Default services law firm Gerner & Kearns Co. has expanded into Michigan and opened a Cleveland office. An affiliate of the firm has also expanded into Florida. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based firm “had long sought to open a Cleveland office in order to better serve our clients in the northern part of the state and, primarily, Cuyahoga County,” said Managing Partner David Gerner. Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, has suffered from major foreclosure issues. The county formed a land bank in 2009 to acquire vacant properties. The Cleveland metro area had 23,531 properties with foreclosure filings in 2010, down about 15% from 2009, according to RealtyTrac. Still, the metro area ranked 60th out of 206 metros analyzed by RealtyTrac for its foreclosure rate. Franco Barile will lead the Cleveland office and serve as a senior associate in both the firm’s collection and default services practice groups. Gerner & Kearns said it will also expand its default services practice group into Michigan, complimenting the work of its title company affiliate, Prism Title & Closing Services, which already operates in both markets. In Florida, it has formed an affiliate, called Gerner Mayersohn May where it also will offer default services. Gerner Mayersohn & May also has an affiliate in the state of New York. Gerner & Kearns already represents the mortgage banking industry in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana with services that include foreclosure, bankruptcy, evictions, origination and REO closings, loss mitigation and commercial litigation. Write to Kerry Curry. Follow her on Twitter @communicatorKLC.

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