John T. Sunderland

Practices

• Business Litigation
• Labor & Employment

Professional Experience

John is a member in the firm's Business Litigation, Product Liability Litigation, and Labor and Employment practice groups. He focuses his practice on commercial and complex litigation, including fraud, breach of contract, RICO, and product liability litigation, representing corporate and individual clients at both the trial and appellate levels. Additionally, John regularly conducts administrative hearings before the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals regarding tax fund allocations, local government fund allocation appeals, and library fund allocation appeals. John has been voted by his peers to be one of Columbus' Top Lawyers.

Education

• Capital University Law School, J.D., 1983, summa cum laude
• Kenyon College, A.B., 1976, cum laude

• Successfully represented Highlands Insurance Group in an $80 million dispute deriving from its spinoff from Halliburton Company. Reported opinion: Highlands Insurance Group, Inc. v. Halliburton Co., No. 17971, 2001 Del. Ch. LEXIS 32 (March 21, 2001), affirmed 801 A.2d 10 (Del. 2002)
• Obtained a $9.5 million judgment in favor of Highlands Insurance Group in litigation with Halliburton Company relating to insurance reimbursement.  Reported opinion:  Highlands Insurance Group, Inc. v. Halliburton Company, 852 A.2d 1 (Del. 2003)
• Served as lead counsel in Superfund litigation involving the cleanup of a former solvent recycling facility in Granville, Ohio. Reported opinion:  AT&T Global Information Solutions Co. v. Union Tank Car Co., 29 F. Supp. 2d 857 (S.D. Ohio 1998)
• Served as general outside legal counsel for a major Ohio medical malpractice insurer.
• Obtained a multimillion-dollar settlement on behalf of Unimag Corporation in an investment financing dispute with Prudential Capital Corporation
• Defended a Columbus, Ohio law firm and individual lawyers in class action securities litigation, including RICO claims, arising from the failure of a major midwest stock brokerage company. Reported opinions:  In re Dublin Securities, Inc., Terlecky v. Hurd, 133 F.3d 377 (6th Cir. 1997); In re Dublin Securities, Inc., Terlecky v. Hurd, 197 B.R. 66 (S.D. Ohio 1996)
• Successfully defended a Columbus, Ohio lawyer in a prosecution alleging criminal violations of Ohio’s securities laws.  Reported opinions:  State v. Hurd, No. 96AP03-326, 1999 Ohio App. LEXIS 2047 (May 4, 1999); State v. Hurd, 89 Ohio St. 3d 616 (2000)
• Obtained a $3.0 million judgment in favor of a medical professional who had been enticed into a fraudulent investment scheme
• Defeated a $1.5 million investment claim by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation against a major regional banking company. Reported opinion:  Ohio Bur. Of Workers' Comp. v. Key Bank Nat'l. Assn., 140 Ohio App. 3d 698 (2000)
• Successfully represented a major book wholesaler in a breach of contract action
• Defeated a multi-million dollar class action claim against an international coatings company alleging damages from environmental contamination.  Reported opinion:  Ramirez v. Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc., 153 Ohio App. 3d 115 (2003)
• Represented a telephone company in a constitutional challenge to portions of Ohio’s public utility property tax system.  Reported opinion:  GTE North v. Zaino, 96 Ohio St. 3d 9 (2002)
• Represented various governmental entities in tax matters before the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court. Reported opinions:  Lima v. Allen Cty. Budget Comm., 66 Ohio St. 3d 167 (1993); Shawnee Twp. v. Allen Cty. Budget Comm., 58 Ohio St. 3d 14 (1991); Warren Cty. Park Dist. v. Warren Cty. Budget Comm., 37 Ohio St 3d 68 (1988); Englewood v. Montgomery Cty. Budget Comm., 39 Ohio App. 3d 153 (1987); Union Township v. Butler Cty. Budget Comm., 101 Ohio App. 3d 212 (1995)
• Defended various ERISA claims on behalf of clients including UNUM Life Insurance Company of America, Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company, and Guarantee Life Insurance Company. Reported opinions:  Allen v. UnionMutual Stock Life Ins. Co., 989 F. Supp. 961 (S.D. Ohio 1997); Donnelly v. Guarantee Mutual Life Ins. Co., No. 98-3266, 1999 U.S. App. LEXIS 8736 (6th Cir. May 4, 1999)
• Defended a major internet service provider in a Uniform Commercial Code dispute.  Reported opinion:  RFC Capital Corp. v. EarthLink, Inc., No. 03AP-735, 2004 Ohio App. LEXIS 6507 (December 23, 2004)
• Successfully represented the Ohio Land Title Association as amicus curiae before the Ohio Supreme Court in a negligence action.  Reported opinion:  Valentine v. Willard & Assocs. Title Search Servs., 96 Ohio St. 3d 1216 (2002)
• Represented the Ohio Republican Party in an election contest case involving the 1990 election for Ohio Attorney General.  Reported opinion:  State ex rel. Bennett v. Bds. Of Election, 56 Ohio St. 3d 1 (1990)
• Represented numerous clients in defending of a wide variety of employment and discrimination claims. Reported opinions: Alderdice v. American Health Holding, Inc., 118 F. Supp. 2d 856 (S.D. Ohio 2000); Moses v. Sterling Commerce, Inc., No. 02AP-161, 2002 Ohio App. LEXIS 4347 (August 15, 2002); Whitt v. NewMedia, Inc., No. 97 APE 12-1625, 1998 Ohio App. LEXIS 3327 (July 21, 1998)
• Successfully conducted a pro bono appeal of a criminal conviction before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States v. Combs, 369 F.3d 925 (6th Cir. 2004)

• Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers by Ohio Super Lawyer magazine in 2007
• Listed in The Best Lawyers of America, 2012