R. Joseph Parker, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, was a partner in the Litigation Department and served as the firm's General Counsel. He handled complex and general commercial litigation and was former chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice.
Mr. Parker received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University in 1966 and is a 1969 graduate of The Boston College Law School, Order of the Coif. After clerking in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, he joined the firm as an associate, becoming a partner in 1978.
Mr. Parker's practice involved representation of a wide variety of clients, primarily businesses, including manufacturing companies, construction companies, health care providers, financial institutions, municipalities, and personal service organizations (e.g., doctors groups, law firms and accountants). He dealt with problems encountered by business organizations, including antitrust, contracts, corporate governance and finance, securities regulations, environmental, bankruptcy, malpractice, insurance coverage, real estate, business and personal torts, trust and estates, and employment relations. He has extensive experience in a lead role in litigation, dispute resolution, arbitration and negotiation.
Mr. Parker was lead defense counsel in a number of class action cases and has over 60 decisions from trial and appellate courts reported or available on line. He is listed in the The Best Lawyers in America in three categories: commercial litigation, bet the company litigation, and personal injury. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has been named an Ohio Super Lawyer by Law & Politics Magazine.