Overview
Ann-Marie Ahern, head of the firm’s Employment group, has devoted her career to representing people in employment disputes. She is a dedicated, tireless advocate, and trusted advisor and has successfully litigated hundreds of employment disputes on behalf of her clients. As a Certified Specialist in Labor & Employment Law, Ann-Marie is knowledgeable of all facets of employment law and represents employees at each stage of the employment relationship. She approaches her practice with the understanding that a career is more than a paycheck, and that the loss of a job can be devastating.
Ann-Marie is an award-winning advocate and a top Labor & Employment Specialist in Ohio. For years, she has been recognized for her high caliber work in “Litigation: Labor & Employment” & “Employment Law: Individuals” by Best Lawyers®, being named Cleveland “Lawyer of the Year” (‘20, ‘22) in these areas. Super Lawyers® has also recognized her as one of the Top 25 female lawyers in Cleveland and one of the Top 100 lawyers in Ohio. She was named a "Notable in Employment Law," “Notable in Law,” and “Notable Woman in Law” by Crain’s Cleveland Business ('23, ‘22, ‘18) and named a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyers. She is a frequent speaker on employment law and has been quoted for her expertise in Time, The Washington Post, and SHRM.
Ann-Marie has tried cases involving issues of age discrimination, sex discrimination and sexual harassment, race discrimination, disability discrimination/failure to accommodate, wrongful discharge, non-compete issues, breach of contract, and illegal retaliation. She has been at the forefront of the #MeToo and sexual harassment awareness movement and has been a steadfast supporter of victims of all forms of illegal discrimination. During her career, she has obtained verdicts and settlements on behalf of her clients in excess of $70 million.
Ann-Marie also advocates on behalf of federal and state whistleblowers. She is committed to preventing and correcting fraud against the government. She represents relators in False Claims Act matters and helped her client secure an $11 million reward for his role as a whistleblower in one of the largest False Claims Act recoveries in US History.
She regularly represents executives and managers negotiating employment agreements, severance agreements, and separation packages. She understands the complexities involved when high-level employees transition from one company to another. She is experienced in change in control and non-compete agreements.
Ann-Marie advises corporate clients on employment law compliance and HR practices. When companies receive sexual harassment complaints, they often turn to Ann-Marie as an impartial claim investigator.
Awards
- Ohio Super Lawyers®, 2016-2024
- Ohio Super Lawyers® Top 25 Women in Cleveland, 2017, 2019-2024
- Ohio Super Lawyers® Top 50 in Cleveland, 2020-2024
- Ohio Super Lawyers® Top 50 Women in Ohio, 2017, 2019-2024
- Ohio Super Lawyers® Top 100, 2020-2024
- The Best Lawyers in America©, 2017-2024
- Crain's Cleveland Business "Notable in Employment & Labor Law," 2023
- Crain's Cleveland Business "Notable In Law," 2022
- The Best Lawyers in America©, "Litigation - Labor and Employment" Lawyer of the Year, Cleveland, OH, 2022
- The Best Lawyers in America©, "Employment Law - Individuals" Lawyer of the Year, Cleveland, OH, 2020
- Cleveland State University College of Law Hall of Fame, 2020
- Crain's Cleveland Business, "Notable Women in Law," 2018
- "Smart Business, "Smart Women Awards: Progressive Woman Honoree," 2017
- Avvo Clients' Choice Award, 2012 & 2015
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, "Women in Law Making a Difference Recipient," 2014
- Ohio Super Lawyers® Rising Star, 2005-2012
- Avvo Rating of 10.0 Superb
- Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ of AV® Preeminent™
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- "Advocate" Certification from the National College of Advocacy
Affiliations
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
- The National Trial Lawyers, Member
- Ohio Employment Lawyers Association, Member
- Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association, Member
- Ohio State Bar Association, Member
- Eighth District Judicial Conference, Life Member
- American Association for Justice, Employment Rights Section, Past Chair
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Trustee, 2013-2016
- Cleveland Employment Lawyers Inn of Court, Barrister, Master of the Bench, Membership Chair, 2013-2015
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, Trustee, Past Co-Chair of the Communications & Public Relations Committee, 2007-2013
Recent Media Appearances
