NEWS RELEASE
Susan M. Kurz, Director, Business Development & Marketing
Office: 513.579.6544  Mobile/Text: 513.502.8950 skurz@kmklaw.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 1, 2013
Cincinnati Law Firm Keating Muething & Klekamp Elects Four New Partners
Cincinnati, OH — The Cincinnati law firm of Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL (KMK) is pleased
to announce that it has elected four new partners: Michael T. Cappel, Jonathan M. Hiltz, Bethany
P. Recht and Benjamin G. Stewart.
Michael T. Cappel practices in the firm’s Litigation Group with a focus on commercial litigation, tort
defense, and appellate practice. He also has experience in personal injury litigation, wrongful
death litigation, employer intentional tort litigation, real estate and construction litigation, and
environmental litigation. He has represented private companies, public companies, financial
institutions, and individuals in a variety of legal matters, including corporate and partnership
disputes, zoning disputes, fraud claims, breach of contract claims, and insurance disputes. Cappel
has litigated cases within federal and state courts, state appellate courts, and private and courtsponsored mediation and arbitration throughout the country, including Ohio, Kentucky, Florida,
North Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas. Prior to joining KMK in 2007, Cappel served as a law clerk
to the Honorable Mark P. Painter in the Ohio First District Court of Appeals. Cappel earned his
J.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 2005. While in law school, Cappel was a fellow with the
Lois & Richard Rosenthal Institute for Justice/Ohio Innocence, and served on the editorial board for
the University of Cincinnati Law Review. He earned his B.A. from St. Louis University, magna cum
laude, in 2002.
Jonathan M. Hiltz practices in the firm’s Business Representation and Transactions Group. His
practice is concentrated in the corporate and finance areas, with a focus on mergers and
acquisitions and general corporate matters. Hiltz has represented both publicly held and private
companies in a wide range of business transactions, including acquisitions and divestitures of
existing businesses; the formation of international and domestic joint ventures; and cross-border
shipping, distribution and licensing arrangements; as well as representing lenders and borrowers in
commercial lending, equipment leasing and finance transactions. He also has represented
numerous private company clients in capital formation transactions, including structuring and
documenting venture capital and private equity investments and debt financings. Hiltz regularly
counsels clients in connection with pre-merger filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act and on other federal antitrust compliance matters. Hiltz earned his J.D. from the
University of Dayton School of Law in 2006, where he was Editor-in-Chief of Law Review. He
earned his B.S. from Miami University in 2003.
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One East Fourth Street Suite 1400, Cincinnati, OH 45202  513.579.6400  kmklaw.com  info@kmklaw.com  1
Bethany P. Recht practices in the firm's Litigation Group counseling clients on general business
and commercial litigation matters. She has experience representing financial institutions, private
equity funds, developers, and major corporations in a wide range of matters including joint venture
and partnerships disputes, real property disputes, problem loan disputes, fraud claims, breach of
contract claims, and insurance policy coverage issues. Recht is experienced in all aspects of
commercial litigation, including taking and defending depositions, oral argument, motion practice,
written discovery, arbitration, pre-trial, trial, and appellate litigation. In addition, she regularly
advises trustees of mass tort settlement trusts on issues relating to trust administration. Recht is
licensed to practice law in California, Ohio, and Massachusetts. Prior to joining KMK in 2010, she
was an associate at DLA Piper LLP in Los Angeles, California. Recht earned her J.D. from
Northwestern University School of Law in 2005. She earned her B.A. from the University of
Michigan in 2002.
Benjamin G. Stewart practices in the firm’s Litigation Group with a focus on complex commercial
matters. He has represented clients in a wide variety of litigation, including securities cases, class
actions, employer intentional tort cases, qui tam cases, commercial arbitrations, and insurance
coverage disputes. He also has represented clients in response to SEC, NASD, and Department of
Justice actions, as well as in connection with several internal investigations. Stewart has handled
several pro bono matters, including a political asylum claim, and has coached multiple high school
mock trial teams. Prior to joining KMK in 2007, Stewart was an associate in the Commercial,
Competition and Securities Litigation group at the Chicago office of Sidley Austin LLP. Stewart
earned his J.D. from The University of Chicago Law School in 2003. He earned his B.A. from
Otterbein College, magna cum laude, in 2000.
About Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL
The law firm of Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL (KMK®), based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a
nationally-recognized law firm delivering sophisticated legal solutions to businesses of all sizes —
from Fortune 100 corporations to start-up companies. Chambers USA: America’s Leading
Business Lawyers® 2013 recognized KMK as a leading law firm in Ohio in Bankruptcy &
Restructuring, Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions, and General Commercial Litigation. KMK
received 20 first tier rankings in the 2013 Best Law Firms survey (Metropolitan Cincinnati) by U.S.
News and Best Lawyers. Founded in 1954, KMK has approximately 110 lawyers and a support
staff of 150 employees. Additional information is available at www.kmklaw.com.
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One East Fourth Street Suite 1400, Cincinnati, OH 45202  513.579.6400  kmklaw.com  info@kmklaw.com  2