People
Drew H. Campbell
Drew Campbell is former chair of Bricker & Eckler’s Litigation group. He is also chair of the firm’s Class Action group. His practice includes complex commercial litigation, class action defense, insurance, energy, health care and fiduciary litigation. Drew regularly appears in state and federal courts throughout the United States.
His representation includes the defense of class claims asserting violations of premium tax collections laws in the Commonwealth of Kentucky; defense of class claims against a specialty financier arising from a shareholders derivative suit; defense of consumer class action challenging the business practices of a specialty lender; recovery of $5 million in damages for breach of an energy supply agreement; prosecution of fraud and contract claims against a California-based health care provider on behalf of a specialty financier; prosecution of an individual officer of a Texas-based company on behalf of a specialty financier; prosecution of contract and tort claims against an Illinois-based fiduciary trust institution; and defense of fraud and RICO claims asserted against a lender and lender’s officers in $30 million multi-state lender liability litigation involving the collapse of nursing homes in 13 states.
Drew was appointed as special litigation counsel for the estate of National Century Financial Enterprises, Inc., in connection with the collapse of NCFE’s $3 billion bond issuance and has been involved in numerous engagements on behalf of lenders and financiers located throughout the United States. He also served as a law clerk for Judge Joseph P. Kinneary for the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division.
Experience
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Election campaign conduct
Represented the Supreme Court of Ohio, including each of its justices, to defend certain provisions of the Code of Judicial Conduct relating to election campaign conduct. The case, involving a candidate who had never before run for office, challenged temporal restrictions on fundraising as well as limitations on public endorsements, public speaking and the like, as violations of his First Amendment Right to free speech.
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Landfill clean-up litigation
Serve as litigation counsel for the Dayton Power & Light Company relating to a clean-up of an old landfill pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Clean-up at the site could exceed $100 million, involves dozens of parties and has a long procedural history.
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Financial, lending and regulatory representation
Represented a major national lender in connection with self-disclosure of non-compliance with certain regulatory issues. The engagement included meeting and working with state and federal regulators, state-wide vacature of more than 25,000 lawsuits, appearances in virtually every court within the State of Ohio and coordination of refunds of state-court judgments.
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Ohio Supreme Court representation
Represented the Chief Justice, the lead Disciplinary Counsel and the Director of the Board of Professional Conduct in defending the constitutionality of Ohio’s Code of Judicial Conduct against First and Fourteenth Amendment challenges. Representation included successful merits briefs in the Southern District of Ohio and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Restricted covenants litigation for a large energy company
Successfully represented one of the nation's largest energy producers and transporters, Dominion East Ohio, in a case involving a natural gas supplier who placed restricted covenants on property deeds, forcing all owners and lessees to buy gas from it. The supplier sued Dominion when a commercial customer tried to enter into a new retail supply agreement with them. Courts struck down the covenant for lack of considerations and ruled the restriction as a violation of Ohio public policy.
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Class action defense
Defended insurer in a Kentucky class action suit alleging misapplication of local government premium taxes.
Professional & Community Activities
- Member, Board of Governors, Columbus Bar Association, 2018–2019
- Served two terms on the Board of Trustees for Columbus Christmas in April (currently known as Rebuilding Together Central Ohio), providing warm, safe and dry housing for low income, disabled and elderly in Central Ohio
- Co-founder and coordinator, the Vineyard Church of Columbus Legal Clinic providing pro bono legal services to the poor and indigent in Central Ohio
- Served two terms on Board of Trustees of the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra
Presentations & Published Works
- Speaker, "Higher Education COVID-19 Update: Class Actions," Bricker & Eckler Webinar, April 28, 2020
- Speaker, “Supreme Court Roundup—Expert Insights,” ACI's Consumer Finance Class Action & Litigation Conference, April 7-8, 2016
- Speaker and Co-Chair, “Consumer Class Actions: What’s Trending?,” Ohio State Bar Association, October 19, 2015
- Speaker, “Trends in Cyber Security Class Action Defense,” Cybersecurity Hot Topics: What Leaders Need to Know Now, October 6, 2015
- Speaker, “The Ohio Constitution: The New Frontier For Protection of Religious Expression?” Ohio Judicial Conference, September 4, 2015
- Speaker, “Financial Services Litigation: What’s Trending?” Midwest Consumer Finance Conference, Columbus, Ohio, August 20, 2015
- Speaker, "Debt Collection and Credit Reporting Litigation and Enforcement Actions: Effective Defense Strategies for New and Emerging Claims and Government Enforcement Actions Arising From TCPA, FCRA, and FDCPA," ACI's Consumer Finance Class Actions & Litigation Conference, April 14, 2015
- Panel Moderator, "Developments and Abuses in E-Discovery and Where are the Changes?" with Chief Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr. and Magistrate Judge Terence P. Kemp, OACTA Annual Meeting, November 13, 2014
- Speaker, "Debt Collection and Credit Reporting Litigation and Enforcement Actions: Effective Defense Strategies for New and Emerging Claims and Government Enforcement Actions Arising From TCPA, FCRA, and FDCPA," ACI's Consumer Finance Class Actions & Litigation Conference, July 28, 2014
- Speaker, "Class Action Roundup: The Latest Developments in State and Federal Court," Ohio State Bar Association CLE, June 25, 2013
- Speaker, "Threshold Motions in Class Action Litigation," the Ohio State Bar Association, Fall, 2011
- Author, "Civility: How a Handshake Can Win Your Case, Contain Your Costs, And Promote Your Image," In-House Magazine, June 2008
- Author, "The Mechanics of Class Action Litigation", published in Best Practices For Class Action Litigation, Aspatore Books, Fall 2007
- Speaker, "Final Trial Preparation," the Ohio State Bar Association, Fall 2006, 2008
- Speaker, "Federal Interpleader Practice," Lorman Institute, Spring 2000
- Speaker, "Injunctions in Federal Court: What’s The Harm?" Lorman Institute, Fall 1999
- Author, "Motions During Trial", Lawyers Cooperative Federal Practice Guide For The Sixth Circuit, 1998
- Speaker, "Discovery Practice in the Courts of Ohio", the Ohio State Bar Association, Fall 1997, 1998
Bar Admissions & Activities
- Admitted, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- Member, Columbus Bar Association; Ohio State Bar Association; American Bar Association; Federal Bar Association
Awards & Recognition
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance), 2011–2023
- Columbus Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance), 2014, 2020, 2022
- Listed, Ohio Super Lawyers (Business Litigation; Class Action/Mass Torts: Defense), 2004–2005, 2007, 2015–2023
- Recognized, ChambersUSA, Insurance: Insurer with a Band 1 ranking, 2020–2022, and Litigation: General Commercial with a Band 4 ranking, 2018–2022; Band 3 ranking, 2008–2017
- Listed, Top 50 Columbus, Ohio Super Lawyers, 2016
- Listed, Super Lawyers Premier Corporate Counsel Edition, 2008
Education
- The Ohio State University (J.D., 1990) Editor-in-Chief, Ohio State Law Journal, 1989-1990
- Boston University (B.F.A. with honors, 1981)
Insights
