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Patricia A. Poole

Patricia A. Poole concentrates her legal practice in the areas of regulatory compliance and litigation, including occupational safety and health, toxic tort, workers’ compensation, environmental, employment, intentional tort and emergency response.

Ms. Poole has significant experience assisting employers with matters involving federal and state safety and health statutes and regulations, including defending OSHA citations and whistleblower claims. In addition, she has worked with many clients in the aftermath of catastrophic workplace events causing injuries, property damage and other types of loss. As a result, Ms. Poole has defended clients in wrongful death, mass tort, insurance defense, class actions, workers’ compensation and other employment-related matters, including wrongful discharge and discrimination. Ms. Poole has drafted a Guideline for OSHA Compliance and a comprehensive legal guide for emergency preparedness and response. In addition, Ms. Poole has drafted a comprehensive Environment, Health & Safety audit manual for a FORTUNE 100 firm.

Ms. Poole is a registered nurse who practiced in the field of medical oncology prior to attending law school. She utilizes her background in cases where exposure to benzene, asbestos, solvents or other substances is alleged. She has also defended mass toxic exposure cases and breast implant, diethylstilbestrol and L-tryptophan cases.

Ms. Poole is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan, Ohio and American Bar Associations, the American Association of Nurse Attorneys and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Active in the nonprofit community, Ms. Poole is a past president of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. She is Vice President-General Counsel of the Greater Cleveland Safety Council and is also a member of the Board of the Cleveland Law Library.

In addition to her board work, Ms. Poole is Baker Hostetler’s Cleveland office liaison with the Cleveland Municipal School District and the office’s partner school Orchard K-8. The Office provides the students with tutoring assistance, incentives for perfect attendance, school supplies and clothing, among other things. In addition, she serves as a tutor for Cleveland’s Village Preparatory Charter School. Ms. Poole is a member of the Cleveland office’s Green Initiatives Team, which was instrumental in helping the office to be certified as one of the 25 “Green Law Firms” by the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.

Presentations and Publications:

• 2010 Webinar on OSHA Enforcement sponsored by Strafford Publications.
• 2009 Employment Law 360. “Upholding OSHA’s Multi-Employer Citation Policy.”
• 2009 Bloomberg Law Reports - Labor and Employment. “OSHA Likely to Continue to Cite Under Multi-Employer Policy.”
• 2009 Baker Hostetler Executive Alert/Environmental Law Institute. “House Introduces Bill to Protect Workers from Dust Explosions and Fires.”
• 2009 Advanced Workers’ Compensation. Sponsored by Sterling Education Services, Inc., “Course and Scope and Employer Pitfalls and Protections.”
• 2009 Association of Corporate Counsel/Lexology. “Employer Payment For Personal Protective Equipment.”
• 2008 Contingency Planning and Management-West. “Beyond Risk—What Is The Right Thing To Do?”
• 2008 Contingency Planning and Management-West. “Legal Issues in Disaster Planning.”
• 2008 Occupational Hazards Magazine. Penton Media Inc. “When OSHA Knocks.”
• 2007 Contingency Planners of Ohio. “Legal Aspects of Emergency Response.”
• 2007 Emergency Response Field Manual.
• 2004 Environmental Law Manual.
• 2004 BICEPP/Red Cross Greater Cleveland Chapter. “When OSHA Knocks.”
• 2004 Greater Cleveland Safety Council. “House Bill 223—Will It Work This Time?”
• 2004 Red Cross Greater Cleveland Chapter. “Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace.”
• 2003 Greater Cleveland Safety Council. “Ohio Workers’ Compensation Overview.”
• 2002 Employment Law Symposium Panel. “Americans with Disabilities Act/Family Medical Leave Act/Workers’ Compensation New Developments.”
• 2001 BICEPP/Red Cross Greater Cleveland Chapter. “Legal Aspects of Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery.”
• 2001 NADCA. “OSHA’s Proposed Ergonomics Standard.”