Joshua E. Hurtuk

Partner-in-Charge | Cleveland

Overview

Josh is a Partner in WH Burkley’s Real Estate Group and Partner-in-Charge of the Cleveland office. His practice encompasses a broad range of commercial real estate matters, with an emphasis on ground-up development and redevelopment, lease agreements, and acquisition and disposition of commercial retail, office, multi-family residential, warehouse and industrial space.

Josh has both represented and negotiated terms on behalf of lenders, borrowers and property owners in complex real estate financing transactions. He is experienced in the formation of the business entities necessary to his clients’ interests, including the negotiation of the terms joint ventures and capital raises for real estate development.

Experience

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT & FINANCE
  • Experienced in the representation of owners and developers, corporations, lending institutions, and individuals in complex commercial real estate transactions.
  • Drafts and negotiates easement and license agreements, including reciprocal easement agreements, utilities easements, ingress and egress easements as well as declarations of easements, restrictions and conditions.
  • Counsels and assists clients on land assemblage and ground-up developments.
  • Counsels clients in purchasing, selling, leasing, financing and developing real property for retail, industrial, office and multi-family residential use.
  • Negotiates loan documentation for both borrowers and lenders for construction financing, permanent and mini-perm mortgage-backed financing, mezzanine financing and asset-backed financing transactions.
CORPORATE
  • Experienced in the formation of limited liability companies, joint ventures and limited partnerships.
  • Counsels and assists clients in the disposition of privately held businesses through both stock and asset sales.
LEASING
  • Represents both landlords and tenants in the preparation and negotiation of leases for retail, office, warehouse and industrial space.
URBAN & HISTORIC RENOVATION
  • Counsels and assists clients in urban and historic renovation projects including the use of historic and new market tax credits.

Recognition

  • Legal 500 –Real Estate (Elite Ohio) | 2026-present
  • Chambers – Real Estate (Ohio) | 2021-present
  • Super Lawyers – Real Estate “Rising Star” (Ohio) | 2016-present
  • Best Lawyers – Real Estate “Ones to Watch” | 2021-present
  • Crain’s Cleveland Business – “Five to Watch in Law” | 2017

Presentations

  • “Right Space, Right Lease: Comparing Office, Retail & Warehouse Deals,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Real Estate Law Institute, 2025
  • “Current Developments in Real Estate Law,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Real Estate Law Institute, 2021
  • “Current Developments,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Real Estate Law Institute, 2019
  • “Title Insurance, Marketable Title & Closing the Deal,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 2018
  • “Commercial Lease Provisions and Issues,” Sterling Education Services, 2015
  • “Lease Drafting, Structuring, and Negotiating,” Sterling Education Services, 2014

Associations

  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association | Member

Education

  • The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, J.D.
    • magna cum laude
  • Managing Editor of the Ohio State Law Journal 
    • Order of the Coif
  • Duke University, B.A.
    • with honors