William R. Hanna

Bill focuses his practice on public law and labor and employment law. His public law practice involves a wide range of legal issues encountered by local government bodies, including public records, open meetings, public employment matters, zoning, economic development, and public entity contracting to public right of way (PROW) management issues. He currently serves or has previously served as law director and assistant law director for many municipalities throughout Ohio, along with serving as special counsel for municipalities in cable/telecommunications, public law and employment matters. Bill has also served as special counsel and legal adviser to municipal Charter Review Commissions. 

In addition, Bill represents private sector employers in defending employment discrimination, wrongful termination, and other employment-related claims, provided day-to-day employment law advice and counseling, and represented clients in more than 100 employment mediations involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC), and other state administrative agencies and private mediators.

Experience

Public Law

• Serves as director of law for the City of Cleveland Heights
• Serves as director of law for the Village of Moreland Hills
• Serves legal counsel to the Board of Trustees for the Richfield Joint Recreation District
• Serves as senior counsel for the Village of Richfield; formerly served as director of law
• Served as assistant director of law for the city of Beachwood
• Served as assistant director of law for the city of Cleveland Heights
• Served as assistant director of law for the village of Hunting Valley
• Serves as special counsel for municipalities in the development and administration of comprehensive PROW management ordinances
• Assists municipalities with the development and administration of comprehensive PROW management ordinances
• Represents public entities in zoning/land use litigation, including the defense of O.R.C. Chapter 2506 appeals taken from decisions of local boards of zoning appeals
• Represents public entities in tort litigation involving the assertion of immunities and defenses under O.R.C. Chapter 2744
• Advises planning commissions and zoning boards in code interpretation and enforcement proceedings, including procedural amendments to zoning codes to improve the quality and speed of quasi-judicial proceedings
• Represented a municipality in substantial public records litigation
• Advised local government entities on the formation of a joint recreation district to preserve a 300+ acre property from development

Labor & Employment Law

• Defends employment discrimination claims filed with the EEOC, OCRC, and numerous other state and local civil rights agencies for large, Ohio-based employers
• Represents employers in state and federal court against charges of discrimination on the basis of race/color, age, sex/gender, and disability
• Represents employers in wrongful discharge litigation
• Defends municipalities in Section 1983 and civil rights litigation
• Assists employers in the design, implementation, administration and enforcement of mandatory alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and arbitration programs covering employment-based claims
• Represents employers in state and federal court proceedings to compel the use of mandatory private employment arbitration/ADR programs in lieu of judicial proceedings on the merits
• Represents employers in mediations concerning wrongful discharge and discrimination claims brought by current and former employees

Services

• Public Law
• Eminent Domain
• Land Use & Zoning
• Employment Services & Counseling
• Employment Litigation

1. Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, J.D.
2. Miami University, A.B.

Bar Admissions

1. Ohio

Court Admissions

1. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
2. U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

• Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Municipal Law (2022-2025)
• AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

Professional Affiliations

• Society for Human Resource Management, Member
• Northeast Ohio Law Directors Association, Member
• Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association, Member
• Ohio State Bar Association, Member
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member