Brian J. Kelly

Brian J. Kelly


Frantz Ward LLP

Recognized since 2013

Cleveland, Ohio

Practice Areas

Employment Law - Management

Labor Law - Management

Litigation - Labor and Employment

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Labor Law - Management
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Litigation - Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Employment Law - Management
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Brian is the Chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group and is named to the prestigious Chambers USA: America’s Guide to Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Labor and Employment.

Brian focuses his practice on the representation of management in all phases of labor relations and employment litigation. Brian regularly represents employers in litigation before federal and state courts, administrative agencies and arbitrators involving employment discrimination and harassment, wrongful discharge, theft of trade secrets, breaches of non-compete agreements and other employment contract topics. Brian also has extensive experience counseling employers on employment topics ranging from FMLA and ADA compliance to reduction in workforce planning and implementation. In the labor relations area, Brian has significant experience in collective bargaining negotiation, union avoidance techniques and strike disputes. Brian has also developed and implemented personnel policies and in-house training programs on a variety of labor and employment law topics.

Location
  • 200 Public Square, Suite 3000
    Cleveland, OH 44114
Education
  • University of Michigan, J.D. , graduated 1994
  • University of Michigan, B.A., graduated 1991
Bar Admissions
  • United States, Supreme Court of the U.S.
  • Ohio, Supreme Court of Ohio
  • Ohio, State of Ohio
Affiliations
  • College of Labor and Employment Lawyers - Fellow
  • Cleveland Employment Inn of Court - Member
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association - Bar Admissions Committee
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section - Member
  • Federal Bar Association, Northern District of Ohio Chapter - Member
  • Federal Court Panel of Alternative Dispute Resolution (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio) - Past Panelist
  • Ohio Management Lawyers Association - Member
  • Ohio State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section - Member
  • U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - Pro Bono Mediator
  • University of Michigan Alumni Association - Member
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio and Eastern District of Michigan

Frantz Ward LLP
Headquarters: Cleveland, Ohio

40 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

5 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards

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Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Litigation - Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Employment Law - Management
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Labor Law - Management, Cleveland (2025)
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment, Cleveland (2021)
  • Labor Law - Management, Cleveland (2020)
  • Employment Law - Management, Cleveland (2019)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
Awards:
  • Named to Chambers USA: America’s Guide to Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Labor and Employment (2010-2019)
  • Named to The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Employment Law-Management, Labor Law-Management, and Litigation-Labor and Employment (2013-2019)
  • Named to the Ohio Super Lawyers list (2005-2019)
  • Named Best Lawyers' "Lawyer of the Year" in Employment Law-Management in Cleveland (2019)
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Trade Secrets Law

Publications

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