Employment

Mark R. Osherow is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Business Litigation with over 30 years of experience. He has practiced for most of those years in both state and federal courts throughout Florida. With significant trial and alternative dispute resolution experience, Osherow has taken countless depositions and served as first-chair in numerous trials, arbitrations and mediations. He serves as a legal advisor for his clients as they assess their business risks across a large segment of industry and service providers. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire How did you build a successful practice? Throughout my early career, I was involved in class action litigation, complex litigation for major clients and product liability cases. I was fortunate to be involved in complex cases and, through that experience, to develop expertise in a variety of areas,” he says. Osherow learned early on that success as a litigator requires a very high level of commitment and tenacity. After 2006, my practice focused almost exclusively on business litigation and related areas such as real estate, construction and employment litigation. Osherow believes in leading by example, a philosophy he developed and has carried out through his over 30 years of practice. Osherow says he works to be a good listener. That skill, combined with his experience as a board-certified business litigator, allows him to respond quickly and effectively to client needs in diverse areas of the law. He believes in The Florida Bar board certification process. He says he is proud of his certification as a board-certified business litigation specialist, and frequently encourages his colleagues to apply. “I believe in team effort and in leading in a way that makes other people want to perform for you as a team. My philosophy has come down to this – the way I define a problem is whether somebody is going to remember in a day, a week, a month, six months, a year or five years from now. If they are not going to remember it in the long term, it is really not a problem; it is just a bump in the road. And 99.9 percent of things fall into that category, although at that moment they may seem like major issues. We work in a high pressure, stressful profession and it’s important that people know someone has his or her back,” he says. “I’d say the biggest challenge is getting a case to the point that the client fully realizes how cases are resolved. It is basically strategy. Most cases can ultimately be resolved. Finding those solutions that get the participants to a point where they are ready to resolve the case is for me one of the most interesting aspects of practicing law,” Osherow says. He helps clients to see that sometimes they are motivated more by hostility, anger, frustration or something else that interferes with their ability to focus on the practical business aspects of their situation. One of his primary goals is to motivate those clients to see their situation from a practical perspective rather than an emotional perspective, to see the situation as it really is – a purely business transaction. “Sometimes clients don’t think as rationally as they believe they are and sometimes when they think rationally they don’t necessarily weigh all the different aspects of the case. It is very important to help clients see the various motivations and causes that are influencing them to make a decision. Once we have done that analysis and we have gone through all of the specifics, then they can decide whether or not litigation is called for,” he says. Osherow sometimes faces a client who initially only wants to litigate, someone who doesn’t want or doesn’t realize that one of the key aspects of a case is an attorney’s ability to resolve or at least attempt to resolve the case before the client gets involved in expensive, time-consuming and often emotionally-draining litigation. He says it is crucial for a lawyer to help a client assess his or her willingness to take a case through the litigation process and trial. The client must also feel comfortable that their law firm is providing advice that is in their best interests, whether they go the distance through trial or seek alternative dispute resolution. “I always want our clients to understand the costs and risks of the decisions they’re making. For me, that is critical. I’m always advising clients about the next step, about what they need to know, what we should be doing, and advising them constantly on pre-litigation, litigation, settlement and trial issues,” he says. Osherow says that whether cases are rewarding or difficult, an attorney has to have an even keel as a litigator. He upholds a philosophy of trust when it comes to his clients’ interests. “My father taught me to never give up and my first boss taught me how to think like a lawyer, to be precise, and to be articulate in my writing. From those mentors and others, I have come to believe strongly in creating an environment where people can do their best.” What should clients look for in a lawyer? Do not rely on what is on a lawyer’s website alone. Speak to the lawyer and make sure your questions are fully answered and there is no run around or diversion in providing direct answers. That does not mean that every question is subject to an easy answer however. Make sure the lawyer has the competence to proceed with your case or its defense. Many inexperienced lawyers claim to be experts in matters that are really outside of their experience level or abilities. Many lawyers do not have the extensive training and experience to handle complex litigation but represent to the public that they have this experience. But they can be cost effective by charging lower rates. Sometimes you get what you pay for so be careful in selecting a lawyer who can at a minimum learn the issues and competently address your situation. Look for a lawyer who will represent you or your company vigorously and professionally and will take the time to learn all the critical issues involved in your particular matter. Check for prior cases handled by the lawyer and the actual experience the lawyer has in similar or related types of cases, recognizing that each case may well present distinct issues. Find out when the lawyer was admitted to the Bar and if they are Board Certified as a specialist in their particular area of practice, which can also help select a lawyer with the competency to handle a matter within their specialty. How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? It is important to know the lawyers on the other side and the court rules and the reputations and differences in the way judges handle cases before them. This helps provide each client with valuable insight on how the case may progress in court. Where a case is in arbitration, where possible, it is critical to know the reputation of the arbitrators who may be chosen to hear the case.

