Gregory V. Mersol

Experience

• Regularly defends employers in class actions in state and federal courts on topics that include wage and hour disputes; independent contractor classification issues; race, sex and age discrimination; public accommodations; and employee benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
• Has consulted extensively with employers on electronic discovery and retention issues; evaluation of electronic document retention protocols; retrieval of electronic data; document holds; and the use, preservation and production of electronic data in litigation.
• Has assisted employers in termination and restructuring efforts, including preparation and coordination of separation pay plans, severance agreements and related issues.
• Has tried cases throughout the state and federal court systems on both class and individual claims and on matters ranging from age, race and disability discrimination to breach of contract, benefits disputes and the ERISA.
• Has regularly argued cases before state and federal courts of appeal. 
• Has obtained successful results for employers in the insurance, transportation, technology, retail, energy, manufacturing and financial services industries, among others.
• Has litigated a wide array of wage and hour issues, including misclassification, off-the-clock work, independent contractors, regular rate, commissions, piece rate workers, training, and tip credits.
• Has assisted multiple employers in connection with investigations and potential termination of key employees.

Reported Decisions

• UAW v. Kelsey-Hayes Co., 138 U.S. 1166 (2018)
• Van Pamel v. TRW Vehicle Safety Systems, Inc., 723 F.3d 664 (6th Cir. 2013)
• UAW v. Kelsey-Hayes Co., 192 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2677 (E.D. Mich. 2011)
• Schreiber v. Philips Display Components Co., 692 F. Supp. 2d 747 (E.D. Mich. 2010), aff'd, 503 Fed. Appx. 385 (6th Cir. 2012)
• Harps v. TRW Automotive, 47 EBC Cases (BNA) 2846 (6th Cir. 2009)
• Heffelfinger v. Electronic Data Systems Corp., 580 F. Supp. 2d 933 (C.D. Cal. 2008)
• Tenney v. General Electric Co., 118 Ohio St. 3d 197, 887 N.E.2d 349 (2008)
• Dudich v. United Auto Workers Local Union No. 1250, 454 F. Supp. 2d 668 (N.D. Ohio 2006)
• Watson v. Cleveland Municipal Sch. Dist., 36 EBC Cases (BNA) 1177 (N.D. Ohio 2005)
• Spohn v. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Ret. Income Plan, 33 EBC Cases (BNA) 1411 (N.D. Ohio 2004)
• Risner v. Shopko Stores, Inc., 325 F. Supp. 2d 825 (N.D. Ohio 2004)
• Rodgers v. Norfolk Southern Corp., 304 F. Supp. 2d 961 (S.D. Ohio 2003)
• Palacio v. Progressive Ins. Co., 244 F. Supp. 2d 1040 (C.D. Cal. 2002)
• Jaeger v. Matrix Essentials, Inc., 236 F. Supp. 2d 815, 29 EBC Cases (BNA) 1042 (N.D. Ohio 2002)
• Weirauch v. Sprint Retirement Pension Plan, 182 F. Supp. 2d 638 (N.D. Ohio 2002)
• Camp v. Progressive Corp., 8 WH Cases (BNA) 477 (E.D. La. 2002)
• Ullmo v. Gilmour Academy, 273 F.3d 671 (6th Cir. 2001)
• Chapman v. The Higbee Co., 256 F.3d 416 (6th Cir. 2001), vacated for rehearing en banc, 270 F.3d 297 (6th Cir. 2001) 
• McCormick v. Kmart Distribution Ctr., 163 F. Supp. 2d 807 (N.D. Ohio 2001)
• Dingle v. Union City Chair Co., 134 F. Supp. 2d 441, 16 IER Cases (BNA) 60 (E.D. Pa. 2000)
• Lovas v. Huntington Nat'l Bank, 215 F.3d 1326 [table] (6th Cir. 2000)
• Steppe v. Kmart Stores, 136 Ohio App. 3d 454, 737 N.E.2d 58 (1999)
• Smoot v. United Transportation Union, 991 F. Supp. 913 (N.D. Ohio 1998)
• Cowin v. Lutheran Hosp., 8 AD Cases (BNA) 472 (N.D. Ohio 1998)
• State ex rel. Warren Newspapers, Inc. v. Court of Jurisdiction, 80 Ohio St. 3d 261, 685 N.E.2d 1223 (1997)
• Biggs v. North Cent. Tel. Co., 75 FEP Cases (BNA) 617 (S.D. Ohio 1997)
• O'Neill v. St. Luke's Med. Ctr., 13 IER Cases (BNA) 534 (Ohio App. 1996)
• Kent v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 96 F.3d 803 (6th Cir. 1996)
• Schlett v. Avco Financial Services, 950 F. Supp. 823 (N.D. Ohio 1996)
• State ex rel. Warren Newspapers, Inc. v. Hutson, 70 Ohio St. 3d 619, 640 N.E.2d 174 (1994)
• Reese v. Kmart Corp., 10 IER Cases (BNA) 202 (N.D. Ohio 1994)
• Radikovich v. The Higbee Co., 9 IER Cases (BNA) 1850 (Ohio App. 1994)
• Henegar v. Banta, 27 F.3d 223 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 1057 (1994)
• Cooke v. Norfolk & Western Railway Co., 143 LRRM Cases (BNA) 2591 (N.D. Ohio 1993)
• Cromwell v. Equicor-Equitable HCA Corp., 944 F.2d 1272 (6th Cir. 1991)
• Henegar v. Banta, 817 F. Supp. 668 (N.D. Ohio 1993)
• International Longshoremen's Ass'n v. Norfolk Southern Co., 927 F.2d 900 (6th Cir. 1991), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 813 (1991)
• Aldrete v. Foxboro Co., 49 Ohio App. 3d 81, 550 N.E.2d 208 (1988)
• Cox v. Radiology Consulting Assocs. Inc., 658 F. Supp. 264 (W.D. Pa.), aff'd, 835 F.2d 282 (3d Cir. 1987) 
• Hess v. United Tel. Co. of Ohio, 40 FEP Cases (BNA) 1487, 40 EPD (CCH) ¶ 136, 190 (N.D. Ohio 1986)
• Mendenhall v. City of Akron, 2008-Ohio-270 (Ohio Supreme Court 2008) (amicus curiae) 
• Elek v. Huntington Nat'l Bank, 60 Ohio St. 3d 135 (1991) (amicus curiae)

Memberships

• Master Bencher, Cleveland Employment Inn of Court
• American Bar Association
• Labor & Employment Law and Torts and Insurance Practices Sections (Employer-Employee Relations Committee). 
• Ohio State Bar Association, Member of Labor & Employment Law Section. 
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Fellow, Member of Labor & Employment Law Section. 
• The Federalist Society
• Ohio Management Lawyers Association, Charter Member.

Community

• Women’s Philanthropic Union – Trustee 
• Friendly Inn Settlement, Inc. – Trustee