Best Lawyers in Kansas, United States for Employment Law - Individuals

Whether you’re navigating a family law matter in Akron or managing a real estate transaction in Cincinnati, Ohioans need legal help that’s local, trustworthy and experienced. The Ohio Lawyer Directory from Best Lawyers connects individuals and businesses to some of the most highly regarded attorneys in the state.

Ohio’s legal landscape is as diverse as its people. From the manufacturing cities of the north to the commercial hubs in the center and south, legal needs vary widely. Best Lawyers makes it easier to find attorneys who not only specialize in your issue but who are also known and respected by their peers.

Our Ohio Lawyer Directory offers a focused, reliable starting point for your attorney search. Every lawyer listed has been vetted through a rigorous peer-review process—ensuring you’re not just hiring any lawyer, but one who has earned the respect of fellow legal professionals.

What Sets This Directory Apart

There’s no shortage of attorney directories online. But not all are created equal. Some rely on sponsored listings, others on basic license status. Best Lawyers is different. Lawyers cannot pay to be listed. Inclusion is based solely on peer feedback and professional evaluation.

That matters when your case—and potentially your future—is on the line.

The attorneys in our Ohio directory are nominated by colleagues, reviewed through confidential surveys and verified through independent research. This merit-based process helps identify lawyers who demonstrate legal skill, professional integrity and consistent client results.

The result is a directory you can trust. You can search by name, practice area or location, making it easy to find legal professionals who focus on what you need, where you need it. Whether it’s business litigation in Cleveland or estate planning in Dayton, the directory helps narrow the field to top-tier attorneys recognized for excellence.

Explore Ohio Legal Hubs

Ohio’s legal services vary significantly by region. Cities across the state have developed reputations for specific practice areas, shaped by economic trends, government presence and historical industries.

Cleveland is one of Ohio’s largest legal markets. It is known for its deep bench of litigators, especially in commercial and medical malpractice matters. Cleveland law firms often handle complex disputes, including multi-party cases, federal litigation and class actions. The city is also a center for appellate practice, drawing experienced counsel for high-stakes legal challenges.

In Columbus, the legal focus tilts toward business and government law. As the state capital and home to major corporations, Columbus supports a robust legal community focused on corporate transactions, regulatory compliance and public sector matters. Attorneys here regularly advise on mergers, acquisitions, licensing, employment policies and administrative appeals.

Cincinnati has long been a hub for criminal defense, healthcare law and employment litigation. The city’s location near both Kentucky and Indiana gives it a cross-border legal dimension that many firms leverage to serve regional clients. Cincinnati attorneys also work on product liability, labor negotiations and insurance defense.

Smaller cities and regions bring their own strengths. In Dayton, personal injury and workers’ compensation cases make up a substantial share of legal work. Toledo has built a reputation in estate planning, elder law and probate litigation. Akron law firms often handle union matters, real estate transactions and education law.

The Ohio Lawyer Directory reflects this geographic and practice diversity. Users can explore lawyers across all corners of the state, including metro areas, mid-sized cities and rural communities. With tailored filters and detailed profiles, the directory supports smarter, faster attorney searches.

Peer Review Recognition

Each year, attorneys participate in confidential surveys, rating their peers on legal skill, responsiveness, ethical standards and case outcomes. Those receiving consistently high marks are selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers directory. Lawyers cannot buy their way into the list or advertise for votes. This structure ensures integrity and promotes genuine recognition.

Peer review isn’t just about prestige—it’s about accuracy and trust. When lawyers nominate and evaluate each other, they provide insights that go beyond public marketing. They understand which colleagues truly excel and who consistently earns strong client results.

Best Lawyers also re-evaluates every listed attorney annually. If a lawyer changes firms, focuses on a new area or no longer meets selection criteria, their listing is updated or removed. This commitment to quality control makes the directory a dependable tool year after year.

The Ohio Lawyer Directory draws directly from these rankings. It reflects not only where attorneys are located but how they are perceived by the legal community. For clients, this means peace of mind. You’re not relying on online reviews or flashy websites—you’re benefiting from the insights of seasoned legal professionals across the state.

