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Millisor & Nobil Co. L.P.A.

Address: Millisor & Nobil Co. L.P.A. 9150 South Hills Boulevard Suite 300 Cleveland, Ohio 44147	Phone: (440) 838-8800 Fax: (440) 838-8805 Web site: millisor.com Firm Size: 20 Lawyers	Primary Contact: Rich Millisor rmillisor@millisor.com
Address: Millisor & Nobil Co. L.P.A. 300 East Broad Street Suite 190 Columbus, Ohio 43215-3436	Phone: (614) 221-2234 Fax: (614) 221-1278
Address: Millisor & Nobil Co. L.P.A. 4450 Belden Village Street NW Suite 601 Canton, Ohio 44718	Phone: (330) 493-8525 Fax: (330) 493-8606

Firm Description

Expertise in Labor and Employment Law
Millisor and Nobil's practice is limited to labor and employment law. We represent employers, and our clients include a broad range of companies, including Fortune 500 companies and small family-owned businesses. We were formed in 1975, and many of our attorneys came to the firm with previous labor and employment law experience. Our philosophy in all practice areas has always been a preventative approach to employment related matters. Our understanding of our client's business and their needs is the key to our success. Our labor attorneys have negotiated thousands of collective bargaining agreements, including many in the public sector.

Our Practice Areas
Serving the client when and where the need exists

Labor Relations
Our firm was built on our labor relations practice. We have extensive experience in our 25 years of representing employers who either have unions or are seeking to avoid them. In general we take a "firm but fair" stance with union negotiations, with the goal of improving the relationship between the parties. We also are involved with assisting employers in contract administration issues and representing them in grievance/arbitration proceedings.

Human Resources Management
Most indicative of our preventative philosophy is our human resources management practice. Staffed both with experienced attorneys and human resources executives, the group offers innovative approaches to employee training and management.

Employee Benefits
We have worked with many clients to design and administer pension and welfare plans. Members of the employee benefits practice have an outstanding track record in helping employers design and implement medical benefit plans designed to reduce or control costs.

Workers' Unemployment Compensation
Through aggressive and innovative management of claims, we can often reduce our client's cost in this area. We have particular experience in working with self-insured employers to better manage their workers compensation programs and control cost.

Litigation
Although our approach is designed to prevent the need for litigation, this is not always possible. We have represented employers before state administrative agencies and in state and federal courts involving such matters as contractual or statutory terminations, wrongful termination actions, discrimination and harassment suits.

 

Attorney Biographies

William E. Blackie, III
Bill is Of Counsel at Millisor & Nobil, and focuses his practice in the areas of school and municipal law as well as labor and litigation. Bill earned his bachelor of arts degree with a double major in politics and government at Ohio Wesleyan University in 1976 and his Juris Doctor in 1979 from The Ohio State University. He spent 6 years working his way from prosecutor to law director for a local city. He then went into private practice where he began to focus on representation of school districts and other clients in labor negotiation matters, public improvement projects, and employee and student discipline issues. Bill is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and is a member of the American, Ohio, and Cleveland Bar Associations.

Robert E. Dezort
Bob is a partner in the firm’s labor and litigation practice group. He was previously with the firm from 1995 to 1997 before spending several years in a civil litigation firm. Bob’s focus is on defense of employers in wrongful discharge and discrimination litigation, as well as traditional labor law matters. After completing a bachelor of arts degree with a double major in economics and political science at the College of William and Mary in 1989, Bob went on to earn his Juris Doctor magna cum laude in 1992 from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Bob is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and is a member of the American, Ohio, and Cleveland Bar Associations. He is also on the board of the Westside Catholic Center.

Nicole Hatem Farley
Nikki practices in the area of Workers’ Compensation. She received her undergraduate degree cum laude from Ohio University. She then earned her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve School of Law in 2003. Prior to joining Millisor & Nobil, Nikki practiced in human resources management, employment litigation and workers’ compensation. She is a volunteer attorney for Hospice of the Western Reserve and also volunteers for Malachi House. Nikki is currently an active member of the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce.

