Wijdan Jreisat

Wijdan Jreisat thrives on bringing people together and creating relationships. It is surprising, then, that much of her work finds her advising people on moving apart in business and personal settings. She handles clients’ family law and employment law needs. As such, she advises clients in the most important relationships in their lives.

What distinguishes Wijdan to her clients is her ability to serve as a counselor, zealous advocate (or devil’s advocate) and warm-hearted friend throughout what is often a highly stressful process. Wijdan skillfully navigates the balance between sympathy and reality, providing equal doses of both to her clients, while aggressively defending and advancing their interests in various domestic proceedings.

She also serves as an advisor to employers in handling their relations with employees. So, whether hiring, disciplining or firing, Wijdan assists in setting the tone for that employer’s relationships with its employees.

Wijdan also serves as an elected member of the firm’s Board of Directors and a member of the firm’s strategic planning and recruiting committees.

Wijdan focuses her practice on domestic relations and family law matters, which include divorce and dissolution actions, prenuptial agreements and related legal proceedings. Wijdan began her practice in business litigation. She has translated her understanding of relationship dynamics into her practice while using the sharp negotiation and dispute resolution skills she honed handling commercial litigation. Building on that background, she comfortably navigates hotly-contested and emotionally-charged matters to resolve cases that often involve the valuation and division of privately held businesses and other high net worth assets. She has done so in both traditional divorces and in relationships and divorces of same-sex couples.

Wijdan is an attorney member of the Cincinnati Academy of Collaborative Professionals, which requires specialized training in negotiation skills and conflict resolution techniques. Collaborative Family Lawyers are committed to helping parties achieve an agreed resolution of their financial issues and parenting arrangements to unwind those relationships in a productive and respectful manner.

• Litigated highly contested divorce action representing client against a spouse who was a high level executive of a public company that involved stock options, deferred compensation plans, and properties and accounts in various states and countries.
• Negotiated dissolution of marriage for client including the division of closely held businesses by structuring relationship and corporate agreements to allow spouses to remain as joint owners.
• Negotiated resolution of ownership dispute with partner/key employee in advance of negotiating buy-out of spouse’s interest in closely held business in dissolution action.
• Litigated custody matter to obtain temporary custody of toddlers for father from mother who, prior to divorce, was the stay at home mother.
• Represented client in Ohio in separation agreement and coordinated divorce in California, on the basis of that agreement, involving a same-sex marriage with attendant issues as to property transfers and taxation issues resulting from lack of federal recognition of such marriages.
• Negotiated and prepared prenuptial agreement for professional athlete to address property and spousal support provisions.
• Represented client in post-decree process to modify spousal support obligations and conclude financial obligations to spouse.
• Represented parent in post-decree litigation as to modifications to parenting agreement and addressing contempt issues.

In Wijdan’s employment practice, she represents and advises clients in a variety of employment matters ranging from Title VII and the hiring, discipline and termination of employees to non-compete and restrictive covenant disputes. In that role, she regularly conducts employment practice reviews including creation and revision of handbooks and reviews the application of employment policies. In addition, she serves as an advisor to employers in day-to-day matters ranging from policy implementation to harassment investigations. She also authors and presents training programs for employees and managers on a variety of employment issues. Likewise, she represents and advises clients in discrimination claims by employees at the administrative and judicial levels.

• Successfully defended an age discrimination claim in which the plaintiff sought over one million dollars in compensatory damages, winning a summary judgment motion in Kentucky federal court that resolved the case in favor of the employer without the need for a trial.
• Assisted in the representation of a client that acquired a business located in the United Kingdom including review of employment contracts needed for various European countries coordinating with counsel overseas.
• Negotiated employment agreement for President of local affiliate of international company.
• Negotiated severance agreements and related company buyouts for employee/shareholder.
• Represented executive employee in litigation as to entitlement to change in control compensation under agreement with corporation after merger.
• Defended departing employees from claims of trade secret theft and non-competition violations against former employer.
• Presented trainings to employees and managers on subjects from discrimination and harassment to hiring, firing and discipline, to ADA and FMLA considerations.