Overview

Andrew devotes his practice to counseling and representing employers in all aspects of employment law and labor relations. He counsels employers of all sizes on key issues, including: compliance with discrimination and wage and hour laws; drafting, revising, and implementing employment policies; drafting employment, independent contractor, non-competition, and severance agreements;  managing leaves of absence; issuing employee discipline; and various aspects of the collective bargaining process. Andrew prides himself on his ability to serve as a trusted advisor and provide proactive and practical advice.
 
Given that conflict sometimes cannot be avoided, Andrew also devotes a significant portion of his practice to employment litigation, where he represents management in state and federal courts and before arbitrators and administrative agencies. Andrew has successfully defended employers in matters including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misappropriation of trade secrets, and breaches of non-competition and employment agreements. Andrew also has successfully represented employers in traditional labor matters, including at arbitrations and before the National Labor Relations Board and State Employment Relations Board. 

In his spare time, Andrew is actively involved in the community, including serving in a leadership role on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland's Bridge Board. 


Practices

    • Obtained summary judgment for major Ohio healthcare provider on religious discriminations, age discrimination, retaliation, and tortious interference with contractual or business relationships claims.
    • Successfully defended various employers against unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board, including major Ohio health care provider, long-term care and assisted living facility, and roofing company.
    • Drafted employment policies to comply with state-specific laws on behalf of national clinical development and staffing service organization and national temporary staffing company.
    • Advised expanding health care provider on appropriate employment policies and procedures for operating in new states.
    • Represented construction company and multiple national staffing companies in litigation involving enforcement of non-competition and non-solicitation agreements both in Ohio and other states.
    • Advised national industrial contractor on compliance with state and federal prevailing wage laws.
    • Obtained dismissal of numerous employment-discrimination charges before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Ohio Civil Rights Commission on behalf of multiple clients, including manufacturing companies and national staffing companies.
    • Represented steel manufacturer in class action litigation regarding retiree health and medical benefits.
    • Provided preventative counseling to hospital network on issues including employment policies, potential joint-employer liability issues, IRS guidelines, medical benefits plan revisions, and unemployment compensation claims.
    • Litigated and enforced non-compete agreement against former president of manufacturing sales representative firm.
    • Assisted steel manufacturer in implementation of facility idling and mass layoffs, including drafting applicable employee severance agreements and WARN notices.
    • Obtained summary judgment for independent news media organization on disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, and race discrimination and retaliation claims.
    • Successfully enforced litigation settlement agreements on behalf of major Ohio health care provider.
    • Obtained dismissal of former employee's claims for unpaid benefits on behalf of a medical marijuana dispensary.
    • Successfully represented major Ohio health care provider in arbitration proceeding where arbitrator upheld discharge of former employee who committed major policy violations.
    • Managed employee-related due diligence concerning national staffing company's acquisition of multiple staffing companies.
    • Represented national staffing company in connection with investigation by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
      • Successfully rescinded a temporary restraining order and won a preliminary injunction hearing against union that sought to prevent employer from relocating employee training.
      • Obtained summary judgment of wrongful termination, fraud, and defamation claims in private arbitration proceeding on behalf of national apartment developer and property manager.
      • Successfully defended against union's attempts to vacate lengthy suspension and discharge of employee.
    • Provide preventative counseling to global steel and manufacturer regarding various wage and hour issues.
  • Education

    • University of Cincinnati, College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2012
    • Xavier University, Honors B.A., 2007

    Admissions

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

    • Ohio Staffing and Search Association—Member (2019- Present)
    • Ohio State Bar Association—Member (2012-Present)
    • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association—Member (2012-Present)
    • Cleveland Employment American Inn of Court—Member (2018-Present)

    Community Involvement

    • Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland, Bridge Board—Chair Emeritus (2021-Present); Chair (2019-2020); Executive Committee, Fundraising Co-Chair (2017-2018), Vice Chair (2018); Member (2016-Present) 
    • College Now Greater Cleveland—Mentor (2019-Present)
    • Cleveland Leadership Center, Civic Leadership Institute (Class of 2019)
    • Named to the Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars list (2021-2024)
    • Named to The Best Lawyers in America Ones to Watch list in the area of Labor & Employment Law—Management (2021-2024)
    • Order of the Coif (2012)
    • University of Cincinnati Law Review—Notes & Comments Chair (2011-2012)
    • Boy Scouts of America—Eagle Scout
    • "ADA Today: Evaluating Disability Questions and Issues That Arise in Today’s Workplace." (Co-Presenter) Frantz Ward Labor & Employment Seminar (June 2023)
    • "Leave Issues Today: Analyzing the Interaction of the ADA, FMLA, and Today's COVID Leave Issues," (Co-Presenter) Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Seminar (July 2022)
    • "Construction Labor Today: Recent and Upcoming Policy, Legislative, Regulatory, and Administrative Updates," Advice From the Trench Frantz Ward Construction Webinar (May 2021)
    • "2021 Legal Update," Ohio Association of Radon Professionals, Webinar (April 2021)
    • "Common HR Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them," The Road Ahead Frantz Ward's Labor & Employment Webinar Series (June 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)
    • "I Don't Want to Work: Addressing Potential Return to Work Issues," Ohio Chamber HR Academy Webinar (November 2020) 
    • "I Don't Want to Work: Addressing Leaves of Absence and Potential Return-to-Work Issues," Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Webinar (September 2020) 
    • "Ask the Expert: Getting Back to Business in the COVID-19 World," Ohio Staffing and Search Association Annual Conference, Webinar (June 2020) 
    • "Navigating the COVID-19 Crisis at Work," Ohio Association of Radon Professionals Webinar (April 2020)
    • "Navigating the Current Crisis," Ohio Staffing and Search Association Webinar (April 2020)
    • “Closing Time. One Last Call for Time Off, So Finish Your Leave Because You Can’t Stay Here," Cleveland SHRM Legal Affairs Conference, Cleveland, OH (February 2020)
    • "Exploring Non-Competes, Restrictive Covenants and Employment Agreements," Ohio Chamber HR Academy Webinar (November 2019) 
    • "Exploring Non-Competes, Restrictive Covenants and Employment Agreements," Ohio Staffing and Search Association Webinar (October 2019) 
    • "Exploring Non-Competes, Resrictive Covenants and Employment Agreements," Western Reserve Chapter of SHRM, Warren OH (July 2019)
    • "Revising and Updating Your Employee Handbook," Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Law Seminar, Cleveland, OH (May 2019) 
    • "Stomping Out Violence in the Workplace," Cleveland Society for Human Resource Management, Berea, OH (May 2018)
    • "Stomping Out Violence in the Workplace," Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Law Seminar, Cleveland, OH (May 2018)
    • "FLSA Essentials: Practically Applying the Most Recent Legal Perspectives," Human Resource Law Boot Camp, Youngstown, OH (December 2017)
    • "Labor Update: Trends and Hot Topics in Today's Workplace," Ohio Cast Metals Assocation Meeting, Columbus, OH (October 2017)