Professional Experience
Susan practices in the areas of school law and public and private sector labor and employment law. Susan has represented boards of education in litigating a broad range of legal issues including student grades, employee contract disputes, discrimination, ad valorem taxation and other real property disputes. Similarly, she has defended clients' interests at administrative proceedings before the State Employment Relations Board, the Unemployment Compensation Review Commission, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Additionally, Susan assists school boards in protecting and increasing revenue gained from taxation of real property located within a district. To that end, Susan has represented school boards before more than a dozen county boards of revision, common pleas court, the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals, and the Ohio Supreme Court. Susan further provides general counsel to school boards across the state of Ohio regarding a wide variety of legal issues. Susan is a frequent lecturer to school administrators regarding issues related to technology in education, educator misconduct, and other cutting edge topics.
Susan also has significant traditional labor law experience. She has functioned as chief negotiator on behalf of the employer during collective bargaining sessions and has also counseled clients on bargaining issues from behind the scenes. Susan has successfully represented employers at labor arbitrations brought by unions and employees and has prosecuted and defended unfair labor practice charges at the State Employment Relations Board. She has also successfully assisted a private sector client against union organization in a representation election matter before the National Labor Relations Board. Additionally, Susan offers general counsel to employers regarding a broad range of legal issues.
Areas of Emphasis
Education Law
Susan has advised and represented school boards on many different matters including:
- administrative appeals and civil litigation;
- ad valorem taxation matters before county boards of revision, the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals, common pleas court, and the Ohio Supreme Court;
- collective bargaining with teaching and non-teaching employees;
- drafting board policy;
- drafting memorandums of understanding between boards and unions;
- interpreting and applying a collective bargaining agreement;
- labor arbitrations;
- personnel issues, including terminations, evaluations, and disciplinary matters;
- property transfer from one school district to another;
- public records and sunshine law issues, along with student and staff privacy concerns;
- student legal issues, including challenges to board policies, discipline, and First Amendment issues; and
- technology in education, including student and employee use and misuse of technology.
Employment and Labor Law
Susan has represented and assisted employers in a broad range of legal issues including:
- Family Medical Leave Act and Fair Labor Standards Act issues;
- matters before the State Personnel Board of Review;
- policy manuals; and
- records retention and destruction.
Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining
Susan has assisted employers in many aspects of employer-employee relations, including:
- labor-management committees;
- arbitrating grievances that arise under a collective bargaining agreement;
- defending an employer when a petition for representation election is filed;
- participating in and leading negotiations sessions, drafting initial proposals and counterproposals, and advising employers regarding responses to union initial proposals and counterproposals;
- prosecuting and defending unfair labor practices;
- representing employers in mediation, fact-finding, and conciliation; and
- strike preparation, when necessary.
Presentations
- "Spring School Law Seminar," Holiday Inn Cleveland West, April 14, 2010.
Professional & Community Associations
- Ohio School Boards Association
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Education
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, J.D., 2003
Civil Rights Moot Court Team
Evangel University, B.A., 2000, Magna Cum Laude
Licensed to Practice
- All courts in Ohio
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio
Articles by Susan R. HartungMay 2010 - "You're HIREd! New Law Provides Tax Benefits for Hiring Unemployed Workers"April 2008 - "When Cyberspeech Knocks at the Schoolhouse Gate," Techniques Magazine |
