George L. Stevens

George is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the labor and employment group.  He has significant experience litigating all types of employment discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, accommodation and wage and hour cases in state and federal court.  His practice also involves day-to-day counseling on a wide range of issues, including employee termination and discipline, employment contracts, severance and termination agreements, employee and public accommodation, and reductions in force.  He has developed a strategy in handling website accessibility issues and advising on pay equity analyses, and is a frequent speaker on topics including website accessibility, public accommodation and equal pay act issues.

Notable experience includes:

• Obtaining denial of class certification in a putative wage-and-hour class action in the Orange County (CA) Superior Court
• Obtaining summary judgment in disparate impact discrimination case stemming from a nationwide reduction in force before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and successfully defending on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• Obtaining judgment on the pleadings to an employer in a wrongful termination and harassment case before the Franklin County (OH) Court of Common Pleas and successfully defending on appeal before the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals
• Obtaining dismissal of a pair of public accommodation cases before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
• Obtaining a multi-million dollar damage award on behalf of a client in a deceptive trade practices case against a competitor in the Delaware County (OH) Court of Common Pleas
• Obtaining judgment on the pleadings in a putative wage-and-hour collective and class action before the Ohio Court of Claims
• Counseling eCommerce and retail companies on issues and litigation relating to the accessibility of their public-facing websites nationwide

George received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.  While at Vanderbilt, he served as an ambassador for prospective students, served on the executive board of the Phi Delta Phi honors society and coached youth soccer.  He received his B.A. from Centre College.  While at Centre, he spent four years as a varsity swimmer, coached youth soccer and founded a project that rebuilt a community park.  He also works with Advocating Opportunity, an organization which provides comprehensive, holistic, trauma-responsive legal and support services to persons who have experienced sex and labor trafficking.

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Labor and Employment – Management, 2024

Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Labor & Employment, 2022-2024

Teaching/Speaking Engagements

Presenter, “What You Need to Know: Ohio’s New Employment Law Uniformity Act,” February 2021

Presenter, “eCommerce Litigation: Common Issues & Leading Strategies,” February 2021

Presenter, In-House Essentials: “Workplace Civility, Off-Duty Conduct, and the First Amendment,” November 2018