Keith Hansbrough

Keith is a shareholder in the Professional Liability Department and concentrates his practice on the representation of private employers and political subdivisions. Keith is experienced in handling matters involving ADA public accomodation, 42 U.S.C. section 1983, the Family Medical Leave Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Lanham Act, the Age Discrimination Act, the Genetic Information Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4112 and the Ohio Whistleblower Act. As well, Keith frequently represents public entities including school districts across the state of Ohio. He also has extensive experience defending long-term care facilities and assisted living facilities in regards to claims of medical negligence and wrongful death in both state and federal court.

In addition to his experience with jury trials and appeals at both the state and federal levels, Keith also represents private employers before the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, and he has practiced before the Ohio Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. He has handled wage and hour litigation at the collective action and class action levels in United States District Court, as well as multi-district litigation in federal court.

For 16 years, Keith has also handled matters on behalf of the City of Cleveland Law Department and the Cleveland Police Department.  Following law school, Keith worked for the Law Department for six years, where he handled numerous 42 U.S.C. section 1983 cases and continues to do so to this day.  He is highly knowledgeable of the operations and policies of the Cleveland Police Department and has assisted in drafting some of the Department's general police orders.  A familiar face before the federal judiciary, Keith has litigated approximately 80 cases in the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division; handled multiple briefs and oral arguments on 42 U.S.C. section 1983 cases before the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals; and has argued a case before the Ohio Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Notably, Keith acquired a defense verdict on behalf of two Cleveland police officers in U.S. District Court as to claims of alleged excessive force and alleged violations of civil rights in the case of O'Connor v. City of Cleveland. He was also recently awarded summary judgment as to multiple federal civil rights claims against the City of East Cleveland and several of its police officers by the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Hunt v. City of East Cleveland.

Keith has been recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star since 2010. He is a past vice-chairman of the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Lawyers Labor and Employment Committee, and is a member of the Defense Research Institute.