Adrian D. Thompson will be a guest panelist at an event that will discuss “Historical Perspective on Cleveland School Desegregation: 40 Years after Reed v. Rhodes." Held on Wednesday afternoon, March 27, 2013, the event is the fourth annual celebration of diversity and inclusion hosted by labor and employment law firm Ogletree Deakins. Thompson will be joined on the panel by attorneys James Hardiman, Frederick Nance, Daniel McMullen and moderator Dennis Terez.

Reed v. Rhodes is the landmark case filed in 1973 by Federal District Judge Frank J. Battisti. The case ruled that Cleveland schools were racially segregated, and school officials were ordered to implement programs designed to desegregate educational facilities in the city.

Thompson, a partner in Taft’s Education Law and Labor and Employment groups, represents school districts in contract negotiations, grievance arbitration, litigation, education of the disabled and employment discrimination matters. He provides counsel for private sector clients on issues including equal employment opportunity litigation, wage-hour problems, employment of the disabled, federal housing and other labor matters. He was formerly the chair of the firm’s diversity committee and served as the chief legal counsel for Cleveland Metropolitan School District for eight years. Thompson also serves as president of the board of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. 

The event will be held at the 27th floor auditorium at Key Tower, 127 Public Square, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. To register, call Salona Novak at (216) 241-6100.