Practice Areas:

Employment and Labor

• Employment Litigation and Litigation Avoidance
• Workers’ Compensation
• OSHA/EEOC

Litigation

Education:

• Case Western Reserve University, J.D. (1992)
  • President of the Mock Trial team during Law School
  • Awarded the International Academy of Trial Lawyers award for trial advocacy
• Ashland University, B.S., magna cum laude, Nursing
  • Inducted into the Ashland University Academic Hall of Fame
• Akron City School of Nursing, with honors (1982)
  • Outstanding Graduate Award for Excellence in Academics and Clinical Practice

Notable Experience:

• Represent large self insured employer in defense of workers’ compensation claims in a mass tort action
• Selected Court Cases:
  • State ex rel. Griffith v. Indus. Comm. (1999), 87 Ohio St.3d 154
  • State ex rel. Apostolic Christian Home, Inc. v. King, 2009 Ohio 5670
  • Carpenter v. Bishop Well Services, 2009 Ohio 6443; 2009 Ohio App. LEXIS 5391

Awards and Honors:

• Ohio Super Lawyer in Workers’ Compensation (2008, 2009 and 2010)
• Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation (2006-present)

Bar and Court Admissions:

• Member of the American Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, and the Wayne and Medina County Bar Associations
• Admitted to practice before the Supreme Courts of Ohio, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Corporate and Civic Involvement:

• Member and Former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital and Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital Foundation
• Member of the Board of Trustees of the Wayne Economic Development Council
• Former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Wayne County Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Wayne and Holmes County Goodwill Industries, Inc.

Publications and Lectures:

• Frequent lecturer - Advanced Workers’ Compensation continuing education seminars