Tom is considered one of Ohio’s go-to labor lawyers when clients face sophisticated and high-stakes labor issues and employment litigation. He is noted for his passion for labor law, creative thinking, unparalleled client service, and a proven track record of consistently successful results.
Effective in 2002, Tom became one of a small group of attorneys in Ohio certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a specialist in Labor and Employment Law. He has also been recognized for his significant contributions to the advancement of the law as a contributing editor for Developing Labor Law, a leading legal treatise.
Experience
- Served as the internal litigator for a $10 billion healthcare system with 65,000 employees managing and litigating every phase of their employment and breach of contract lawsuits, in addition to acting as lead negotiator for its numerous labor agreements with unions, including the SEIU and Teamsters, and handling union organizing, decertification, and deauthorization elections for 14 years.
- Served as Special Counsel to several Ohio Attorneys General beginning in the 1990’s,litigating employment discrimination lawsuits, negotiating numerous labor agreements, and handling union organization campaigns for major Ohio colleges and universities.
- Appeared in up to 300 arbitrations and court appearances with an above average dispositive motion success rate compared to other practitioners in the Federal District in Ohio.
- Achieved summary judgment in a reverse discrimination lawsuit in federal court where the plaintiff’s original demand approached $30 million and successfully obtained $50,000 in attorney’s fees in the case.
- Successfully defeated the Teamsters by a 2:1 margin in a union organization election of a large manufacturer in the Mahoning Valley, Ohio by employing a full scale campaign including persuaders in 2024.
- Awarded summary judgment in a wage and hour stalking horse arbitration that was the lead case of a dozen other arbitrations and a related class action held in abeyance pending the outcome of the arbitration for one of the biggest health care networks in the country.
- Achieved a withdrawal of an election petition by the SEIU for approximately 125 employees as a result of a vigorous and sophisticated election campaign on behalf of a major nursing home and assisted living facility in Cleveland.
- Achieved a withdrawal of an election petition by the Teamsters attempting to organize airport employees in Northeast Ohio in 2026.