Brad Bennett is a seasoned employment and labor attorney who works with employers in both the private and public sectors, including various political subdivisions throughout the state of Ohio such as townships, cities and municipalities, counties, school districts, colleges, libraries, and boards of developmental disabilities.

Experienced in state and federal employment and labor compliance, he counsels and represents public clients in all aspects of labor law, including negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, grievances, mediations and arbitrations. Additionally, Brad comprehensively represents employers in employment litigation in both federal and state courts and defends employers before various administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC), State Employee Relations Board (SERB) and the State Personnel Board of Review (SPBR).

Brad also regularly serves as a strategic partner with clients, providing daily advice and counsel on a wide range of personnel issues, such as leave compliance, workplace accommodations, discipline, harassment and discrimination, employee handbook policies, as well as conducting internal investigations and in-house training.

Before becoming an attorney, Brad gained professional experience in the area of human resources through a long-term care facility and a global aviation company. In addition, Brad is a former adjunct instructor where he taught graduate and undergraduate courses in employment and labor law and human resources management.

Education

Capital University Law School J.D., cum laude (2003) National Legal Honor Society; Order of the Curia

Ohio University, B.A. Organizational Communication (1997)

Distinctions

Listed, The Best Lawyers in America® – Employment Law: Management; Labor Law: Managemen; Litigation: Labor and Employment (2019–2025)

Listed, Super Lawyers®, part of Thomson Reuters® – Ohio, Employment & Labor: Employer; Employment Litigation: Defense (2015–2021)

Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist, Labor, and Employment Law

Recipient, Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing (2009)

Professional Activities

Member, Columbus Bar Association

Past Chair, Labor and Employment Law Committee - Columbus Bar Association

Member, Ohio State Bar Association

News

Resource Centers

Speaking Engagements

Publications

Additional Items

• Speaker, “Lawful Interview and Selection,” Ohio Jobs and Family Services Director’s Association (October 2024)
• Speaker, “Let’s Make a Deal – Collective Bargaining for Townships,” OTA Webinar (September 2024)
• Co-Speaker, "AI in the Workplace," OML Regional Summit (August 2024)
• Speaker, "AI in the Workplace," Ohio Conference for Payroll Professionals, Quest Center (August 2024)
• Speaker, "Collective Bargaining Update,” OTA Winter Conference (February 2024)
• Speaker, "Navigating Workplace Accommodations for Townships - It's Not Just for Disabilities," OTA Winter Conference (February 2024)
• Speaker, "Trifecta! The Interplay Between Workers Compensation, FMLA, and the ADA," OTA Winter Conference (February 2024)
• Speaker, "AI in the Workplace," Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (February 2024)
• Speaker, “Navigating Workplace Accommodations,” Ohio Township Association Annual Training Conference (2024); Bricker Graydon “Hot Topics” Seminar (2023)
• Speaker, “Public Sector Labor Update,” Ohio Township Association Annual Training Conference (2024); Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (2023)
• Speaker, “Employment Law Update,” County Loss Control Coordinators Association (2023)
• Speaker, “Epic Fails! Top HR Errors for Supervisors to Avoid,” Ohio Job and Family Services Directors’ Association (2023); Ohio Township Association (2022)
• Speaker, “Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations,” Ohio Job and Family Services Directors’ Association (2022)
• Speaker, “Cops on Campus: A Legal Update,” webinar (January 2020)
• Speaker, “Past Practice, Union Representation,” Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) Essentials of Human Resources (2019, 2020, 2022, 2022)
• Speaker, “Documentation Disciplinary Action,” OASBO Essentials of Human Resources (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• Speaker, “Progressive Discipline, Grievance Administration,” OASBO Essentials of Human Resources (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• Speaker, “Legal Update,” Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA) Fall Conference (October 2019)
• Speaker, "Employment Litigation Easy Button - Understanding Employment Litigation for Managers," Ohio Township Association (OTA) (2019)
• Speaker, "Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace," Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (OHPELRA), 2019; Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) (2018)
• Speaker, "Keeping Employees on the Path and Out of the Molasses Swamp of Discipline," National Public Employers Labor Relations Association (NPELRA) (2019)
• Speaker, "Engineering Employee Performance," Ohio Jobs and Family Services Directors' Association (OJFSDA) (2018); Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (OHPELRA) (2016); Ohio Chamber of Commerce (2014)
• Speaker, "Interview Ninja - Mastering the art of the lawful interview," Ohio Municipal League (OML) (2018); Licking County Chamber of Commerce (2018); Athens Chamber of Commerce (2017); County Auditors Association of Ohio (CAAO) (2016); Ohio Jobs and Family Services Directors' Association (OJFSDA) (2016); Ohio Public Employers Labor Relations Association (OHPELRA) (2016)
• Speaker, "Putting a Man on the Moon - Managing Today's Multi-Generational Workforce," Ohio Recorder's Association (2018); County Auditors Association of Ohio (CAAO) (2017); County Sanitary Engineers Association of Ohio (2016); Ohio Chamber of Commerce (2015); Licking County Chamber of Commerce (2014); New Albany Chamber of Commerce (2014)