partner · • assists school districts “behind the scenes” in collective bargaining and...

WALTERHAV.COM | 2 1 6 . 7 8 1 . 1 2 1 2 | 1 | A TOP TEN CLEVELAND-BASED LAW FIRM

SERVICES

Education General Counsel Services

Education Labor and Employment Law

Labor and Employment

Labor Relations / Collective Bargaining

Law Director Services

Public Law

Special Education Law

Student Issues

Sunshine Law and Public Records

EDUCATION

Capital University School of Law, J.D., 2002, magna cum laude

Associate Editor of Law Review and Order of the Curia

The Ohio State University, B.A., English and Political Science

LICENSED TO PRACTICE

All courts in Ohio

U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio

SUSAN KEATING ANDERSON

Partner

PH 216.928.2936 | 440.652.1165

FX 216.916.2373 | 440.652.1171

[email protected]


OVERVIEW

Susan practices management-side education, and labor & employment law. In her education practice, she counsels boards of education in several key areas, from the day-to-day questions faced by adminis-tration relating to personnel, pupils, and policy, to conducting labor negotiations and defending her cli-ents in litigation. In her labor & employment practice, Susan provides general counsel to municipalities, other public employers and private employers on a variety of workplace and human resource matters, including employee discipline and termination, labor negotiations, and grievance-related issues.

EXPERIENCE

LABOR & EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW AND RELATED LITIGATION

• Advises clients on a broad spectrum of personnel issues, including hiring, discipline, discharge,

contractual and background check issues.

• Investigates sexual harassment and discrimination-related complaints and counseled employers

on suggested remedial action, including recommending disciplinary measures where appropriate.

• Drafts and advises clients on the implementation of employee handbooks, policies and practices.

• Conducts in-service training on policies and practices, including anti-harassment and public

records policies.

• Prepares employment contracts, non-solicitation agreements, and covenants not to compete.

• Defends employers in litigation and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the

Ohio Civil Rights Commission, and the State Employment Relations Board.

LABOR RELATIONS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

• Chief employer-side labor contract negotiator for several clients.

• Lead counsel in labor arbitrations, including disciplinary, termination, and contract interpretation

issues.

• Defends employers against unfair labor practices before the National Labor Relations Board and

the State Employment Relations Board.

• Represents employers in labor mediation.

• Advises employers on a wide array of labor matters, discipline and due process issues, contract

interpretation, the avoidance of unfair labor practice charges, and union campaigns.


EDUCATION SERVICES

EDUCATION – LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

• Represents school districts in teacher termination and discipline proceedings.

• Represents school districts in proceedings regarding discipline and termination of classified

employees.

• Represents school districts in grievance proceedings and arbitration.

• Advises school districts on the application and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements.

• Counsels clients regarding compliance with the state and federal employment-related laws,

including Chapter 4112 of the Ohio

• Revised Code, Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, and ADEA.

• Counsels districts on teacher and administrator evaluation requirements and non-renewal issues.

• Counsels school districts on employee discipline arising from an employee’s personal use of social

media and/or first amendment issues.

• Represents school districts in proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission and Ohio Civil Rights

• Commission with respect to claims of race, sex, age, gender and disability discrimination.

• Represents clients in federal and state court involving claims of FMLA interference and race, sex,

age, gender and disability discrimination.

• Assists in or conducts internal investigations of personnel.

EDUCATION – COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

• Assists in grievance proceedings and represents boards in labor arbitrations.

• Negotiates labor contracts with certified and classified bargaining units.

• Serves as chief negotiator for the school district in certified and classified bargaining units in

traditional bargaining settings and interest based bargaining.

• Represents school districts in grievance proceedings and arbitration.

• Advises school districts on the application and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements.

• Assists school districts “behind the scenes” in collective bargaining and grievance proceedings.

STUDENT ISSUES

• Represents school districts in student discipline proceedings before boards of education,

appointed designees and in appeals to court.

• Counsels school districts regarding due process rights and procedural safeguards in discipline

situations.

• Counsels school districts regarding residency and custody disputes.

• Assists school districts with responses to subpoenas and other requests for educational records.


• Counsels school districts regarding obligations under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy

Act (FERPA).

• Counsels school district on student issues related to technology and off-campus conduct.

• SUNSHINE LAW/PUBLIC RECORDS

• Counsels school districts faced with voluminous public record requests and responds to same on

behalf of clients.

• Counsels school districts on various aspects of compliance with Ohio’s Open Meetings Act.

• Assists clients with development of record retention schedule in compliance with requirements of

the Ohio Attorney General and Ohio Historical Society.

EDUCATION – GENERAL COUNSEL

• Advises clients on outsourcing and private contractor issues, including drafting requests for

proposal and consulting contracting.

• Advises on board policy drafting, implementation and administration.

• Advises boards of education and district administrators on union and non-union personnel issues,

such as hiring, firing, evaluation, and pre-disciplinary hearings.

• Defends boards in civil litigation, administrative appeals and before administrative agencies such

as the Equal Employment

• Opportunity Commission, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, and the State Employment Relations

Board.

• Advises on questions relating to the day-to-day issues confronting school administrators.

• Advises on pending or recent legislative changes affecting school districts.

• Assists school districts with policy review and development.

• Advises on board governance issues.

• Reviews contracts on behalf of school districts and negotiates vendor contracts on behalf of

school districts.

• Represents school districts in mediations involving contractual claims.

RECOGNITION

• 2009-2012 – Selected to Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Areas of practice: Employment &

Labor, Schools & Education

RECENT ARTICLES

• “Amendment to CERCLA, RCRA Affects Lenders”, National Law Journal

• “Ban the Box” for Public Employers in Ohio

• “Best Law Firms” Rankings Released!


PRESENTATIONS

• “Northeast Ohio Legal Updates,” Independence, OH, April 17, 2015

• “Legal Updates for Administrators,” Tiffin, OH, February 26, 2015

• “Winter School Law Conference,” Beachwood, OH, February 16, 2012

• “2010 Walter | Haverfield LLP Labor and Employment Law Seminar,” “Facebook, MySpace, Twitter,

oh my! – Regulating the Workplace in the World of Web 2.0,” Independence, OH, September 30,

2010

• On September 5, 2010, Susan appeared on the NewsChannel 5 television show, “Kaleidoscope.”

Hosted by local TV personality Leon Bibb, the show features interviews and stories about issues

that affect the people and communities of Northeast Ohio. In her segment, Susan discussed a

new Department of Labor (DOL) administrator’s interpretation of the Family and Medical Leave

Act (FMLA), and its potential impact upon employers and employees.

• “Employment Law Update: What You Need to Know for 2010,” Westlake, OH, April 16, 2010

• “Spring School Law Seminar,” Westlake, OH, April 14, 2010

ASSOCIATIONS

• Chair of Board of Directors of Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Inc. (LCADA)

• Leadership Lorain County, Best Class of 2004

• Member of the Lorain County Bar Association

• Member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

• Member of Ohio School Boards Association and Ohio Schools Council Bar Association

• Cleveland Civic Leadership Institute, 2009 Member

• Former Member of Lorain City Schools Bond Council Oversight Committee

• Former Secretary-Treasurer of Kendal at Oberlin

partner · • assists school districts “behind the scenes” in collective bargaining and...

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