People
Brad E. Bennett
Brad Bennett is an employment and labor attorney who works with public sector employers, including school districts, townships, municipalities, county agencies and boards of developmental disabilities. Experienced in state and federal employment and labor compliance, he counsels and represents public clients in all aspects of labor law, including negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, grievances, mediations and arbitrations. Additionally, he comprehensively represents employers in employment litigation in both federal and state courts and defends employers before various administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC), State Employee Relations Board (SERB) and the State Personnel Board of Review (SPBR). Brad also drafts, revises and reviews employee handbooks, policies and job descriptions, as well as conducts internal investigations and in-house training.
Before becoming an attorney, Brad gained professional experience in the area of human resources through a long-term care facility and a global aviation company. In addition, Brad has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in law and human resources management.
Experience
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Developmental disabilities board trial success
Served as counsel for developmental disabilities board in bench trial for case addressing Ohio’s payment of sick leave upon retirement statute, public employer policy, breach of superintendent’s employment contract and contractual fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment.
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Resolution of civil rights charges against city and police officers
Represented a municipality and police officers sued for civil rights violations nearly two years after an allegedly unconstitutional traffic stop. The federal lawsuit and the disciplinary issues as to the police officers were resolved following negotiations in court and with the police union.
Presentations & Published Works
- Presenter, “Cops on Campus: A Legal Update,” webinar, January 2020
- Presenter, “Past Practice, Union Representation,” Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) Essentials of Human Resources, November 2019
- Presenter, “Documentation Disciplinary Action,” OASBO Essentials of Human Resources, November 2019
- Presenter, “Progressive Discipline, Grievance Administration,” OASBO Essentials of Human Resources, November 2019
- Presenter, “Legal Update,” Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA) Fall Conference, October 2019
- Presenter, "Employment Litigation Easy Button - Understanding Employment Litigation for Managers," Ohio Township Association (OTA), 2019
- Presenter, "Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace," Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (OHPELRA), 2019; Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP), 2018
- Presenter, "Keeping Employees on the Path and Out of the Molasses Swamp of Discipline," National Public Employers Labor Relations Association (NPELRA), 2019
- Presenter, "Epic Fails! Top HR Errors Supervisors Make," Ohio Job and Family Services Directors' Association (OJFSDA), 2018; Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association (OPAA), 2018; Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP), 2018; Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (OHPELRA), 2017
- Presenter, "Engineering Employee Performance," Ohio Jobs and Family Services Directors' Association (OJFSDA), 2018; Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (OHPELRA), 2016; Ohio Chamber of Commerce, 2014
- Presenter, "Supreme Court Update," CBA Masters in Employment Law Institute, 2015
- Presenter, "Interview Ninja - Mastering the art of the lawful interview," Ohio Municipal League (OML), 2018; Licking County Chamber of Commerce, 2018; Athens Chamber of Commerce, 2017; County Auditors Association of Ohio (CAAO), 2016; Ohio Jobs and Family Services Directors' Association (OJFSDA), 2016; Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (OHPELRA), 2016
- Presenter, "Putting a Man on the Moon - Managing Today's Multi-Generational Workforce," Ohio Recorder's Association, 2018; County Auditors Association of Ohio (CAAO), 2017; County Sanitary Engineers Association of Ohio, 2016; Ohio Chamber of Commerce, 2015); Licking County Chamber of Commerce, 2014; New Albany Chamber of Commerce, 2014
- Presenter, "FMLA and ADA update," Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP), 2015–2019
- Presenter, "FMLA and the FLSA update," American Payroll Association (APA), 2017, 2014; Human Resource Association of Central Ohio (HRACO), 2015
- Presenter, "Mastering Internal Investigations," Ohio Jobs and Family Services Directors' Association (OJFSDA), 2018; Miami Valley Risk Management Association (MVRMA), 2017
Bar Admissions & Activities
- Admitted, State of Ohio, 2003
- Admitted, U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of Ohio, 2004
- Admitted, U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Ohio, 2005
- Admitted, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 2006
- Member, Columbus Bar Association (Past Chair, Labor and Employment Law Committee)
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association
Awards & Recognition
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management), 2019–2023
- Listed, Ohio Super Lawyers (Employment & Labor: Employer; Employment Litigation: Defense), 2015–2021
- Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist, Labor and Employment Law
- Recipient, 2009 Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing
Education
- Capital University Law School (J.D., cum laude); Member, National Legal Honor Society, Order of the Curia; 2003
- Ohio University (B.A. in Organizational Communication), 1997
Insights
