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Biography

Frank is a member of Frost Brown Todd in the firm’s government services and environmental practice groups. He has experience in defending general litigation including class actions lawsuits, home rule, Eminent Domain, zoning, environmental, as well as transportation issues with a concentration on matters involving air, water, solid waste, hazardous waste and underground storage tanks. He also has experience handling administrative and regulatory appeals. Frank is a veteran government and administrative law practitioner, having worked inside and outside of government where he has appeared before various state agencies.

Frank has been in private practice since 2003, and prior to that spent 13 years in public service, serving under two Governors and for eight years as an Assistant Attorney General. During his tenure in the Ohio Attorney General’s office, he served as the chief of three separate sections responsible for representing several different state agencies including the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio Rail Development Commission, and the Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations. Prior to that, Frank served as the Associate Counsel for the Central Ohio Transit Authority in Columbus, Ohio.  Frank has served several years on the Franklin County Republican Party’s Central Committee, has served three terms on the Judicial Screening Committee and as an advisor to several statewide elected officials.

Frank’s environmental practice represents small and large businesses, port authorities, municipalities, counties, carriers, shippers, and consignees in the area of transportation, environmental, and regulatory compliance and defends companies against environmental enforcement activities initiated by Ohio EPA or U.S. EPA. He also represents companies which are the subject of governmental audits or investigations. He helps companies avoid civil penalties through Ohio’s Voluntary Actions Program or by engaging Supplemental Environmental Projects. His clients have industry experience in the areas of wireless communication, cellular tower aviation clearance, real estate planning and development, manufacturing, chemicals, hazardous materials, construction, foundries, solid waste disposal, scrap tires, medical and infectious waste, medical, marijuana, hemp, construction and demolition and debris disposal, and used oil recycling. He has represented clients regarding truck spills; environmental contamination; remediation; and hazardous waste management, transportation, and storage.

Frank handles cases in state and federal court, administrative appeals before the Ohio Environmental Review Appeals Commission, as well as before Ohio EPA or U.S. EPA and rail cases before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. He assists clients handling diverse issues including asbestos, mold, radon, septic systems, underground wells, indoor air toxins, wetlands, and best management practices to handle hazardous materials.

For the last several years, Frank has served as special counsel to the Ohio Attorney General and appointed to represent the Ohio Department of Transportation on the Brent Spence Bridge, to represent the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on flood litigation, and to represent the Public Employee Retirement System and the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in national litigation.

Other Info About Frank

Education

Law School

Capital University Law School, J.D., 1991
Capital University Law Review

Undergraduate School

The Ohio State University, B.A., with Honors in the Liberal Arts, 1988

Bar Memberships

Frank is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Ohio

Courts

Frank is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

Ohio Supreme Court

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

U.S. Supreme Court

Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals, Washington. D.C.

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Selected for inclusion in Ohio Super LawyersŽ Rising StarsŽ, 2005-2007

Listed in Forty Under 40, Columbus Business First, 2004

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Ohio State Bar Association, Environmental Law and Government Agency Committees, Former Member of Council of Delegates

Columbus Bar Association, Past Chair of Environmental Law and Government Agency Committees, Former Board Member

Franklin County Republican Party Central Committee, Member

National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), Member

Ohio Environmental Services Industries, Member

Central Ohio Certified Hazardous Materials Managers Association, Member

Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Transportation Logistics Council, Member

Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Energy & Environment Committee, Member

Air & Waste Association, Northeast Chapter, Member

Transportation Lawyers Association, Member

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Bexley Lions Club, Past President, Melvin Jones Fellow

Bexley Education Foundation, Board of Directors, Former Vice-Chair

St. Catharine’s Catholic Church, Parishioner

Columbus Bar Association, Past Board of Governors

Presentations

Frank was invited to speak at the following events:

“Local Government Law from State to Finish: Government Attorney Ethics – Protect your Client and Yourself”, November 3, 2017.

“Local Government Law from Start to Finish: Sign and Billboard Law: Balancing Regulatory Concerns and Constitutional Freedoms”, November 3, 2017.

“Land Use, Zoning, and Development. Getting Government Approvals. How to Get Key Environmental Permits”, November 9, 2017.

“Wetland Laws and Compliance in Ohio”, Crowne Plaza Columbus North, Worthington, July 28, 2017.

Ohio Municipal League. Ohio Municipal Attorney Association 2017. Municipal Law Institute. “What City and Village Attorneys needs to know about this year about Ohio EPA and the Clean Water Act”, July 27, 2017.

“Ultimate Guide to Commercial Real Estate Law: Minimizing Environmental Liabilities in Commercial Real Estate Transactions”, Fairfield Inn & Suites Columbus Polaris, April 26, 2017.

Joint Meeting of the Ohio County Commissioner Association and the County Engineer Association. “The Law on Utility Relocation During a Road Widening Project”, December 6, 2016.

“The Law on Utility Relocation During a Road Widening Project”, Ohio Technical Engineering Conference, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Transportation, October 26, 2016.

“Land Use Law: Environmental Considerations”, National Business Institute, November 15, 2016.

‘Finding Solutions to Improve Flows and Water Quality Through Coordinated Water Drainage Management. Drainage Law in Ohio”, Sponsored by the Nature Conservancy, June 16, 2016.

Ohio Prosecuting Attorney Association. “What County Prosecutors need to know about Ohio law requiring a public utility to re-locate utility poles during a road widening project.  Link v. Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., Ohio Supreme Court, Case No. 2016-Ohio-5083”, June 10, 2016.

March 10, 2015. Ohio County Engineer Association Winter Conference. Proposed Modifications to the 401 Water Quality Certification Standards for Nationwide Permits.

May 8, 2015. Ohio Township Association Conference. Drainage Law in Ohio.  Jurisdictional Waters of the State of Ohio/Conducting activity without a permit, Mitigation/Restoration/After-the-Fact Permit, Inspections, Violations, Penalties,  Director’s Final Findings of Facts and Orders, Referral to the Ohio Attorney General’s office/Consent Order, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cease and Desist Order/Notice of Violations,  Temporary Restraining Order/Preliminary Injunction.

October 29, 2015. Municipal Finance Officers Association of Ohio Annual Conference.  On Open Meetings Law Update and Public Records.

October 21, 2015.  Local Government Law CLE sponsored by National Business Institute. An update for governmental practitioners: Public Records, Attorney-Client Privilege v. Public Communications, Conflicts of Interest, Whistle blowing in Ohio, and Representing client after public service.

Major Publications

Frank is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Ohio Supreme Court holds that 0.5% fee forcibly collected by the Ohio Department of Taxation from Ohio Cities is Unconstitutional
Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association (November 23, 2020)

Local Income Tax Central Administration Upheld, but not Fee
Tax Notes (November 16, 2020)

Ohio Supreme Court to decide on Randy Law’s eligibility
Tribune Chronicle (September 10, 2019)

Updated: Gahanna, RITA settle 2012 tax-credit lawsuit
ThisWeek Community News (May 16, 2019)

The Future of Fracking in Ohio
Columbus Bar Lawyers Quarterly (Spring 2018)

Court dismisses municipalities’ HB 49 tax lawsuit
ThisWeek Community News (February 26, 2018)

Ferndale-Mayfield neighborhood will see more testing
ThisWeek Community News (February 19, 2018)

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