Aretta K. Bernard

Shareholder, Practice Group Manager, Employment Services
Akron
222 South Main Street
Suite 400
Akron, OH 44308
P 330.849.6630
F 330.376.4577
P 330.849.6630 | F 330.376.4577

Overview

Aretta has decades of experience in labor and employment litigation matters that run the gamut from equitable relief, non-compete and trade secret violations to complex, multi-party employment and public accommodation discrimination cases. Aretta also assists clients with traditional labor issues including contract negotiation, fact finding, grievance, arbitration and unfair labor practice charges. Extensively experienced and knowledgeable in both state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment, Aretta represents private and public employers and individuals accused of age, handicap, and race discrimination, sexual harassment and sex discrimination, housing discrimination, and public accommodation discrimination throughout the State of Ohio. She has extensive trial experience in individual and multi-party cases, trying many cases through to verdict. Her representation has included serving as lead counsel in numerous employment law and discrimination matters for local and national clients. She also represents clients in administrative actions before both the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC).

In addition to her work as a litigator, Aretta counsels employers across a number of industries on employment-related matters, recognizing that prevention and compliance minimize the risk of future litigation. She also aids employers by conducting and/or supervising employee investigations when circumstances in the workplace warrant.

Aretta actively educates clients, human resource managers, and various trade and professional associations on numerous employment-related topics through in-person seminars, live webinars, and client alerts.

Experience
  • Served as lead counsel in numerous non-compete and trade secrets matters, including a jury trial victory resulting in a multi-million dollar verdict plus attorney fees and pre/post judgment interest
  • Served as lead counsel in multi-party racial discrimination/hostile environment trial
  • Served as lead counsel in multi-party practice and pattern sexual discrimination/sexual harassment housing discrimination trial
  • Served as lead counsel on behalf of a municipality in a housing discrimination matter
  • Served as lead counsel on behalf of a municipality in American with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility matters
  • Served as lead counsel in numerous federal and state courts relating to employment law matters
  • Lead counsel in responding to administrative charges of discrimination in both the state (OCRC) and federal (EEOC) context
  • Provides counseling to employers on employment-related matters
  • Conducts employee investigations on behalf of employer as outside investigator
  • Conducts employer policy and procedure compliance investigation and review
  • Has over 20 years of experience in investigating sexual harassment claims.
  • Represented a public school board in Title IX litigation matter alleging a hostile work environment and sexual harassment.
Languages
  1. Greek
Services

Industries

Education

  1. The University of Akron School of Law, J.D.
  2. Kenyon College, B.A., Political Science

Credentials

Bar Admissions
  1. Ohio
Court Admissions
  1. U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  2. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  3. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

Recognitions

  • AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
  • Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law-Management (2024-2025); Labor Law-Management (2025); Litigation-Labor and Employment (2021-2025)
  • Named The Best Lawyers in America® Akron "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation-Labor and Employment (2025)
  • Selected as an "Ohio Super Lawyer" by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine

Affiliations

Professional Affiliations
  • Ohio State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Committee
  • Akron Bar Association

Insights

  1. Alerts
    U.S. Court of Appeals Throws Out and Simplifies Federal Tip Credit Rule (Aug 26, 2024)
    Ohio General Assembly Concludes Spring Session with Key Education-Related Bills (Jun 27, 2024)
    Federal Judge Temporarily Prevents New Title IX Regulations From Taking Effect in Ohio (Jun 19, 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)
  2. Articles
    No Smoking - Smart Business Akron/Canton (January 2007)
    Caution Key to Avoiding Trouble with Competitors' Employees, Practices - Crain's Cleveland Business (July 10-16, 2006)
  3. Presentations
    "Is There a Definition for Accommodations?" - US Law Fall Conference (September 2024)
    "Employment Update-Constant State of Change" - Roetzel Fall Labor & Employment Symposium (September 2024)
    "DEI Post Harvard Decision" - US Law Employment Forum (April 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)
  4. Podcast
    Roetzel HealthLaw HotSpot: COVID-19 Vaccine Challenges in the Workplace (Feb 1, 2021)
  5. Firm News
    100 Roetzel Attorneys Named 2025 Best Lawyers®, “Ones to Watch” (Aug 15, 2024)
    Nine Roetzel Attorneys Named Best Lawyers 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” (Aug 15, 2024)
    Roetzel & Andress Earns Recognition in 2024 Best Lawyers (Aug 17, 2023)
    Roetzel & Andress Appoints Five Attorneys to Key Leadership Roles (May 9, 2023)
    Roetzel Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® (Aug 18, 2022)

