Attorneys

Anthony J. Lazzaro

In the fifteen years after founding the firm, Mr. Lazzaro filed approximately 20% of all of the privately-filed Fair Labor Standards Act cases brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Mr. Lazzaro currently files cases nationwide.

Mr. Lazzaro commonly handles claims that include misclassifying employees as exempt or as independent contractors; failing to pay for off-the-clock-work, pre-shift and post-shift work, changing into and out of uniforms, meal periods, short rest periods and travel time; improper rounding of start and stop times; and improper tip pooling.

He has represented employees in a wide range of industries, including retail, food service, and manufacturing, and has litigated hundreds of collective and class actions against major corporations such as Verizon Wireless, Nestlé, Aldi, Progressive Casualty Insurance and Aarons, Inc.

In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Lazzaro served as an adjunct professor of law at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law where he taught an administrative law course on the Fair Labor Standards Act between 2008 and 2013. Mr. Lazzaro has also been retained as an expert witness and as a mediator in a number of wage and hour cases.

Mr. Lazzaro earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Vanderbilt University and his law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Outside of work, Mr. Lazzaro enjoys rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, van camping and traveling.

Admissions
Ohio Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Supreme Court

Professional Associations
Ohio Employment Lawyers Association
Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association
Cleveland Employment Inns of Court
Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

Seminars
FLSA Settlement Agreements: Legal & Practical Considerations, 14th Annual Northern Ohio Labor & Employment Law Conference, April 23, 2014
Recent Wage and Hour Developments, 12th Annual Northern Ohio Labor & Employment Law Conference, May 10, 2012
Evaluating Risk and Exposure in Class and Collective Action Litigation, The Littler Mendelson Ohio Employer Conference, October 27, 2011
Back to the Future: Applying 20th Century Laws to the 21st Century Workplace, Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, April 21, 2011

Recognition
Ohio Super Lawyers - 2015 to present
Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Star - 2011 to 2014

Chastity L. Christy

Chastity L. Christy joined The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC in September 2015. She represents individual employees and groups of employees in wage and hour cases and collective actions, including claims brought pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Prior to joining The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC, Ms. Christy worked for Caryn Groedel & Associates Co., LPA and Zipkin Whiting Co., LPA, representing employees in various discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour cases.

Ms. Christy has dedicated her entire practice to employee rights. She has litigated hundreds of cases on behalf of employees in both state and federal courts, as well in arbitrations and in front of the Ohio State Personnel Board of Review. She has successfully recovered millions of dollars on behalf of employees within the State of Ohio and across the country.

Ms. Christy graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 2000. Ms. Christy earned her law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2003.

Admissions
Ohio Supreme Court, November 2003
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2016
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, 2004
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, 2015

Professional Associations
Ohio Employment Lawyers Association
Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association
National Wage and Hour Clearinghouse

Seminars
Employment Litigation from Start to Finish: Initial Pleadings and Filings, National Business Institute, September 19, 2012
Employment Litigation from Start to Finish: Pre-Trial Order and Trial, National Business Institute, September 19, 2012
Employment Discrimination Law: Retaliation Claims, National Business Institute, July 15, 2013
Employment Discrimination Law: Ethics for Labor Law Practitioners, National Business Institute, July 15, 2013
Employment Law, The Latest Updates: Social Media and Technology, National Business Institute, March 10, 2014
Employment Law, The Latest Updates: Emerging Issues in Discrimination and Harassment, National Business Institute, March 10, 2014
Northern Ohio Labor & Employment Law Conference 2016: Overview of the FLSA and Certifying and Decertifying FLSA Collective Actions, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, April 21, 2016
Fair Labor Standards Act, Rule Changes for December 1, 2016, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, September 21, 2016
Human Resources Law From Start To Finish: Wage and Hour Overview and Update; Discipline and Discharge - Necessary Documentation, National Business Institute, November 7, 2016

Recognition
Ohio Super Lawyers - 2019 to present
Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Star - 2012 to 2018

