Mr. O’Connor is a partner in the Labor and Employment Department Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. Mr. O’Connor received his undergraduate degree from Miami University of Ohio and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law where he was an editor on the Law Review. He represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including state and federal employment litigation, wage and hour matters, administrative charges before the NLRB, EEOC, and state civil rights agencies, labor arbitrations, contract negotiations, lockouts and strikes, and non-compete and trade secret litigation. Mr. O’Connor has prior experience as a Manager of Human Resources and Employment Counsel for a heavy industry Fortune 500 company, where he managed the employment and training programs for a 2500-plus employee facility. He played a key role in staffing this facility to operate during a one-year work stoppage and served as Employment Counsel for this manufacturer, where he counseled management regarding employment, benefits, and labor issues with an emphasis on proactive actions to be taken to provide employees with equal opportunity in employment and a workplace free of harassment based upon protected class. He represented the company in labor arbitrations and negotiated collective bargaining agreements on behalf of the company. He also managed employment and labor litigation, including federal and state employment lawsuits, non-compete litigation, NLRB, EEOC, OCRC, PHRC, and OSHA administrative proceedings, and labor arbitrations. Mr. O’Connor was also responsible for the implementation of affirmative action plans and the representation of the company in OFCCP audits. He also practiced labor and employment law in Pittsburgh, PA, where he exclusively represented the interests of management.