February 16, 2022 – Ulmer & Berne LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Partner Joseph J. Brennan to the firm’s Employment & Labor Practice Group. Brennan joins the firm’s Cleveland office where he will focus his practice on representing employers in a wide variety of employment and labor matters, including wage and hour, employment discrimination, occupational safety and health, and traditional labor issues.
Brennan has extensive experience defending and advocating for national, regional, and local employers in federal and state courts, as well as administrative employment agencies, such as the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, Ohio State Relations Board, National Labor Relations Board, and various state civil rights commissions.
In addition, he represents employers’ interests in union contract negotiations, collective bargaining agreement administration, and union grievances and labor arbitrations. He also provides skilled counsel regarding the acquisition or disposition of unionized businesses. He assists clients with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections and works to minimize penalties and citation classifications for alleged violations, and advises on the various legal implications arising from workplace injuries, safety compliance, and occupational safety and health hazard abatements.
“Joe is a go-to resource for employers navigating everything from complex union and labor matters to OSHA enforcement and day-to-day-human resources issues,” said William D. Edwards, Group Leader of the Employment & Labor Practice Group. “We are thrilled to have his diverse and in-depth experience on our team.”
Brennan educates others by sharing his broad labor law experience as a contributing editor of legal texts, including chapters of the “Labor Management Law Answer Book,” an overview of the controlling provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and other major federal labor legislation, and “The Developing Labor Law,” a treatise that gives employment and labor practitioners the latest updates in U.S. labor law.
Recognized for his legal skill, Brennan has been named to the Ohio Super Lawyers list of Rising Stars every year since 2015. He earned his undergraduate degree from Marietta College and his J.D. from the University of Toledo College of Law.
With more than 15 attorneys representing private and public employers across the country, Ulmer’s Employment & Labor Practice Group provides clients the full spectrum of employment and labor representation ranging from proactive counseling to the defense of claims involving allegations of wrongful termination and FLSA, OSHA, and ERISA non-compliance. The group also counsels and defends employers dealing with unlawful discrimination and workers’ compensation claims, unfair labor practice allegations, non-compete and trade secret disputes, and collective bargaining negotiations.