Daniel J. Guttman represents private and public entities in a variety of litigation, internal investigation, risk management, organization governance, and traditional labor matters. His clients range from Fortune 500 companies to entrepreneurs to sophisticated political subdivisions.
He currently serves as retained general or special counsel for several clients, advising on both transactional and day-to-day issues, and as the Chief Labor Negotiator for the State of Ohio.
Dan’s engagements include protecting important business interests involving noncompetes and trade secrets; handling sensitive internal investigations involving discrimination, harassment, whistleblower and retaliation allegations; and high-stakes litigated matters such as class action defense.
Dan also has extensive traditional labor experience. He serves as lead spokesperson at the collective bargaining table and represents management in arbitrations, hearings and organizational campaigns. He regularly assists in-house counsel and human resources professionals on a wide variety of issues, including compliance assessments before problems arise.
Dan is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Businessin the area of Labor and Employment, and is also named in The Best Lawyers in America for Litigation – Labor and Employment. Within the firm, Dan serves as the Business Development Leader of the Columbus office.
Experience :
- Guided clients through workforce reorganization and reduction, including mass layoffs, from the initial planning phase to developing severance programs and securing releases and waivers.
- Negotiated and drafted employment agreements, incentive and executive compensation arrangements, and separation packages covering a range of employees.
- Served as designated counsel for litigation and workplace matters for one of the largest creditor’s rights service companies and for a national consortium of creditor’s rights service companies.
- Delivered training on human resources and labor relations issues specific to the public sector, retail, financial service, healthcare, distribution, transit and transportation, construction, customer service, safety, and medical emergency industries.
- Represented a national specialty hospital business and regional physician group in a five-year, multistate litigation with millions of dollars in potential damages. As lead counsel, secured a summary judgment victory.
- Serving as trial lawyer, successfully protected a client’s business model by preventing an injunction and declaratory judgment seeking to invalidate the client’s restrictive covenants. The case was dismissed with prejudice.
- Is comfortable resolving all types of employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims and their related issues by using negotiation and mediation when early resolution makes business sense.
Memberships :
- National Council of Advisors to The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
- Statewide Legislative Committee for the Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association
- Member of the State of Ohio Thoroughbred Racing Advisory Council
- Guest Lecturer at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business
- Managing Editor for The Ohio State Journal On Dispute Resolution
Community : University of Toledo Board of Trustees
Education :
- J.D., The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, 1997
- B.A., Indiana University, 1994
Admissions :
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio,
Cost
Rate : $$$