Practice Areas: Business Litigation, Class Action & Mass Torts, Appellate; view more
Licensed in Ohio since: 1977
Education: Harvard Law School
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2025 Details
Nationally renowned across the nation for his work in corporate and business law, as well as in municipal law, sports law, legal malpractice, medical liability and many others, Eric H. Zagrans maintains consistency in his eminent representation in every case he takes on. From the Zagrans Law Firm LLC in Powell, Ohio, he has handled myriad complex cases involving class actions, securities litigation, auditor and accountant liability, and ERISA, and pension benefit litigation, as well as white collar defense, and serves clients nationwide.
Mr. Zagrans completed his undergraduate studies in 1974, graduating with his A.B. degree from the University of Notre Dame, and he went on to pursue his legal studies at Harvard University Law School. After receiving his Juris Doctor in 1977, he obtained his license to practice law in Ohio the same year, and he later became admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., and before the following courts:
- The United States District Court for the District of Arizona
- The United States District Court for the District of Colorado
- The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
- The United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
- The United States District Courts for the Southern and Northern Districts of Ohio
- The United States District Court for the District of Maryland
- The United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- The United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th Circuits
- The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
For his tireless efforts in promoting the standard of client care of his industry to even greater heights, Mr. Zagrans was acknowledged by many prestigious legal organizations, including being named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers on numerous occasions, as well as being recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in appellate practice, commercial litigation, and class actions and mass tort litigation. Moreover, he is a life member of both the American Law Institute and the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference, as well as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and in addition, is board-certified as a civil trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Within his legal community, Mr. Zagrans is a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Cleveland Bar Association, the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys and the American Corporate Counsel Association. He has garnered praise from his peers for the efficacious advocacy he provides to his clients no matter the complexity of their cases, and he has been peer-review rated AV Preeminent* through Martindale-Hubbell and holds a “Very Good” rating on Avvo.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Business Litigation, Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff, Appellate, Business/Corporate, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Defense, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff, Professional Liability: Defense, Professional Liability: PlaintiffFocus areas
Appeals, Class Actions, Contracts, Ethics & Professional Responsibility, Legal Malpractice, Medical Malpractice, Non-Compete Agreements, Toxic Torts, Trade Secret
- 20% Business Litigation
- 20% Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff
- 10% Appellate
- 10% Business/Corporate
- 10% Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Defense
- 10% Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff
- 20% Other
First Admitted: 1977, Ohio
Professional Webpage: https://zagrans.com/professionals/lawyers/eric-h-zagrans/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Life Member, Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference
- Life Member, American Law Institute, 2009-Present; Member, 1987-2009
- Ohio, 1977
- District of Columbia, 1978, 1978
- United States Supreme Court, 1981, 1981
- United States District Courts District of Colorado, 2012
- United States District Courts Southern District of Indiana, 2006
- United States Courts of Appeals Ninth Circuit, 1999
- United States Courts of Appeals Seventh Circuit, 2012
- United States Courts of Appeals Second Circuit, 2003
- Member, District of Columbia Bar Association, 1978-present
- Member, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, 1981-1988
- United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1978
- Complex Litigation Project, American Law Institute, 1987-1994
- United States District Court, District of Maryland, 1978
- Restatement of the Law Governing Lawyers, American Law Institute, 1996-present
- Member, American Bar Association, 1978-present
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association, 1978-1992
- Member, District of Columbia Bar Association
- Member, Lorain County Bar Association, 1979-2004.
