In August 2025, the Supreme Court of Ohio issued its decision in Huntington National Bank v. Schneider providing important guidance on the obligations of lenders in guaranty and suretyship relationships. The Court rejected arguments based on Section 124(1) of the...
Litigation & Arbitration
Industry Pushback Against FINRA: A Growing Challenge to Its Authority
Over the last few years, broker dealers and financial advisors have filed a flurry of legal actions seeking both: (1) to strip the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) of its power to adjudicate customer and industry disputes through FINRA’s arbitration...
Ohio Court Upholds Landlord’s Right to Accelerated Rent Without Mitigation in Commercial Lease
In another significant win for commercial landlords, an Ohio Court of Appeals recently affirmed the enforceability of a lease provision allowing a landlord to recover accelerated rent without any duty to mitigate damages. In CSRA Columbus OH Fitness Master Lessee,...
The Coldplay Concert Kiss Cam Scandal: Legal and Employment Litigation Implications
We’ve all heard about and been astonished (or entertained) by the recent Coldplay concert kiss cam scandal involving the CEO and Chief People Officer of Astronomer, a data infrastructure and workflow company valued at over $1 billion. The potential legal and public...
Ohio Supreme Court Clarifies Seller Disclosure Obligations in Ashmus v. Coughlin
In Ashmus v. Coughlin, 2025-Ohio-2412, the Ohio Supreme Court provided important guidance on the scope of a seller's disclosure obligations under Ohio Revised Code 5302.30, particularly when it comes to “material defects” in residential real estate transactions. The...
Ohio Supreme Court Reinforces the “Party Presentation Principle”
On May 28, 2025, the Supreme Court of Ohio passed on an opportunity to settle a long-standing legal question: Does Ohio law require a trial court to conduct an oral hearing before compelling arbitration under R.C. 2711.03? Unfortunately, relying on the “Party...
Fourth-and-Null: Ohio Aims to Void Athlete Deals That Go Beyond Final Whistle
On March 18, 2025, State Representatives Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) and Ty D. Matthews (R-Findley) introduced House Bill 184. This bill is aimed at preventing college athletes from being locked into name, image, and likeness (NIL) contracts after their eligibility...
Sixth Circuit Clarifies Jurisdiction Rules for Mixed Action Lawsuits
In a significant federal jurisdiction ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit clarified the jurisdictional standards applicable to "mixed actions"—lawsuits that combine requests for both coercive relief (like monetary damages) and noncoercive relief...
Senate Bill 38 Challenges Judicial Control Over Food Injury Claims
In response to a controversial Ohio Supreme Court ruling, State Senator Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) has introduced Senate Bill 38, which aims to put juries – as opposed to judges – in charge of determining liability when a consumer is injured by negligently prepared...
Ohio Courts Reinforce Arbitration Provisions Despite Conflict, Missing Signatures and Litigation
Ohio courts are reaffirming a consistent and increasingly important theme: if your contract contains an arbitration clause, expect to be held to it. Three recent appellate decisions—Denham v. Encino Energy, LLC, Carter-Jones Lumber Co. v. Colabianchi Construction,...