JAMES A. CLIMER

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AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Business & Commercial Law
• Civil Rights & Government Liability
• Employment & Labor Law
• General Liability
• Public Sector Law
• School Law
• Zoning & Land Use

Mr. Climer focuses his practice on public sector law, employment and labor, and school law matters. He has considerable experience advising and defending governmental entities and their employees, including counties, municipalities, townships, school boards, park districts, and social service agencies. He also maintains a significant labor and employment practice serving numerous private and public organizations, in addition to handling civil litigation, appellate and personal injury matters. Jim currently serves as the Law Director of the Village of Oakwood as well.

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.

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PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• Ohio State Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association
• Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
• Defense Research Institute (DRI)
• Northeast Ohio Law Directors Association
• Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA)
• Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association
• Parma Bar Association
• Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Directory
• Selected Midwest Claims Service “Attorney of the Year” (2010)
• Assistant Law Director, City of Parma, Civil Division
• Law Director, Village of Oakwood (Present)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Padua Franciscan High School, Chairman of the Board of Trustees

PRESENTATIONS

• “Employment Discrimination” – Ohio Turnpike Commission In-House Seminar (February 2018)
• “Case Law Update” – Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association (2015)
• “Employment Practices Seminar” – City of North Royalton (2014)
• “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
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

EDUCATION

• J.D., 1980. University of Toledo College of Law
• B.A., 1977, Miami University