- "Equal Pay Day Highlights Continued Gender Pay Gap in Ohio and U.S.," Guest Commentator, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, The Sounds of Ideas, March 2024
- “Lack of Paid Sick Time an Issue for Northeast Ohio Workers During Omicron Surge,” Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, January 2022
- “Should Workers Be Paid to Stay Home Sick Due to COVID?,” Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, January 2022
- “It’s Too Early To Go Back: Workers Fear for Their Health and Finances as States Rush to Reopen,” Washington Post, May 2020
- “Scared to Return to Work Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic? These Federal Laws Could Grant You Some Protections” Time Magazine, May 2020
- “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” Classrooms Without Borders, March 2021
- “Employment Issues Implicated By The COVID-19 Vaccine,” Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, January 2021
- “Can Employers Require COVID-19 Vaccine?,” Fox 8 News, January 2021
- “Former Bartender Sues Local Cantina for Offering Salary Instead of Tips,” The Columbus Dispatch, August 2020
- "Partnership Schools Prepare For September Start Date in Cleveland," Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, August 2020
- "Ohio Secretary Of State Discusses Upcoming Election Needs; The Medical Case for Masks," Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, May 2020
- "COSE Members COVID-19 Webinar," Greater Cleveland Partnership
- "Coronavirus Puts Spotlight On Social Safety Net; Workplace Questions Raised By Pandemic," Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, The Ohio Channel, March 2020
- "State of Vacation 2018; Lawmakers Plan Vote To End Ohio House Leadership Impasse", Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, The Ohio Channel, June 2018
- "Civility In Politics, Age Discrimination Law," Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, November 2018
- "Cleveland Orchestra Violinist Assault Allegations And The #MeToo Movement & The Pain Scale," Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, August 2018
- "Sexual Harassment Law," Guest Commentator, The Sound of Ideas, NPR/Ideastream Public Media, December 2017
Articles - Published & Quoted
- "New Year, Higher Pay: Ohio’s Minimum Wage Increase," McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, January 2024
- "Blue-Collar Workers Benefit from PWFA," Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), August 2023
- "All You Need to Know About Unpaid Time Off (UTO)," InHerSight, June 2022
- “Salary History: Where Asking Is Illegal, Why & How to Redirect the Conversation,” InHerSight, March 2021
- “Gender Parity in the Workplace: What Is It & That Can We Do About It?,” InHerSight, March 2021
- "'Honest' Cultural Assessment May Be Needed in Wake of LGBTQ Ruling," Crain’s Cleveland Business, August 2020
- “It’s Too Early To Go Back: Workers Fear For Their Health and Finances as States Rush to Reopen,” Washington Post, May 2020
- “Scared to Return to Work Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic? These Federal Laws Could Grant You Some Protections,” Time Magazine, May 2020
- “Just Fired: Is It Wrongful Termination?,” InHerSight, May 2020
- “Adviser: COVID-19 and Employment Law,” Crain’s Cleveland Business, April 2020
- “Taming March Madness in the Workplace,” Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), March 2020
- "Proving Quid Pro Quo in a Business Environment," Crain’s Cleveland Business, December 2019
- “Proving Quid Pro Quo-Does Sexual Harassment Law Follow the “Hannibal Lecter” Rule?” McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, October 2019
- “Protecting Employees Amid M&A Uncertainty,” Crain’s Cleveland Business, HR Guide Book 2019, July 2019
- "Lawsuits Highlight Legal Field's Gender Issues," Crain’s Cleveland Business, July 2019
- “New “Guidance” on the Deducting Attorney Fees for Sexual Harassment Cases,” McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, March 2019
- "Managing the Many Angles of Negotiating Executive Severance," Crain’s Cleveland Business, August 2018
- “Tax Reform May Make Paid Parental Leave Doable for Smaller Employers,” McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, July 2018
- “Shifting Presumptions of Credibility in Sexual Harassment Cases in the #MeToo Era,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, May 2018
- “Get Outside Help to Investigate Workplace Sexual Harassment,” Smart Business Magazine, February 2018
- “When Interviewing, Focus on Salary Expectations, Not Salary History,” McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, October 2017
- "Women Are Empowered to Speak About Sex-Based Pay Gap,” Smart Business Magazine, April 2017
- “Five Common Misperceptions About Overtime Laws,” Properties Magazine, February 2017
