Overview

Megan focuses her practice on the representation of management in all aspects of labor and employment law. She assists in providing day-to-day counseling to employers by researching and recommending best practices for companies on human resources issues such as terminations, compliance with employment laws, workplace investigations, and the preparation of policies and employment agreements. Megan aids in the defense of employers in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and various other employment-related claims before judicial bodies and administrative agencies.

Megan assists government contracting clients across several industries in preparing annual affirmative action plans and defending against OFCCP audits. She conducts internal corporate investigations into allegations of harassment, discrimination, and other employee misconduct.

Prior to law school, Megan taught Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten in New York City through Teach for America and holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Lehman College of the City University of New York. Megan continues to give back to the community serving several community organizations, including her role on the Advancement Committee and Board of Directors of the West Side Catholic Center and a founding member of the Magnificat Blue Streak Barristers.

Practices

    • Successfully defended lower court’s grants of summary judgment in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and Cuyahoga County’s Eighth District Court of Appeals.
    • Secured numerous summary judgment rulings on behalf of clients in state and federal age discrimination, race discrimination, retaliation, defamation, and disparate impact discrimination cases.
    • Directed a highly sensitive internal investigation for global corporation.
    • Successfully represented a private university in student-on-student Title IX and retaliation claims brought by a former student, resulting in a no-pay dismissal of all claims.
    • Obtained dismissal of numerous employment-discrimination charges before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Ohio Civil Rights Commission.
    • Drafted personnel policies, employment agreements and employee handbooks for companies of various sizes. 
    • Secured unanimous jury verdict in favor of the employer in the Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas in a wrongful termination in violation of public policy case.
    • Attained a full defense arbitration award on behalf of global corporation on state and federal age discrimination and retaliation claims.
    • Successfully represented federal contractor in OFCCP compliance audit.
      • Obtained unanimous jury verdict in favor of manufacturing company on plaintiff’s race discrimination and retaliation claims.
  • Education

    • Cleveland State University College of Law/CSU College of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2016
    • Lehman College of the City University of New York, M.S., Early Childhood Education, 2010
    • University of Dayton, B.A, Political Science and Communications, magna cum laude, 2008

    Admissions

    • State of Ohio
    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio and Southern District of Ohio
    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • Professional Affiliations

    • Magnificat Blue Streak Barristers —Founding Member (2020-Present) 
    • Cleveland Chapter of SHRM—Member (2019-2021); Legal Affairs Committee (2019-2020)
    • FDCC Ladder Down, Cleveland Program—Committee (2019); Class of 2020 
    • Cleveland Employment Inn of Court—Member (2017-Present); Programming Committee (2018-2020)
    • Ohio State Bar Association—Member
    • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association—Member (2016-Present); 3Rs Program—Mentor (2016-2020); Young Lawyers Section—Member, Labor Employment Section—Member

    Community Involvement

    • West Side Catholic Center— Board of Directors (2020-Present); Advancement Committee (2019-Present); Associate Board Member (2014-2018); Sips and Swigs Fundraiser Co-Chair (2018); Governance Committee Member (2022-Present)
    • Magnificat High School, Learn at Lunch Series—Alumna Presenter (2018); Gala Committee—Member (2023); Genesis Program—Student Mentor
    • Cleveland Leadership Center, On-Board Cleveland (Class of 2017)
    • Named to the Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars list (2022-23)
    • Named to The Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" list in the area of Labor & Employment Law-Management (2021-2023)
    • Achievement Award for Outstanding Work in the Field of Labor & Employment Law—Ohio State Bar Association (2016)
    • ABA-BNA Award for Excellence in Labor & Employment Law
    • CALI Award—Employment Discrimination
    • CALI Award—Employment Law
    • Academic Excellence Fellow—Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
    • Cleveland State Law Review
    • Law Justice Scholarship—Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
    • "A Review of Recent Labor and Employment Issues," (Co-Presenter) Frantz Ward ACC Seminar (August 2022)
    • "Legal and Practical Issues When Hiring Individuals with Criminal Histories," (Co-Presenter) Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Seminar (July 2022)
    • “Employment Law Update,” (Co-Presenter) Ohio CUPA-HR 2021 Fall Conference (November 2021)
    • "Avoiding the Long, Drawn Out Jury Trial Through Arbitration Agreements, Jury Waiver Agreements, and Agreements for Shortened Statues of Limitations," The Road Ahead Frantz Ward's Labor & Employment Webinar Series (July 2021)
    • "Employment Law Update," Ohio CUPA-HR 2021 Spring Virtual Conference (April 2021) 
    • "The New Administration and COVID-19 – What’s New?" Ohio Chamber HR Academy Webinar (March 2021) 
    • "2021 Legal Update," Ohio Staffing and Search Association Webinar (March 2021) 
    • "LGBTQ Issues in the 2020 Workplace: Important Developments and Trends," Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Webinar (November 2020) 
    • "#MeToo: Looking Back and Moving Forward," Ohio Chamber of Commerce HR Academy Webinar (October 2020) 
    • “COVID Commentary: Addressing Employee Abuse or Fraud and Avoiding Retaliation Pitfalls,” Frantz Ward Webinar (April 2020)
    • "#MeToo: Looking Back and Moving Forward," 2020 SHRM Northeast Ohio Human Resources Conference (March 2020)
    • "Cannabis Law: Practical Issues Impacting the Workplace," Cleveland SHRM Chapter Meeting, Cleveland, OH (December 2019) 
    • "The Inside Perspective: A Conversation With Clients," FDCC Ladder Down Cleveland Panel (November 2019) 
    • "Exploring Non-Competes, Restrictive Covenants and Employment Agreements," Ohio Chamber HR Academy Webinar (November 2019) 
    • "Hot Topics in Labor," Association of Corporate Counsel, Cleveland, OH (August 2019) 
    • "Exploring Non-Competes, Restrictive Covenants and Employment Agreements," Western Reserve Chapter of SHRM, Warren, OH (July 2019)
    • “Employee Handbooks– The Key Ingredients,” Western Reserve Chapter of SHRM, Warren, OH (November 2017), Cleveland Chapter of SHRM (June 2019)
    • "Exploring Non-Competes, Restrictive Covenants and Employment Agreements," Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Law Seminar, Cleveland, OH (May 2019) 
    • "Addressing Issues Before They Become Elephants in the Room: Mammoth Complications in Compensation," OSSA Webinar (November 2018) 
    • "Romance In The Workplace and Avoiding Claims of Harassment," Cleveland Society for Human Resource Management, Berea, OH (May 2018)
    • "Gray Area: Romance in the Workplace and Avoiding Claims of Harassment," Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Law Seminar, Cleveland, OH (May 2018)
    • "Employee Handbooks - The Key Ingredients," Ohio Craft Brewers Conference, Cleveland, OH (January 2018)
    • "Prevailing Wage Law in Ohio: The History and Overview of Ohio & Prevailing Wage Law," Mechanical Contractors Association, Akron, OH (June 2017)
    • “Going on a Safari: Developments in Labor & Employment Law Under the New Congress and the Trump Administration,” Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Law Seminar, Cleveland, OH (May 2017)