People
Anne Marie Sferra
Anne Marie Sferra is chair of the Litigation practice group. She has trial and appellate experience litigating a wide variety of commercial and insurance cases, including class actions, mortgage servicing litigation, life and health claims, bad faith claims and coverage issues. Anne Marie also has substantial experience handling many original actions, constitutional issues, tort reform issues and election law matters, including statewide initiative and referendum petitions.
In 2008, Anne Marie became the first Columbus-area attorney to be certified as an Appellate Law Specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association. Anne Marie is counsel on numerous amicus curiae briefs, primarily in the Ohio Supreme Court, on behalf of statewide and national organizations, including the Ohio Manufacturers Association, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, the Ohio Hospital Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Insurance Association, and others.
Experience
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Class action lawsuit victory
Successfully argued before the Eleventh District Court of Appeals on behalf of the State of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) in a case in which the plaintiff attacked the validity of a previously settled class action alleging that ODNR had unlawfully taken the private property of more than 13,000 property owners along Lake Erie’s coast by incorrectly identifying the public/private boundary along the shore. The Court upheld enforcement of the settlement agreement and the civil contempt order.
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Landmark court decision ends “eviction by affidavit” practice
Bricker lawyers successfully filed an amicus curiae brief to highlight and end the dehumanizing and negative ramifications of a decades-old “eviction by affidavit” practice on behalf of a number of organizations that serve vulnerable and underserved populations. For more details, please view Bricker’s recap of the case.
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Workers’ compensation settlement defense
Represented a medical center in defending a workers’ compensation settlement that was challenged by an employee, who, despite agreeing to the settlement, argued that the settlement amount was insufficient to cover their interests for the reimbursement of medical costs. Defended this settlement in front of the Ohio Industrial Commission, which is the adjudicating body of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, allowing the medical center to leave its fully negotiated settlement agreement intact.
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Protection of BWC funds
Pursued injunctive relief against the Ohio Office of Budget and Management (OBM) on behalf of several national and state trade associations to prevent the OBM from using up to $2 billion in Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation funds for state purposes. Secured memorandum of understanding on behalf of the associations prohibiting the OBM from raiding the funds and preventing other state agencies from taking similar action in the future.
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Unanimous ruling against controversial ballot issue
Represented the Ohio Renal Association in an original action brought in the Ohio Supreme Court resulting in a favorable 7-0 ruling. At issue was a controversial ballot issue related to the provision of dialysis services. The opposition, who represented out-of-state interests, collected signatures to place on the ballot an industry-altering price control measure in the form of an amendment to the Ohio Constitution. By using state-of-the-art technology built by the firm to facilitate ballot review and petition signature analysis, Bricker's legal team proved that the ballot proponents violated Ohio law thereby disqualifying the issue from voter consideration.
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False Claims Act Supreme Court amicus brief
Drafted and filed an amicus brief on behalf of a managed care organization in an important False Claims Act case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. The issues before the Court were whether and how the so-called “implied false certification theory” can be a basis for liability under the False Claims Act. The firm prepared an amicus brief on behalf of our client, which was very well received both by the client and petitioner’s counsel.
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Amici brief preparation for Ohio healthcare associations
Prepared an amici brief on behalf of the Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Hospital Association and Ohio Osteopathic Association arguing for the plain language interpretation of an evidentiary statute. The statute governs the admissibility of statements made by medical care providers to patients in suits for medical malpractice.
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Federal bullying litigation
Successfully represented a school district in federal court against claims of bullying, disability discrimination under ADA and Section 504, and sexual harassment under Title IX.
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Insurance class actions
Defended of numerous class actions involving insurance issues.
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Computer software agreements
Served as trial counsel in various cases involving computer software agreements.