- “New Wage and Hour Regulations Bay Be The Opportunity to Enact Compliance Changes That Have Been Previously Put Off,” McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, June 2016
- “Employers Should Be On The Lookout For Phishing Scams This Tax Season,” McCarthy Lebit's The More Report, March 2016
- “Gender-Based Pay Gap Even Wider for Female Executives: Actively Addressing Wage Disparity Cuts Liability, Proves Commitment,” Crain’s Cleveland Business, November 2015
Presentations & Speaking Engagements
- "Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Claims: What Practitioners Need To Know," Ohio State Bar Association, 59th Annual Midwest Labor and Employment Law Seminar, October 2022
- "Ethical, Privacy and Human Resources Issues Relating to the Pandemic," Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Health Law Conference: Medical/Legal Lessons Learned From The Pandemic, March 2021
- "Five Lasting Implications of the Pandemic on Employment Law," Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association, Annual Seminar: Employment Law, December 2021
- "Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg," Classrooms Without Borders, March 2021
- "Mediation Advocacy and Practice: Building Trust as a Key to Resolution," Ohio State Bar Association, Advanced Employment Law Webinar, May 2020
- "Challenges and Solutions to Employment Case Processing & Docket Management," Ohio State Bar Association, 56th Annual Midwest Labor and Employment Law Seminar, Cleveland, Ohio, October 2019
- "Diversity Challenges in Non-Union Employment Arbitration," Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA), Annual Meeting, Cleveland, Ohio, June 2019
- "The Response to #MeToo: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, International Women’s Day, Cleveland, Ohio, March 2019
- "Issues of Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment and Domestic Violence Against Women in Their Homes, Workplace and in the Community," 13th Annual Leadership Development & Training Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, November 2018
- "Corporate Leadership in the #TimesUp Era," Cleveland State University, Women’s Leadership Symposium, Cleveland, Ohio, April 2018
- "How To Spot and Stop Sexual Harassment," Women’s Networking Group - Cleveland, Ohio, February 2018
- "The Law of Sexual Harassment and Hostile Work Environments-Protecting Individual Rights and Minimizing Employer Liability," Ohio State Bar Association, January 2018
- "Lean In on Executive Compensation, Solutions for Women," The Union Club, Luma, Cleveland, Ohio, September 2017
- "Motions in Limine: Practice and Viability," Ohio State Bar Association, Advanced Employment Law Seminar, May 2017
- "Workplace Challenges of Privacy, Social Media, and Technology Issues," 14th Annual Employment Law: Rights, Benefits, and Emerging Issues, November 2016
- "The Changing Dynamics of Workplace Harassment: Social Media, Mobile Devices and Investigations," HR Star Conference, July 2016
- "Harassment: A Renewed EEOC Focus," Ohio State Bar Association, Labor Employment Law Section: Advanced Employment Law Update and EEOC Initiatives, May 2016
- "Gender-Based Pay Disparity," Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section Lunch and Learn, January 2016
- "Lean In on Executive Compensation & Benefits," The Union Club, April 2015
- "Mediation Practice Pointers," Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 15th Annual Northern Ohio Labor & Employment Law Conference, April 2015
- "The False Claims Act Explained, Recognizing Risk to Companies and Recognizing Claims for Plaintiffs," Cleveland Employment Lawyers Inn of Court, March 2015
- "Lean In on Executive Compensation, Solutions for Women," The Union Club, Fairport Wealth Management, Cleveland, Ohio, January 2015
- "Demystifying the False Claims Act," Midwest Labor Conference, 2014
- "Recovering from Damaging Deposition Testimony in Employment Cases," Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 14th Annual Northern Ohio Labor and Employment Law Conference, 2014
- "Plaintiff’s Employment Practice - Where Are We Headed?," Ohio Employment Lawyers Association, Annual Employment Law Seminar and Meeting, 2014
- "Advice from the Top - Secrets to Success," Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, New Lawyer Bootcamp, 2013
- "Valuing an Employment Case for Settlement and Trial," Cleveland Employment Association, Annual Seminar, 2012
Practice Area(s)
Education
Admissions
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
Certified Specialist in Labor & Employment Law by the Ohio State Bar Association
“Advocate” Certification from the National College of Advocacy
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