Relevant Court Opinions
Conti v. Spitzer Auto World Amherst, Inc., 9th Dist. No 9121, 2008 WL 754759 (March 24, 2008) (reversing jury verdict against client)
Campolieti v. Cleveland, 184 Ohio App.3d 419, 921 N.E.2d 286 (8th Dist. 2009) (reserving summary judgment grant against client)
Campolieti v. Cleveland Dept. of Pub. Safety, 8th Dist. No. 99445, 2013 WL 6175207 (Nov. 21, 2013) (upholding majority of verdict in favor of client)
Csonka-Cherney v. ArcelorMittal Cleveland, Inc., 8th Dist. No. 100128, 9 N.E.3d 515 (March 6, 2014) (reversing trial court order compelling client's medical records)

David J. Steiner

David J. Steiner joined The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC of counsel in April 2007. He represents employees in discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination claims brought on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, pregnancy, disability, age, religion, and other protected characteristics. He also represents employees who have been retaliated against by their employers after engaging in protected conduct, such as reporting discrimination at work, as well as employees who are not paid overtime and minimum wages as required under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In addition to litigating these employment matters, Mr. Steiner represents clients in EEOC proceedings, unemployment hearings, and also counsels employers (and their employees) on discrimination and harassment compliance issues.

Mr. Steiner earned an undergraduate degree in business management from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated magna cum laude with his law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Admissions
Ohio Supreme Court
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Supreme Court

Lectures
"FLSA Retaliation," FLSA Seminar, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, 2013, 2010, 2008
"Statutes of Limitations - What you do not know can hurt you (and your client)," Cleveland Bar Association, April 26, 2005

Relevant Court Opinions
Gardner v. Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc, No. 1:10-cv-00183-SO (N.D. Ohio December 22, 2011)(denying summary judgment on FMLA interference claim)
Ziemski v. P and G Hospitality Group, No. 1:10-CV-2920 (N.D. Ohio April 12, 2011)(granting conditional certification)
Birch v. Cuyahoga County Probate Court, 392 F.3d 151 (6th Cir. 2004)

Representative Matters
Settlement Against An Industrial Manufacturer (settled religious discrimination claims for $650,000)
Settlement Against A Law Firm (settled sexual harassment claims for $200,000)
Guciardo v. Thistledown Race Track, et al., Cuyahoga County CV-02-460876 (verdict of $412,000 plus attorney fees)
Age discrimination case against John Lance Ford, et al., Cuyahoga County CV-02-466801 (verdict of $1.35 million plus attorney fees)

Katherine H. Gibbons

Katherine H. Gibbons joined The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC of counsel in August 2009. She works on the firm's discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination claims brought on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, pregnancy, disability, age, religion, and other protected characteristics.

Ms. Gibbons has extensive experience in the areas of legal writing and research, including four years as a staff attorney for the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Ms. Gibbons graduated magna cum laude with an English Literature degree from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. She also graduated magna cum laude from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Admission
Ohio Supreme Court

Lori M. Griffin

Lori M. Griffin joined The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC in January 2016. She represents individual employees and groups of employees in wage and hour cases and collective actions, including claims brought pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Prior to joining The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC, Ms. Griffin worked for Caryn Groedel & Associates Co., LPA and Zipkin Whiting Co., LPA, and has dedicated her entire practice to employee rights, representing employees in various discrimination and retaliation claims.

Ms. Griffin has successfully mediated and arbitrated employment discrimination claims and has appellate practice before the Sixth and Eighth District Courts of Appeal.

Ms. Griffin graduated Summa Cum Laude in the Honors Program from Youngstown State University with a B.S. in B.A. in Accounting, 2001. Ms. Griffin graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cleveland Marshall College of Law in 2009.

