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Robert E. Blackham

Chairman, Shareholder

Cleveland
1375 East Ninth Street
One Cleveland Center, 10th Floor
Cleveland, OH 44114
P: 216.615.4839 216.615.4839
F: 216.623.0134
E: [email protected] | vCard

Columbus

Overview Education Credentials Recognitions Affiliations Insights

As Roetzel’s Chairman, Bob devotes much of his time managing the firms’ environment to strengthen accountability, stability and preserve the firm’s culture. He also maintains a robust employer-side employment law practice. Clients rely on Bob for his quick and accurate answers to their most pressing problems. He knows how disruptive an employment situation can be for his client’s business and presents solutions before an issue develops into a lawsuit.

Bob has been with Roetzel for over 25 years – first as an Associate in 1994 and was named Partner two years later. Bob expanded the employer-side of Roetzel’s Employment Law group, representing employers in all facets of employment law and related litigation, handling numerous labor arbitrations for unionized employers on a local and national level. He counsels and represents Human Resources Directors, Safety Directors, and CEOs on workplace injury, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) claims, intentional tort, non-compete agreements, and employee discrimination matters.

Having taken on the role as Chairman in January 2017, Bob has continued to grow the firm. He truly enjoys practicing Employment Law and feels he has made a significant impact and contributes value to his clients with good, solid advice.

Experience
  • Defends management in all facets of employment-related litigation
  • Assists clients in implementing strategies designed to minimize exposure under laws such as the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), state fair employment statutes (i.e., the Ohio Civil Rights Act)
  • Performs on-site audits to ensure compliance with OSHA requirements
  • Statewide involvement in all aspects of defending workers' compensation claims for both self-insured and state-funded employers
  • Extensive experience before the Industrial Commission
  • Significant involvement in both civil litigation and appellate work in the workers' compensation area
  • Successful defense of numerous Violation of Specific Safety Regulation (VSSR) claims and intentional tort claims
  • Prepares and reviews employee handbooks, employment agreements, arbitration agreements, non-competition and confidentiality agreements and severance plans
  • Litigation of complex Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) charges before the Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission
  • Successful defense of utility in a multimillion-dollar OSHA proceeding
  • Successful defense of a major tire company in a workplace death (jury verdict)
  • Successful defense of a contractor that received a willful citation from OSHA in a case involving the death of an employee
  • Successful defense of a stamping company in a sexual harassment case (jury verdict)
Languages
  • Spanish