Tate & Renner

Partner. May, 1995, to present.

• Won reinstatement for Donna Trueblood in the first environmental whistleblower case against the WTI hazardous waste incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio. After an 11-day trial, Judge Richard Morgan issued a decision finding company witnesses had "strayed from the truth." Community activist Alonzo Spencer said the decision has given new hope to their efforts against this illegal and unsafe plant. Read the 2003 decision here.
• Coordinated successful legal actions for environmental whistleblowers at regional wastewater authority. Department of Labor hearing lasted 20 days in 1997; reinstatement order issued. Won First Amendment protections in Charvat v. EORWA, 246 F.3d 607 (6th Cir. 2001). Won public document case in Ohio Supreme Court. State ex rel. Russell v. Thomas (1999), 85 Ohio St.3d 83.
• Won settlement agreement for Dover Girls Softball in 2005 civil rights claim against City of Dover. City adopted new policy to provide equal services for girls and boys recreational programs. Read news story here.
• Adjunct Faculty at Kent State University, Tuscarawas Branch. Taught Mathematics and Environmental Law, 1998-2000.
• Filed Brief of Amici Curiae for environmental groups in Doyle v. Hydro Nuclear Services, a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Founded Hispanic Ministries of Tuscarawas County, Inc. (1997). Served as president. Represented refugees. Wrote successful friend-of-the-court briefs in State ex rel. Ten Residents v. Belskis (2001), 142 Ohio App.3d 296, and Vasquez v. Kutscher, 95 Ohio St.3d 280, 2002-Ohio-2125 establishing right to a marriage license without a Social Security number. Lost asylum case for Honduran afraid of extrajudicial killing upon deportation. Castellano-Chacon v. INS, 341 F.3d 533, 544 (6th Cir. 2003). Traveled to Guatemala in 2001 and 2004 to study its language and culture, and visit clients and their families (photos available).
• Prevailed in Ohio Supreme Court appeal for Wilbert and Emma Kail in Lonas v. Kail (2001), 91 Ohio St.3d 1201, 740 N.E.2d 1103. Protected clients from suit by former attorney for fees in excess of amount approved by the Industrial Commission.
• Wrote successful friend-of-the-court brief to Ohio Supreme Court on the right of domestic violence victims to receive a protection order. Felton v. Felton (1997), 79 Ohio St.3d 34.
• Prevailed in two appeals establishing the right of custodial grandparents to be parties in Juvenile Court cases. In re Sebastian, 2002-Ohio-782; In re Perez, 2004-Ohio-2707.
• Asserted Fourth Amendment and due process rights for Guatemalan immigrant in Miguel v. INS (2004).
• Counseled hundreds of clients in employment, family, immigration and consumer matters.
• Member of New Philadelphia Housing Appeals Board
• Received Community Service Award from Pillars Club.
• Organize annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.

• Author of "Federal Environmental Whistleblower Complaints," in ,i.Employee Rights Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Summer 2002), pp. 29-34.
• Author of "Whistleblower Book Helps with All Retaliation Cases," a review of Concepts and Procedures in Whistleblower Law, NELA Employee Advocate, Spring 2001, p. 24.
• Author of "Federal Whistleblower Complaints," feature article for Ohio Employment Lawyers Ass'n Newsletter, October, 1996.
• Author of Workplace Fairness web pages on the rights of environmental whistleblowers, corporate whistleblowers, union activists and the First Amendment Rights of Public Employees.
• Presented "Sarbanes-Oxley and other federal whistleblower protections " to Ohio Employment Lawyers Association, 2004-03-04.
• Author of article on local Hispanic immigration for Plowshares, February, 1997. Wrote first annual report for Hispanic Ministries of Tuscarawas County, Inc. (1998).
• Wrote human services transportation plan for Tuscarawas County.
• Presented "Informed Consent and the Obligation of Attorneys to Clients" for seminar in Akron, November 1, 1995. Moderated seminar on ethics, professionalism and substance abuse for Tuscarawas County Law Library, November 28, 2001.
• Successfully represented Citizens Organized Against Longwalling (COAL) as co-counsel in COAL v. Division of Reclamation, 41 Ohio App.3d 290, 535 N.E.2d 687, (Ct. App. Meigs 1987).