Overview

Aretta has decades of experience in labor and employment litigation matters that run the gamut from equitable relief, non-compete and trade secret violations to complex, multi-party employment and public accommodation discrimination cases. Aretta also assists clients with traditional labor issues including contract negotiation, fact finding, grievance, arbitration and unfair labor practice charges. Extensively experienced and knowledgeable in both state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment, Aretta represents private and public employers and individuals accused of age, handicap, and race discrimination, sexual harassment and sex discrimination, housing discrimination, and public accommodation discrimination throughout the State of Ohio. She has extensive trial experience in individual and multi-party cases, trying many cases through to verdict. Her representation has included serving as lead counsel in numerous employment law and discrimination matters for local and national clients. She also represents clients in administrative actions before both the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC).

In addition to her work as a litigator, Aretta counsels employers across a number of industries on employment-related matters, recognizing that prevention and compliance minimize the risk of future litigation. She also aids employers by conducting and/or supervising employee investigations when circumstances in the workplace warrant.

Aretta actively educates clients, human resource managers, and various trade and professional associations on numerous employment-related topics through in-person seminars, live webinars, and client alerts.

Experience
  • Served as lead counsel in numerous non-compete and trade secrets matters, including a jury trial victory resulting in a multi-million dollar verdict plus attorney fees and pre/post judgment interest
  • Served as lead counsel in multi-party racial discrimination/hostile environment trial
  • Served as lead counsel in multi-party practice and pattern sexual discrimination/sexual harassment housing discrimination trial
  • Served as lead counsel on behalf of a municipality in a housing discrimination matter
  • Served as lead counsel on behalf of a municipality in American with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility matters
  • Served as lead counsel in numerous federal and state courts relating to employment law matters
  • Lead counsel in responding to administrative charges of discrimination in both the state (OCRC) and federal (EEOC) context
  • Provides counseling to employers on employment-related matters
  • Conducts employee investigations on behalf of employer as outside investigator
  • Conducts employer policy and procedure compliance investigation and review
  • Has over 20 years of experience in investigating sexual harassment claims.
  • Represented a public school board in Title IX litigation matter alleging a hostile work environment and sexual harassment.
Languages
  1. Greek

Education

  1. The University of Akron School of Law, J.D.
  2. Kenyon College, B.A., Political Science

Credentials

Bar Admissions
  1. Ohio
Court Admissions
  1. U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  2. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  3. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

Recognitions

  • AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
  • Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law-Management (2024-2025); Labor Law-Management (2025); Litigation-Labor and Employment (2021-2025)
  • Named The Best Lawyers in America® Akron "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation-Labor and Employment (2025)
  • Selected as an "Ohio Super Lawyer" by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine

Affiliations

Professional Affiliations
  • Ohio State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Committee
  • Akron Bar Association

Insights

  1. Alerts
    U.S. Court of Appeals Throws Out and Simplifies Federal Tip Credit Rule (Aug 26, 2024)
    Ohio General Assembly Concludes Spring Session with Key Education-Related Bills (Jun 27, 2024)
    Federal Judge Temporarily Prevents New Title IX Regulations From Taking Effect in Ohio (Jun 19, 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)
  2. Articles
    No Smoking - Smart Business Akron/Canton (January 2007)
    Caution Key to Avoiding Trouble with Competitors' Employees, Practices - Crain's Cleveland Business (July 10-16, 2006)
  3. Presentations
    "Is There a Definition for Accommodations?" - US Law Fall Conference (September 2024)
    "Employment Update-Constant State of Change" - Roetzel Fall Labor & Employment Symposium (September 2024)
    "DEI Post Harvard Decision" - US Law Employment Forum (April 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)
  4. Podcast
    Roetzel HealthLaw HotSpot: COVID-19 Vaccine Challenges in the Workplace (Feb 1, 2021)
  5. Firm News
    100 Roetzel Attorneys Named 2025 Best Lawyers®, “Ones to Watch” (Aug 15, 2024)
    Nine Roetzel Attorneys Named Best Lawyers 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” (Aug 15, 2024)
    Roetzel & Andress Earns Recognition in 2024 Best Lawyers (Aug 17, 2023)
    Roetzel & Andress Appoints Five Attorneys to Key Leadership Roles (May 9, 2023)
    Roetzel Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® (Aug 18, 2022)