William Joseph Novak
Managing Partner
Areas of Practice
- Class Actions -- Plaintiff
- Ethics
- Professional Responsibility
- Nursing Home
- Litigation & Appeals
- Federal Trial Practice
- State Appellate Practice
- State Trial Practice
- Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
- Animal Bites -- Plaintiff
- Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
- Premises Liability -- Plaintiff
- Railroad Accidents -- Plaintiff
- Slip and Fall -- Plaintiff
- Wrongful Death -- Plaintiff
- Products Liability Law
- Asbestos
- Chemicals & Cosmetics
- Machinery & Tools
- Medical Products & Devices
- Pharmaceutical Products
- Professional Malpractice Law
- Dental Malpractice
- Legal Malpractice
- Medical Malpractice
- Other Professionals Malpractice
- Railroad Worker Injury/FELA
- Toxic Torts
Litigation Percentage
- 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Ohio, 1973
- Kentucky, 1994
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1974
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1986
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1985
Education
- Boston University School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts
- J.D. - 1973
- Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
- B.S. (Magna Cum Laude) - 1971
- Honors: Beta Gamma Sigma
- Major: Economics
Published Works
- "Co-Counsel Fees: Are Referral Fees Permissible?", Cleveland Bar Journal, May, 1999
- "Attorney Liens and Retaining Client Files", Cleveland Bar Journal, April, 1998
- "Malpractice Insurance Disclosure Rule - Are You In Compliance?", Cleveland Bar Journal, January, 2002
- "Liability for Inducing a Breach of the Patient/Physician Relationship", CATA News, Spring, 2002
Representative Cases
- Halton v. Great Clips, Inc., 94 F. Supp. 2d 856 (2000)
- Scarso v. Cuyahoga County Dep't of Human Services, 747 F. Supp. 381 (1989)
- In re Suburban Motor Freight, 124 B.R. 984 (1990)
- Beard v. Meridia Huron Hosp., 106 Ohio St. 3d 237 (2005)
- Butler v. Jordan, 92 Ohio St. 3d 354 (2001)
- Koch v. Rist, 89, Ohio St. 3d 250 (2000)
- Petratos v. Markakis, 69 Ohio St. 3d 1219 (1994)
- Smith v. 10th Inning, Inc., 49 Ohio St. 3d 289 (1989)
- Cuyahoga County Bar Asso. v. Gerstenslager, 45 Ohio St. 3d 88 (1989)
- Oney v. Allen, 39 Ohio St. 3d 103 (1988)
- Johnson v. New London, 36 Ohio St. 3d 60 (1988)
- Marrek v. Cleveland Metroparks Bd. Of Comm'rs, 9 Ohio St. 3d 194 (1984)
- Levin v. Hardwig, 60 Ohi St. 2d 81 (1979)
- Moats v. Metropolitan Bank of Lima, 40 Ohio St. 2d 47 (1974)
- Smalley v. Friedman et.al., 172 Ohio App. 3d 108 (2007)
- Schneider, Smeltz, Raney & Lafond v. Kedia, 154 Ohio App. 3d 1117 (2003)
- Mentor Chiropractic Ctr. v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 139 Ohio App. 3d 407 (2000)
- Braxton-Fountain v. University Hosps., 133 Ohio App. 3d 323 (1999)
- Brown v. McDonald's Corp., 101 Ohio App. 3d 294 (1995)
- Petratos v. Markakis, 92 Ohio App. 3d 626 (1993)
- Gray v. Jefferson Geriatric & Rehabilitation Center, 76 Ohio App. 3d 499 (1991)
- Kontos v. Luxmore, 65 Ohio App. 3d 148 (1989)
- Saultz v. Funk, 64 Ohio App. 2d 29 (1979)
- Shapiro v. Burkons, 62 Ohio App. 2d 73 (1979)
Classes/Seminars
- Co-Chairman, Joint Symposium on Ethics and Professionalism, Cleveland Bar Association, 2001
- Law Lecturer, Cleveland Bar Association, 1983
- Law Lecturer, Cleveland Bar Association, 1998
- Chairman, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education, 1990 - 1991
- Chairman, Greenbriar Seminar, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, 1991 - 1994
- Chairman, Long Range Planning, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, 1990
- Lecturer, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, 1993
- Lecturer, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, 1999
- Eighth District Judicial Conference, Lecturer, 1986
Honors and Awards
- Ohio Super Lawyer, 2007
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline appointed by the Supreme Court, Member, 2008 - 2010
- Cleveland Bar Association, Trustee, 1998 - 2001
- Cleveland Bar Association, Sustaining Member
- Cleveland Bar Association, Cleveland Bar Fellow
- Cleveland Bar Association, Standing Committee on Professionalism, 2000 - 2001
- Cleveland Bar Association, Executive Committee for Bar Merger, 2000 - 2001
- Cleveland Bar Association, Grievance Committee, 2000 - 2002
- Cleveland Bar Association, Fee Dispute Resolution Committee, 2000 - 2001
- Cleveland Bar Association, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, 1998 - 2001
- Cleveland Bar Association, Professional Ethics Committee, 1993 - 2006
- Cleveland Bar Association, Chairman, Lawyer Referral Oversight Committee, 2004 - 2007
- Cleveland Bar Association, Judicial Selection Committee, 1987 - 1990
- Cleveland Bar Association, Judicial Selection Committee, 2001 - 2006
- Cleveland Bar Association, Medical Legal Committee, 1974 - 1988
- Cleveland Bar Association, Bar Journal Committee, 1998 - 1999
- Cleveland Bar Association, Litigation Section, Trustee, 1989 - 1996
- Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Trustee, 1982 - 1992
- Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Secretary, 1997
- Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Chairman, Common Pleas Court Committee, 1982 - 1994
- Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Chairman, Court of Appeals Committee, 1989 - 1993
- Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Chairman, Lawyer Referral Committee, 1989 - 1993
- Cuyahoga County Bar Association, Chairman, Tort Committee, 1988
- Medina County Bar Association
- Ohio State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
- Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Cleveland Academy of Trial Lawyers, President, 1985
- Cleveland Academy of Trial Lawyers, Vice President, 1984
- Cleveland Academy of Trial Lawyers, Treasurer, 1983
- Eighth District Judicial Conference, Life Member
- Eighth District Judicial Conference, Member, Litigation Committee, 1992
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Past Employment Positions
- Gallagher, Sharp, Fulton, Norman & Mollison, Associate, 1973 - 1974
- Law Offices of Ellis Brannon, Associate, 1974 - 1978
Pro Bono Activities
- Member, Board of Education, City of Maple Heights, 1976 - 1977
- Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee, Bath Township, 1994
- Director, Arabian Horse Association of Ohio, 1981 - 1983
Fraternities/Sororities
- Beta Gamma Sigma
