Robert L. Washburn

Columbus, Ohio
Partner
Telephone: 614.461.4455
877.CLSW.LAW
Facsimile: 614.621.6293
Email:  rwashburn@cloppertlaw.com

Rob Washburn grew up outside of Parkersburg, West Virginia. He spent his time away from school hiking, camping and paddling. He became an Eagle Scout. Rob attended night law school working as a clerk and courtroom bailiff. Immediately after finishing law school, Rob entered solo practice. He worked for several years as a white water guide on the New and the Gauley Rivers in West Virginia. For 30 years, Rob has flown antique and classic airplanes. He competed in sanctioned aerobatic contests in an open cockpit bi-plane. He joined the law firm as a partner in 1987 and practices principally in the areas of personal injury, employment law and business litigation. Rob and his wife Pat have two adult daughters. They live in German Village with their cats. When not working, Rob spends time flying with his grandchildren and driving them in an old car that does not run very well and breaks with regularity.

• 25 years of experience in arbitrations involving medical malpractice, personal injury and various commercial matters as an attorney for a party or as a member of the arbitration panel, most often as chairman.
• Represented parties in a variety of civil cases including aviation crashes, personal injury, medical malpractice, libel, slander, defamation, employment, civil rights, nursing home negligence and wrongful death.
• Tried over sixty (60) jury trials in state and federal courts. These trials have involved civil and criminal matters.
• Over one hundred (100) court trials and arbitrations of various civil and criminal matters including felonies, misdemeanors, commercial matters, medical malpractice, personal injury and property damage.
• Filed amicus briefs with the Ohio Supreme Court on behalf of the Fraternal Order of Police in a criminal matter and on behalf of the Ohio Education Association regarding subrogated claims in personal injury cases. Recently successfully pursued an interlocutory appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals from an adverse finding by the trial court in a civil rights case on behalf of a police officer.
• Retained by specialty insurers, such as Horace Mann, to handle education related litigation involving issues of libel, slander and defamation against local education associations and their leaders, racial discrimination and civil rights violations, as well as other litigation involving individual teachers.

Areas of Practice:
Wrongful Death
Personal Injury
Medical Malpractice
Aviation Accidents
Education Law and Litigation
Municipal Liability
Arbitrations: Commercial, Personal Injury, Medical & Wrongful Death
Employment - Private Sector
Nursing Care/Elder Law

Bar Admissions:
Ohio, 1977
U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio, 1977
U.S. Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit, 1986

Education:
Capital University Law School, Columbus, Ohio, 1977
J.D.
Honors: Order of the Curia

Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
M.S.
Major: Education Administration

Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, 1971
B.A.
Honors: Dean's List
Honors: Outstanding Graduating Senior
Major: Political Science
Major: History

Representative Cases:

Elsass v. Tabler, 131 Ohio App. 3d 66, 721 N.E. 2d 503 (Ohio App. 10 Dist. 1999)

Southern Aviation Inc. Co. v. Miskovic, 1991 WL 76910 (Ohio App. 9 Dist., Summit County 1991)

American Continental Ins. Co. v. Estate of Gerkens, 69 Ohio App. 3d 697, 591 N.E. 2d 774 (Ohio App. 3 Dist., Paulding County 1990)

Caserta v. McSwain, 1987 WL 32173 (Ohio App. 10 Dist., Franklin County 1987)

Walden v. General Mills Restaurant Group, Inc., 31 Ohio App.3d 11, 508 N.E.2d 168 (Ohio App. 1 Dist., Hamilton County 1986)

McKee v. Williams, 23 Ohio App. 3d 187, 492 N.E. 2d 461, (Ohio App. 10 Dist., Franklin County 1985)

Rogers v. Bethesda Hospital, 1984 WL 7578 (Ohio App. 5 Dist., Muskingum County 1984)

Snedden v. Oxford Oil Company, 1984 WL 7451 (Ohio App. 5 Dist., Licking County 1984)

Neuens v. City of Columbus, 303 F.3d 667 (6th Cir. (Ohio) 2002)

Barrett v. Outlet Broadcasting, Inc., 22 F. Supp. 2d 726 (S.D. Ohio 1997)

Classes/Seminars Taught:

"Effective Presentation of Arbitrations," Ohio Association for Justice Regional Seminar, 2003

"Community School Litigation in Ohio," National Organization of Lawyers for Employment Associations, 2003

"Legal Issues for Classroom Teachers," Ohio Education Association, 2003

"Franchisor Liability in Premises Liability Cases," Columbus Bar Association, 2000

"Medicare/Medicaid Subrogation Issues," Franklin County Trial Lawyers, 2000

"Foreseeability and Discovery Issues in Premises Liability Cases," Professional Education Systems Institute, Inc., 1998

"Offense Issues in Premises Liability Cases," Professional Education Systems Institute, Inc., 1998

"Police Officers and Civil Rights Litigation," Fraternal Order of Police, 1997

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Ohio State Bar Association

National Organization of Lawyers for Education Associations

Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Ohio Association for Justice

Franklin County Trial Lawyers Association

Past Employment Positions:

Honorable J. Craig Wright, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Law Clerk and Courtroom Bailiff, 1974 - 1977

Solo Practice, 1977 – 1987

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