Anthony L. Osterlund

Tony is a partner in the Vorys Cincinnati office and a member of the litigation group.  He litigates in state and federal courts throughout the country, with a focus on commercial, environmental, product liability, toxic tort, contract and insurance disputes.  He represents governmental entities, oil and gas companies, waste transporters, manufacturers, financial institutions, logistics companies, physicians and physician groups, and other businesses and individuals.

Tony's practice includes disputes involving covenants not to compete, misappropriation of trade secrets, environmental litigation, (CERCLA, RCRA, CWA, OPA, SDWA and companion state laws), federal and state citizen suits, federal consent decrees, governmental disputes, lender liability, will contests, wrongful death, and employment claims, including race, sex, age and disability actions.

Career highlights include:

General Litigation

• Serving as general counsel for international product manufacturer and regional transportation company
• Successfully defending employer in wrongful death intentional tort case
• Obtaining dismissal of a variety of OSHA claims in both California and Kentucky
• Achieving trial judgments in favor of employers in non-compete cases
• Preventing unfair competition and theft of trade secrets through dozens of injunction hearings in state and federal courts
• Successfully defending builders / manufacturers in construction-related cases
• Successfully defending a national employer in multiple discrimination cases
• Obtaining several multi-million dollar fraud and embezzlement judgments

• Successfully handling appeals in state and federal courts

Environmental

• Litigating CERCLA / Superfund, RCRA and Clean Water Act (CWA) cases
• Obtaining a multi-million dollar settlement for General Electric in a CERCLA cost-recovery case against the U.S. Air Force
• Successfully blocking municipality from interfering with federal CWA Consent Decree, including briefing to U.S. Supreme Court
• Obtaining multi-million dollar settlement for a water district owner

• Serving as trial and appellate counsel for a sewer district with a multi-billion dollar Clean Water Act Consent Decree, to include Regulator and Operator disputes, and challenges by local jurisdictions

• Successfully defending a wrongful death action against a Hazardous Waste Management and Disposal company

• Serving as trial counsel before the Ohio Environmental Appeals Committee (ERAC) regarding NPDES permit challenges

• Advising on Underground Injection Control disposal oil-field waste issues

Class Action / Toxic Tort

• Serving as in-house counsel to product manufacturer advising on all aspects of toxic tort litigation
• Preventing class certification in multiple state and federal court prescription drug cases
• Obtaining a dismissal of a putative federal class action formaldehyde case
• Successfully defending dozens of clients in thousands of toxic tort cases

Tony is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association and the Cincinnati Bar Association.

Tony has presented seminars on various topics of trial advocacy, as well as waste fluid disposal, tort reform, medical malpractice, non-competition agreements, physician contracts, UCC Article 2 litigation and employment litigation.

Tony received his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law where he was the editor in chief of the University of Cincinnati Law Review.  He received his B.A. from Iowa State University.

Before joining Vorys, Tony served in the United States Marine Corps, obtained the rank of captain and served in Operation Desert Storm.

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law, 2024-2025; Litigation – Environmental, 2024-2025; Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2023-2025; Litigation – Real Estate, 2023-2025; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, 2023-2025; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2023-2025; Real Estate, 2021-2022

Professional & Community Activities

Cincinnati Bar Foundation, Member, 2010, Grant Committee Chair, Secretary, 2010 to present

Cincinnati Bar Foundation, Immediate Past President            

Cincinnati Bar Association, Trustee

Cincinnati Bar Association, 2000 to present

Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce Health Care Committee, Member, 2009 to present

University of Cincinnati College of Law Alumni Association, Board of Trustees, 2001-2011

Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 2003 to present

Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers (CALL) Class XII, 2008

Barrister's Leadership Program, 2000

Veterans of Foreign Wars, Member, 1991 to present