Professional & Community Activities
- Member, Defense Research Institute (DRI); State Representative for Ohio, Women in the Law (WITL) Committee, Appellate Law Committee, Insurance Law Committee
- President, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), 2014
- Member, The Matriots Board of Trustees
- Member, Legal Aid Society of Columbus Board of Trustees
- Coach, Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Hinton Andrews Kurth Moot Court Team
- Member, Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD)
- Member, TWIG 3 (Children's Hospital)
- Former Chair, Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure, Appellate Rules Committee
- Former member, Steering Committee for Franklin County Republican Judicial Salute
- Former member, Capital Area Humane Society Board of Trustees
- Former member, American Heart Association Board of Trustees
- Former member, Women Lawyers of Franklin County Board of Trustees
Presentations & Published Works
- Speaker, “Appeals,” Ohio State Bar Association Webinar, Litigation Basics, June 2021
- Author, "Arbitration: What to do when there is no right to appeal?" Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys Quarterly Review, Summer 2019
- Speaker, “Panel Discussion on the Latest Developments in Litigation,” Ohio Insurance Institute Continuing Legal Education Symposium, March 2019
- Speaker, “Appellate Practice Brief Writing,” Ohio State Bar Association, November 2018
- Speaker, “Women in the Law Panel Discussion,” DRI Annual Meeting, October 2018
- Speaker, “Sharing our Experience: How Women’s Initiatives Can Impact Your Legal Practice Setting,” Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Women in the Law Seminar, June 2018
- Author, “Show, Don’t Tell in Mediation,” Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys Quarterly Review, Spring 2018
- Speaker, “'Appeals: The Basics – Technical and Procedural Requirements, Brief Writing, and Oral Argument,” Ohio State Bar Association, September 2017
- Author, “Ohio apology statute covers admissions of fault,” Bricker & Eckler Publications, September 2017
- Author, “Sixth Circuit Should Follow Lead of Tyson Foods and Reject Representatives Evidence Use in FLSA Collective Actions,” Washington Legal Foundation, June 2017
- Author, “Sorry seems to be the hardest word: Ohio’s apology statute for healthcare providers,” Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys Quarterly Review, Winter 2017
- Speaker, “Mediation in Ohio Courts of Appeal,” Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges Association, February 2017
- Speaker, “Appellate Practice - Brief Writing,” Ohio State Bar Association, April 2016
- Speaker, “Appellate Practice - Brief Writing,” Ohio State Bar Association, April 2015
- Speaker, “Appellate Brief Essentials Webcast,” Ohio State Bar Association, February 2015
- Speaker, "Public Records for Private Universities," Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio, July 2015
- Speaker, “Appellate Practice Brief Writing,” Ohio State Bar Association, April 2015
- Speaker, “Appeals: The Basics – Technical and Procedural Requirements, Brief Writing, and Oral Argument,” Paralegal Association of Central Ohio, January 2015
Bar Admissions & Activities
- Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist – Appellate Law
- Ohio State Bar Association Appellate Law Specialty Board
- Member, American Bar Association; Ohio State Bar Association; Ohio Women's Bar Association; Columbus Bar Association
- Admitted, State of Ohio; United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio; Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals; Supreme Court of the United States
Awards & Recognition
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation), 2010–2023
- Listed, Top 25 Women Columbus, Ohio Super Lawyers, 2013–2023
- Listed, Top 50 Women Ohio, Ohio Super Lawyers, 2016–2023
- Listed, Ohio Super Lawyers (Appellate; General Litigation; Insurance Coverage), 2009–2023
- Recognized, ChambersUSA, Litigation: General Commercial - Band 2, 2021-2023; Band 3, 2011–2015, 2018–2020; Band 4, 2008–2010, 2016–2017
- Recipient, 2021 Professionalism Award, Columbus Bar Association
- Listed, Top 50 Columbus, Ohio Super Lawyers, 2017–2021, 2023
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys Member of the Year, 2018
- Columbus Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America (Appellate Practice), 2014, 2018
- Listed, Top 100 Ohio, Ohio Super Lawyers, 2017
- Ranked, AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
- Recognized, Columbus Business First’s “The Verdict,” 2005
- Recipient, Columbus Jaycees' Ten Outstanding Young Citizens of Greater Columbus Award, 1996
Education
- The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (J.D., 1985); Member, Ohio State National Moot Court Team; Recipient, Best Oral Argument Award, Sixth Circuit Moot Court Competition
- Bowling Green State University (B.S., 1982)
Insights
