01 / Biography
Built around workers.
Bob DeRose is a Bulldog Law wage-and-hour litigation attorney. Before joining Bulldog, he served as Partner-in-Charge of the Workplace Litigation Department at Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP and as that firm's managing partner. His practice focuses on wage-and-hour and overtime disputes, employment matters, and consumer claims.
After earning his law degree from the University of Dayton in 1991, Bob practiced briefly in Dayton before moving to Columbus in 1994 and joining the firm then known as Barkan+Neff. He began there representing injured workers throughout Ohio. In 2005, he handled an overtime matter involving 10,000 current and former Lowe's employees in Ohio and Pennsylvania that resulted in a settlement.
Bob has since concentrated on wage-and-hour cases for employees in Ohio and nationwide. His courtroom work includes jury verdicts, two arguments before the Supreme Court of Ohio, and appellate arguments in multiple federal circuits. Public profiles report that Bob and his prior firm recovered more than $100 million in wages for employees.
02 / Practice
Where the work is focused.
- Wage and hour litigation
- Overtime claims
- Employment disputes
- Consumer claims
- Complex worker litigation
03 / Career
A record of building and trying cases.
1994
Joined the Columbus firm
Moved to Columbus and joined the firm then known as Barkan+Neff, initially representing injured workers throughout Ohio.
2005
Large-scale overtime representation
Handled an overtime matter for 10,000 current and former Lowe's employees in Ohio and Pennsylvania and secured a settlement for the workers.
Trial and appeal
A practice built for court
Has taken cases to jury verdict and argued in state and federal courts, including twice before the Supreme Court of Ohio and in several federal appellate circuits.
Worker leadership
State and national advocacy
Served as president of the Ohio Association for Justice and the Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group, a national organization dedicated to workers and their families.
04 / Education
Education.
- University of Dayton School of Law, J.D., 1991
- Washington & Jefferson College, B.A. in Economics, 1988
05 / Admissions
Courts and jurisdictions.
State courts
- Supreme Court of Ohio
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme and appellate courts
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, and Tenth Circuits
Federal district courts
- Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio
- Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania
- Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana
- Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan
- Western District of New York
- District of Colorado
- District of Maryland
06 / Credentials
Selected honors.
- The Best Lawyers in America, recognized since 2011
- Columbus Lawyer of the Year in Employment Law, 2022 and 2023, as reported by his firm
- Ohio Super Lawyers selection
- Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Ohio
- University of Dayton School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award, 2015
- Fellow, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
- Fellow, Ohio State Bar Foundation
07 / Credentials
Leadership and service.
- Former President, Ohio Association for Justice
- Former President, Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group
- Former Board Member, Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation
- Genoa Township Board of Zoning Appeals
- Interfaith Worker Justice National Board of Directors
08 / Credentials
Teaching and writing.
- Adjunct faculty, Capital University Law School Paralegal Program
- Guest lecturer at Ohio Northern University, University of Dayton, The Ohio State University, and University of Arkansas
- Editing author, American Bar Association treatise The Fair Labor Standards Act
- Co-author, Ohio Workers' Compensation Law: A Practice Guide
- Co-author, Misclassifying Employees: The Art of Wage Theft
09 / Credentials
Professional associations.
- AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee
- American Association for Justice
- Ohio Association for Justice
- Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group
- National Employment Lawyers Association
- Ohio Employment Lawyers Association
- Ohio State Bar Association
