James M. Drozdowski

Partner & Co-Founder

Labor Relations & Employment | Outside General Counsel Services

Jim Drozdowski is board certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a labor and employment specialist. In addition to assisting clients with all of their labor and employment, litigation, and strategic decision-making needs, Jim currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel to North Coast Container, an Ohio-based manufacturer and distributor of steel shipping containers. His responsibilities at NCC include commercial contract development and negotiation, analysis of acquisition opportunities, risk management, corporate governance, and implementing and enforcing various safety, human resource, and regulatory compliance policies. Jim also serves as chief negotiator for NCC’s relations with the United Steelworkers Union. Jim previously chaired the labor and employment area at Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP law firm, where he practiced for 18 years.

 

Aside from general labor and employment law, human resources and regulatory compliance, and union negotiations, Jim has a wealth of experience representing employers in Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, wrongful discharge and civil rights cases, labor arbitrations, union avoidance campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations and NLRB proceedings. Jim also has extensive experience conducting internal investigations of alleged harassment, safety violations and other misconduct within the workplace. As a trusted business advisor, Jim regularly conducts training for executives, supervisors and employees, and counsels employers on litigation avoidance strategies and compliance with the ever-changing myriad of employment laws.

Jim also serves as Senior Advisor, Labor Relations to the communications and public relations firm of Dix & Eaton.  Jim worked in close collaboration with the crisis management experts at Dix & Eaton in successfully representing an international apparel manufacturer in a highly-publicized labor dispute, resulting in significant union concessions that saved the company's only U.S. manufacturing site from permanent closure.

 

As a litigator, Jim has experience representing national and international clients in various business disputes, including non-compete enforcement, product liability defense, tortious interference, and wage and hour class action suits. He has been recognized not only as an Ohio Super Lawyer but also as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business by Chambers USA.  Jim also has an AV® Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

 

Jim serves on an eclectic range of non-profit boards, including Notre Dame College and the Better Business Bureau of Cleveland.  He chairs the Audit Committee for the Board of Trustees of Notre Dame College and also serves as a member of the Executive and Accreditation Committees of the BBB Cleveland.

 

Credentials

  • Ohio: 1995

    New York: 2010

  • The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

    The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

    The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

    The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

    The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

    The United States Supreme Court

  • Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 1995

    University of Cincinnati, B.A., Economics, summa cum laude, 1992

Contact James.

email: jimd@kdglegal.com

Phone: (440) 462-6502

Mobile: (216) 470-8457

Fax: (440) 462-6504