Experience
Seth Briskin provides pragmatic labor and employment counsel to private, public sector and non-profit organizations with both unionized and non-unionized workforces. Building on his undergraduate study and work experiences at the Industrial & Labor Relations School of Cornell University, his internship at the National Labor Relations Board during law school, and his practice at boutique and general practice firms in Ohio, he has dedicated his career to labor and employment law. Seth represents employers and executives in employment litigation, wage and hour matters, non-competition and trade secret litigation, workers’ compensation claims/appeals, affirmative action compliance, union organizing drives, collective bargaining and labor arbitrations. Seth also handles all manner of disputes involving the NLRB, OSHA, EEOC, OCRC, OFCCP, BWC and the Department of Labor.
Seth counsels companies and highly compensated professionals with their complex executive employment agreements, consulting contracts, confidentiality and non-competition agreements, severance packages and separation agreements. Based on his vast experience and breadth of knowledge relating to the ADA, ADEA, FLSA, FMLA, NLRA, OSHA, Title VII. OFCCP, as well as state law, Seth is a frequent and entertaining speaker.
Representative Matters
- Appealed to the Sixth Circuit Court and reversed the NLRB decision on a highly contested union election issue involving false and misleading pre-election propaganda.
- First chair experience negotiating successful union contracts with the Teamsters, UAW, UFCW, Steelworkers, IAM, SEIU, OEA, AAUP, AFSCME and FOP.
- Provided daily counsel to a unionized manufacturing company during an aggressive and public three week strike. Worked with client to maintain efficient operations throughout the strike, hire permanent replacements and negotiate better terms in the union contract when the strike was called off.
- Successfully defended an age discrimination and FMLA retaliation case brought by a pilot against his former employer.
- Achieved favorable settlements in several million dollar OSHA litigation matters involving improperly cited safety guarding, fall protection and serious workplace injuries.
Civic and Professional Involvement
- Ohio State and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Associations
- Cleveland Police Foundation Board, Executive Committee
- American Jewish Committee (AJC) Board, Executive Committee
- Former Board Member, Cleveland Leadership Center, the Cleveland Jewish News and Cleveland Bridge Builders (Chairman)
Accomplishments
- Top 50 Ohio Super Lawyers, 2023-2024
- Ohio Super Lawyers, 2015-2024
- Ohio Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2005-2007, 2009
- 2020 Edition, The Best Lawyers in America©, Labor Law – Management
- Crain’s Cleveland Business “40 Under 40”, 2005
- National Labor Relations Board, Cleveland, Ohio, Intern
Presentations
- Ohio Society of CPAs, “Employment Law Nightmares,” 2016
- Institute of Management Accountants, “The Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Changes – Are You Ready? (Do You Need to Be?)” – 2016
- American Payroll Association, “What Impact Will President Trump Have on Employment Law and the Payroll Industry?,” 2017
Publications
- Elkouri & Elkouri, How Arbitration Works, 6th edition, Contributing Editor, 2010
Bar Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Courts, Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio
- All Ohio State Courts
Education
- Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations (B.S., 1991)
- Case Western Reserve School of Law (J.D., 1995)