Admissions
Ohio Supreme Court, November 2009
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, November 2014
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, December 2016
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, September 2020
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, December 2023
United States District Court for the District of Colorado, January 2021
United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, March 2024
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, March 2015
Federal Court of Claims, October 2020
United States Supreme Court, March 2019

Seminars
Northern Ohio Labor & Employment Law Conference 2016: Overview of the FLSA and Certifying and Decertifying FLSA Collective Actions, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, April 21, 2016
Wage & Hour Collective and Class Action Point and Counterpoint, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, February 21, 2018

Robert B. Kapitan

Mr. Kapitan joined The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC of counsel in 2018. He focuses his practice on the arbitration and litigation of wage and hour disputes. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kapitan represented individuals in wage and hour, harassment, discrimination and retaliation cases. He was also general counsel of a national labor union which represented 15,000 employees of federal government contractors.

During his career, Mr. Kapitan has advocated on behalf of clients in over 100 arbitration hearings throughout the U.S covering issues such as pay disputes, insurance coverage, discipline and scope of employment. He also represented clients in over a dozen federal court districts, various state courts, before the Ohio State Employee Relations Board, National Labor Relations Board and the Department of Labor. He is a paneled arbitrator for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Mr. Kapitan has presented seminars on a variety of topics, was recognized by the Ohio Super Lawyers, and is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, the Ohio Employment Lawyers Association and the Labor Employer Relations Association. He earned a finance degree from Miami University and his law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where he graduated in the top 10% of his class and was a member of the Journal of Law and Health, and President of the International Law Students Association.

Alanna Klein Fischer

Alanna Klein Fischer joined The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC in June 2021. She represents individual employees and groups of employees in wage and hour cases and collective actions, including claims brought pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Prior to joining The Lazzaro Law Firm, Ms. Fischer worked for Lance B. Johnson LLP, Caryn Groedel & Associates Co., LPA, and Faulkner, Hoffman & Phillips, LLC, advocating on behalf of individual employees, labor unions, and employee benefit funds. She has represented individuals in harassment, discrimination, and retaliation claims.

Ms. Fischer graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Binghamton University in 2010. She earned her law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2013.

Admissions

• Ohio Supreme Court, November 2013
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, August 2016
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, February 2020
• United States District Court for the District of Colorado, July 2021
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, August 2021

Matthew S. Grimsley

Matthew S. Grimsley joined The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC in September 2021. He represents individual employees and groups of employees in wage and hour cases and collective actions, including claims brought pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Prior to joining The Lazzaro Law Firm, LLC, Mr. Grimsley worked for Caryn Groedel & Associates Co., LPA where he represented employees and agents in various types of cases, including employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, public policy, fraud, breach of contract, wage and hour, and invasion of privacy.

Mr. Grimsley has successfully litigated numerous cases on behalf of employees and agents in both state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration. He has procured favorable judgments and settlements on behalf of employees across the country.

Mr. Grimsley graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Ohio University in 2010, where he double majored in business economics and marketing. Mr. Grimsley earned his law degree from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law in 2013, where he was a published member of The Ohio State Entrepreneurial Business Law Journal.

Admissions

• Supreme Court of Ohio, May 2015
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, October 2015
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, October 2017
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, October 2021
• United States District Court for the District of Colorado, October 2021
• United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, December 2015
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, August 2016

Recognition

• 2020 Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Star
• 2021 Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Star

Relevant Court Opinions

• Cooper v. Children's Behavioral Health, Inc., W.D. Pa. No. 3:18-CV-120, 2021 WL 4481093 (Sept. 30, 2021) (denying defendant's motion for summary judgment on client's race discrimination claim)
• Stircula v. Lowes Home Centers, LLC, N.D. Ohio No. 1:19-CV1788, 2021 WL 4125416 (Sept. 9, 2021) (denying employer's motion for summary judgment on client's age discrimination claim for wrongful termination)
• Rivers v. Ohio Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Servs., Court of Claims of Ohio, No. 2018-00840JD, 2020 WL 1517468 (Feb. 12, 2020) (denying defendant's motion for summary judgment on client's wage discrimination claim)
• Slay v. Allstate Corporation, 2018 IL App (1st) 180133, 115 N.E.3d 941 (Ill. App. Ct. 2018) (reversing dismissal of client's good faith and fair dealing claim)