- United States Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, 1978
- Members' Consultative Group, Corporate Governance Project, American Law Institute, 1988-1992
- United States District Court, District of D.C., 1978
- Restatement (Third) of the Law of Products Liability, American Law Institute, 1995-present
- United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, 1981
- Approved ADR panelist, Northern District of Ohio, 1992-present
- United States District Court, District of Arizona, 1996
- Section of Litigation Appellate Practice, Corporate Counsel, Federal Procedure, Professional Liability, Trial Evidence and Trial Practice Committees, American Bar Association
- Member, Litigation, Business Law, Antitrust, Torts and Insurance Practice Sections, American Bar Association, 1978
- Member, Cleveland Bar Association, 1978-present
- Member, American Corporate Counsel Association, 1989-1992
- United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1980
- Federal Judicial Code Revision Project, American Law Institute, 1996-present
- United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, 1978
- Advisory Committee on Local Rules for the Northern District of Ohio under the Civil Justice Reform Act of 1990, 1991-1994
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 1997
- Judicial Administration Division and Sections of Business Law, Antitrust Law, Tort & Insurance Practice and Litigation, American Bar Association
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- Local No. 93 Int’l Ass’n of Firefighters v. City of Cleveland, 478 U.S. 501, 1986
- Estate of Mikulski v. Toledo Edison Co., Lucas Cty. (Ohio) C.P. No. G-4801-CI-200206364 (J. Bessey)
- Estate of Mikulski v. Centerior Energy Corp., Cuya. Cty. (Ohio) C.P. No. CV-02-490020 (J. Mason) 8th Dist. No. 94536, 2011-Ohio-696, rev’g 2010-Ohio-6167
- Estate of Mikulski v. Cleve. Elec. Illumin. Co., Cuya. Cty. (Ohio) C.P. No. CV-02-490019 (J. Ambrose)
- Estate of Mikulski v. Centerior Energy Corp., Cuya. Cty. (Ohio) C.P. No. CV-01-457866 (J. Sutula)
- Schick v. Ernst & Whinney, 1991 WL 8543 (S.D.N.Y. 1991)
- Taylor v. Amerifoods Companies, N.D. Ohio No. 1:92CV1715
- Lowe v. Sun Refining & Marketing, Lucas Cty. [Ohio] C.P. No. 88-0630 (major toxic tort class action arising from an underground pipeline spill in western Ohio, settled for over $30 million); see Lowe v. Sun Refining & Marketing Co. (Lucas Cty. 1992), 73 Ohio App.3d 563
- Navarro v. LaMusga (2004) 32 Cal.4th 1072, 12 Cal.Rptr.3d 356, 88 P.3d 81
- Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v. Marsh (1984), 15 Ohio St.3d 107
- State ex rel. Crobaugh v. White (2001), 91 Ohio St.3d 470
- In re All Kelley & Ferraro Asbestos Cases v. Amchem Products, 105 Ohio St.3d 287, 2005-Ohio-1650
- In re All Kelley & Ferraro Asbestos Cases, 104 Ohio St.3d 605, 2004-Ohio-7104
- City of Elyria v. Lorain County Budget Comm., 117 Ohio St.3d 403, 2008-Ohio-940
- City of Elyria v. Lorain County Budget Comm., 128 Ohio St.3d 485, 2011-Ohio-1482
- White Consolidated Industries, Inc. v. Whirlpool Corp., 619 F. Supp. 1022 (N.D. Ohio 1985), mod’y 612 F. Supp. 1009 (N.D. Ohio 1985), aff’d 781 F.2d 1224 (6th Cir. 1986)
- The Erie Dock Company v. Erie Lackawanna, Inc., 635 F. Supp. 875 (Sp. Ct. RRRA 1986)
- The Erie Dock Company v. Erie Lackawanna, Inc., 688 F. Supp. 1556 (Sp. Ct. R.R.R.A. 1988)
- Molina Crespo v. United States Merit System Protection Board, 486 F. Supp.2d 680 (N.D. Ohio 2007)
- Ormond v. Anthem, Inc., 1:05-cv-1908-DFH, 2008 WL 906157 (S.D. Ohio March 31, 2008)
