Marc J. Kessler

Marc J. Kessler


Taft

Recognized since 2012

Columbus, Ohio

Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation

Franchise Law

Litigation - Health Care

Litigation - Real Estate

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants

Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Trade Secrets Law

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Litigation - Real Estate
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Franchise Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Franchise Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
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Marc J. Kessler is an experienced trial lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the nation’s preeminent business litigators. He has extensive experience with large scale, “bet-the-company” matters and is widely recognized for his ability to handle the most complex and critical litigation issues. Marc’s expertise includes complex commercial transactions, procurement, healthcare, trade secrets and non-competition, product liability, business torts, real estate, intellectual property rights, and toxic tort defense.

During his 30 years of practice, Marc has tried, litigated, arbitrated, mediated or otherwise resolved a wide variety of disputes and other client matters across the country. Marc’s clients include large publicly traded corporations, healthcare companies, chemical companies, steel manufacturers, financial institutions, accounting firms and a variety of governmental entities.

As part of his sophisticated practice, Marc counsels healthcare clients as they navigate the complex regulatory environment and assists clients in resolving disputes with state government entities through administrative litigation. Marc has significant experience representing clients in administrative hearings through contested case hearings and defending favorable decisions through appeals. His representation includes serving as national counsel to one of the largest health insurance providers in the country for more than 12 years. In this representation, Marc has built a reputation based on providing top-notch innovation, quality and service in all aspects of state and local government procurement, including leading the firm’s representation of this client in numerous matters where billions of dollars are at stake.

In addition to his representation of clients in the healthcare industry, Marc represents a large range of clients in non-compete, non-solicitation, and trade secret matters, helping them protect their competitive advantage.

Marc has also achieved significant trial success for his clients in complex, high-stakes product liability litigation.

In addition to his thriving litigation practice, Marc is a member of Hahn Loeser’s Board of Directors and is the former CEO and Managing Partner of the firm. He leads the firm’s Litigation Practice Area in Columbus and mentors other attorneys across the firm’s six offices.

As part of his national recognition, Marc has been listed in Best Lawyers in America® every year since 2005 and was recently recognized by Best Lawyers as a “Lawyer of the Year” in Columbus for 2022. He is also recognized by Chambers USA as one of the top litigation attorneys in Ohio. He is further consistently recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyer.

Outside of his practice and contributions as a leader at Hahn Loeser, Marc is active in community organizations supporting Central Ohio.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 41 South High Street
    Suite 1800
    Columbus, OH 43215-6106
Education
  • Capital University, J.D., graduated 1992
  • Dickinson College, B.A., graduated 1989
Bar Admissions
  • Ohio, 1992
Affiliations
  • Central Ohio Diabetes Association - Board of Directors
  • Children’s Hospital Development Board - Executive Board
  • Columbus Bar Association - Member
  • Ohio State Bar Association - Member
  • United Way, Young Leaders - Member
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Northern Districts of Ohio, 1993
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 1993
  • U.S. District Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2007
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio, 1993

Taft
Columbus, Ohio

361 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

131 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards

Best Law Firms Badge Visit Website View Firm Profile

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Franchise Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Franchise Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Litigation - Real Estate, Columbus, OH (2025)
  • Franchise Law, Columbus, OH (2024)
  • Franchise Law, Columbus, OH (2022)
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Columbus, OH (2018)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Franchise Law
  • Litigation - Health Care
  • Litigation - Real Estate
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
  • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Trade Secrets Law
Special Focus:
  • Sports
Awards:
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Franchise Law, 2012-24; Commercial Litigation, 2016-24; Mass Tort Litigation /Class Actions – Defendants, 2016-24; Product Liability Litigation-Defendants, 2019-24; Litigation- Health Care, 2024; Litigation – Real Estate, 2024; Columbus Lawyer of the Year, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, 2018; Columbus Lawyer of the Year, Franchise Law, 2022, 2024

  • Chambers USA, Commercial Litigation, 2013-23
  • Ohio Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation, 2004-23; Top 100 Ohio, 2011; Top 50 Columbus, 2011, 2021
  • “Top Lawyers,” Columbus CEO, 2010-22
  • AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)

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Publications

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