Dianne V. Foley joined the firm in 2012 as of counsel, bringing her impressive 30 plus years of labor and employment law experience to the Firm. She is one of only 130 Ohio State Bar Association Board Certified Specialists in Labor and Employment Law, and represents both small and large clients in sophisticated employment matters and day-to – day compliance issues. As of counsel, Ms. Foley is often retained by law firms that need outside counsel for specialized employment law advice.

Ms. Foley represents management – side clients in a wide range of employment matters including federal and state statutory claims of gender, race, age, ethnic, disability, and religious discrimination, under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, employment contracts, non -compete agreements, retaliation claims, sexual harassment claims, wage and hour compliance issues, and wrongful discharge claims. She represents clients before the U.S. Department of Labor, the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the Ohio Industrial Commission, and the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Review Commission.

Ms. Foley has tried numerous jury and non -jury trials in the state and federal courts. At the same time, Dianne’s expertise is often best utilized by advising companies on policies and best employment practices designed to avoid litigation. She conducts management and staff sexual harassment training, wage and hour self-audits, employee manual creation and review, and advises on policy changes for employers, from non -profits and small businesses to including Fortune 500 companies. Dianne is often consulted when employers desire to make difficult hiring and firing decisions, implement reductions in force, or otherwise make changes that may subject employers to little-known employment law liabilities. Ms. Foley also represents executives in severance negotiations and consults with law firms seeking independent outside employment counsel to conduct workplace investigations for their clients.

Ms. Foley’s achievements are many, including her listing in Best Lawyers in America®, for her work in the practice areas of Employment Law-Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment Law, her 13 consecutive years as an Ohio Super Lawyer in Labor & Employment, her Super Lawyer listing as among the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Ohio, the Top 25 Women Lawyers in Cleveland, and her AV® Pre-eminentTM rating by Martindale – Hubbell. She also is a member of the Advisory Group for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and is a Master Bencher in the American Employment Law Inn of Court.

A New Jersey native, Ms. Foley clerked for the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and was a litigation partner in one of New Jersey’s largest law firms prior to relocating to Ohio in 1983. Before joining Koehler Neal, she was a partner in the Cleveland firms of Spieth, Bell McCurdy & Newell (1983-2009) and Buckley King (2009-2012).