Legal Experience for Small Businesses and Individuals
The Office of Priscilla Hapner offers practical and cost-effective legal guidance for small businesses and individuals, focusing on employment law compliance, including FMLA, the ADA, FLSA, Title VII, unfair competition, and contracts.
Experience
Priscilla Hapner has over thirty years of experience in advising and representing management in organizations of all sizes in the private, public and non-profit sectors concerning compliance with state and federal employment statutes. This includes the FMLA; statutes prohibiting employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation; and laws affecting compensation, trade secrets, non-competition, whistleblowing, hiring, firing, layoffs, union relations, record-keeping, affirmative action, and privacy.
Ms. Hapner also has significant experience in the area of business and commercial litigation and disputes, including disputes involving contracts, privacy, First Amendment, news-gathering, and civil contempt of court orders.
Her career highlights include:
- Successfully arguing before the Supreme Court of Ohio and the 10th District Court of Appeals.
- Significant trial and evidentiary hearing experience in state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
- Obtaining summary judgments on behalf of employers.
- Successfully mediating resolutions of employment and commercial disputes.
Education & Admissions
Professional Associations
Community Involvement
- Court Admissions:
- State of Ohio
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Education and Certifications:
- The Ohio State University College of Law, summa cum laude
- The Ohio State Law Journal, Articles Editor
- Student Funded Fellowship, President and Trustee (providing public interest law fellowships for law students)
- The Ohio State University, Honors in the Liberal Arts
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by HRCI (2006-2011)
- Columbus Bar Association (1996-2008) Professional Ethics Committee (2005-08) Chair of the Delivery of Legal Services Committee (promoting pro bono legal services) (2000-02) Volunteer Mentor (2005-06)
- Ohio Supreme Court Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program (Volunteer Mentor, 2010, 2013-14)
- Ohio State Bar Association (2001-26) Labor & Employment Section Council (2015-26)
- Human Resources Association of Central Ohio (Newsletter and Program Committees) (2002-09)
- South Central Ohio Human Resources Council (2006-26)
- Ohio Public Employer Labor Relations Association (2004-07)
- Pittsburgh Personnel Association (1993-96)
- Bexley Chamber of Commerce (2015)
- Stoddart Avenue Community Garden (Founder, Board member and Garden Manager) (2009-19. 2022)
- United Way of Central Ohio Management Advisory Committee (2004-07) Chair, Staff Development Workgroup (2006)
- United Way of Central Ohio Accountability Committee (2007-10) Chair, Staff Development Sub-Committee (2007-09)
- Actor's Theatre (i.e., Shakespeare in Schiller Park) Board of Trustees (2001-04) (President, 2003-04)
- Columbus Light Opera Board of Trustees (1998-02) (Secretary, 1999-01)
- Steering Committee of the Winter Clothes Out for the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh (1992, 1994-95)
- Franklin County Children’s Services (volunteer mentor) (1997-01)
- Volunteer, Mississippi Conference UMC Disaster Response (April-May 2007)
- Leadership Columbus (Class of 2002)
Office of Priscilla Hapner, P.O. Box 91106, Columbus, Ohio 43209, 614-231-8571, phapner@hapnerlaw.net