Mr. Bellovin actively practices before federal and state appellate and trial courts, various governmental agencies and departments and arbitration and mediation tribunals. His cases have been reported in federal and state reporters, and have been the subject of newspaper and magazine articles. His practice includes all phases of litigation and trial practice, Alternative Dispute Resolution and negotiation, and covers all aspects of employer-employee relations, including workers compensation defense, FLSA litigation defense, employment discrimination litigation and employee benefits.

Edgar Boles is an accomplished attorney with 42 years of experience in public law and private practice, primarily in the areas of civil litigation and dispute resolution, representing small and medium sized business entities and individuals. Immediately after graduating from Case Western Reserve University's School of Law, Edgar Boles served as a Law Clerk to Judge John V. Corrigan and Judge Thomas J. Parrino on the Eighth Appellate District Court of Appeals of Ohio for Cuyahoga County. Thereafter, he served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Civil Division of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. Since 1976, Mr. Boles has worked in private practice with law firms in Greater Cleveland before joining Dinn, Hochman & Potter in July 2015. Mr. Boles is experienced in commercial disputes, business torts, shareholder claims and business dissolutions, personal injury claims, employment disputes representing both employers and employees, commercial, business and individual tort claims, and construction, real estate and real property claims and disputes including arbitration. Edgar Boles has experience representing individuals in Estate, Probate and Trust disputes and Domestic Relations matters including divorce, dissolution of marriage and post-decree proceedings. Mr. Boles also has experience in FINRA proceedings representing securities investment claimants and securities industry employment claimants.

John Francis Burke III is a practicing lawyer in the state of Ohio. Mr. Burke received his J.D. from the Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Scott J. Robinson joined the firm in 2012 and became a Partner in 2014. His primary practice area is Litigation and he has widespread knowledge of various types of litigation with strengths in Commercial, Labor and Employment, and Probate and Trust Litigation. In addition, Scott’s practice also includes substantial work as a trial lawyer and broad appellate experience. Scott enjoys making sense of the sometimes challenging world of commercial litigation and shares the commitment to excellence that is held by the attorneys of SSSB. He understands that clients in need of legal advice and counsel want solutions, not excuses and Scott makes it his mission to deliver quality client service. Scott was named Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star every year since 2011. Before joining the SSSB team, Scott developed his legal skills at other local law firms while helping his clients succeed in state and federal court during both the trial and the appellate process. He also counseled clients on various employment law issues. Scott earned his J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 2001, Cum Laude; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Case Western Reserve University in 1998. He was admitted to practice in the State of Ohio in 2001 and the State of California in 2003. Scott’s legal memberships currently include the Ohio State Bar Association and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. Scott is a resident of Shaker Heights where he resides with his wife and three young sons. He is also a board member and President at Chaplain Partnership.

Leslie focuses her advocacy on student disciplinary processes, specifically at the college administrative level. This includes advisement in university conduct proceedings from investigations through appeals; academic misconduct accusations; Title IX cases; student organization defense; and specific hazing education and risk management advice for Greek organizations, sports teams, and clubs. Prior to starting Albeit Masters, LLC, Leslie co-founded and grew an education specific law firm for almost a decade, practiced as defense counsel to a prominent Columbus insurance litigation firm, and served as a defense attorney on criminal and traffic matters, gaining valuable litigation and courtroom experience.

Jason focuses his practice on complex civil litigation involving business and real estate matters. In his business litigation practice, Jason has experience representing clients in matters involving the rights and obligations of shareholders, officers and directors, LLC members and managers, business partners, and other business stakeholders, the enforceability of restrictive covenants such as non-compete and confidentiality agreements, the collection of commercial debts, the application of state and federal laws governing consumer protection, unfair competition, trade secrets, copyrights, racketeering activity, and securities fraud, and a wide variety of other contract and business tort disputes. In his real estate litigation practice, Jason has experience representing clients in matters involving construction disputes (including owners, developers, design professionals, contractors and suppliers), commercial and residential landlord-tenant disputes, commercial and residential foreclosures, the enforceability of purchase-sale agreements, broker/agent entitlement to commissions, broker/agent duties and disclosure obligations, compliance with architectural / structural requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), condominium and homeowners association governance, equitable lien rights, title disputes, mortgage fraud, insurance claims and a range of other real estate related contract and tort issues. Jason also has experience representing clients in other civil litigation areas such as labor and employment disputes (including discrimination, wrongful termination and wage/hour claims), trust and estate disputes (including the duties of a trustee and matters of fraud or undue influence), and professional liability disputes (including malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty claims involving lawyers, accountants, real estate brokers/agents, insurance brokers/agents, design professionals such as architects and engineers, and healthcare providers such as hospitals and physicians). Jason is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). The CFE credential is conferred by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the world’s largest anti-fraud organization and provider of anti-fraud training and education. The mission of the ACFE is to reduce the incidence of fraud and white-collar crime and to assist ACFE membership in fraud detection and deterrence. Jason was born in Abington, Pennsylvania in 1982. He received a merit-based Founders Scholarship to attend Tulane University and graduated cum laude in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in both Business Management and Legal Studies in Business. Jason then earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, graduating cum laude in 2007. During law school, Jason was selected to become a member of the Charles C. Papy, Jr. Moot Court Board and later served as a Moot Court Board Vice President administering the 2006 Negotiation Competition. In addition, he won the Fall 2005 Advanced Moot Court Competition and was a finalist in a 2006 American Bar Association Regional Negotiation Competition. Jason is involved in a variety of local organizations including as a Board Member of the B’nai B’rith Justice Unit # 5207, a member of the Broward County Bar Association, and a member of the Tulane Alumni Club of South Florida.

I have well over a decade of experience handling complex legal issues in various fields of the law. I look forward to counseling and representing you in any workers' compensation, personal injury, employment law, family law, or consumer/debt collection protection matter.

Gary Schafkopf is a practicing lawyer in the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey specializing in Business, Employment, and Real Estate.

Michael Cancelliere has been in the legal profession for 35 years. From 1982 to 1985, Michael worked as a Paralegal gaining very valuable practical experience in the practice of personal injury litigation. Michael attended Temple University School of Law’s four (4) year Evening Division Program while continuing to work as a full time Paralegal/Law Clerk. Since receiving his degree, Michael has continuously practiced law protecting the rights of plaintiffs. He is an experienced litigator and trial attorney. During his career, Michael has represented plaintiffs in very complex cases, including a victim of the tragic collapse of Pier 34 in Philadelphia. He has had jury trials in numerous counties throughout the Philadelphia area and has obtained substantial verdicts for his clients. In addition to his trial experience, Michael has represented plaintiffs in Arbitrations, Administrative Hearings and Fact Finding Conferences before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. He has also argued cases on appeal to the Pennsylvania Superior Court and has obtained favorable appellate rulings which have become important legal precedents in Pennsylvania law. He presently serves as an Arbitrator for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Arbitration Program. Michael was born and raised in Philadelphia and lived there up until approximately 1997. He now lives in Delaware County, along with his wife and four children. He has been a coach in township Little League baseball, soccer, and girl’s CYO volleyball.