A workplace problem can become serious before anyone mentions a lawsuit. A Springfield employee might be disciplined after reporting harassment, discover that extra shifts were not paid correctly, or receive a severance agreement with an unfamiliar legal release. At the same time, a local manufacturer, retailer, or public agency may need advice about accommodations, employee discipline, or a union grievance. The records created in those first few days often affect what happens next.
Employment attorneys help assess workplace rights and obligations, review contracts and personnel documents, and represent clients in negotiations, agency proceedings, or court. But their clients differ: some lawyers primarily advise employers, while others represent employees or labor organizations. Springfield has several established firms handling labor-related issues, and nearby Dayton has practices devoted more closely to individual workplace claims. Now let’s check out the top 5 employment attorneys serving Springfield in 2026.
1. Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, PLL
Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper is a Springfield-based firm with a substantial labor and employment practice. From its North Fountain Avenue office, it advises organizations in the private and public sectors on workplace policies, discrimination issues, wage-and-hour compliance, employee leave, severance agreements, collective bargaining, and labor disputes. Its work also extends to proceedings before agencies such as the EEOC, Ohio Civil Rights Commission, and National Labor Relations Board.
Partner Randall M. Comer focuses on litigation involving employment, labor, and workers’ compensation matters. The firm’s labor team also identifies Shannon L. Wahl and Steven J. McCready. An emphasis on preventive counseling distinguishes its approach: an employer may seek advice before changing a handbook, investigating an employee complaint, or making a sensitive personnel decision. Employees should confirm whether the firm accepts individual claims against employers, since the published practice emphasizes management and institutional work.
- Legal Focus: Preventive employer counseling and defense of labor or employment disputes, including public-sector matters.
- Office: 500 North Fountain Avenue, Springfield, OH 45504.
- Phone: (937) 324-5541.
2. Cole Acton Harmon Dunn
Cole Acton Harmon Dunn is a longstanding Springfield law firm with an office on North Limestone Street. Its attorneys handle civil litigation, business matters, municipal work, probate, and other legal issues. Employment-related experience is reflected in the work of Paul J. Kavanagh, whose practice includes representation of the Springfield Police Union, small businesses, and governmental entities. Attorney Tammi J. Angle also works in corporate and municipal law.
This is not a firm that publicly presents itself as an exclusively employee-side discrimination practice. Its documented union and organizational representation is a more specific reason to consider it for a workplace matter. A labor dispute might involve interpreting an agreement, responding to a disciplinary decision, or handling an issue connected with a public employer. Because those cases can follow collective-bargaining and civil-service procedures rather than an ordinary employment lawsuit, prospective clients should confirm the exact matter the firm will accept.
- Legal Focus: A local option for union-related, business, or public-employer matters; confirm the specific employment service offered.
- Office: 333 North Limestone Street, Suite 102, Springfield, OH 45503.
- Phone: (937) 322-0891.
3. Lagos & Lagos, PLL
Lagos & Lagos has served Springfield since 1975 and operates from Troy Road. Its published practice areas expressly include labor and employment law, corporate law, small-business matters, workers’ compensation, real estate, and civil litigation. The firm was founded by brothers Thomas H. and James H. Lagos and continues to list a team of attorneys working across several fields.
James H. Lagos is identified in attorney directories with both business and labor-and-employment work. This combination can matter when a dispute concerns an employment agreement, a closely held company, or workplace obligations arising alongside a broader commercial relationship. However, the firm’s website does not specify a comprehensive list of individual discrimination, retaliation, or wage claims currently accepted. Anyone facing a particular workplace problem should ask which lawyer handles that claim and whether the representation would be for an employee, an employer, or another party.
- Legal Focus: Labor and employment services within a broader Springfield business and civil-law practice.
- Office: 5057 Troy Road, Springfield, OH 45502.
- Phone: (937) 323-5555.
4. Jason P. Matthews, LLC
Jason P. Matthews, LLC is an employment-focused practice in downtown Dayton that serves workers across the region, including Springfield and Clark County. Unlike management-oriented firms, it expressly represents employees. Its services include discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, protected-leave disputes, severance agreements, and non-compete issues. The practice also handles workplace matters involving public employees.
Matthews previously worked as an investigator with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. His published experience includes employment cases in Clark County courts and proceedings before the EEOC, Ohio Civil Rights Commission, civil-service bodies, and public-employee review boards. That background may be relevant when a worker needs to distinguish a statutory discrimination claim from an internal appeal or disciplinary process. The firm is based in Dayton, not Springfield, so clients should confirm consultation arrangements and whether their case is within its current caseload.
- Legal Focus: Employee-side discrimination, retaliation, and public-sector employment disputes, including administrative proceedings.
- Office: 130 West Second Street, Suite 924, Dayton, OH 45402 (serves Springfield).
- Phone: (937) 608-4368.
5. Folkerth + Routh LLC
Folkerth + Routh is a Dayton-area employment and litigation practice serving clients in Southwest Ohio. Attorney John R. Folkerth Jr. is listed with employment litigation, civil rights, education, and business disputes. Public attorney profiles describe his representation of individuals and organizations in private-sector, public-sector, and federal employment matters. Paul J. Routh is also associated with the practice and its employee-benefits work.
The firm’s documented employment experience includes agreements, compensation questions, discrimination, retaliation, whistleblowing, workplace leave, and disputes involving separation terms. This wider scope can be useful when a matter cannot be categorized neatly as an unpaid-wage claim or a standard termination dispute. Its office is on Kettering Boulevard in the Dayton area, rather than in Springfield. Because the firm handles different types of clients, anyone requesting representation should first confirm that there is no conflict and that the assigned attorney handles the relevant claim.
- Legal Focus: Employment litigation and agreements involving individual workers, organizations, and public-sector issues.
- Office: 3033 Kettering Boulevard, Suite 111, Dayton, OH 45439 (serves Springfield).
- Phone: (937) 260-4202.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can a Springfield employee be fired without being given a reason?
Often, yes. Ohio generally follows employment at will, but a termination can still be unlawful when it violates an applicable contract, anti-discrimination law, retaliation protection, or another legal exception. The timing, stated explanation, and employment records may all matter.
Q. How long do I have to file a workplace discrimination charge?
For many federal employment discrimination claims arising in Ohio, the EEOC deadline is generally 300 days. Ohio Revised Code Section 4112.051 generally allows two years for a charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Public employees, other types of claims, and particular procedures may involve different or shorter deadlines.
Q. Does being paid a salary mean I cannot claim overtime?
No. Overtime exemptions under federal law depend on actual job duties and applicable compensation tests, not a job title or salary alone. Time records, pay statements, and descriptions of daily work can help an attorney assess whether an exemption is properly applied.
Q. Should I sign a severance agreement immediately?
A severance agreement may include a release of legal claims, confidentiality obligations, or restrictions affecting future employment. Certain waivers, including some age-discrimination releases, have specific legal requirements. Review the terms and any stated deadline before signing or accepting payment.