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200 Public Square
Suite 2800
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Craig Owen White serves as Partner-in-Charge of Hahn Loeser’s Cleveland office and guides established and growth-oriented companies through mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, enterprise governance, financing and licensing issues in the United States and abroad. He has particular experience serving as primary outside corporate counsel to business enterprises.
Craig’s clients benefit from his experience as a corporate counselor, which includes service as a director of Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc., one of the largest privately owned food companies in the United States.
Craig’s practice experience includes structuring and executing business strategies as well as representing his clients in a wide range of transactions, including asset and stock sales and purchases, joint ventures, strategic alliances, cooperative research and development agreements, trademark licensing agreements, shareholders’ agreements, joint-venture agreements and executive employment agreements.
Craig also has substantial experience in enterprise governance matters, particularly for privately owned companies. While a member of the American Bar Association’s Committee on Corporate Laws of the Section of Business, Craig was a contributing author to Managing Closely-Held Corporations: A Legal Guidebook. He was also a commentator on governance issues at the George W. Leet Business Law symposium, a national forum sponsored by Case Western Reserve University School of Law and participated as a facilitator at Answering the Top 10 Questions Facing Family Business Boards, a forum sponsored by the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Craig also counsels government and non-governmental organizations on economic development and diversity inclusion initiatives, and their participation in sophisticated business transactions. Craig is a frequent lecturer internationally on issues of global commerce and enterprise governance. In cooperation with nonprofit and civil society organizations, Craig lectures on commercial and business law issues for lawyers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. Over 1,000 lawyers have attended these lectures.
Craig served the United States Trade Representative (USTR) as an appointed member of USTR’s Trade Advisory Committee on Africa (TACA) for eight years (the last two as Chair). The USTR has primary responsibility for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade policies and overseeing negotiations with other countries. TACA provides advice to the USTR in developing U.S. trade policy throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
Craig takes an active leadership role in several professional and civic organizations. He is currently the Chair of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, one of the largest land conservancies in the United States. Craig just completed 10 years as a member of the exeuctive committee (two as vice chair) of the International Senior Lawyers Project (ISLP), a New York-based nonprofit providing pro bono legal services in developing nations in support of the rule of law and equitable economic development. In 2021, Craig was named ISLP Global Impact Volunteer.
Craig is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the categories of Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Compliance Law and Corporate Law. He is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell.
Sugar Maple Award, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, 2024
Most Influential Black Lawyers, Savoy Magazine, 2022
Global Impact Volunteer Award, International Senior Lawyers Project
The National Black Lawyers, Top 100 Black Lawyers in Ohio, 2021, 2024
Fairfax Business 18th Annual Black Tie Affair Award Recognition, 2014
Instructor, Business Law Training Program, International Senior Lawyers Project, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, 2007-present
The Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Governance Law, 2007-25, Compliance Law, 2007-25, Corporate Law, 2020-25
Ohio Super Lawyers®, 2004-06, 2010-16
Honorary Doctor of Laws, Central State University
AV Preeminent® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
Crain’s Cleveland Business 2022 Notables in Law
State of Ohio, 1983
Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc., Board Secretary; Board of Directors, Member
Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Chairman of the Board, 2022
Alliott Global Alliance, Member, International Business Law and Sanctions Specialty Practice Group
International Senior Lawyers Project, Vice Chair
Merit Selection Panel for the reappointment of U.S. Magistrate Judge Kenneth S. McHargh, Member, 2011
Trade Advisory Committee on Africa, Office of the United States Trade Representative
South Africa Commercial Law Task Force, Committee on Corporate Law
Ohio Joint High Tech Start-Up Business Committee of the Ohio General Assembly, appointed by the President of the Ohio Senate, Member
International Rotary, Business to Business Exchange, Taiwan, Delegate
American Bar Association, Section of Business Law, Member
Ohio State Bar Association, Member