Cathleen M. Bolek

For more than twenty years, Cathleen Bolek has been advocating for individuals in employment cases. A respected member of the legal community, Cathleen is listed in the 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 editions of Best Lawyers in America for Cleveland attorneys representing individuals in employment matters. Cathleen was also named by Ohio Super Lawyers Magazine to its “Super Lawyers” list in the field of employment law in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015. She has held Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating, “AV Preeminent,”® since 2005. Avvo.com gives Cathleen its highest rating as well: “Superb.” Cathleen is a frequent speaker on employment law and legal ethics, and is active in the legal community. She is a former member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Board of Trustees Executive Committee. Currently, she serves on the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Admissions Committee, and as co-chair of its Lawyers’ Mental Health Taskforce. Cathleen also currently serves on the Ohio State Bar Association’s Legal Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee. In addition, she is a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Association for Justice, and previously served that organization as Chair of its Employment Law Section for several years. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Cathleen M. Bolek included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law - Individuals, 2012 - 2015 Martindale-Hubbell "AV" Rating, 2005 - 2015 Superlawyers, 2009 - 2011 Avvo.com 10.0/10 "Superb" Rating Superlawyers Rising Star, 2005 - 2006 Super Lawyer in Employment Law, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2009 - 2011 Super Lawyer in Employment Law, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2015 - Present Rising Star in Employment Law, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2005 - 2006 Other Sources of Feedback About Cathleen M. Bolek Included on the 2026Ohio Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2024 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2023 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2022 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2021 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2020 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2019 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2018 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2017 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2016 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2015 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2011 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2010 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2009 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2006 Ohio Super Lawyers list 2005 Ohio Super Lawyers list

• Principal

• Employment Law Overview: Recognizing the Cause of Action and Protecting the Statute of Limitations, Ohio Association for Justice, 2011
• Ethics Issues in Employment Litigation, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 2010
• Trial Tactics and Strategies, Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association, 2009
• Employment Rights of People with Disabilities, Eastern Ohio Rehabilitation Association, 2008
• The Fair Labor Standards Act and the Non-Public Employee, Ohio Academy of Trial Attorneys, 2007
• The Litigating Game; Must Adversaries be Enemies?, Ohio Employment Inns of Court, 2007
• Sanctions, Frivolous Conduct, and the Professional Lawyer, The Cleveland Employment Lawyers' Association, 2005
• Yin & Yang of Trying an Employment Case, The Cleveland Bar Association, 2005
• Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower Protection, Cleveland-Marshall Law Alumni Association, 2004
• Employer Mandated Arbitration, Cleveland-Marshall Law Alumni Association, 2004
• Discovery Hassles, The Cleveland Employment Lawyers' Association, 2002
• Ohio Employment Torts and Employment at Will, The Cleveland Employment Lawyers' Association, 2000
• Mock Sexual Harassment Trial, Cleveland Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Seminar, 2000
• Ethics, Professionalism & Substance Abuse: A Panel Discussion, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, 1999
• IOLTA Nuts and Bolts, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Ethics Seminar, 2011 - Present
• Civility in Employment Litigation, Federal Bar Association, Cleveland Chapter, Labor and Employment Law Seminar, 2012 - Present
• Expanding Protected Classes, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Northern Ohio Labor and Employment Law Conference, 2012 - Present
• Employment Law for Personal Injury Lawyers, Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys, 2013 - Present
• Discovery in Employment Cases: The Duty to Preserve and Collect Evidence, Determining What to Produce and Avoiding Sanctions, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Northern Ohio Labor and Employment Law Conference, 2013 - Present
• IOLTA Dos and Don’ts, Ohio Association for Justice Winter Convention, 2013 - Present

• Cehrs v. Northeast Ohio Alzheimer's Research Center
• Citation: 155 F.3d 775, 4 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 1509, 8 A.D. Cases 825
• Court: U.S. Court of App., Sixth Circuit
• Year: 1998
• Cleveland Metro. Bar Assn. v. Lockshin
• Citation: 125 Ohio st.3d 529, 2010-Ohio-2207
• Court: Ohio Supr. Ct.
• Year: 2010
• Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Greenberg
• Citation: 112 Ohio st.3d 138, 858 N.E..2d 400, 2006-Ohio6519
• Year: 2006
• Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Feneli
• Citation: 86 Ohio st.3d 102, 712 N.E.2d 119, 1999-Ohio-140
• Year: 1999
• Phillips v. Burt
• Citation: 77 Ohio St.3d 1229, 673 N.E..2d 1380, 1997-Ohio-268
• Year: 1997
• Groening v. Pitney Bowes, Inc.
• Citation: 105 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 938
• Court: Ohio App., 8th Dist.
• Year: 2009
• Hardwick v. Sherwin Williams Co.
• Citation: 91 Fair Empl. Prac.Cas. (BNA) 142, 2003-Ohio-657
• Year: 2003
• Johnson v. Univ. Hosp. of Cleveland
• Citation: 150 Ohio App.3d 256, 780 N.E.2d 619, 2002-Ohio-6338
• Year: 2002
• Blanton v. Cuyahoga cty. Bd. of Elections
• Citation: 150 Ohio App.3d 61, 779 N.E.2d 788, 90 Fair Empl. Prac.Cas. (BNA) 600, 2002-Ohio-6044
• Blatnik v. Avery Dennison Corp.
• Citation: 148 Ohio App.3d 494, 774 N.E.2d 282, 2002-Ohio-1682
• Court: Ohio App. 11th Dist.
• Hood v. Diamond Prod., Inc.
• Citation: 137 Ohio App.3d 9, 738 N.E.2d 6
• Court: Ohio App. 9th Dist.
• Year: 2000
• Harmon v. Phillip Morris Inc.
• Citation: 120 Ohio App. 3d 187, 697 N.E.2d 270
• Court: Ohio App. 8th Dist.
• Reese v. Euclid Cleaning Contrs., Inc.
• Citation: 103 Ohio App.3d 141, 658 N.E.2d 1096
• Year: 1995
• Cleveland Metro. Bar Assn. v. Gruttadaurio
• Citation: 136 Ohio St.3d 283, 2013-Ohio-3662
• Court: Ohio
• Year: 2013

• Trial Counsel, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Grievance Committee, 1997 - Present
• Volunteer, Ronald McDonald Family Room, University Hospital, 2007 - Present

• Ohio, 1992
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1995
• U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 1993
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2001
• U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2001
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio, 2014

• Ohio Association for Justice, 2009 - 2014 (Member, Board of Trustees)
• Ohio Association for Justice, Employment Law Section, 2009 - 2014 (Chair)
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 2011 - 2014 (Member, Board of Trustees)
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 1997 - Present (Trial Counsel to Grievance Committee)
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 1998 - Present (Bar Admissions Committee)
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 2010 - Present (Member, Bar Admissions Appeal Subcommittee)
• Cleveland Employment Inns of Court, 2005 - Present (Founding Member, Master of the Bench)
• Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys, 2005 - Present (Member, Board of Trustees)
• Ohio Employment Lawyers Associations, 1998 - Present (Member)
• American Association for Justice, 1993 - Present (Member)
• Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association, 2000 - Present (Member)