Benjamin A. Mazer Email & Phone Number

Shareholder in Coolidge Wall’s Labor and Employment and Public Sector Departments.Represents and counsels private and public sector employers in personnel matters, employment litigation, and collective bargaining. Extensive experience with counseling and defending clients before administrative agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC), in employment discrimination and public accommodation claims. Assists clients in navigating issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Title VII and anti-discrimination laws, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and other federal and state employment laws.Assists clients in drafting and updating personnel policies and employee handbooks to ensure policies remain compliant with federal and state laws. Assists clients with drafting of employment agreements, separation agreements and release of claims, confidentiality/non-disclosure agreements, and non-compete/non-solicitation agreements.Advocate for clients in labor negotiations and collective bargaining with organized labor and has experience representing employers in mediation, fact-finding, and arbitration on matters of collective bargaining and grievances.Advise municipal clients on matters involving Ohio Public Records law, Open Meetings Act, zoning, housing issues, public nuisance law, drafting legislation, pre-disciplinary conferences and internal investigations, and many other matters unique to public sector law.

Dayton, Ohio

Associate Attorney, Labor and Employment Division; Municipal Law DivisionRepresent businesses throughout the Greater Miami Valley area, Ohio and the United States, including responding to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charges, Ohio Civil Rights Commission charges, Occupational Safety and Health Administration complaints, and federal and state employment litigation in arbitration, state and federal courts• Experience drafting employment agreements, separation and severance agreements, confidentiality agreements, non-compete agreements, non-solicitation and other employment related agreements for clients• Experience drafting personnel manuals, handbooks and policies for clients• Provide personnel and human resources advice to clients to ensure compliance with state and federal employment laws, including Family Medical Leave Act, Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Fair Labor Standards Act and wage related issues, National Labor Relations Act, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act and more• Attend and argue at workers’ compensation hearings at the Ohio Industrial Commission on behalf of employers• Extensive public sector experience representing political subdivision employers in personnel matters, including experience with labor negotiations and collective bargaining as chief negotiator.• Extensive experience with Ohio Public Records and Ohio Sunshine laws, responding to public records requests on behalf of political subdivisions and ensuring compliance with Open Meetings Act• Attend and provide counsel on behalf of political subdivisions in City Council meetings, Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals• Experience with drafting legislation, resolutions and ordinances on behalf of political subdivisions

Dayton, Ohio

Civil Division, Litigation Licensed to practice in both S.D. and N.D. Ohio Federal Courts.Legal counsel to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners, other county agencies, county elected officials, boards and commissions;Significant experience conducting and defending depositions in federal cases;Significant experience in answering and drafting written discovery in state and federal litigation, in particular in 42 U.S.C 1983 cases and federal employment litigation Experience consulting with and retaining expert witnesses in various fields including medical, use of force and law enforcement policy/procedures; ballistics and scene reconstruction;Experience litigating federal Title VII employment retaliation and discrimination cases; sexual harassment; constructive discharge; wrongful termination and FMLA lawsuits;Workers compensation and personnel issues; including representing the county in hearings before the Industrial Commission;Criminal law, including felony Preliminary Hearings;Extensive experience litigating high profile 42 USC 1983 political subdivision litigation cases on behalf of law enforcement and the county in Monell claims and allegations of improper use of force and deliberate indifference to medical needs claims; Including successful oral arguments for a Motion for Summary in federal court.Section 1983 class action lawsuit experience in federal court; preliminary injunctions; including a multi-day bench trial in a high profile preliminary injunction hearing in federal court for which I presented witness testimony, cross-examination, exhibits and made oral arguments. Public records law and compliance issues;Designated counsel for Montgomery County in felony Relief from Weapons Disability application cases.

Marietta, Ohio

Review and analyze oil and gas leases.Research and run title, mineral chain and leasehold reports. Provide mineral and surface ownership reports and due diligence reports.

Cleveland, Ohio

Licensed to practice in State of Ohio and Northern District of Ohio Federal CourtPractice in the area of Creditor’s Rights with an emphasis on Foreclosure and BankruptcyAdvise clients on whether their actions and policies are in compliance with Consumer Finance Protection Bureau Regulations Represent national lenders in Federal, State and Municipal Court and regularly interact with client representativesManage own litigated file caseload Advocate on behalf of my clients in court mediations, settlement conferences, status conferences, pre-trials and motion hearings on a daily basisAttend hearings in counties throughout all of Northeast Ohio Draft complaints, motions and various other pleadings

Reviewed, drafted and assisted in the negotiation of contracts between the District and other entitiesAssisted the District in its labor negotiations with the Teachers' UnionAnalyzed newly enacted Ohio legislation to determine potential impact on existing Board policiesMet with in-house clients and outside counsel to discuss legal issues and concerns on a regular basis

Researched complex legal issues in various areas of law including public records law, political subdivision tort liability, insurance claims, civil rights, divorce, labor and employment and real estate Assisted in the drafting of motions for summary judgment, motions in limine and legal memorandumAssisted partners and associates in preparation for trial and pretrial hearings by drafting suit reportsObserved depositions and drafted deposition summary reports

Investigated issues pertinent to current and pending U.S. free trade agreementsAssisted in the creation and distribution of media informational packets for press conferencesCoordinated and provided logistics for Trade Representative Susan Schwab's press conferencesMaintained and compiled trade legislation voting records of senators and representatives

Researched and wrote policy reports regarding U.S.-Canada trade agreements, intellectual property rights, cross-border security issues, monitoring terrorist financing, environmental concerns and energy/natural resource consumptionParticipated in diplomatic contacts with Canadian government officials

Located federal and private funding for small businesses and local government initiatives Communicated with constituents on a daily basis, tracking and monitoring their concerns and legislative preferences

J.D., Law

JD, May 2011 I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society, Staff Member, 2009-2010; Senior Editor, 2010-2011

Bachelor Of Arts, Political Science