Representative Cases

We represented a former fraud investigator with the Hamilton County Department of Human Services in claims brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act. After the plaintiff had taken a leave of absence and been diagnosed with depression and other emotional disorders, she returned to work and was repeatedly harassed and mistreated by her supervisor until she was forced to quit. After a five day jury trial, a verdict was returned for the plaintiff for $700,000, which at that time was the largest verdict in an ADA case in this part of Ohio. Valeska v. Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners, case no. C-1-95-249, United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Western Division (June 1996)

We represented a former stock broker in claims against his brokerage firm for violation of the Americans with Disabilities act and for wrongful termination. The NASD arbitration panel, after hearing many days of testimony, awarded the claimant over $200,000 in lost income. Barlow v. Hilliard Lyons, NASD Arbitration no. 94-00904 (1996)

We represented several employees of an airline in sexual harassment charges against the airline, resulting in settlements totaling over $1.5 million before suit was filed. (1998-1999)

In an NASD arbitration against a local broker and his firm, we asserted claims of unauthorized trading on behalf of an unsophisticated investor who’s husband had been instructing the broker on how to invest her funds. The junk bonds lost all of their value. The panel of three arbitrators awarded the claimant over $90,000. Spitz v. HD Bro us & Co., NASD Arbitration no. 98-02315 (2000)

The firm defended a Chicago based corporation against age discrimination charges filed in federal court by two long term employees who were let go as part of a reduction in force. After a five day trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendant corporation on all counts. Miller, et al. v. Intaglio Vivi-color Alliance, Ltd., case no. C-1-97-480, United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Western Division (October 2000)

We represented a retired Ohio school teacher in claims for negligent misrepresentation against the State Teachers Retirement System. Our client, a life-long teacher in Adams County, Ohio, had been told by a representative of the defendant that she could retain her part-time position as township clerk and still retire with full benefits. When that turned out not to be true, she was forced to give up her clerkship in order to receive retirement benefits. After a three day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the full amount the client had lost. Naomi Smalley v. State Teachers Retirement System, case no. 97CVH-05-5596, Court of Common Pleas, Franklin County, Ohio (February 2001)

The firm represented two officers and shareholders of a start up public company in fraud claims they brought against the company’s majority shareholder and CEO. The claims arose from misrepresentations made by the CEO concerning the future roles of the officers with the company. After a five day jury trial, a verdict was returned for compensatory and punitive damages and attorney fees that totaled $1,000,000. Doe, et al. v. Roe, et al., Court of Common Pleas, Hamilton County, Ohio (June 2002).

We represented a severely injured person in an insurance coverage dispute involving an umbrella policy of uninsured/underinsured insurance worth over $1,000,000. The Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of our client, ruling that a purported waiver of that coverage was not effective. Victoria Campbell v. Westfield Insurance Co., case no. 02APE-12-1369, Court of Appeals, Franklin County, Ohio (October 2003) The Ohio Supreme Court declined to hear the defendant’s appeal. Case no. 2003 2049 (March 24, 2004)

We represented a former Comair flight attendant supervisor at the trial of her promissory estoppel claim against the company. Although Comair had promised her that if she gave up her seniority to remain a supervisor, she could go back to a flight attendant position with her full seniority if Comair substantially changed her supervisory job, Comair broke its promise when her job changed and she went back to her flight attendant position. The company took away her 13 years of seniority and made her go back to the bottom of the job bidding list. The jury agreed that Comair had broken its promise and awarded the plaintiff $210,000 in lost wages and benefits. Nancy Dickson v. Comair, case no. 00-CI-00664, Boone Circuit Court, Boone County, Kentucky (March 2004)