Benjamin A. Shepler

Ben is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the labor and employment group.  He counsels clients on legal compliance and day-to-day workforce management issues, including employee discipline, accommodation and termination decisions.  Ben represents employers of all sizes before administrative agencies and in federal and state courts throughout the country.  He also drafts employee handbooks, policies and employment contracts designed to reflect employers’ unique business and legal needs.

Career highlights include:

• Successfully defending a national retailer in a pregnancy discrimination jury trial in federal court in New York

• Obtaining summary judgment dismissals of employment lawsuits in a variety of federal and state courts and through arbitration

• Regularly representing national retailers and manufacturers in individual and class/collective action employment litigation throughout the country

• Assisting local, regional, and national employers with coordination of their disability, FMLA, OSHA, and workers’ compensation obligations

• Directing employment-related due diligence for company mergers and acquisitions

• Advising employers on OSHA compliance issues and providing representation during OSHA investigations

• Drafting or consulting on amicus briefs presenting employment-related issues before the Supreme Court of Ohio and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Ben is a frequent speaker on a full range of employment law topics and has conducted training for human resources professionals and front line managers on topics including harassment prevention, union awareness and compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Ben received his J.D. summa cum laude from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and served as a managing editor of The Ohio State Law Journal.  He received his B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Missouri. 

Ben served as a law clerk for the Honorable William Ray Price, Jr., Supreme Court of Missouri.

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2024-2025

Professional & Community Activities

YWCA Human Resources Committee