James E. "Jim" Brazeau

James B. Yates represents public and private sector employers in all facets of labor and employment law. He is a Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). A member of Eastman & Smith, Mr. Yates's practice encompasses collective bargaining, general personnel planning and counseling, equal employment opportunity matters, workers' compensation and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Fair ...

Heidi N. Hartman, member, concentrates her practice in the areas of employment law, labor law and related litigation. She has represented large and small employers in a variety of industries -- including automotive, education, manufacturing and health care -- in a wide assortment of employment matters and disputes. Ms. Hartman counsels employers to resolve situations with their employees and regularly defends employers in litigation if charges are filed in administrative agencies, such as the...

Rudolph A. Peckinpaugh, Jr. is a trial and appellate attorney with a concentration in the defense of medical, hospital and other professional liability claims in the state and federal courts, administrative agencies, and licensing boards in the State of Ohio. He has handled a variety of cases in the obstetrical, orthopedic, anesthesia and internal medicine areas and has lectured on subjects dealing with risk management, record confidentiality and the defense of medical malpractice litigation....

PERSONAL INJURY & CONSUMER PROTECTION After 50+ years of practicing law, I still remember my first class action lawsuit for the civil rights of women and persons of color. Even though I had just graduated from the University of Michigan Law School, I knew that I wanted a career dedicated to civil litigation. I only wanted to engage in litigation for which fees were contingent upon winning, because hourly work required that my time and efforts be reasonable. I knew that what I wanted to do...

Carrie L. Urrutia’s practice includes counseling on employment policies and handbooks, training, representing employers in administrative proceedings, defending against discrimination claims and providing guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), drug testing, privacy, harassment, workers' compensation and a host of other employment law issues. Ms. Urrutia regularly defends employers in state and federal courts as well as administrative ...

Matthew D. Harper represents in a wide range of business, construction, and real estate disputes. He is a member of Eastman & Smith’s Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights, Business Litigation, Construction Law and Eminent Domain Practice Groups. Mr. Harper is admitted in state and federal courts throughout Ohio and Michigan and has appeared pro hac vice in business litigation in Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin.

Gene R. Abercrombie concentrates his practice in the area of real estate law, with an emphasis on commercial sale and leasing transactions of all sizes, 1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges, zoning and planning, condominium and homeowners’ association representation, real estate tax valuation appeals throughout Ohio, real estate brokerage law and mechanics’ lien law. Gene is listed in Best Lawyers in America ®, including "Lawyer of the Year," for 2022 for Real Estate Law in the Toledo,...

Patrick A. Sadowski’s current practice areas include nonprofit organization formation and taxation; estate planning; Medicaid planning; probate, estate and trust administration; estate, trust, gift and income taxation; general business law, including mergers and acquisition and business succession planning; and real estate.

Representing a broad and diverse range of clients encompassing individuals, professional practices, and small and large businesses, member Jared J. Lefevre assists clients with successful navigation through complex and emotionally difficult cases. Cases include closely held company disputes, non-compete and trade secrets, professional liability matters and probate litigation. To effectively assist clients and third parties in arriving at efficient resolutions of their disputes, Mr. Lefevre ob...

Casey Talbott is a member of Eastman & Smith Ltd., concentrating his practice in the defense of significant personal injury, wrongful death, and insurance coverage actions. He also has significant experience counseling railroad companies with respect to operations concerns throughout the State of Ohio. Mr. Talbott received his undergraduate and law degrees from The Ohio State University. He is a member of the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, National Association of Railroad Tria...