Lisa E. Pizza

About Lisa

Lisa was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio before joining the firm in 1985. Lisa’s work emphasizes the areas of education and employment law. She represents school boards, municipalities, county agencies, and other public entities in matters of employment relations and employee discipline, public bidding and contracting, and compliance with public records and sunshine laws. Lisa defends employers against claims of employment discrimination, both in litigation and before administrative agencies. She also represents school boards on student-related concerns, such as student discipline issues and matters involving the education of students with disabilities. Lisa has been selected for inclusion in the annual editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Education Law every year from 2016 to the present.

Representative Matters

Bakies v. Perrysburg (2006) 108 Ohio St.3d 361, 2006-Ohio-1190. (municipalities may require and enforce agreements to annex in exchange for receiving municipal water or sewer service)
Cordrey v. Euckert (6th Cir. 1990), 917 F.2d 1460, cert. denied, 499 U.S. 938 (1991). (established standard for provision of extended school year services to students with disabilities)
Representation of public school districts regarding education of students with disabilities under Section 504 and IDEIA, as well as student discipline, student privacy (FERPA), and other education issues.
Counsel to local governments (schools, municipalities, counties) on matters of employment relations, discipline and discharge of employees, and implementation of employment policies and collective bargaining agreements.
Defense of employers regarding claims of employment discrimination.

Affiliations

Ohio State Bar Association
Toledo Bar Association (Member, Public Law Committee)
Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys
Member, Ohio Student Aid Commission, 1990-1993
Member, Ohio Board of Chiropractic Examiners, 1985-1987

Education

Miami University (B.A. 1976)
University of Toledo (J.D. 1980)

Bar Admissions

All Ohio Courts
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

Practice Areas

Collective Bargaining

Our attorneys provide at-the-table negotiations, as well as advice regarding negotiation strategy and drafting contract language. We also handle bargaining-related matters such as mediation, public sector conciliation, and fact-finding. We further assist clients in matters related to unfair labor practices charges before the Ohio State Employment Relations Board and the National Labor Relations Board, and when necessary, strike preparation, and securing legal restrictions on picketing and relief for strike misconduct.

Employee Discipline

Our experienced employment attorneys often counsel employers on whether proposed employee discipline or discharge is likely to withstand challenge in any number of forums available to employees. We have secured for employers the dismissals of hundreds of claims regarding employee discipline, in court, in grievance arbitrations, and before agencies such as the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Ohio State Employment Relations Board and the National Labor Relations Board.

Employee Handbooks

Employee handbooks are excellent tools for outlining consistent employer practices, and for preserving employer flexibility and management rights such as employment at will. Our attorneys frequently review employee handbooks for compliance with federal and state employment laws, and recommend language and policies to protect employers and their businesses.

Employment Discrimination Defense

Our attorneys frequently defend employers facing charges or lawsuits alleging employment discrimination. Although the law is well-intended to protect employees from workplace discrimination, it is unfortunately common for employers to have to defend against unfounded claims of employment discrimination. Our lawyers have secured the dismissals of hundreds of employment discrimination claims before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and in state and federal courts.

FMLA

Our attorneys have counseled both public and private employers on compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act since it became effective in 1994. Our experience with the FMLA includes such matters as eligibility and coverage issues, employee notices, medical certifications, insurance continuation, intermittent leave, concurrent leave, and FMLA abuses.

Grievance Arbitration

Our attorneys have handled hundreds of grievance arbitrations involving employee discharges, employee discipline, and labor contract interpretation disputes. We can assist a client from the preparation of management witnesses through the drafting of post-hearing briefs. We also recognize the occasional appropriateness of resolving disputes before arbitration and through mediation.

Local Government Counseling

The firm has a long history of representing local, political subdivisions on a wide range of practice areas such as public meetings and public records issues, zoning and land-use planning, financing, drafting legislation, water and sewer construction and regulation, annexation, employment/labor issues, tax levies and administration, economic development initiatives, airport and seaport operations and police and fire department contracts.

Public and Administrative Law

Our attorneys enjoy a rich history representing public clients in Northwest Ohio, including school boards, port authorities, park districts, municipalities, counties, townships, airport authorities, and more. Our firm has been home to two former City of Toledo Law Directors, a former counsel to the Ohio Department of Commerce, and a former State Senator. We know the legal problems confronting local public bodies both as lawyers and as participants in the political process.

Public Records and Open Meetings

Spengler Nathanson’s extensive representation of school boards and other local and state governmental bodies has given us a wide range of experience dealing with Ohio’s public records and open meetings laws.

School Law

Our decades-long representation of area school boards has given Spengler Nathanson the opportunity to deal with most legal issues faced by schools. We deal regularly with teacher and administrator contracts, student discipline, special education, competitive bidding, public records and open meetings, religious expression, FERPA, attendance and tuition, and a host of other school concerns.

Title IX Compliance (No Gender-Based Discrimination)

Our attorneys regularly assist clients with questions about Title IX and preparation of and updates to Title IX and related policies. We also serve as counsel for boards of education, colleges, and universities in litigation arising under Title IX and related statutes.

Wage-Hour Law

Spengler Nathanson’s labor attorneys regularly advise both public and private sector clients regarding compliance with federal minimum wage and overtime laws, and the Ohio minimum wage law. We have dealt extensively with such matters as the classification of exempt and non-exempt employees, calculation of regular rate for overtime purposes, pay for training and travel time, and exempt employees salary basis of pay.

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