Ami J. Patel
Commendations
Super Lawyers (2023 – 2025)
Super Lawyers "Rising Star"
(2013 – 2019)
Crain's "Notable Women in Law" (2024)
Memberships
- Ohio State Bar Association
Labor & Employment Law Section - Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Labor & Employment Law Section
Women in Law Section
Ami J. Patel
About Ami
Ami J. Patel is the practice leader of Zashin & Rich’s Non-Compete/Trade Secret Practice. She works in nearly all the firm’s trade secrets and non-compete cases. Ami also counsels and defends public and private employers and managers in employment issues and labor relationships. Ami’s practice particularly focuses on the issues surrounding employee departures and transitions to new employers.
Prior to joining Zashin & Rich in 2011, Ami worked as an Assistant Law Director at the City of Cleveland, where she defended the City’s management at arbitrations, civil service hearings, the Ohio State Employment Relations Board, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and in federal and state courts.
Since joining Zashin & Rich, in addition to representing the City of Cleveland, Ami has represented both private and public sector employers in matters that have confronted a variety of issues, including but not limited to: union-related issues; public-sector concerns, such as due process, immunity, First Amendment, and Section 1983 claims; Family and Medical Leave Act; the Fair Labor Standards Act; the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act; discrimination; harassment; retaliation; breach of contract; non-compete agreements; trade secrets; and wage and hour disputes.
In addition to her litigation practice, Ami also assists the firm in advising clients on employee handbooks, manuals and policy updates, agreements, protocols regarding employee transitions and departures, and disciplinary processes.
Ami has been named to the Super Lawyers Rising Star list from 2013–2019 and the 2023 Super Lawyers list in Business Litigation.
Contact Ami (ajp@zrlaw.com) at 216.696.4441 | Print Profile
“If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.”
– Mark Twain
Education
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law
J.D., 2004 - Ohio University
B.A., Sociology, Magna Cum Laude, Dean's List,
Phi Beta Kappa, 2001
Admissions
- State: Ohio
- Federal: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Federal: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- Federal: U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
- Federal: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Languages
- English, Gujrati
Reported Cases
- Ault v. Oberlin College, No. 1:13CV00176, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 119540 (N.D. Ohio Aug. 26, 2014)
- Lewis v. Cleveland Clinic Foundation, No. 1:12 CV 3003, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 168838 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 27, 2013); 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40183 (N.D. Ohio Mar. 13, 2013)
- Wallace v. MetroHealth System, No. 1:13CV01017, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151555 (N.D. Ohio Oct. 22, 2013)
- Kaim Properties, LLC v. City of Mentor, 11th Dist. Lake No. 2012 L 055, 2013-Ohio-2905
- Johnson v. City of Cleveland, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 95688, 2011-Ohio-2152
- Lentz v. City of Cleveland, 333 Fed. Appx. 42 (6th Cir. 2009)
Publications
- Say What? EEOC Takes Issue with CVS's Separation Agreement Language (Employment Law Quarterly, Summer 2014, Vol. XVI, Issue ii)
- The Department of Labor's Crackdown on Out-of-Date Employee Handbook is a Costly Reminder to Regularly Update Employee Handbooks (Employment Law Quarterly, Summer 2014, Vol. XVI, Issue ii)