- Ormond v. Anthem, Inc., No. 1:05-cv-1908-DFH, 2009 WL 3163117 (S.D. Ind. Sept. 29, 2009)
- Jorling v. Anthem, Inc., No. 1:09-cv-798-TWP, 2011 WL 6755157 (S.D. Ind. Dec. 23, 2011)
- Ormond v. Anthem, Inc., 799 F. Supp.2d 910 (S.D. Ind. 2011)
- Phelps v. Sgt. Anderson, 700 F.2d 147 (4th Cir. 1983) (appointed by Fourth Circuit)
- City of Cleveland v. Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, 734 F.2d 1157 (6th Cir. 1984), aff’g
- Costantino v. TRW, 13 F.3d 969 (6th Cir. 1994)
- Rybarczyk v. TRW Inc., 235 F.3d 975 (6th Cir. 2000)
- Keller v. Central Bank of Nigeria, 277 F.3d 811 (6th Cir. 2002)
- North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation v. FCC, 437 F.3d 1206 (D.C. Cir. 2006)
- Mikulski v. Centerior Energy Corp., 435 F.3d 666 (6th Cir. 2006)
- Mikulski v. Centerior Energy Corp., 501 F.3d 555 (6th Cir. 2007) (en banc)
- Weitzel vs. SMS Acquisition Inc., 2008 U.S. App. LEXIS 24278 (2nd Cir. 2008)
- Molina Crespo v. United States Merit System Protection Board, 547 F.3d 651 (6th Cir. 2008)
- G.G. Marck and Associates, Inc. v. James Peng, 309 Fed. Appx. 928 (6th Cir. 2009)
- G.G. Marck and Associates, Inc. v. James Peng, 2012 WL 695628 (6th Cir. March 6, 2012)
- Mell v. Anthem, Inc., 688 F.3d 280 (6th Cir. 2012)
- Leimkuehler v. American United Life Ins. Co., 713 F.3d 905 (7th Cir. 2013)
Representative Clients:
- Sun Pacific Capital, LLC,
- Horsburgh & Scott, Inc.
- Grable & Sons Metal Products v. Darue Engineering, 545 U.S. 308, 2005
- Statler Garage Associates, LLC,
- Pages, Inc.
- Mikulski v. Centerior Energy Corp., 501 F.3d 555 (6th Cir 2007)
- ASAP Technical Services, Inc.
- Ross Builders Co., Inc.
- Costantino v. TRW, 13 F 3d 969 (6th Cir. 1994), In re Garver, 116 F 3d 176 (6th Cir 1997)
- Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc.
- Tri-Lite, Inc.
- The Erie Dock Company v. Erie Lackawanna, Inc., 635 F. Supp 875 (Sp. Ct RRRA 1986)
- The Cleveland Board of Education
- Ferragon Corporation
- WTI, Inc.
- In re All Kelley & Ferraro Asbestos Cases v. Amchem Products, Inc, 105 Ohio St.3d 287, 2005-Ohio-1650
- Sun Pacific Management, LLC,
- Helionetics, Inc
- Zebra Broadcasting Company
- State ex rel Crobaugh v. White, 91 Ohio St.3d 470 (2001)
- United New York Realty, LLC,
- P.E. Technologies, Inc.
- Winkelman v. Parma City School District, 550 U.S., 127 S. Ct., 1994
- Nash-Finch Inc.
- C.E. Thurston & Sons, Inc.
- Rybarczyk v. TRW, 235 F.3d 975 (6th Cir. 2000), aff'g, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3186 (N.D. Ohio 3-14-97) and 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13848 (N.D. Ohio 9-5-97)
- Chancery Enterprises, Ltd.
- Talbot Holdings, Inc
- Schick v. Ernst & Young, 141 F.R.D. 23 (S.D.N.Y. 1992)
- Lloyd's of London, City of Cleveland, Ohio
- The Gross Foundation, Inc.
- Vermillion F&H Limited Partnership
- Record Revolution No. 6 v. City of Parma, Ohio, 709 F.2d 534 (6th Cir 1983), rev'g 638 F.2d 916 (6th Cir. 1980), and aff'g 492 F Supp. 1157 (N.D. Ohio 1980)
- Vermilion F&H Limited Partnership, Cardiac Institute General Partnership, Sunrise Cardiovascular Institute, Sun Medical Management, LLC,
- Global Trading Industries, Inc.
- Zapis Communications Corporation
- State ex rel Committee v Norris, 99 Ohio St.3d 336, 2003-Ohio-3887
- Hydro-Tube Corporation, Photo U.S.A. Corp.
- K&R Express Systems, Inc.
- DaimlerChrysler Corp v. Cuno, 547 US, 126 S Ct 1854 (5-15-2006)
- Dialysis Specialists of Northeast Ohio, Inc.,
- Romeo S. Miclat, M.D., Inc.
