Mr. Climer focuses his practice on public sector law, employment law and labor law. He has considerable experience advising and defending governmental entities and their employees, including counties, municipalities, townships, school boards, park districts, and social service agencies. Jim currently serves as the Law Director for the Village of Oakwood.
Jim also maintains a significant labor and employment practice serving numerous private and public organizations.
Prior to joining MRR in 1991, Jim served as Assistant Law Director in the Civil Division for the City of Parma. His duties included advising city officials, acting as principal legal advisor to the City’s Safety Director, and drafting formal opinions, legislation, and contracts.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Directory
- Ohio Super Lawyers – State, Local and Municipal Law (2022 – 2026)
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Ohio in Civil Rights Law
- Selected Midwest Claims Service “Attorney of the Year” (2010)
- Assistant Law Director, City of Parma, Civil Division (1983-1990)
- Law Director, Village of Oakwood (2017 – 2026)
PRESENTATIONS
- Employment Practices Seminar – City of North Olmsted (September 2022)
- Qualified Immunity Panel Discussion, 8th District Judicial Conference (May 2022)
- Legal Update – Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association (March 2019)
- Legal Update – Northeast Ohio Law Directors Association (June 2019)
- Employment Discrimination – Ohio Turnpike Commission In-House Seminar (February 2018)
- Police Mutual Aid, Hot Pursuit and Police Pitfalls, Northeast Ohio Law Directors Association (2013)
- An Update for Public Entities on Ohio Tort Law, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (2011)
PUBLICATIONS
- Let’s Do the Time Warp Again! – Can Independent Contractors Doing Government Work get Qualified Immunity, MRR’s Blog Decisive Defense (2013)
- Time to Clean Up the Yard – Changes to Exposure for Defects on Municipal Grounds Have No Clear Limits, MRR’s Blog Decisive Defense (2012)
- City Hall’s Second Chance: Ohio Supreme Court Clarifies Rights of Political Subdivisions to Take Interlocutory Appeals, – MRR’s Blog Decisive Defense (2011)
- Government Liability – Seminar for the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, – MRR’s Blog Decisive Defense (2011)
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Ohio, 1980
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, 1981
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, 1981
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1990
EDUCATION
- J.D., 1980, University of Toledo College of Law
- B.A., 1977, Miami University
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
- Defense Research Institute
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys
- Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association
- Parma Bar Association
- Northeast Ohio Law Directors Association
- Public Risk Management Association