Barry Y. Freeman
Shareholder
1375 East Ninth Street
One Cleveland Center, 10th Floor
Cleveland, OH 44114
P 312.741.0786
F 216.623.0134
P 312.741.0786 | F 216.623.0134 C 216.410.2844
C 216.410.2844
Overview
For 30 years, Barry has defended employers of all sizes in litigation and administrative disputes: Wage and hour collective and class actions, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, unfair competition and trade secrets, non-competes, employee benefits, workers’ compensation, defamation, privacy rights, and more. Focused on practical solutions, he draws upon creative legal strategies to help clients achieve their objectives in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In addition, clients rely on Barry to provide sensible counseling, strategic advice, and guidance on a broad range of compliance issues.
Barry has particular strengths defending wage and hour class and collective actions nationwide, including using offers of judgment as a precise tool to cut-off and end class and collective actions. Multiple times, he's resolved wage and hour cases for hundreds of thousands of dollars below what initially seemed feasible.
Clients appreciate Barry’s ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their position, honestly assess risks and potential rewards, and develop a practical approach to resolving the claim. Barry does not laud clients’ cases at the beginning, then ‘do a 180’ with a different perspective as the case progresses. His analysis stays steady and consistent. For example, in one case where Barry represented a plaintiff, he advised the client the chances of winning were slim. The employer was so confident it offered $0 to settle the claim. His client nonetheless chose to take the case to trial. Barry executed an aggressive strategy that led to a jury verdict in the client's favor, followed by a real settlement from the employer.
He is a Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association. He regularly provides employment law training to employers, including EEO and wage and hour training.
Experience
- Obtained favorable decision from the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Eighth District which unanimously affirmed the trial court’s ruling on the motion for summary judgment. Long v KeltanBW, Inc., 2024-Ohio-2359.
- Successfully defended the trial court’s granting of motion for judgment on the pleadings in Ohio Court of Appeals for the Eighth District. Daher v. Cuyahoga Community College Dist., 2021-Ohio-2103.
- Defended multiple Illinois BIPA class actions, including one dismissed with no liability or payment
- Won summary judgment for Chicagoland logistics company on 15 count discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claim – despite employer’s admission it might be liable for discrimination for laying employee off
- Defended Chicagoland health care company in FLSA collective action, resolving for ½ the cost of prior collective action
- Defended dozens of Ohio FLSA collective actions, including many resolved for the cost of a single plaintiff case
- Turned a discrimination and retaliation case against an Ohio municipality into a six-figure verdict in favor of the municipality on its counterclaim
Services
Education
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D.
- The University of Chicago, B.A., History
Credentials
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Ohio
- West Virginia
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia
Certifications
- Certified as a Specialist for Labor and Employment Law by the Ohio State Bar Association
Recognitions
- Selected to The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law - Individuals (2018-2025); Litigation-Labor and Employment (2025)
- Selected as an "Ohio Super Lawyer" by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine (2011-2013, 2015-2024)
- Selected as an "Ohio Super Lawyer - Rising Star" by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine (2005-2008)
- AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
- Listed in Sutton's Who's Who in American Law (2011)
Affiliations
Professional Affiliations
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
- Labor and Employment Law Section, Chair (2022-2024)
- Labor and Employment Law Section Board Member
- Ohio State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
- Michigan State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
Insights
Alerts
Minimum Salary Amounts for Overtime Exemptions Set to Increase Again as of January 1 (Oct 25, 2024)
U.S. Court of Appeals Throws Out and Simplifies Federal Tip Credit Rule (Aug 26, 2024)
United States Supreme Court Holds That Involuntary Job Transfers Can Violate Title VII (Apr 26, 2024)
Department of Labor Raises Threshold Limits for Bona Fide Exempt Employees in Final Rule (Apr 24, 2024)
Federal Trade Commission Follows Through on Promise to Issue Rule Banning Virtually All Non-Compete Agreements (Apr 23, 2024)
Presentations
"Hot Topics in Workers’ Compensation" & "Dealing with Illness and Injury in the Workplace" - 2024 Labor & Employment Breakfast Briefing (May 7, 2024)
"The State of the Workplace- Hot Topics" - Roetzel Labor & Employment Symposium: State of the Workplace 2023 (September 2023)
"The State of the Workplace- Hot Topics" - Roetzel Labor & Employment Symposium: Transformation of the Workplace (2022)
"Wage and Hour Claims: The Most Dangerous Game" - Roetzel 2020 Employment Law Briefing Webinar (November 2020)
Firm News
100 Roetzel Attorneys Named 2025 Best Lawyers®, “Ones to Watch” (Aug 15, 2024)
19 Roetzel Attorneys Named Ohio Super Lawyers/Rising Stars (Dec 29, 2023)
Roetzel & Andress Earns Recognition in 2024 Best Lawyers (Aug 17, 2023)
22 Roetzel Attorneys Named 2023 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars (Dec 29, 2022)
Roetzel Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® (Aug 18, 2022)
Overview
For 30 years, Barry has defended employers of all sizes in litigation and administrative disputes: Wage and hour collective and class actions, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, unfair competition and trade secrets, non-competes, employee benefits, workers’ compensation, defamation, privacy rights, and more. Focused on practical solutions, he draws upon creative legal strategies to help clients achieve their objectives in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In addition, clients rely on Barry to provide sensible counseling, strategic advice, and guidance on a broad range of compliance issues.
