Christopher M. Ward

Chris provides counsel on matters of environmental and regulatory compliance, including permitting and reporting under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and a variety of state environmental laws and regulations. He also assists clients on regulatory compliance issues related to both hazardous and solid waste issues under RCRA and represents clients on permit appeals before the Environmental Review Appeals Commission as well as throughout enforcement proceedings, both administrative and judicial, regarding environmental statutes and regulations.

Chris also serves businesses throughout Ohio in the area of workplace safety, including workers’ compensation administration and legal defense. He appears regularly before the Ohio Industrial Commission, the BWC Adjudicating Committee and the Self-Insured Review Panel, while also representing clients in workers’ compensation appeals in courts of common pleas and appellate courts dealing with injury and occupational diseases as well as matters in mandamus.

Bringing his specialties together, Chris provides review and counsel to companies in business transactions with his due diligence analysis of potential environmental, OSHA and general workplace safety liabilities in sales and acquisitions.

Chris is a member of the Ohio and Columbus Bar Associations, where he is an active member of the respective environmental law and workers’ compensation law committees. He is also active in the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association Environment Committee and the Safety Committee, as well as in the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network, of which Calfee is the Ohio member firm.

On January 1, 2015, Chris became an Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law. He joined Calfee in 2003.

Honors & Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Environmental Law, and Litigation - Environmental (2024)

Education

Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law, 2015

J.D., The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, 2003

B.A., summa cum laude, University of Dayton, 2000

Experience

Environmental Experience

• Represented corporations, municipalities and villages in administrative appeals pending before the Ohio Environmental Review Appeals Commission involving challenges to their NPDES permits, hazardous waste closure plans, Title V permits and air permits to install issued by Ohio EPA and extensive permit negotiations in the settlement and dismissal of the appeals.
• Successfully defended and resolved environmental enforcement actions for public and private entities on various air and water issues.
• Represents private and public entities seeking permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Ohio’s isolated wetlands program.
• Aided clients in environmental due diligence and contract negotiation in several successful business transactions.

Workers’ Compensation Experience 

• Successfully defending an Ohio corporation against a potential six-figure VSSR award dealing with issues of “proper employer” and alleged violation of Ohio safety regulations.
• Represents businesses in the interstate trucking industry against attempts at seeking allowed Ohio workers’ and unemployment compensation from independent contractor drivers seeking status as “employees.”
• Successfully aided client in petitioning Ohio BWC to withdraw its demand for hundreds of thousands in disability fund (DWRF) assessments against an Ohio business that should have remained with the prior business owner.

Professional & Community

• Ohio State Bar Association Environmental Law Committee and Workers' Compensation Law Committee, Member
• Columbus Bar Association Environmental Law Committee and Workers' Compensation Law Committee, Member
• Ohio Manufacturers’ Association Environment Committee and Safety Committee, Member
• National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network, Member