Jill S. Kirila

Jill partners with clients to understand their business objectives, see beyond the legal issues and formulate a practical, real-world approach to solving labor and employment problems. She draws on her extensive multistate counseling and litigation experience before federal and state courts and administrative agencies to design early, aggressive litigation and litigation avoidance strategies that combine creativity, commitment to understanding the client’s business and the client’s ultimate goals. She has counseled and defended employers against and involving all types of discrimination claims, wage and hour class and collective actions and disputes in federal courts, and executive (including ERISA) benefits and breach of contract claims.

A key part of Jill’s practice is advising on executive compensation, benefits and contract matters, from structuring the relationship to executing a removal strategy when necessary, and defending or prosecuting resulting claims, including post-termination non-compete and trade secret breaches. Having represented employers for more than 20 years, she also uses her extensive knowledge of labor and employment law to advise high-level executives and top management teams on the full strategy of executive contract negotiation.

Jill’s practice includes advising non-US based companies on establishing or expanding a presence in the US and ensuring the appropriate employment infrastructure and protections are in place. Jill also regularly works with clients and the firm’s corporate and tax practitioners on labor and employment matters arising in mergers, acquisitions, restructurings and other business transactions, including union and plant-closing and mass layoff law issues.

Jill helps employers navigate complex challenges related to the increased use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including protecting confidential information, addressing bias and discrimination, ethical considerations and policy development.

Jill also provides advice and counsel on legal issues unique to government contractors, including compliance with the OFCCP, Service Contract Act, Fair Labor Standards Act and the Davis-Bacon Act.

Jill is listed in Ohio Super Lawyers, a distinction honoring the top lawyers in the state. She has also appeared in The Best Lawyers in America since 2012.

Jill served as co-chair of our global Labor & Employment practice group from 2016-2024. She is a member of the Georgetown University’s Alumni Admissions Committee and is a graduate of the Leadership Columbus class of 2007.