Karen S. McQueen, Attorney at Law - Canton, OH

Distinguished Employment Law and Mediation Counsel in Canton

In high-stakes corporate disputes and employment conflicts, securing experienced, measured, and highly credible legal counsel is crucial for achieving resolutions. Karen Soehnlen McQueen serves as of counsel and lead mediator with Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths and Dougherty Co., L.P.A. (KWGD), headquartered at 4775 Munson St NW in Canton, Ohio. Having earned her Juris Doctor summa cum laude from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1984 where she was named to the Order of the Coif, attorney McQueen brings more than four decades of elite legal acumen to every matter.

As the former co-chair of KWGD's Labor and Employment Practice Group, Karen Soehnlen McQueen has long been regarded as one of Ohio's preeminent employment practitioners. Consistently honored in The Best Lawyers in America and Ohio Super Lawyers, she possesses an AV Preeminent peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Whether regional corporations need to find a lawyer for administrative defense or conflicting parties seek an objective neutral, attorney McQueen delivers sophisticated legal analysis backed by deep institutional knowledge.

Alternative Dispute Resolution and Neutral Mediation Services

Recognizing that prolonged litigation can drain financial resources and damage professional relationships, attorney McQueen devotes a substantial portion of her current practice to facilitative and evaluative mediation. As a skilled mediator and arbitrator, she helps conflicting parties bridge difficult impasses, explore pragmatic settlement frameworks, and resolve controversies confidentially outside the courtroom.

Her mediation practice covers a broad array of complex civil matters, including:

• Employment Litigation Disputes: Mediating claims of wrongful discharge, retaliatory termination, and administrative workplace grievances.
• Discrimination and Harassment Claims: Guiding employers and employees toward constructive resolutions in sensitive civil rights disputes.
• Commercial Contract Controversies: Assisting businesses in resolving partnership divisions, vendor conflicts, and breach of agreement disputes as skilled contract lawyers.
• Restrictive Covenant Conflicts: Resolving high-stakes enforcement battles regarding non-competition covenants and trade secret protection.

Comprehensive Management-Side Employment Defense

Throughout her career, Karen Soehnlen McQueen has built a formidable reputation defending employers in state and federal courts, as well as before regulatory bodies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC). As seasoned employment and labor lawyers, she helps businesses implement preventative personnel policies while defending management against aggressive legal challenges.

Her defense practice encompasses defending companies against allegations handled by workplace discrimination lawyers and harassment lawyers, addressing claims involving race, gender, age, disability, and hostile work environments. Additionally, she counsels corporate clients on compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), serving as knowledgeable wage and hour lawyers regarding overtime exemptions, payroll audits, and independent contractor classifications.

Community Governance and Stark County Leadership

Beyond her legal practice, Karen Soehnlen McQueen is deeply committed to public service and civic advancement across Northeast Ohio. Appointed by Ohio's Governor to the Board of Trustees of Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), she contributes valuable governance insight to the region's premier medical education institution. Alongside her family, she also established the Richard and Karen Soehnlen McQueen Family Charitable Fund through the Stark Community Foundation, supporting youth enrichment and charitable organizations throughout Stark County.

When organizations seek to hire an attorney who commands absolute respect across the Ohio legal landscape, Karen Soehnlen McQueen at KWGD offers unparalleled expertise in employment law management and dispute mediation.