Suellen Oswald

Suellen Oswald is a principal in the Cleveland, Ohio, office of Jackson Lewis P.C.

With more than 25 years of experience in labor and employment law and a nationwide practice, Suellen is an experienced, trusted labor negotiator who has worked with international conglomerates, as well as Fortune 100 companies and medium and small businesses. She has successfully led hundreds of labor negotiations, union organizing campaigns and litigated unfair labor practice charges, labor arbitrations and dozens of cases through dismissal, trial and appeal.

Suellen has deep expertise representing unionized clients in a broad range of  industries, including the manufacture and distribution of food, beverage and specialty chemicals; coating and ink production; automotive production and sales; power generation; steel and aluminum production; drilling systems manufacturing; petroleum refining; retail; hospitality and gaming; acute healthcare; business-to-business; contingent staffing; software development; broadcast media and technology solutions.

She has extensive experience representing employers before the National Labor Relations Board, Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, State Employment Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Ohio Civil Rights Commission and numerous other state agencies across the country.

Suellen has successfully defended scores of companies in a wide range of employment matters including high profile civil rights issues, non-compete and trade secrets, use of background checks and Fair Credit Reporting Act claims, scientific misconduct, wrongful discharge, harassment, discrimination and retaliation and wage and hour claims in class and collective actions and single and multi-plaintiff litigation. She frequently counsels large and mid-size companies on risk management and labor compliance topics.

Suellen achieved elite recognition as a Certified Specialist in Labor and Employment Law in Ohio and is regularly voted by her peers as one of Ohio’s top labor and employment attorneys. She has been an invited speaker by business and legal groups throughout the United States and Europe on various labor law matters. Suellen is an editor for the BNA treatise The Family and Medical Leave Act and was a contributing author for The Developing Labor Law, a founding member of the Ohio Management Lawyers Association and served on its Steering Committee.

Honors and Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Employment Law – Management” (2011-present), “Labor Law – Management” (2011-present) and “Litigation – Labor and Employment” (2017-present)
• Leadership Medina County, Graduate
• Legal 500 USA, “Recommended Attorney” (2016, 2021)
• Martindale-Hubbell®, “AV Preeminent® - Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence” (2001-present)
• Ohio State Bar Association, Certified Specialist Labor and Employment Law
• Ohio Super Lawyers®, “Super Lawyers” (2004, 2006-present)
• YWCA, Woman of Professional Excellence

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• First Baptist Church (Medina, OH), Member and Volunteer
• ideastream, Community Advisory Board Member
• Medina Christian Academy, Member, School Board

Published Works

• "NJ Benefits Bill May Deter Business With Contractors," Law360 (December 2019) [Co-Author]
• “Myths Abound About Right-to-Work States,” Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) (August 2014) [Author]
• FMLA, 2014 Cumulative Supplement (Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. 2014) (contributing editor)
• The Developing Labor Law (Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.) (contributing author)

Speeches

• Managing Contingent Workers, ACCA (Cleveland, OH, October 2014)