R. Scot Harvey
Scot represents management in all areas of employment law, employment litigation, and traditional labor law. Scot received his BA (1986) and MA (1987, political science) from Syracuse University. He then attended The Ohio State University College of Law and obtained his JD in May 1990. Scot was admitted to the Ohio Bar in November 1992. From September, 1992 until August, 1992, Scot served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Sam H. Bell, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Scot is active in the community as well.

David P. Hiller
A 1969 honors graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, Dave established the Firm’s Columbus office in 1983 following two-year stint as Chief Counsel to the Ohio Attorney General. Dave handles some of the Firm’s most complex arbitrations, negotiations and NLRB trials. Dave is a member of the American, Ohio and Columbus Bar Associations.

Christopher G. Kuhn
Chris earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Case Western University School of Law in May 2007 and was also reocognized for excellence in Business Law and Community Leadership. He was Executive Notes Editor for the Health Matrix- Journal of Law and Medicine from 2005-2007. He received his undergraduate degree from Connecticut College in May of 2001. Chris practices in all areas of employment and labor law.

James D. Kurek
Jim, a partner with Millisor & Nobil, represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law. During more than 25 years of practice, Jim has represented employers ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small closely-held companies in a variety of employment litigation, including nationwide class actions and individual discrimination and wrongful discharge claims, and in a variety of labor matters, including union organizing, collective bargaining and grievance arbitrations. Jim received his undergraduate degree from the University of Toledo (BBA 1978) and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School (JD 1981). Jim has been certified as a Labor and Employment Law Specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association since that certification was first awarded in 2002, and he has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America and Ohio Super Lawyers for a number of years. He is a member of the Akron, Ohio and American Bar Associations.

Terry E. Lardakis
Terry has extensive experience in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements and the representation of employers in union organizational campaigns and elections nationwide. He has represented employers in traditional labor matters including arbitrations, union decertifications, craft severance, and unfair labor practice litigation across the country. He has also handled numerous matters involving wage & hour, family & medical leave and disability issues, and employment litigation matters in federal and state courts. Terry received his undergraduate degree (1972) and his law degree (1976) from the University of Akron.

Scott A. Lefelar
Scott, a partner with Millisor & Nobil, practices in the areas of employment discrimination, wrongful discharge as well as other areas of employment and labor law. He has represented employers before state and federal courts and administrative agencies in all areas of labor relations and employment law. Scott returned to Cleveland to join Millisor & Nobil’s labor and litigation practice group in 1999. He is a 1994 cum laude graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He secured his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the American University in Washington, D.C. Previously, Scott had been engaged in commercial litigation practice with a large Chicago based law firm. He is admitted to practice before The Supreme Court of the United States, The Supreme Court of Ohio, The Illinois Supreme Court, The United States Courts of Appeals for the Sixth and Seventh Circuits and various Federal District Courts.

Kenneth R. Millisor
A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, Ken completed his legal education at The Ohio State University in 1960.  After specializing in labor law with a large Akron law firm for 14 years, Ken founded what is now Millisor & Nobil in 1975 with the belief that many employment relations problems could be avoided with better anticipation and planning and less confrontation. This belief has been proven as fact during the firm’s existence through the development of many innovative approaches to solving employment-related problems with employees, and when necessary, their representatives. In recent years, Ken has devoted much of his practice time to dealing with thorny labor issues arising from business ownership transfers and in negotiating labor agreements.

