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Our Attorneys
Fortney & Klingshirn is a member of the
Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys.
Membership is reserved for:
the most distinguished law
practices - those that have achieved the highest "AV" rating
in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. The "A" signifies
the highest levels of legal ability, while the "V" denotes
"very high" adherence to professional standards of conduct,
ethics, reliability and diligence. This rating is
the result of a peer review system based upon the confidential
opinions of practicing attorneys and judges.
Foreword, Martindale-Hubbell
Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys.
Brief History of the Firm
Michael L. Fortney and Neil
E. Klingshirn began their practice with Squire, Sanders &
Dempsey, a national law firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. Since
then, Neil and Mike have maintained an employment law practice.
Mike has also developed a construction law practice and an
expertise in arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.
In 1993 Mike and Neil formed their current
firm. For more information about Michael L.
Fortney or Neil E. Klingshirn please
click on their names or scroll down this page.
Michael
L. Fortney
Mike Fortney graduated from the University
of Tennessee in 1979, and received his law degree from the
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1985, graduating summa
cum laude. Because of his experiences both before
and after becoming a lawyer, Mike brings a unique perspective
to his practice.
Before law school, Mike worked as a chemist,
served as the president of a local union, and worked as a
carpenter for a general contractor. During law school, Mike
received a number of awards and honors, including the Federal
Bar Association award for the outstanding law school student
in the Sixth Federal Appellate District, and an appointment
to the Law Review.
After working for the Law Reform division
of the Cleveland Legal Aid Society during law school, Mike
began his law practice with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey,
one of Cleveland's largest law firms, concentrating in labor
and employment law. He continued his practice with Millisor
& Nobil, continuing his concentration in employment law
and litigation, while developing a practice in construction
law. He now maintains areas of expertise in employment and
labor law, litigation, construction law and ADR.
Mike has extensive experience in alternate
dispute resolution. His is a member of the ADR Federal Court
Panel for the Northern District of Ohio. He as an arbitrator
on the employment and construction panels for the American
Arbitration Association, and serves on the Construction Advisory
Council of the AAA. Mike has been an arbitrator and mediator
on many construction and employment disputes and has been
an advocate in numerous ADR proceedings involving construction
and labor disputes.
Mike has developed an extensive practice representing
non-union contractors waging battle against trade unions in
"salting" campaigns. He has counseled contractors in developing
procedures to effectively deal with salts, and has successfully
litigated unfair labor practice charges filed with the NLRB
by unions in salting campaigns.
Mike has lectured on issues relating to employment
law, construction law, and arbitration. Given his experiences,
both as a lawyer and before becoming a lawyer, Mike brings
an uncommon understanding and perspective to his practice.
When he is not practicing law, Mike and his
family operate a tree farm from his home in Medina County.
Mike coaches youth baseball and basketball, and is active
in other community and civic organizations.
Neil
E. Klingshirn
Neil E. Klingshirn is one of the first attorneys
in Ohio to be OSBA Board Certified in Labor and Employment
Law. To achieve this certification, Neil demonstrated substantial
and continuing involvement in employment law, submitted individual
references from judges and other employment law specialists
and passed a rigorous written examination.
Neil began his legal career in the labor department
of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, where Michael Fortney was
also an associate. In 1988 Neil and Mike joined the labor
specialty firm of Millisor & Nobil. Neil and Mike formed
Fortney & Klingshirn in 1993. Today, Neil's practice includes
representation of businesses and individuals in all aspects
of employment law.
Professionally, Neil is the Secretary and
Treasurer of the Ohio State Bar Association's Labor and Employment
Law Section. He is also the Editor of the OSBA's Labor and
Employment Law Newsletter. In the business community Neil
is Vice President of Leadership Akron's Class XIII. He previously
served on the Executive Board of the Greater Akron Chamber
of Commerce's Small Business Council and Chaired its Legislative
Affairs Committee. Neil served on the Members' Benefits Committee
and the joint Greater Akron Chamber/Canton Regional Chamber
Workers' Compensation Advisory Board.
Neil is a 1986 graduate of The Ohio State
University College of Law. Neil was an Articles Editor of
the Ohio State Law Journal and a founder and Trustee of the
Student Funded Fellowship. He graduated with Honors in Law,
and is a member of the prestigious Order of the Coif.
Neil graduated summa cum laude with
a bachelor's of business administration in accounting from
Kent State University in 1983. Kent State University honored
Neil that years as its Outstanding Senior of the Year.
Neil lends his employment law expertise to
his community as well, where he is the Chair of the Personnel
Advisory & Appeals Board (i.e., Civil Service Commission).
In 1998 Neil served as Finance Chair for the Hudson Local
Schools' ballot levy and in 1993 co-chaired the successful
merger of the Village of Hudson and Hudson Township.
Neil and his family are members of St. Mary's
Catholic Church, where Neil is a Member of the Finance Council.
Neil also coordinates the annual Father/Child Canoe trip.
In 1995 Neil co-chaired a major capital campaign and, in 1994,
guided a complex land sale and rezoning initiative to a successful
conclusion.
When Neil is not at work for his firm, community
or church you can find him playing ball with his kids,
building an ever expanding garden pond, attracting wild birds
or grilling out on pleasant summer evenings.
Joseph
R. Spoonster
Joseph R. Spoonster is an associate of Fortney
& Klingshirn. Joe brings a unique experience to the firm’s
practice. After receiving a biology degree from Hiram College
in 1993, Joe investigated new anti-cancer compounds at the
National Cancer Institute. Joe’s research resulted in several
national and international publications and presentations.
Joe received his law degree from the University of Akron
in 1999. During law school, he represented the university
at the American Bar Association appellate moot court competitions
in Philadelphia and New York City and also worked as an extern
for Justice Deborah Cook of the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Joe’s practice is focused on business, construction, commercial,
real estate, and bankruptcy litigation. His success is rooted
in his ability to understand complicated legal and factual
issues and present them effectively.
Joe’s experience in construction disputes includes representing
contractors in all aspects of construction law. He has experience
prosecuting and defending delay and schedule impact claims,
differing or changed conditions claims, change order claims,
mechanic’s lien claims, payment bond claims, and construction-related
collection actions.
He has represented businesses and shareholders in state and
federal court in business disputes involving contract litigation,
dissolutions, shareholder fiduciary rights, and enforcement
of restrictive employment covenants. Joe has counseled minority
and majority owners on their fiduciary obligations and rights
and favorably prosecuted actions where those obligations have
been broken.
Joe has successfully represented home sellers and buyers
in claims of fraudulent misrepresentations. He has consistently
obtained dismissals for sellers prior to trial and has won
verdicts for both buyers and sellers at trial.
His bankruptcy experience includes business liquidation actions
to adversary proceedings involving the defense and prosecution
of creditor and debtor claims. Joe was one of the first lawyers
to try a jury trial in the United States Bankruptcy Court
Northern District of Ohio, successfully obtaining a jury verdict
against a large regional bank for negligent misrepresentation
against a commercial debtor.
Joe is a member of the Akron Bar and Bath Business Associations
and is a committee member of the bar association’s business
section. Joe and his family reside in Bath. When not hard
at work, you can find Joe playing soccer, looking for a Corvair
to restore, or working on remodeling his home.
Fortney
& Klingshirn
4040 Embassy Parkway, Suite
280
Akron, Ohio 44333
telephone 330-665-5445 - fax 665-5446
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