Ned Babbitt, a Cincinatti-based lawyer in Thompson Hine LLP‘s business litigation group, is a go-to expert for complex commercial disputes, particularly in intricate contractual matters, securities and shareholder litigation, and corporate governance. Babbitt adeptly handles multi-million-dollar cases, demonstrating significant success in Delaware’s Court of Chancery, including a recent dismissal of corporate veil piercing claims. His counsel is sought by Fortune 500 companies and other high-profile clients in diverse litigation. Babbitt also advises major sports teams in the NBA, NHL, and MLB, showcasing the breadth of his expertise in resolving complex commercial challenges.

John Q. Lewis of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP's Cleveland office is a seasoned trial lawyer specializing in high-stakes, complex disputes. Adept at securing court-approved class action settlements and managing multidistrict litigation, Lewis frequently leads defense teams in class action and contract-related lawsuits, notably those involving FDA-regulated devices and medicines, and sophisticated commercial disputes. He also represents plaintiffs in various contract and business tort matters. Recent representations include tech giant IBM in an ERP software dispute and telecoms infrastructure company Crown Castle in nationwide real estate and construction litigation.

Angela D. Lydon, Cleveland-based vice-chair of the litigation practice group at Frantz Ward LLP, is a strong advocate in commercial disputes,  handling cases in state and federal courts. Her expertise spans transportation, business torts, products liability, and insurance. Demonstrating her litigation prowess, she secured a crucial dismissal for a national insurer in a multi-million-dollar dispute and upheld a favorable ruling in a non-compete/trade secret matter.

Scott Matasar, of Matasar Jacobs LLC in Cleveland, is a force in the realm of commercial disputes, particularly within the financial services sector. He represents Fortune 500 financial institutions, security broker-dealer firms, financial practices, and high-end sophisticated individual professionals across the country. Matasar’s expertise spans high-stakes disputes, including defending firms and advisors in lawsuits brought by customers, and those involving theft of trade secrets.

Chelsea Mikula, co-chair of the business litigation at Tucker Ellis LLP, is a highly accomplished trial lawyer with a strong track record leading complex commercial litigation, encompassing RICO, TVPRA, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract cases. She excels in high-stakes business valuation and ESOP litigation, representing diverse stakeholders including companies and trustees. Her experience includes serving as lead trial counsel in significant RICO and TVPRA cases for a major hotel brand, achieving successful resolutions just before trial, and securing summary judgment in precedent-setting TVPRA matters. Mikula also recently defended a Fortune 500 company in a large contract and fraud dispute. She is based in Cleveland.

James B. Niehaus leads the litigation practice group at Frantz Ward LLP in Cleveland, specializing in litigation and competition law. His practice resolves disputes involving unfair competition, trade secrets, non-competes, and IP rights across the alcoholic beverage, motor vehicle, and telecoms industries. Niehaus represents major clients such as large telecoms carriers and computer manufacturers, as well as Fortune 500 companies in cases like breach of warranty and antitrust matters, including price discrimination and fixing. He has secured millions of dollars in antitrust class actions, with notable experience in cross-border cases.

Jennifer S. Roach of Thompson Hine LLP is a highly experienced Cleveland-based lawyer, specializing in complex contractual and antitrust litigation, particularly concerning product distribution. She has a proven track record in both federal and state courts, handling a wide range of matters, including antitrust violations, dealer terminations, unfair competition disputes, false advertising claims, and intricate supply chain issues.

Robert F. Ware, practice group leader of business litigation at Thompson Hine LLP's Cleveland office, brings deep experience to resolving commercial disputes, primarily in relation to supply chain and distribution issues. Ware’s expertise spans contract disputes, trade secrets, unfair competition, copyright infringement, civil antitrust, and false advertising. He has a track record of litigating and arbitrating high-stakes cases, including leading a Fortune 250 global manufacturer in litigation asserting breach of a non-competition agreement, and defending a Fortune 500 engineering firm in copyright, trademark, and Lanham Act litigation seeking over $40m in damages. Showcasing his experience in international disputes, he represented a European trading company in a complex contract dispute with a US steel manufacturer.

Kip T. Bollin, partner-in-charge at Thompson Hine LLP in Cleveland, handles a broad spectrum of state and federal cases, with a focus on defending against class actions, commercial disputes, and intellectual property claims. Bollin’s distinguished track record includes serving as a court-appointed special master in federal litigation. Notably, he has defended a steel manufacturer in a nine-figure supply dispute, pursued an eight-figure claim against a coal supplier, and recovered millions in insurance proceeds for a Fortune 100 company.

Joseph A. Castrodale, chair of the litigation group and vice-chair of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP, is a seasoned attorney specializing in complex commercial disputes. His practice encompasses a wide range of issues, including securities law claims, shareholder derivative suits, business torts, contract disputes, and class actions. Castrodale’s successes include a strong defense in a trade secret and breach of contract case where the opposing side sought over $30m and securing $17.5m for a client in a large, complex contract dispute. Castrodale is based in Cleveland.

Christopher G. Keim, Cleveland-based managing partner at Frantz Ward LLP, specializes in civil litigation, with a strong emphasis on complex commercial disputes. He frequently represents both privately held and publicly traded companies, along with their insurers, in these matters. Keim’s extensive experience includes serving as national trial counsel for one of America’s largest family-owned food and hospitality providers, where he managed significant litigation involving their extensive fleet of over 1,300 trucks operating across 38 states.

Frantz Ward LLP partner Christopher C. Koehler focuses his litigation work on resolving complex commercial disputes for clients in the manufacturing, healthcare, and service industries. His practice encompasses a range of disputes, including business torts, trade secrets, and breach of contract. Two recent matters involved successfully defending a Global 500 manufacturer against a $50m claim for breach of an agreement involving military products and representing a Fortune 100 consumer products company defending against a $55m claim for fraud and breach of contract. Koehler is based in Cleveland.

Alex S. Rodger is a shareholder in Strauss Troy’s Cincinatti-based litigation group. His practice encompasses a wide range of complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on real estate and construction disputes, primarily on the defense side. An experienced trial lawyer with extensive experience in both jury and bench trials, Rodger handles matters including fiduciary disputes, breach of contract, non-compete, and trade secret cases, as well as arbitrations.

Thompson Hine LLP‘s firmwide managing partner, Tony White, leads a national litigation practice with a particular focus on labor and employment. A seasoned trial lawyer, White has served as lead counsel in numerous complex cases, including employment dispute litigations; in addition to dozens of commercial dispute litigations, national class actions, and collective action cases in state and federal courts across 39 states. He also serves as the lead Ohio counsel for a major pharmaceutical company in the opioid multi-district litigation centered in Ohio. White is based in Cleveland.