Jim Wilkins is a Shareholder with Kastner Westman & Wilkins, which is an affiliate of FordHarrison LLP.

Jim began his law career more than thirty years ago when labor law – dealing with unions -- was in full bloom, and employment law was still emerging. As a result, he has a depth and breadth of experience in labor law that many younger lawyers won't have because of the decline in the unionized segment of the American workforce.

Throughout his career, he has devoted significant time to representing and counseling employers on union relations matters, including collective bargaining negotiations, arbitration proceedings, and maintaining non-union status. He has negotiated countless labor contracts in both the private and public sectors, both blue collar and white collar. He regularly represents employers before the National Labor Relations Board and Ohio's State Employment Relations Board in representation and unfair labor practice proceedings.

At the same time, Jim is as much an employment lawyer as he is a labor lawyer. He has been around from the outset of such landmark legislation as the ADA and FMLA, both of which have a tremendous impact on the day-to-day advice he provides to employers who look to him to keep them out of trouble. When discrimination claims arise, Jim represents employers in state and federal courts and before the EEOC and state fair employment practice agencies. Jim also assists employers who have federal contracts with their affirmative action obligations, including the preparation of affirmative action plans.

Jim always has relished providing proactive advice to clients to help them comply with the full range of labor and employment laws. For example, he advises employers on the development and implementation of human resource policies and strategies to enable them to achieve their broader objectives. He frequently counsels employers on employee terminations, reductions in force, and other personnel decisions to help assure those decisions don't backfire.

In 2008, Jim completed a peer review and examination process in order to be certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a Specialist in Labor and Employment Law. He is one of only about 140 lawyers in the State of Ohio who have achieved this designation. Since 2008, Jim has fulfilled additional continuing legal education requirements in order to maintain his status as a Specialist in Labor and Employment Law.

For more information, please visit www.kwwlaborlaw.com.

Education
  • George Washington University Law School
    J.D., with honors, 1983
  • College of Wooster
    B.A., with honors, 1979
Bar Admissions
  • Ohio
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • Supreme Court of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio