Adrian D. Thompson serves as co-partner-in-charge of the Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP Cleveland office, a group of 65 local attorneys, and is a member of the firm’s executive and participation committees. In addition, he has served as Taft’s Chief Diversity Officer since 2015, directing the firm’s strategy regarding diversity and inclusion initiatives across Taft’s offices and in the communities the firm serves.
Adrian earned his J.D. from the The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 1986. He is an active member of Taft’s Public Law, Education – Litigation, Employment Law, School Public Finance, and Labor and Employment Litigation practice groups. His practice focuses on private sector client issues, including equal employment opportunity litigation, wage-hour matters, employment of the disabled, federal housing, and other labor matters. He also represents school districts in contract negotiations, grievance arbitration, litigation, education of the disabled, and employment discrimination matters.
Mr. Thompson has been recognized as one of the “500 Most Influential Leaders in Cleveland” by Cleveland Magazine from 2021 through 2024. In 2023, he was named a “Living Legacy” Award Honoree by the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. He was also honored as a 2022 “Notable in Law” by Crain's Cleveland Business and recognized as a 2022 “Trailblazer” honoree by the Norman S. Minor Bar Association.
Adrian served as the 2022–2023 president of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and is president emeritus of the board of directors of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. He is also a member of the Supreme Court of Ohio Task Force on Commercial Dockets and serves on the Advisory Group for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
Laverne Largie Tucker, Esq., is barred in the states of Maryland, District of Columbia, New York and Florida. Her practice areas include general civil litigation, personal injury and health care law. She also has experience in workers' compensation, premises liability and administrative law.
She's the "past" Chair of the National Bar Association's Health Law Section since July 2016; which was recently awarded Section of the Year in July 2018 and July 2019. She has been an esteemed member of the National Black Lawyers Top 100 (Maryland), since 2015. She was previously employed as In-House Counsel for Liberty Mutual Group; wherein she represented Liberty Mutual and its policyholders in civil litigation matters from 2011 - 2015. She obtained an LL.M degree in Health Care Law from Loyola University of Chicago in 2012, while working full-time as a litigator. In March of 2013, she became certified in Health Care Compliance (CHC) by the Health Care Compliance Association. She was a contributing author to "The Criminalization of Medical Malpractice from Past to Present and the Implications on Patient Safety and Voluntary Error Reporting", Chapter 41 in the Patient Safety Handbook, 2d edition, Jones and Bartlett Learning, Burlington, MA (published September 2012).
Ms. Tucker has served on the American Bar Association's Health Law Section Post-Acute Care Continuum Task force as the Student Liaison since October 2013. She also served as a Liaison on the American Health Lawyer's Association's Diversity & Inclusion Council from October 2013 - 2017. She was a member and the Past Chair of the Florida Bar Members Benefits Committee from 2009 - 2010. Ms. Largie Tucker was recognized as an Honorary Alumnus from Nova Southeastern University School of Law in 2002 for her efforts in giving back to the community. Ms. Tucker was also awarded a National Association of Public Interest Law Fellowship from 2000 - 2002, when she worked at Legal Aid Services of Broward County, Inc., on a project designed to eliminate legal barriers to employment and education for the poor.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
- Florida Bar, Member Benefits Committee, Member (Past Chair, 2009 - 2010)
- Health Care Compliance Association, Member
- National Bar Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
AWARDS AND HONORS
Lawyers of Distinction (May 2019); National Bar Association's Section of the Year Award for the Health Law Section Chair 2018 & 2019; National Bar Association's President's Award - July 2018; The Global Directory of Who's Who (January 2017); National Association of Public Interest Law Fellowship, 2000 - 2002; Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center Honorary Alumnus, 2002; Contributing author to "The Criminalization of Medical Malpractice from Past to Present and the Implications on Patient Safety and Voluntary Error Reporting" Chapter 41 in the Patient Safety Handbook, 2nd edition Jones and Bartlett Learning, Burlington, MA (published September 2012).
PRACTICE AREAS
- General Civil Litigation
- Personal Injury
- Health Care Law
- Workers' Compensation
- Premises Liability
- Administrative Law & Mediations
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Maryland District of Columbia
- New York
- Florida
EDUCATION
- Health Care Compliance Basic Compliance Academy, San Francisco, CA, 2013
- LL.M, Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, 2012
- J.D., Nova Southeastern University School of Law, 2000
- B.A., University of Miami, 1996
Michelle H. Shefton is an Associate in the firm’s Philadelphia office. Ms. Shefton focuses her practice on defending healthcare providers and medical professionals against professional and general liability matters. She also represents clients in matters related to allegations of sexual misconduct and physical abuse.
Prior to joining Burns White, Ms. Shefton served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office where she prosecuted economic crimes, handled large economic investigations, reviewed contracts and bank documents, and prepared motions. In addition, she served our country as a member of the United States Army where she received the Army Commendation Medal for Extraordinary Achievement or Meritorious Service, the Army Achievement Medal for Distinguished, Meritorious Service, or Achievement, and the Good Conduct Medal for Exemplary Conduct, Efficiency and Fidelity. Ms. Shefton was also Paralegal Specialist and a Tax Center Specialist for the United States Army.
Ms. Shefton received his Juris Doctor from the Charlotte School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Pennsylvania State University. Ms. Shefton is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Areas of Law
- Healthcare and Long-Term Care
- Medical Malpractice Defense
- Sexual Misconduct & Physical Abuse Litigation
Education
- Charlotte School of Law (J.D. 2015)
- Pennsylvania State University (B.A. 2006)
Bar and Court Admissions
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Memberships
- The National Black Lawyers Top 100 (Philadelphia)
- Montgomery County Bar Association
- National Black Prosecutor’s Association
- Disabled American Veteran
- Penn State Alumni Association
Honors and Awards
- Army Commendation Medal for Extraordinary Achievement or Meritorious Service
- Army Achievement Medal for Distinguished, Meritorious Service, or Achievement
- Good Conduct Medal for Exemplary Conduct, Efficiency and Fidelity
Attorney Eldridge Suggs IV has dedicated his life to serving his community—first through his enlistment in the U.S. Navy, and later as a Police Officer.
Following his service in law enforcement, he turned his commitment to justice toward the courtroom, becoming a Civil Rights Lawyer advocating for fairness and accountability.
Now, as the founder of Suggs Law Firm, P.C., Attorney Suggs is fully devoted to making communities safer and holding wrongdoers responsible. He is known for demanding high and fair compensation for those who have been seriously injured, and he has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for clients across the United States.
Don is a trial lawyer who excels at representing large clients in complex and multi-plaintiff race employment discrimination cases. He has handled many high-profile and high-damage cases in the sports, military contractor and retail industries. Don has served as lead trial counsel in all types of employment disputes in federal and state courts in New Hampshire, New York, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee including post-decertification wage and hour jury trials for major national employers. Don’s practice encompasses all aspects of labor law and labor relations. He has extensive experience assisting the firm's clients in responding to union organizing campaigns, negotiating and advising clients with respect to the administration of collective bargaining agreements and representing clients in grievance and arbitration proceedings. In addition to his litigation and labor law activities, Don's daily practice revolves significantly around providing advice and counsel to C-Suite executives on whistleblower and other matters in the following business sectors: Technology, Retail, Military Contractors and Manufacturing. Honors & Recognitions Acritas Star Lawyers (2018) Best Lawyers in America ® (2010-2021) Chambers USA Guide ® (2010-2020) Client Choice Award (2016) Client Service All Star – BTI (2012-2015) Kansas City's Best Lawyer, 435 Magazine (2016-2017) Legal 500 Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent ® Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers ® (2007-2018) Missouri Top Lawyers (2016) Most Influential Black Lawyers in the Country, SAVOY Magazine (2015) People on the Move, Kansas City Business Journal (2017) The Best Lawyers in Kansas City - Ingram's (2016) Top Attorney of the Year, International Association of Top Professionals (2016-2017) Who's Who Legal Award (2016) Lawyers of Distinction, ABA Journal (2019) Labor and Employment Law - Law Firm of the Year - USA, Finance Monthly Legal Awards (2019) Client Service All-Star, BTI (2019) Trailblazer of the Year, Metropolitan Black Bar Association (2019) A+ Superior Attorney Rating, The National Registry (2019) Power List, Lawyers of Color (2020) Lawyers of Distinction (2020) Acritas Star (2020) Professional & Civic Associations American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section National Bar Association The Missouri Bar Pennsylvania Bar Association The Executive Leadership Council The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Harvesters Community Food Networks, Board of Directors (2012-2017) Advisory Board of National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches, Member Advisory Board SafePorter LLC, Member Advisory council National employment Law Council (NELC), Member Practices Class/Collective Actions Employment Litigation Prevention & Defense Whistleblower & Retaliation Practice Emphasis Employee Relations Counseling Union Negotiation and Arbitration Industries Franchising Sports & Entertainment Education Boston University School of Law J.D., 1992 Fordham University B.A., 1989 Bar & Court Admissions Missouri, 1992 Pennsylvania, 2004 U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois Languages French