Barry has particular strengths defending wage and hour class and collective actions nationwide, including using offers of judgment as a precise tool to cut-off and end class and collective actions. Multiple times, he's resolved wage and hour cases for hundreds of thousands of dollars below what initially seemed feasible.
Clients appreciate Barry’s ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their position, honestly assess risks and potential rewards, and develop a practical approach to resolving the claim. Barry does not laud clients’ cases at the beginning, then ‘do a 180’ with a different perspective as the case progresses. His analysis stays steady and consistent. For example, in one case where Barry represented a plaintiff, he advised the client the chances of winning were slim. The employer was so confident it offered $0 to settle the claim. His client nonetheless chose to take the case to trial. Barry executed an aggressive strategy that led to a jury verdict in the client's favor, followed by a real settlement from the employer.
He is a Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association. He regularly provides employment law training to employers, including EEO and wage and hour training.
Experience
- Obtained favorable decision from the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Eighth District which unanimously affirmed the trial court’s ruling on the motion for summary judgment. Long v KeltanBW, Inc., 2024-Ohio-2359.
- Successfully defended the trial court’s granting of motion for judgment on the pleadings in Ohio Court of Appeals for the Eighth District. Daher v. Cuyahoga Community College Dist., 2021-Ohio-2103.
- Defended multiple Illinois BIPA class actions, including one dismissed with no liability or payment
- Won summary judgment for Chicagoland logistics company on 15 count discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claim – despite employer’s admission it might be liable for discrimination for laying employee off
- Defended Chicagoland health care company in FLSA collective action, resolving for ½ the cost of prior collective action
- Defended dozens of Ohio FLSA collective actions, including many resolved for the cost of a single plaintiff case
- Turned a discrimination and retaliation case against an Ohio municipality into a six-figure verdict in favor of the municipality on its counterclaim
Education
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D.
- The University of Chicago, B.A., History
Credentials
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Ohio
- West Virginia
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia
Certifications
- Certified as a Specialist for Labor and Employment Law by the Ohio State Bar Association
Recognitions
- Selected to The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law - Individuals (2018-2025); Litigation-Labor and Employment (2025)
- Selected as an "Ohio Super Lawyer" by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine (2011-2013, 2015-2024)
- Selected as an "Ohio Super Lawyer - Rising Star" by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine (2005-2008)
- AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
- Listed in Sutton's Who's Who in American Law (2011)
Affiliations
Professional Affiliations
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
- Labor and Employment Law Section, Chair (2022-2024)
- Labor and Employment Law Section Board Member
- Ohio State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
- Michigan State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
Insights
Alerts
Minimum Salary Amounts for Overtime Exemptions Set to Increase Again as of January 1 (Oct 25, 2024)
U.S. Court of Appeals Throws Out and Simplifies Federal Tip Credit Rule (Aug 26, 2024)
United States Supreme Court Holds That Involuntary Job Transfers Can Violate Title VII (Apr 26, 2024)
Department of Labor Raises Threshold Limits for Bona Fide Exempt Employees in Final Rule (Apr 24, 2024)
Federal Trade Commission Follows Through on Promise to Issue Rule Banning Virtually All Non-Compete Agreements (Apr 23, 2024)
Presentations
"Hot Topics in Workers’ Compensation" & "Dealing with Illness and Injury in the Workplace" - 2024 Labor & Employment Breakfast Briefing (May 7, 2024)
"The State of the Workplace- Hot Topics" - Roetzel Labor & Employment Symposium: State of the Workplace 2023 (September 2023)
"The State of the Workplace- Hot Topics" - Roetzel Labor & Employment Symposium: Transformation of the Workplace (2022)
"Wage and Hour Claims: The Most Dangerous Game" - Roetzel 2020 Employment Law Briefing Webinar (November 2020)
Firm News
100 Roetzel Attorneys Named 2025 Best Lawyers®, “Ones to Watch” (Aug 15, 2024)
19 Roetzel Attorneys Named Ohio Super Lawyers/Rising Stars (Dec 29, 2023)
Roetzel & Andress Earns Recognition in 2024 Best Lawyers (Aug 17, 2023)
22 Roetzel Attorneys Named 2023 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars (Dec 29, 2022)
Roetzel Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® (Aug 18, 2022)