Gregory H. Melick

  is a Shareholder in the firm, the Chairperson of the firm’s Litigation Department, and serves on the firm’s Board of Directors.

Greg has been successfully litigating a variety of business and tort cases across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio since 1989. In April 2008, Greg (and his wife, Heather, also a trial lawyer with the firm) moved from Cleveland to Columbus to provide LNL with more top lawyers focused on trial practice in both state and federal court. Greg’s prior experience includes a number of years of trying cases as a defense lawyer, having worked for several prestigious litigation firms (Philadelphia; Cleveland) on behalf of national insurance companies and Fortune 500 companies. Greg has built a reputation by winning cases that other firms are reluctant to take to trial, and has eight and nine-figure jury verdicts to his credit.

Greg has thus represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex tort and commercial litigation, contract disputes, employment matters, civil rights and discrimination/harassment cases, and in intellectual property cases at both the trial and appellate levels. In addition, Greg has co-counseled several major class action cases including franchise and securities litigation.

Active in his community and Church, Greg is also the father of five and, in his “free” time enjoys fishing, golf and playing guitar for his daughter, Logan.

Greg’s select accomplishments include the following:

– Obtained favorable, important precedent-setting decision in a case involving an unrevoked personal continuing commercial guaranty in Keybank Nat’l Ass’n v. Correct Custom Drywall, Inc., 2015 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 22227 (Ohio C.P. Dec. 2, 2015)  (see link)

– Obtained a favorable, precedent-setting appellate decision in a commercial leasing case involving post-breach issues of “holdover” tenant equitable assignment, part performance, and statute of limitations exceptions in LHPT Columbus The, LLC v. Capitol City Cardiology, Inc., 2014-Ohio-5247 (Ohio Ct. App., Franklin County 2014) (see link)

– Obtained a favorable, precedent-setting appellate decision regarding the availability of attorney’s fees in an employment-discrimination case under Ohio Revised Code Section 4112.99 in Roberts v. Mike’s Trucking, Ltd., 2014-Ohio-766 (Mar. 3, 2014). (see link)

– Obtained appellate court ruling in favor of the banking industry, enforcing a promissory note endorsed in blank, and preventing the borrower from challenging standing or a note assignment in Bank of New York Mellon v. Froimson, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 99443, 2013-Ohio-5574. This significant legal decision will impact residential foreclosure cases across Ohio, as borrowers seek innovative ways to avoid payment and foreclosure by exploiting the complexities associated with mortgage loans (December 19, 2013) (see link)

– Successfully settled a group of lawsuits against Petland, including a putative class action that accused the national pet store franchisor chain of selling sick puppies from puppy mills instead of using reputable breeders (2010).

– Successfully defended a global leader in loss prevention and risk management against eight-figure claims of trade secret misappropriation and related business torts in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (2010).

– Established, staffed, and managed the Cleveland law office of a Philadelphia-based product liability, mass/toxic tort litigation firm.

– Acted as lead defense counsel for a Fortune 500 company, various manufacturers, and a defense group defending toxic tort and complex product liability claims both nationally and locally, supervising and directing outside counsel in the process.