Take the Next Step

Legal issues rarely come with easy answers. Whether you’re a business owner protecting your company, a parent facing a custody dispute or a retiree preparing an estate plan, having the right attorney makes a difference.

Start your Ohio attorney search today. Use the directory to browse by city, explore legal specialties or locate a specific attorney by name. With more than four decades of experience and a methodology grounded in professional review, Best Lawyers offers one of the most trusted legal directories available.

You deserve more than a search engine result when you’re looking for a lawyer. You deserve a lawyer trusted by other lawyers. Let Best Lawyers’ Ohio Lawyer Directory guide your next step.

Practice Area Overview

Employment attorneys who focus on individuals specialize in the many areas where legal conflicts can arise between organizations and their employees. These disputes stem from issues with local, state or federal employment laws.

Employees or ex-employees who feel they were treated unfairly based on these laws can seek out an employment lawyer to provide support and representation.

Common concerns relate to wages, hiring practices, workplace safety and injuries, hours worked and discrimination in the workplace. However, there are many other types of labor laws that could lead to an individual working with an employment law lawyer.

Lawyers for employees may assist with negotiations and settlements, filing complaints with relevant administrative agencies and litigation in the courtroom. They also provide an initial consultation and follow-up discussions about the best course of action. That includes many considerations, such as the viability of the complaint itself and whether to pursue it at the federal or state level.

Their in-depth knowledge of this area of practice can help to address employee and ex-employee concerns. Attorneys may specialize in certain areas of employment law, such as workplace injury.

Employment law is a complex area of practice. Federal employment laws only apply to businesses that engage in interstate commerce, although in practice this covers the majority of employers. The size of a business, specifically the number of individuals it employs, can also lead to exemption from certain requirements.

State employment laws are limited to a specific state and the companies that do business within it. Employees can also be exempt from certain federal protections that would otherwise apply to them, depending on their role and level of compensation.

Working with an attorney who has a deep understanding of a specific area of employment law can be valuable. Examples include lawyers for employment rights and employment discrimination lawyers.

The Basics of Employment Law

Employment law is based on local, state and federal laws that govern the relationship between an employee and employer. This area of practice covers all of the rights and responsibilities of both of these parties.

Attorneys who work with and represent employees can be seen as practicing employment law for individuals. Attorneys who work with companies and organizations can be viewed as practicing employment law for employers.

Although not unique to employment law, jurisdiction plays an especially important role in this area of practice. Local and state laws can be more restrictive or impose more requirements than those enforced federally.

For example, some municipalities and states have laws that require payment of a higher minimum wage than the federal standard of $7.25 per hour. Employees covered by these laws are entitled to earn the higher, local- or state-level minimum wage.

Specific Areas of Focus for Employment Lawyers

Workplace Discrimination and Workplace Harassment

Various federal and state laws prohibit discrimination in the workplace, based on protected classes. States have a range of laws related to workplace harassment and discrimination, Federal laws and regulations include:

  • The Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • The Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Such laws intend to prevent national origin discrimination and religious discrimination. They also prohibit discrimination based on gender identity, sex and sexual orientation and protect other classes of workers as well.

An employment dispute lawyer or similar attorney can provide representation to individuals who feel their employer did not comply with these laws.

Worker’s Compensation

Employees who face an injury or illness related to their work and work environment may be eligible for worker’s compensation. The claims process can be complex and denials of benefits are possible. An employment lawyer can help an individual employee navigate this process.

Wage and Hour Concerns

Various laws and regulations dictate the minimum rate of pay for employees. These rules also explain the conditions in which overtime must be paid and similar requirements.

Federal law additionally offers exemptions from specific wage and hour regulations for certain categories of employees. This categorization, part of the Fair Labor Standards Act, is based on their amount and type of pay (i.e. a salary as opposed to an hourly wage) and the type of work they typically perform.

Workers who feel their rights have been violated can work with an employment lawyer to file a complaint and seek restitution. In certain cases, a single employee filing a complaint can lead to a class-action lawsuit that involves all affected employees.

Select a location from the list below to find some of the best employment lawyers for employees in your area.

Ann-Marie Ahern, Principal McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Liffman
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Our Methodology


Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

The Process

Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.