Brian W. Dressel

Brian is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the labor and employment group.  His practice focuses on a wide range of employment law matters.  Brian has significant experience litigating a variety of employment cases, including discrimination, retaliation, trade secrets, wage-and-hour and FMLA matters.  He is also a member of the firm’s appellate subgroup and has litigated several appeals in state and federal court.

Significant experience includes:

• Obtaining a complete not-liable jury verdict following a trial featuring multiple plaintiffs seeking multi-million-dollar damages based on allegations of wrongful discharge and retaliation.
• Successfully litigating appeals in state court and three different federal circuit courts.
• Defeating collective claims in wage-and-hour litigation in both state and federal court.
• Winning summary judgment on single-plaintiff matters alleging discrimination.
• Counseling clients on numerous issues, including protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ employees in the workplace, wage-and-hour compliance and anti-discrimination and harassment policies.

Brian also has experience litigating matters in the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the Ohio Supreme Court.  

Prior to joining Vorys, Brian served as a judicial law clerk in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals for the Honorable Chief Judge R. Guy Cole, Jr.  

Brian received his J.D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was the executive editor for the Michigan Journal of Environmental and Administrative Law and a finalist in the Henry M. Campbell Moot Court Competition.  He received his B.A. magna cum laude in political science and economics from The Ohio State University.

Brian is the head coach of the undergraduate mock trial team at The Ohio State University.

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers In America: Ones to Watch, Labor and Employment – Management, 2026