ABOUT JOSH

JOSHUA M.  SMITH      Associate      513-533-6715

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

Commercial and Business Litigation
Employment Law for Business Owners
Employment Law for Employees
General Labor and Employment Litigation
Wage and Hour Litigation
Noncompete/Trade Secrets Litigation
Workers' Compensation
Personal Injury/Wrongful Death Actions
Veterans' Benefits Appeals

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

State of Ohio, 2014
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, 2015

EDUCATION

University of Cincinnati, College of Law, Cincinnati, Ohio: Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, 2014
Ohio University, Athens, Ohio: Bachelor of Arts, 2011

ASSOCIATIONS

Josh joined SSP’s labor and employment practice group in 2014, after graduating from The University of Cincinnati College of Law Cum Laude.  Josh also served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 2008-2016, including a tour in Afghanistan from 2009-2010 as a military police officer in the 300th Military Police Brigade.

Josh represents a wide variety of clients in all aspects of employment law, including defending employers from claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA),  sexual harassment, discrimination claims (ADA, Title VII, ADEA and related state laws), wrongful termination and breach of contract. Beyond litigation, Josh also assists clients in preventing such claims from happening in the first place by advising on policies, reviewing handbooks and assisting clients through workplace disputes.

Josh enjoys counseling his business clients, including advising them on the application of state and federal law to their business, and providing advice on how to minimize the risk of liability.

While Josh received his honorable discharge from the military in 2016, he continues to have a passion for assisting veterans. Josh is an accredited attorney with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and has been involved in assisting veterans in the preparation, presentation and prosecution of veterans’ benefits appeals, and other veteran-related issues in the workplace and elsewhere.

In graduating from UC law school, Josh was awarded UC’s Labor and Employment Law Award for his work and interest in the labor and employment field. Josh is also a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Committee and a member of the Ohio Employment Lawyers Association.

Knowledge and skills include:

• Assisting business owners and human resource managers in administering all matters, including developing employee handbooks and keeping the client in compliance with applicable law.
• Counseling and representing clients in labor and employment related litigation.
• Assisting businesses with practices and policies concerning paid leave, family and medical leave, disability accommodation and resolving complaints of harassment and discrimination.
• Counseling clients concerning best practices for hiring, firing and drafting related documents, such as severance agreements.
• Protecting employers trade secrets and confidential information through implementation of internal policies and non-complete agreements. 

Josh currently serves as a member of the Lincoln Row Homeowners Association Board of Managers. He has previously been a Student Trustee of the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees and an alumni member of Phi Kappa Tau at Ohio University’s Board of Governors.

Josh lives in Mt. Lookout with his wife Erin. During his free time, Josh  enjoys running both short and long distance, and has previously competed in various 5k’s, 10k’s, and marathons. 

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