Jeffrey T. Williams concentrates his practice in the area of employment-related litigation. He has litigated cases throughout Ohio in both state and federal courts, as well as cases in federal and state courts in Indiana, Maryland, Kansas, California, Washington and Oregon.

Mr. Williams has defended single and multiple-plaintiff suits involving alleged race, age, gender, disability and ERISA discrimination, as well as sexual harassment and retaliation claims. Most recently, Mr. Williams defended a four-plaintiff age discrimination suit that went to trial before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. That case resolved for a nominal settlement at the close of the plaintiffs' case. Mr. Williams also recently obtained summary judgment in an ERISA discrimination suit in which nine plaintiffs alleged that a restructuring affecting hundreds of employees unlawfully interfered with their pensions.

Mr. Williams currently represents the investment advisor subsidiary of a multinational insurance company. He has defended claims against the advisor involving both employment and commercial issues. In one case, Mr. Williams successfully defended the advisor in a California arbitration initiated by a third-party marketing contractor seeking commissions exceeding $10 million.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Williams had a more general litigation practice. In securities-related litigation, he successfully defended shareholder derivative actions against the directors of an investment company and other closely held businesses. He has successfully defended controlling shareholders of closely held businesses against claims by minority shareholders alleging “freeze-outs” and other wrongdoing.

In the commercial area, Mr. Williams has prosecuted and defended contract and warranty claims involving software licenses, electronic credit verification systems, and “yellow pages” advertising. He also has defended numerous ERISA suits alleging the wrongful denial of claims for a healthcare insurer/third-party administrator. Mr. Williams also successfully represented the owner of a national chain of membership camping facilities in a variety of consumer claims, including two putative class action lawsuits in which class certification was denied.

In probate litigation, Mr. Williams brought a will contest on behalf of family members disinherited under a deathbed will, which, after two years of litigation before multiple courts, resulted in a settlement valued in excess of $20 million for the family. He has also defended will contests on behalf of executors. Most recently, he defended the will of a family matriarch challenged by two of her adult children involving an estate in excess of $10 million. Mr. Williams has extensive experience bringing and defending claims for tortious interference with expectancy, a recently recognized cause of action in Ohio.

In the construction area, Mr. Williams has defended owners, general contractors and property managers against a variety of claims, including multimillion-dollar claims alleging defective design, construction and maintenance of office buildings and apartment complexes. Most recently, Mr. Williams has represented a leading manufacturer of external insulation and finish systems (EIFS) in cases involving the construction of a hospital, a hotel and large residences. He has also prosecuted claims for owners and tenants. Mr. Williams represented an international oil and chemical company whose product was destroyed in the collapse of a 300,000 square-foot warehouse.

During his career, Mr. Williams has periodically been involved in personal injury defense. He has defended product liability claims against manufacturers of nail guns, lawn and garden equipment, medical devices and personal care products such as hair dryers. He has also represented a national chain of daycare centers in suits involving allegations of sexual and physical abuse of students. Most recently, he defended an international provider of medical and industrial gases in nine wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits arising from a much-publicized incident at a nursing home in which industrial nitrogen was introduced into the nursing home's medical gas delivery system.