On April 30, 2026, Calfee Labor and Employment group Partner Jennifer Walwyn Colvin spoke at the Cincinnati Business Courier's HR Forum. Joining a panel of industry leaders, Jenn addressed emerging trends in employment law and compliance as well as managing workplace policies, handbooks and legal risk.
During the session, Jenn specifically addressed a number of timely employment law issues, such as the following:
- How can employers enhance compliance and employee safety, especially in a time of increased immigration enforcement?
- How should employers approach classifying workers as employees versus independent contractors, and how does the approach differ from state to state?
- What best practices should employers follow when using non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, and how do multi-state operations complicate those decisions?
- How are employers navigating their responsibilities around the use of AI in hiring and broader workforce management, and what should HR leaders be paying attention to?
- Where do employers face the greatest legal exposure related to benefits, leave, or workplace policies – and what practical steps can HR take to reduce that risk?
- As paid leave laws continue to expand, how can employers take a consistent and compliant approach across their workforce?
- What role should HR play in addressing burnout, stress, and mental health in today’s workplace?
Jamie Smith, publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, moderated the panel discussion, which was sponsored by Calfee, OneDigital, and Marathon Health.
Calfee’s Labor and Employment attorneys support clients by providing day-to-day employment counseling, defending administrative complaints and representing clients in litigation concerning state and federal discrimination laws, the National Labor Relations Act, the Family & Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and workers’ compensation claims. Calfee's Labor and Employment attorneys represent public and privately held corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships, including unionized and non-union employers as well as public-sector entities.
Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP is a full-service corporate law firm with 160 attorneys and professionals in offices in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. Calfee serves clients in the Midwest, nationally and globally in the areas of Corporate and Finance, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Energy and Utilities, Estate and Succession Planning and Administration, Government Relations and Legislation, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Litigation, and Real Estate Law. Calfee has been recognized as a leading law firm by Chambers USA 2025 in Antitrust, Banking & Finance, Construction, Corporate/M&A, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Energy & Natural Resources, Environment, Government Relations, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Investment Funds: Regulatory & Compliance, Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, and Real Estate, and by Chambers HNW 2025 in Private Wealth Law. A founding member of Lex Mundi, Calfee offers international representation through a network of independent law firms with access to 22,000 attorneys located in more than 125 countries. Additional information is available at Calfee.com.
Professionals
Practices/Industries
- Banking, Financial Services and Insurance
- Chemicals
- Construction
- Education
- Energy and Utilities
- Entrepreneurs and Emerging Companies
- Food and Beverage
- Gaming and Hospitality
- Health Care
- Individuals and Families
- International
- Labor and Employment
- Labor and Employment Litigation
- Manufacturing and Industrial
- Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences
- Partnerships, LLCs and Joint Ventures
- Private and Family-Owned Businesses
- Public Companies
- Real Estate
- Retail and Consumer Products
- Satellite and Space Technology
- Software and Information Technology