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(the University), an Ohio not-for-profit corporation. (We shall
sometimes refer to the St. Clair property as encumbered by MHR
Properties’ St. Clair property interests as the encumbered St.
Clair property.) Although the University accepted the gift of
the encumbered St. Clair property from Ms. Mumma, the University
desired to dispose of that property. That was because at the
time Ms. Mumma transferred the encumbered St. Clair property to
the University, that property was not contiguous to the Univer-
sity, and it was the University’s general practice at that time
to own only those real properties that were contiguous to it.
The University believed that it would be unable to dispose
of the encumbered St. Clair property as long as MHR Properties’
St. Clair property interests remained in effect. Consequently,
in 1988, shortly after having received the encumbered St. Clair
property from Ms. Mumma, the University contacted Mr. Richard
Packard (Mr. Packard). Mr. Packard was a partner with the law
firm of Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur, who served as outside
counsel for the University and who knew Mr. Signom, since they
had worked together in the past and Mr. Packard had previously
solicited Mr. Signom to become a substantial benefactor of the
University, which Mr. Signom declined to do. The University
asked Mr. Packard, who was not an officer of the University, as
well as certain of its Board members and officers, to represent
the University in dealing with Mr. Signom regarding its desire to
dispose of the encumbered St. Clair property. (We shall refer to
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