- Mikulski v. Centerior Energy Corp, 435 F 3d 666 (6th Cir. 2006)
- The Brett Mitchell Collection, Inc.
- School Book Fairs, Inc.
- Simiele v. Cleveland Board of Education, 57 F.3d 1070 (6th Cir 1995)
- Brush Wellman, Inc.
- City of North Ridgeville, Ohio
- United Transportation Union Insurance Association
- White Consolidated Industries, Inc v. Whirlpool Corp, 619 F Supp. 1022 (N.D. Ohio 1985), mod'y 612 F. Supp. 1009 (N.D. Ohio 1985), aff'd 781 F.2d 1224 (6th Cir 1986)
- Reliant Energy Corp., Center for Claims Resolution, City of Elyria, Ohio
- Galt Enterprises, Inc.
- The Weldon Tool Company, Inc.
- In re All Kelley & Ferraro Asbestos Cases, 8th Dist. Case Nos 83348 & 83628, 2005-Ohio-2608
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy Since 1997-Present, 1997
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Trustee, Agudath B'nai Israel Synagogue, 1988-1989
- Acting Judge, Elyria Municipal Court, 1995-1997
- Trustee, Agudath B'nai Israel Synagogue, 1995-1996
- Law Director, City of North Ridgeville, Ohio, 1999-present
- Vice President and Trustee, Northeastern Ohio Hillel Foundation, 1979-1983
Honors/Awards:
- Selected in Chambers U.S.A. Guide, 2012-2013, Recognition
- Selected in Ohio Super Lawyers for Business Litigation, 2010-2014, Super Lawyer
- Awarded for best jury closing/summation in inaugural annual competition among Cleveland-area trial lawyers, Iron Lawyer Award, Federal Bar Association - Cleveland chapter, 2008
- Best advocate and national champion in first National Mock Trial Competition in Houston, Best Advocate Award, Texas State Junior Bar, 1976
- National Mock Trial Champion, 1976
Educational Background:
- University of Notre Dame, A.B. in English literature magna cum laude, 1974
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- “Civil Rights Actions Against State and Local Governments, Agencies and Officials,” CLEVE. BAR ASS’N, 1985
- Under Color of What Law: A Reconstructed Model of Section 1983 Liability, 71 Virginia Law Review 499-598 (May 1985)
- Monograph on white-collar defense aimed at corporate CEO, CFO, CLO and CCO, Successfully Defending the White-Collar Client, Best Practices for White Collar Litigation (Inside the Minds Series), Aspatore Books, 2006
- "Under Color of What Law? A Reconstructed Model of Section 1983 Liability," 71 Virginia Law Review 499, 1985
- "Koykka's Ohio Appellate Practice," Andersen Publishing Company, 2nd ed., with Maddox and Keyse-Walker, 1988
- "Liability of Council Members Under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983," 33 The Practical Lawyer 83-88, with Maddox, March 1987
- "Federal Civil Rights Liability of Local Governments and Their Employees Under Section 1983," Ohio Municipal Law, Chap. 41A, Gotherman and Babbit, ed., with Maddox, 1986
- "Liability of City Council Members," Trial, with Maddox, July 1986
- "Councilmanic Liability: Highlights of the Law," Ohio Cities and Villages, with Maddox, July 1986
- "Antitrust Consent Decree Manual," American Bar Association, contributor, 1980
- Book Review, "Trial Techniques with Irving Younger," Litigation News, July 1980
- "Execution Against Personal Property," Provisional Remedies, Ohio Legal Center Institute, with McCarthy, 1982
- "Taking Effective Depositions," Lorman Business Center, 1994-1997
- Sixth Circuit Appellate Practice Institute, 1983 and 1990
- Lecturer in Law, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 1985-1986
- Lecturer in Law, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 1991-1992
- Lecturer in Law, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, 1979-1980
- Lecturer in Law, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, 1990-present
Industry Groups:
- Capital Markets
- Energy
- Financial Services
- Health Care
- High-tech
- Life Sciences
- Manufacturing
- Telecommunications
Selections
15 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2025
