Jessica Forrest

Jeff Smith is a partner in the Cleveland office and a member of the firm's Employee Benefits Practice Group. He works with clients to create, implement and maintain their retirement and health plans. He also advises employers on the impact of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as well as Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) and Voluntary Employer Beneficiary Associations (VEBAs). While in la...

Richard C. Haber is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Richard C., who practices law in Pepper Pike, Ohio, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Adrian D. Thompson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Education Law, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Adrian D., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adrian D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Amanda T. Quan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Amanda T., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amanda T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jonathan D. Mester focuses his practice on representing victims of medical malpractice, including obstetrical malpractice cases in which the baby suffers severe deficits at birth including Cerebral Palsy and Erb’s Palsy. Jonathan also handles construction accident cases involving serious injury and death. Jonathan joined Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy in 1998 as an associate and today is the managing partner with the firm, and a member of the firm’s board of directors. He...

Mr. Peters counsels clients in in the power management, manufacturing, insurance, contingent staffing, financial services, transportation and logistics, building materials, construction, technology, and retail industries, among others. He advises clients on hiring, promotion, discipline, and termination decisions; negotiates executive employment agreements; drafts and reviews employee policy manuals for compliance with state and federal law; and manages multi-state employment law compliance p...

Jim Vail joined the Firm in 1979 and has been a Partner since 1986. He served as the Firm's Managing Partner from 1996 through 2019. Jim primarily counsels businesses, nonprofit and health care organizations in all aspects of their operations, including formations, mergers and organizations, joint ventures, contracting, and succession planning. Jim argued a case before the United States Supreme Court where he obtained a unanimous favorable decision. Spectrum Sports, Inc. v. McQuillan, 506 U.S...

John Slivka, an attorney and certified public accountant, has a practice that consists in large part of providing advice with regard to tax, business, and succession planning and consulting for privately-owned businesses and their owners. Since being admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1981, he has handled matters involving mergers and acquisitions, C and S corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, passive activities, ownership succession, estate/gift issues, other individual tax matte...

Christopher Hubbert is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Christopher, who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christopher is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Howard Bobrow is chair of Taft's Venture Capital and Emerging Companies practice. His practice is primarily devoted to mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital. Howard is a trusted advisor to private equity funds, venture capital funds, and emerging growth companies. He counsels private equity and venture capital funds and other institutional investors, as well as angel investors, on all aspects of acquisitions, dispositions, capital formation, and private placements. How...