in areas such as succession planning/ exit strategies and strategic plan development. Todd takes a proactive approach on identifying and providing innovative solutions impacting his clients’ continued development and success. He also advises his clients on potential strategies for seizing current market opportunities while concurrently and effectively leveraging the risks commensurate with these opportunities.
Assisted 40-year-old private Company in effectively transferring ownership from first to second generation family ownership.
Serves as outside general counsel to fast-growing logistics/intermodal transportation company in its growth from $60 million to currently over $300 million
Serves as outside general counsel to early stage cosmetic company that is growing its national and international footprint
Serves as outside general counsel to start up company that provides innovative property management solutions
Serves as outside general counsel to building operations management company that is rapidly expanding its operations to multiple states
Formed company’s first legal department and had responsibility for daily management over the company’s legal, enterprise risk management and contracts departments in the drafting, review, negotiating and execution of over $800 million in contractual transactions annually
Created company’s first Code of Ethics program to address corporate succession issues and federal government requirement issues and trained approximately 1,000 company employees throughout U.S.
Helped create and implement company’s Crisis Management Program and led company’s Crisis Management Response Team on two projects involving fatalities
Worked with business development and operations teams to identify key repeat customers or prospective customers in new geographical areas and negotiated master agreements to facilitate securing new projects worth over $300 million
Regent University, J.D., M.A., Public Policy, 1998
U.S. Air Force Academy, B.S., International Affairs, 1989
LPM Institute, Fundamental Skills of Legal Project Management, Certificate, August 2023
The Best Lawyers in America®, Construction Law, 2019-2025; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, 2021-2025
C-Suite Award, Lead Magazine, 2013
AV Rated®, Martindale-Hubbell
Cincinnati Business Courier’s Forty Under 40, 2004
Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers, 2006
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 1994
Held Top Secret SBI clearance and L Clearance (DOE)
Conduit Apprenticeship Program, Board of Advisors
Turning Point Fractional Business Partners, Member
Cincinnati Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Member
Construction Industry Ethics and Compliance Initiative, Membership Committee, 2009-2014
Association of General Contractors – National General Counsel Roundtable, 2008-2014
Association of Corporate Counsel, 2007-2014
Goering Center Board of Advisors, 2015-present
USA Cares, Board Member 2022-present
Salvation Army of Greater Cincinnati, Board Member, 2009-present
ArtsWave Board 2016
PUREhope, Board Member, 2011-present
St. Rita School for the Deaf, Director, 2000-2006
Teen Challenge of Cincinnati, Trustee, 2000-2006
Friars Club, Trustee, 2001-2005
Council on Child Abuse, Board Member, 2002-2008
Regent University School of Law Board of Visitors, 2016-present
USAF Academy Association of Graduates
Podcast Guest, “Legal Counsel for Company Growth – Is There a New Model?“, The Third Growth Option with Benno Duenkelsbuehler and Guests, April 25, 2024
Podcast Guest, “Navigating Business Challenges with Confidence“, The Drop In CEO, April 15, 2024
Podcast Guest, “Revolutionizing Legal Services for Small Businesses“, The Drop In CEO, September 18, 2023
Panelist, “Building Your Company’s C-Suite with Fractional Advisors“, May 23, 2023
Panelist, “Building Your Company’s C-Suite with Fractional Advisors“, April 27, 2022
Podcast Guest, “Episode #99: The Future of Law Firms and M&A in the Age of AI“, Deep Wealth, February 14, 2022
Podcast Guest, “Episode #96: Why a Fractional General Counsel Helps You Get to Yes“, Deep Wealth, February 2, 2022
Podcast Guest, “Episode #137: Servant Leadership“, The Rich Life, September 28, 2021
Podcast Guest, “Episode #93: 2020, Don’t Put it in the Rearview Mirror“, Side Effects, February 2, 2021
Panelist, “Scaling for Sustainable Growth: What You Should be Doing Now“, Cincinnati Business Courier, October 27, 2017
“7 Benefits of Fractional General Counsel Services,” Author, CEOWORLD Magazine, November 2024
“Reassessing Your Business’ Go-forward Plan: Why? Who? How?”, Goering Center, University of Cincinnati, August 2022
“Helping People, Growing a Community“, Venue Magazine, July 2022
“New Year, New You”, Goering Center, University of Cincinnati, March 2020
“Emergence of Fractional/Outsourced Trusted Business Advisory Services“, Goering Center, University of Cincinnati, March 2018
“A New Field of Battle“, American Builders Quarterly, September, 2013
March 23, 2020 | Coronavirus Response Team
President Trump, by declaring the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) a national emergen...