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Overview

Calfee’s Labor and Employment litigators have extensive experience defending companies and individually named management representatives in both administrative proceedings and in federal and state courts.

Our lawyers represent employers in matters involving the EEOC, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, other state FEP agencies, the Department of Labor and the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

Our experienced trial lawyers defend against claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as well as alleged violations of the FSLA, NLRA, OSHA, WARN and other employment-related laws.

Our team has extensive experience litigating claims involving alleged breaches of noncompete and other agreements involving restrictive covenants.

We represent management before the National Labor Relations Board on petitions for union representation and in defense of unfair labor practice charges.

Our lawyers defend management in state and federal court litigation arising from complaints of age, sex, race, religion, national origin, and/or disability discrimination under state and federal laws, as well as in cases involving the Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, and other federal and state workplace laws.

Calfee's Litigation attorneys provide aggressive, cost-effective defense of claims of “wrongful discharge” and violations of individual employment rights and specialize in the enforcement of noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and confidentiality agreements.

Our Workers’ Compensation practice attorneys regularly defend state-fund and self-employers in claims for workers’ compensation benefits in both administrative and court-related proceedings.

Noteworthy

Chambers USA Band 4 Ranking (Ohio)

For well over a decade, our Litigation group and individual litigation attorneys have been ranked and recognized by Chambers USA.

In 2019, one client told Chambers USA researchers: "They are extremely knowledgeable and responsive," further adding: "They clearly have our company's best interests at heart." Other sources also comment: "Calfee acts as a true strategic partner and develops strategies that incorporate our business objectives as well as political realities."

Chambers researchers previously reported that sources described Calfee's Litigation group as "highly responsive and their lawyers are really devoted to their clients’ interest. They're thoughtful, creative and they work hard.”

Chambers researchers further noted that peers commented, “The quality is very high across the board; it’s a wonderful group of lawyers.”

U.S.News – Best Lawyers "Best Law Firm" Rankings

Calfee was selected for inclusion to the U.S.News–Best Lawyers in America "Best Law Firms" 2020 for Employment Law-Management, Labor Law-Management, Workers' Compensation Law-Employers (Metropolitan Cleveland) and several Litigation practice areas.

Benchmark Litigation Rankings

Calfee has been selected for inclusion by Benchmark Litigation 2020 as a Tier 2 Labor & Employment law firm in the Midwest. Several of Calfee's Labor & Employment attorneys have been ranked as "Labor & Employment Stars - Midwest" by Benchmark Litigation 2020.

  • Best Law Firms 2020
  • Chambers 2019 - Ranked Practice Group

Professionals

Experience

Experience

  • Represented major municipality in action against state Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to recover multimillion-dollar overpayments of workers’ compensation premiums charged over nine-year period.
  • Defended employer in disability discrimination litigation to establish that discharged plaintiff-employee had engaged in physical activity during period of alleged disability, which was prohibited by medical limitations imposed by his treating physicians.
  • Obtained worldwide injunctive relief to enforce unfair competition agreement to preclude former Senior Product Development Engineer from providing product development services to competing manufacturer of safety products.
  • Obtained consent agreement following commencement of litigation to enforce noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and nondisclosure covenants in Management Stockholder’s Agreement to preclude unfair competition by former employee in national industrial gas business.
  • Successfully defended against $8 million third-party claims brought by administrators and fiduciaries of employee benefit plans against employer of plan beneficiaries alleging violations of ERISA and the Labor Management Relations Act, unjust enrichment, negligent misrepresentation, indemnification, and contribution.
  • Successfully enforced claims by national manufacturing client against former employee and new employer in Florida following discovery that, while on medical leave, former employee had misappropriated and forwarded confidential designs and proprietary information to new employer in direct competition with manufacturing client, resulting in discharge of employee, return of all proprietary information, and shut down of competing enterprise.
  • Obtained summary judgement on a “wrongful termination” claim pursued by a former employee discharged for sexual harassment. Pursued claim for reimbursement of legal fees against employee and counsel due to frivolous nature of lawsuit.

Services

Services

  • Defense of charges/complaints filed with state and federal agencies
  • Employment discrimination litigation in federal and state courts 
  • Defense of “wrongful discharge” claims
  • Representation of management in National Labor Relations Act litigation
  • Collective bargaining agreement enforcement action
  • Actions concerning wage and hour issues under federal and state law
  • Defense of actions concerning affirmative action laws and regulations
  • Trade secret and confidentiality protection and prosecution
  • Defense of intentional and/or negligent infliction of emotional distress, interference with business relationships, and/or defamation claims
  • Actions to enforce and contest non-compete covenants
  • Litigation of actions concerning the federal plant closing (WARN) law
  • Defense of claims under Ohio’s wage payment, “whistle blowing” and other employment related statutes
  • Defense of intentional tort claims relating to workplace injuries
  • Defense of actions filed by discharged executives

Resources

News & Events

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    Chambers USA researchers reported that sources describe Calfee's Litigation group as "highly responsive and their lawyers are really devoted to their clients’ interest. They're thoughtful, creative and they work hard.” 

    Chambers USA

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