Matthew K. Seeley
Attorney
Matthew advocates for and protects the rights of his clients in all areas of business and employment litigation.
Matthew represents Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized businesses, start-ups, and individuals in a variety of disputes including:
Commercial and Business Litigation
Construction Claims
Employment Law
Product/Premises Liability
Real Estate Matters
Workers’ Compensation
He defends employment causes of action including those asserted for wrongful termination, discrimination, disparate treatment and hostile work environment. Matthew litigates cases involving both federal and state claims under applicable FMLA, ADA, ADEA statutes as well as common law claims based on public policy exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine including retaliation and whistleblower claims. He represents employers before state and federal courts as well as the OCRC and EEOC.
When Skill Matters
- Successfully argued before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding a U.S. District Court ruling enforcing the arbitration clause in a master franchise agreement.
- Represented a real estate developer in an eminent domain proceeding advanced by a local sewer authority, ultimately negotiating compensation in an amount nearly double the original offer, all prior to suit being filed.
- Obtained injunctive relief against the imposition by a local municipality of a special tax disguised as a license fee against a regional company by demonstrating that the municipality imposed such to profit rather than to compensate for the municipality’s expenses.
- Successfully argued before the Belmont County Court of Appeals to uphold the granting of summary judgment for a national department store chain in a product liability case.
- Defended a metropolitan housing authority against a claim for disruptional delay brought by a general contractor before the American Arbitration Association.
- Successfully mediated shareholder oppression and breach of fiduciary obligation case involving a close corporation, wherein the client, a minority shareholder, obtained a seven figure payout.
- Defended a HUD-subsidized housing facility against Ohio Civil Rights complaint involving the eviction of a tenant whose behavior was in violation of the terms of the lease agreement and federal environmental regulations.
- Obtained seven figure judgments against perpetrators of industrial theft and fraud on behalf of local businesses via the Ohio Civil Theft Act.
- Defended a bus manufacturer in a product liability case based, in part, on the economic loss doctrine.
- Defended several regional and area businesses in wrongful termination claims, in numerous instances through summary judgment.
Articles + Presentations
- Legal Issues Regarding Staffing (Presenter, Test and the Rest, Winter Conference, January 10-15, 2020)
- Seeking Civil Damages for Criminal Acts in Ohio (Presenter, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Litigation Institute, April 5, 2019)
- Litigating Claims Under the Ohio Civil Theft Act (Author, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Law Journal, November 2018)
- Reasonability of Restrictive Covenants; Defend Trade Secrets Act(Presenter, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Annual Labor & Employment Conference, April 20, 2017)
Civic Involvement
- Clifton Club – Board of Directors
- Lakewood Chamber of Commerce
- Lakewood Young Filmmakers Academy – Board of Directors
- Magnificat High School Fathers’ Club
- Saint Ignatius High School Fathers’ Club – Former Officer
- The Lawyers Guild of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
- Loyola Club of Cleveland
Professional Affiliations
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association – Litigation Section Council Member
- West Shore Bar Association
- Delegate of the Eighth District Judicial Conference (2019)
Education
University of Akron School of Law, JD
Oxford University, Summer Program Participant
Kenyon College, BS/BA
Saint Ignatius High School
Admissions
Ohio
U.S. Tax Court
U.S. Court of Appeals – Sixth Circuit
U.S. District Court – Northern District of Ohio
U.S. District Court – Southern District of Ohio
U.S. Bankruptcy Court – Northern District of Ohio
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