Don’s work is focused on the labor and employment and governmental law areas. He represents numerous clients in a wide array of matters, with emphasis on Ohio township law, municipal and school law, and public/private sector labor and employment law. In addition, his experience includes arbitrations, labor contract negotiations and administration, and litigation. Don has negotiated over 470 labor agreements for public employers since 1984, including over 250 in the area of public safety.
Acted as Chief Negotiator for major City Police and Fire negotiations where public safety budget exceeded $400 million.
Primary trial counsel in over 40 unfair labor practice trials in NLRB proceedings.
Serves as Law Director – West Chester, Ohio, and for 33 years was General Counsel for the Middletown City Schools and Solicitor for Indian Hill, Ohio for 20 years.
University of Cincinnati, J.D., 1973
Miami University, B.S., 1970
Ohio, 1973
S.D. Ohio, 1981
U.S. Supreme Court, 1980
2020 Voices of Giving Award recipient, Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council, nominated by Miami University
The Best Lawyers in America®, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment 2011-2022
Selected for inclusion in Ohio Super Lawyers® 2005-2019, Ohio Law and Politics/Cincinnati Magazine
Award of Excellence, Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association
2018 John Dolibois Awardee, Miami University Development and Alumni Association
Who’s Who in Cincinnati Law, Cincinnati Business Courier
West Chester/Liberty Chamber of Commerce, Community Support Honoree
AV® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell® since 1997
American Bar Association
Cincinnati Bar Association
Ohio State Bar Association
Butler County Bar Association, Past President
Middletown Bar Association, Past President
Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys, Past Chairman of Board of Directors
Ohio and National Public Employer Labor Relations Association, Member
Ohio and International Municipal Lawyers Association, Member
Miami University School of Business, Previously Adjunct Professor for course work in Labor Relations and Negotiations, undergraduate and graduate studies
Miami University – Board of Trustees, 2006-2015, former Chairman of the Board
Miami University, Middletown – Citizens Advisory Board, 1983-1993 and 1995-2006
Miami University – Foundation Board of Trustees, Chair Development Committee
Fairfield Civil Service Commission – 1981-2003, seven times former Chairman
Miami University – Red & White Club, Past-President, Volunteer of the Year 1995 and 2009
American Heart Association, Middletown Branch – Past President and Founding Board Member
Dan Beard Council of Boy Scouts of America, Fort Hamilton District – Member, former District Chairman, Board of Directors
PAC Committee, Member and former Co-Chair
Government Services Practice Group, former Team Leader
Compensation Committee, former Member, Co-Chair and Chair
Effect of Economy on Negotiations Budgets, FMCS Annual Seminar, May 2016
Ohio Fact-Finding and Conciliation, Ohio Township Association, July 2015
Hard on the Issues, Soft on the People, Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association, February 2015
Negotiations Do’s and Don’ts, Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association, February 2014
NLRB/SERB Update, Miami Valley Communications Council, November 2013
BGD Legislative Conference, December 2012
Where Angels Fear to Tread – Navigating the Waters of Subcontracting, FBT School Law Seminar, November, 2012
Grievance and Arbitration – Leading You to Victory, Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association, February, 2012
Taking Care of Unfinished Business: Midterm Bargaining and Re-Openers, Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association, February, 2011
Recent Developments – Fact-Finding and Conciliation in Ohio, Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association, February, 2010
Factfinder as Mediator, SERB Fact-Finding Conference, August 2009
Binding Arbitration in the Brave New World of EFCA and Federal Public Safety Act, American Arbitration Association/Northern Kentucky University, July 2009
The Evolution of Collective Bargaining in Ohio – Over 25 Years, Ohio SERB Conference, April 2009
Mid-Term Bargaining Law in Ohio, Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association, February 2009
Retire/Rehire Considerations for Ohio Public Employers, Ohio Township Administrators Network, October 2008
Retention of Jurisdiction by the Arbitrator, Arbitration and Mediation Service of Cincinnati, May 2008
Effective Witness Interviews and Preparation, Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association, February 2008
“Evelyn Bishop – The Heroine of Gatlinburg,” The Mountain Press, Sept. 2020
Rays of Hope” (Negotiations after SB5), Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association Newsletter, Winter 2011 Edition
November 27, 2019
December 5, 2018
December 6, 2017
November 13, 2017
February 23, 2017
December 19, 2016
December 16, 2016
December 2, 2016
August 4, 2016
December 2, 2015