Richard A. Millisor
Rich, a partner with Millisor & Nobil, has represented employers before state and federal courts and administrative agencies in all areas of labor and employment law, including discrimination, wrongful discharge and unfair labor practice litigation. Consistent with the firm’s proactive approach to labor and employment issues, Rich also devotes a substantial portion of his practice to counseling clients on employment related decisions. Rich frequently speaks before attorneys and management groups on the labor and employment law. He received his undergraduate degree abroad at the University of St. Andrews, in Scotland, graduating with honors. He obtained his juris doctor from the University of Colorado, where he was elected editor of the Colorado Law Review. He is a member of the State Bar of Ohio, the Labor and Employment Section of the Cleveland Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Steven M. Nobil
Steve has negotiated numerous pattern-setting labor agreements in which labor costs have been significantly reduced and productivity improved. He has an outstanding success record in countering union organizing attempts. He has lectured extensively on developments in employment law and their implications for employers. A 1969 graduate of Balwin-Wallace College and a 1972 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Law, Steve is quite active in the community and serves on several charitable boards.

Daniel P. O'Brien
Dan is a 1984 graduate of Case Western Reserve School of Law. He specializes in Ohio Workers’ compensation issues and also has experience in risk management consulting for both public and private employers, as well as numerous employer associations, and has been a featured speaker for several employer associations on workers’ compensation issues.

Michael J. Reidy
Mike is a 1978 graduate of Case Western Reserve School of Law. His practice is 100% workers’ compensation defense, representing employers before the Industrial Commission of Ohio and in all Ohio courts. He is a member of the workers’ compensation sections of the Ohio and Cleveland Bar Associations.

Thomas D. Rooney
A 1972 graduate from The Ohio State University College of Law, Tom’s practice covers a broad spectrum of labor and employment law. In the traditional labor area, he is heavily involved in developing union prevention strategies, countering union organizing campaigns, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, defending employers in both unfair labor practice proceedings and arbitration hearings. Tom has been admitted to the U.S. and Ohio Supreme Courts. He is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association and the Labor Law Section of the Ohio State and Cleveland Bar Associations.

David E. Schreiner
Dave graduated from Brown University in 1970 and Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1973. Dave has worked with non-union and union employers alike in the full range of employment relations law and human resources management. He has extensive experience in successfully counteracting union organizing drives, as well as achieving favorable contracts on behalf of numerous unionized employers. He has also worked with many companies in devising labor strategies and solving day-to-day labor problems in conformity with the employer’s business objectives.

Jeffrey D. Smith
Jeff practices in the area of employee benefits law. He received his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from Baldwin-Wallace College in 2001. Jeff then earned his Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2004. While in law school, Jeff served as Executive Notes Editor and earlier as Associate Editor of the Health Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine.

Melanie L. Webber
Melanie counsels employers on a wide array of employment law and labor issues and practices in the areas of employment litigation, labor relations and human resources management. She also provides consultation to employers in formulating positive, pro-active, employment relations programs including employee attitude assessments, employment practice audits, and supervisory training. She is a member of the State Bar of Ohio, the Labor and Employment Section of the Cleveland Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Melanie received her undergraduate degree in Management and Labor Relations cum laude from Cleveland State University and her law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1998.

Jennifer A. Welfley
Jennifer’s practice focuses on counseling in all aspects of the employee/employer relationship. She provides training and seminars to management and staff regarding harassment and sensitivity issues in general, assists in employee investigations, drafts and reviews employee policies, handles administrative complaints and investigations. Jennifer is also a frequent speaker on all these topics. She graduated from Kent State University, summa cum laude, in 1994 and went on to receive her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, cum laude and Order of the Coif, in 1997. At the University of Toledo, she also served as a Note and Comment Editor on the University of Toledo Law Review. Jennifer is a member of the Ohio State, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Ohio Women’s Bar Associations. She was selected as a Rising Star and is featured in the 2005 Rising Stars edition of Ohio Super Lawyers Magazine published by Law & Politics and Cincinnati Magazine. Jennifer served as the Co-Chair of the Programs Committee and as an Executive Board Member, and was an Associate Member of the William K. Thomas Inn of Court. She is a member of Playhouse Square Partners and is a volunteer for the Achievement Centers for Children, and also the Cleveland Bar Association’s Justice for All program.