Experience in Human Resources and Labor Relations

• Nearly 24 years as human resources director for Ohio’s eighth largest county and chief negotiator for 15 bargaining units.
• Nearly five years as a city human resources manager and in-house labor attorney.
• 40 years experience as a labor and employment lawyer.
• Served as President of both the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association and the Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association, NPELRA’s Ohio chapter.
• Frequent lecturer and trainer in NPELRA’s Labor Relations Academy, a national professional certification program in public-sector labor relations.
• Conducted scores of internal investigations relating to employment misconduct and discrimination.
• Nationally recognized trainer and speaker on human resources and labor relations topic.

Training and Legal Services

My practice now focuses on teaching and training of management and employees on employment-related issues—a form of preventative practice of law. Topics include:

• Preventing sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination and inappropriate behavior.
• Correcting employee performance (from informal coaching to documented discipline, all the way to termination) in a manner that is defensible under civil service and union contract procedures.
• Dealing with problem and toxic employees.
• How to effectively manage public-sector agencies in a unionized environment.
• Conducting effective performance evaluations.
• How employee free expression and social media intersect with First Amendment protections.
• How to conduct internal investigations of employment-related issues.
• Consulting with employers on how to address workplace problems, conflicts, or disciplinary issues.
• One-on-one coaching of employees with performance issues to achieve needed changes in performance.
• In addition, I have served as a hearing officer in disciplinary matters and as an expert witness in cases involving human resources and labor relations issues.