Collective Bargaining of Union Contracts on
behalf of Management (Public and Private Sectors).
Defense of Discrimination and Wrongful Discharge Lawsuits.
Counseling Employers in Complying with Federal and State Employment Statutes, including FMLA, ADA, FLSA, and Title VII.
Covenants Not to Compete – Counseling and Representing employers and employees.
Representing Taft-Hartley Health and Welfare Benefit Funds.
Steve assists private and public-sector employers in all aspects of their dealings with labor unions – union elections, collective bargaining, labor arbitration, and administrative agency and court litigation. He defends employers in court against employee claims of employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, and violation of other employment-related laws, and he counsels and represents both employers and employees as to covenants not to compete. Steve is counsel to a Taft-Hartley Health and Welfare Fund providing retiree benefits nationwide.
PRACTICE DETAILS
Collective Bargaining.
Steve has negotiated, or provided counsel in, over 100 labor contracts in
the private and public sectors. He has decades of experience in
handling NLRB and SERB matters, and he has represented employers
in over 200 labor arbitration cases.
Discrimination and Wrongful Discharge
Lawsuits.
Steve regularly defends employers in federal and state court against
allegations of discrimination and wrongful discharge.
Compliance with FMLA, ADA, Wage-Hour
Law.
Assisting employers in complying with these laws, especially in the
preparation of employee handbooks and policies, is a staple of
Steve’s practice.
Covenants Not to Compete.
Steve’s background in this area led the 6th District Ohio Court of Appeals
to approve of his testifying as an expert as to mitigation of
damages in a covenant not to compete case. Relizon Co. v. Shelly
J Corp., 2004-Ohio-6884.
Employee Benefits Funds.
Steve is counsel to a Taft-Hartley welfare benefits trust that delivers
retiree health care benefits nationwide to hourly retirees in
the glass container and related industries.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Belmont Country Club, Current President.
Camp Courageous, Inc., Secretary; Past President
Josina Lott Foundation, Past President.
Read For Literacy, Inc., Past Board Member.
Goodwill Industries of Toledo, Inc., Past President.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Bar Association
Ohio State Bar Association
Michigan State Bar Association
Ohio Management Lawyers Association, Past Secretary-Treasurer
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
BAR ADMISSIONS
Ohio, 1975
Michigan, 2007
EDUCATION
J.D., The Ohio State University, 1975.
B.S.B.A., The Ohio State University, 1971. Beta Gamma Sigma
PRESENTATIONS
“All about Ohio’s Senate Bill 5”… Employers Association (“EA”).
"Preparing for Negotiations" … Employers Association (“EA”).
"Employee Free Choice Act" … Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce.
"Union Issues for Non-Union Employers" … EA.
"An Introduction to the ADA" … Toledo Bar Association.
"NLRB Changes that Impact Employers" … EA.
"NLRB and SERB, a comparison" … seminar sponsored by Region 8 of the NLRB.
"Erosions in the Employment at Will Doctrine" … Ohio Legal Center Institute.
RECOGNITION
America's Best Lawyers - Labor & Employment Law 2010-2009