Jonathan L. Stark
Jon focuses his practice in the areas of Corporate, Business and Employment Law. He advises clients on matters such as formation of new businesses, asset purchases, buy/sell agreements, mergers and acquisitions, formation of joint ventures and relationships with distributors and suppliers. Jon’s business practice also includes commercial litigation and litigation involving shareholder disputes in closely held companies.

A significant portion of Jon’s practice entails advising clients on employment policies, protection of trade secrets, hiring and termination decisions, workplace privacy issues, reductions-in-force and compliance with various federal and state discrimination/employment statutes such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), anti-retaliation laws and wage and hour laws.

Jon also negotiates and drafts employment contracts and severance packages for corporate officers and other highly-compensated employees at both Fortune 500 and closely-held companies. Jon’s employment practice includes representation of employers in claims of discrimination brought in court and before administrative agencies, enforcement of non-competition agreements and other employment related matters.

Professional/Civic Activities
Jon is currently on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Variety Theatre and an Arbitrator for the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. He has volunteered for the City Year Serve-a-thon and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Volunteer Day. Jon was recently a Director of the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center (2000-2007) and is also a former tennis coach for St. Ignatius High School. He is a member of the American, Ohio State and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Associations (membership in business sections and labor and employment sections).

Articles/Presentations

• How to Conduct Reductions in Force, CLE, July 2009
• How Managers should Respond to Harassment in the Workplace, December 2008, presented to client for training of managers
• Preventing and Handling Employee Claims of Discrimination and Retaliation, September 2008, presented to clients and potential clients
• Employment Law Update, including Pitfalls in Implementing Reductions in Force and Other Initiatives to Reduce the Workforce, April 2008, The Association of Corporate Counsel America-Northeast Ohio Chapter
• Employment Leave Law Update - Handling FMLA Claims, March 2008, presented to continuing care client for instruction - how managers should respond to request for leave
• Balancing the Protection of your Business with the Rights of Employees, May 2006, The Association of Corporate Counsel America-Northeast Ohio Chapter
• Recent Developments Affecting Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Claims, June 2005, presented to clients

 Admissions

• State of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit