Shoveling Smoke

Aug 01 2023
Shoveling Smoke Podcast artwork

Shoveling Smoke – A Frantz Ward Lawcast is a podcast series created by Frantz Ward LLP, a full-service law firm in Cleveland, Ohio. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said that "lawyers spend a great deal of their time shoveling smoke." One interpretation of his remark is that lawyers take a vague concept or principle and give it shape, clearing away the smoke. Our podcast series focuses on current legal issues and news items that may affect your business, your community or you as an individual. Our attorneys – sometimes with a judge, client or other guest – spend 15-20 minutes exploring an issue and, at the end, provide a few takeaways to assist you in making sense of the gray areas of law.

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Do You Hear That? Employers Facing Rise in OSHA section 11(c) Whistleblower Complaints

Aug 01 2023 18 mins  
In recent years, the number of OSHA Whistleblower complaints has been steadily on the rise, but why? In the newest episode of Shoveling Smoke, Frantz Ward Partner Christina Niro joins host Chris Koehler as they discuss current trends, how an OSHA whistleblower complaint gets filed and investigated, and how to prepare for and defend against them.

Labor and Employment Updates in 2023 – A Preview of Frantz Ward’s Annual Labor Seminar

May 09 2023 15 mins  
The labor and employment fields seem like they’re in a constant state of change. If you’re looking for an update, why not learn from the best? Labor & Employment Practice Group Partner Christina Niro joins host Chris Koehler as she summarizes some of the recent labor and employment updates that will be covered during the firm’s upcoming annual L&E seminar, “Avoiding Panda-m

Filling the Employment Gap: A Conversation with Team NEO’s Jacob Duritsky

Dec 07 2022 26 mins  
As businesses continue to face challenges in locating and retaining employees, it’s clear that a key to the growth and success of Northeast Ohio’s economy is the development of the workforce and talent to fill existing job opportunities and those on the horizon. Team NEO’s Jacob Duritsky joins Frantz Ward’s Chris Koehler to discuss Team NEO’s 2022 Aligning Opportunities r

HR Evolved: How Attorneys can Partner with HR Professionals in a Constantly Changing World

Sep 27 2022 31 mins  
Human Resources is an ever-changing field and the Pandemic only seemed to demonstrate this further. From updating guidelines, to updating technology, the evolution of HR in the last few years alone is enough to put even the most ardent of HR professionals through the wringer. Now more than ever, HR professionals are relying on their attorneys, both in-house and outside counsel, to

Where There's A Will, There's A Way

Jul 12 2022 15 mins  
Will my family be taken care of when I am no longer around? Who will take care of me if I become incapacitated? Although these are questions we often don’t like to consider, the Covid-19 pandemic woke many people up to the need to have an estate plan in place. Frantz Ward attorney Rick Humiston joins the podcast to discuss the basic elements of Estate Planning as well as some add

Reading the Fine Print: Making Your Terms and Conditions Match Your Business Goals and Risks

Apr 26 2022 19 mins  
As Pete Seeger said, "Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't." As world events continue to have lingering impacts on the transaction of business, some companies are learning the hard way that their contractual Terms and Conditions don't align with their current business risks and goals. Terms and Conditions are not "one size fits all,"

Business Law Update: A Primer on Ohio’s Revised LLC Act

Apr 05 2022 15 mins  
Ohio recently modernized its laws governing limited liability companies through the Revised Limited Liability Company Act. The revised regulations apply to all Ohio limited liability companies, regardless of when organized, making it crucial for Ohio LLCs to understand the changes and their potential impact. Frantz Ward attorney Michael Gibbons joins the podcast to highlight the ke

Unpacking the Packing: A Perspective on the Efforts to Expand the Supreme Court

Mar 01 2022 28 mins  
Controversy regarding the claimed increased partisanship of the U.S. Supreme Court and efforts to change the Court’s makeup by expanding its numbers continues to be in the headlines. So Shoveling Smoke thought it would be interesting to take a historical and constitutional look at how the Court’s number was established, how it has been the subject of threatened changes in the p

Public-Private Sector Collaboration as a Means to Economic Development: A Blueprint from the Shaker Heights Development Fund

Nov 09 2021 26 mins  
Great things can happen when government and the private sector combine forces to address a problem that neither can effectively address on its own. Nick Fedor, Executive Director of the Shaker Heights Development Corporation, joins the podcast to discuss how his organization is doing just that by sponsoring a real estate development fund allowing private investment in order to rede

The Basics for Building Your Workforce

Oct 19 2021 13 mins  
As a business grows, a very exciting step is adding the company’s first employees, but it is also one that should be very intentional and well-considered. Frantz Ward attorney Megan Bennett joins the podcast to discuss the importance of developing job descriptions, considering the terms “employee” and “independent contractor,” and how to develop policies and procedures to