Tara Aschenbrand is a counselor and advocate for employers in all types of labor and employment matters. She has represented employers in state and federal courts, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Ohio Civil Rights Commission, National Labor Relations Board, State Employment Relations Board and arbitrators. As a trial lawyer, she represents employers on legal theories including discrimination, retaliation, defamation, sexual harassment, employer intentional torts, noncompetition and trade secret law, breach of contract, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and other statutory and common law claims.

Tara counsels employers on compliance with federal and state employment laws, employee leave, hiring and termination decisions, investigations, drafting and enforcing employment policies, and union disputes and campaigns. Additionally, Tara performs workplace investigations, comprehensive review of employment handbooks and policies, and training programs for employers. She has lectured on topics including sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, disability management and FMLA.

Tara was selected for inclusion in Ohio Super Lawyers – Rising Stars in 2009, 2012 and 2013, a listing of the top up and coming lawyers in Ohio.

From 2002 to 2004, Tara served as a law clerk for The Honorable James L. Graham of the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio.

Tara has volunteered as an appointed guardian ad litem on a pro bono basis in child custody disputes in the Domestic and Juvenile Divisions of the Court of Common Pleas for Franklin County, Ohio. She previously served as a member of the Ronald McDonald House Young Professionals Board.

Representative Experience

• Obtaining summary judgment on behalf of an employer on a former executive director's breach of contract and defamation claims and an employer's breach of contract counterclaim.
• Obtaining a jury verdict in a breach of contract action.
• Obtaining a jury verdict in an employment discrimination challenge to a reduction in force.
• Obtaining a temporary restraining order to enforce noncompetition provisions and trade secret restrictions on behalf of a national marketing company.
• Partnering with employers on employment decisions to implement litigation avoidance strategies.
• Partnering with employers to successfully defeat union organizing campaigns.