Bruce Hearey has practiced law since 1975 in New York, New Jersey and California, and in Ohio since 1981. Since that time, he has built a reputation as a pragmatic and creative litigator and advisor on behalf of employers. The Chambers USA Client Guide, said that he "provides personal attention and knowledge of the subject area, thorough research and definitive answers. He is a great litigator and quick on his feet - a great strategic thinker." In a recent edition of Best Lawyers in America, one major client has described him as follows:
“Bruce Hearey excels at doing (at least) two things at once for us: he represents us very aggressively and professionally, while simultaneously maintaining a quick wit and dry sense of humor about his job and life in general. We appreciate the skill with which he does his job, as well as the perspective he brings. He has developed a knack for instilling confidence in his work, while helping his clients understand that the sky, indeed, is NOT falling. He deserves to be listed-again-as one of the country’s best lawyers!”
Mark Rose – Vice President, Legal Affairs and System Risk Management
Aultman Hospital, Aultman Health Foundation and AultCare
Experience
Mr. Hearey has handled numerous litigation matters for a diverse group of clients. He has handled numerous jury trials both inside and outside the State of Ohio. He has litigated numerous restrictive covenant/unfair competition and products liability cases, and tried cases before juries involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, hostile environment, sex harassment, wrongful termination, and age, race, religious and national origin discrimination in federal and state courts around the country. He is a business litigator, as well as an employment litigator. He has represented professional sports teams, colleges, hospitals, Fortune 200 companies, law firms, real estate companies, advertising and public relations firms, manufacturing companies, etc.
SIGNIFICANT CASES
Brown v. Parker Hannifin Corporation
746 F.2d 1407 (10th Cir. 1984)
Fox v. Parker Hannifin Corporation
914 F.2d 795 (6th Cir. 1990)
Weiss et al. v. Parker Hannifin Corporation
747 F. Supp. 1118 (D.N.J. 1990)
Bellian v. Bicron Corp.
69 Ohio St.3d 517, 1994-Ohio-339, 634 N.E.2d 608
Wilkenson v. Hercules Engines, Inc.
138 F.3d 608 (6th Cir. 1998)
Starner et al. v. Guardian Industries
143 Ohio App.3d 461, 758 N.E.2d 270 (App. Ct. 2001)
King v. Aultman Health Foundation et al.
No. 2009 CA 00116, 2009 WL 430933, 2009-Ohio-6277 (Ohio Ct. App. Nov. 30, 2009)
Marketing Associates, Inc. v. Gottlieb
No. 92292, 2010 WL 117697, 2010-Ohio-59 (Ohio Ct. App. Jan. 14, 2010)
Rosso v. A.I. Root Co.
97 Fed.Appx. 517 (2004)
Gallagher v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.
567 F.3d 263 (6th Cir., 2009)
New Jersey
New York
California
Ohio
U.S. Supreme Court
Education and Honors
- American Lawyer & Corporate Counsel Top Lawyer, 2009
- Rudolph H. Garfield Circle of Caring Award, November 11, 2009
- Chambers USA, 2007 to present
- Ohio’s Super Lawyers, 2003 to present (Top 50-2004)
- Inside Business Magazine, Leading Lawyer (since 2003)
- Best Lawyers in America, 2003 to present (Business Litigation)
- Leadership Cleveland, 1999
- John J. Manos Inn of Court
Professional Activities
- John M. Manos Inn of Court, Master Bencher
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Bar Foundation Trustee
- Ohio State Bar Association
- State Bar of California
- American Employment Law Council
- American Bar Association
- Ogletree Deakins Seminar - "Professionalism For In-House Counsel" - Cleveland - November 17, 2011
- Baldwin Wallace College - "Fostering a Safe Learning Environment" - Berea - January 21, 2011
- Ogletree Deakins Briefing - "Litigation Trends and Managing the Risk of Terminations" - Cleveland - November 18, 2010
- Workplace Issues Our Grandparents Never Envisioned: From Medical Marijuana to E-Discovery and Everything in Between - "Early Case Assessment" - Cleveland - August 12, 2010
- Great Lakes Higher Education Law Symposium - "Institutional Integrity: Are Tenured Faculty Immune from Termination?" - Cleveland - February 2, 2010
- Cleveland Institute of Music - "Sexual Harassment" - Cleveland - November 23, 2009
- Labor & Employment Law Issues Impacting Global Employers - "Extraterritorial Application of U.S. Employment Laws" - Cleveland - September 21, 2009
- New Developments in Old Labor & Employment Laws - "Discrimination Hot Spots – Disability and Religion" - Cleveland - August 13, 2009
- Diversified Developers Realty Property Management Conference - "Facilities Accessibility and the Americans With Disabilities Act" - Aurora - April 8, 2008
- Goodyear Human Resources Legal Forum VIII - "E-mails: The “E” Stands for Exhibit" - Akron - October 1, 2007
- Cleveland Bar Association Litigation Institute - "Civility" - Cleveland - November 7, 2003
- Masters in Business Administration for Foreign Students Program - "Introduction to Litigation in the United States" - Cleveland - October 1998
- Cleveland Bar Association Corporate Law Section - "Corporate Downsizing: What's in a RIF?" - Cleveland - April 1997
In The News
- March 7, 2011 - Crain's Cleveland Business - "Employee Retaliation Claims on the Rise"
- May 3, 2010 - Law360 - "How to Steel Your Client for an Employment Deposition"
- April 2010 - Law360 - "How to Take Employment Depositions the Right Way"
- September 25, 2008 - Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Fair Pay Act Said to Restore Ability to Sue"
- September 24, 2008 - Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Lilly Ledbetter Still Fighting for Women’s Pay"
- May 14, 2007 - Crain’s Cleveland Business - "Abusive ADA Litigation"
- September 18, 2006 - Toledo Blade - "Rash of Lawsuits Regarding Accessibility for Disabled"
- June 9, 2011 - Ogletree Deakins Publication - "Ohio Supreme Court Expands Claims for Wrongful Termination in Violation of Public Policy "