Frederick M. Gittes

Frederick M. Gittes is a nationally recognized civil rights and employment law attorney based in Columbus, Ohio. With a career spanning over four decades, he has led high-impact cases protecting employee rights, advancing civil liberties, and challenging government and corporate misconduct.

Frederick earned his J.D., cum laude, from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1975 and his B.A. with honors from Rollins College in 1968. He also studied in Norway and completed significant Ph.D. coursework in history.

Frederick is a former president of the National Employment Lawyers Association and the Ohio Association for Justice. He has chaired multiple legal sections of the Ohio State Bar Association and served as lead counsel in both civil and criminal cases across Ohio and nationally.

Frederick M. Gittes has handled class actions and constitutional claims that resulted in major reforms, including police practices, crisis response training, public records access, and equal employment opportunity procedures. His advocacy has led to landmark Ohio Supreme Court decisions recognizing sexual harassment as a tort and holding company officials personally liable for discrimination.

Frederick’s litigation victories include a federal civil rights case that created new protections for individuals with mental illness and high-profile jury verdicts against union and government misconduct. He has also argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

A strong public voice, Frederick M. Gittes writes and speaks on civil rights and employment law issues. His awards include the ACLU of Ohio’s Civil Liberties Award, the NAACP President’s Award, the SPJ First Amendment Award, and the Ohio NOW “Hammer of Justice” Award. Frederick is known for fearless advocacy, groundbreaking legal work, and a deep commitment to justice for individuals from all walks of life.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, The Gittes Law Group
• Member, Ohio State Bar Association
• Member, Ohio Association for Justice
• Member, The State Bar of California
• Member, The Florida Bar
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, National Employment Lawyers Association

Licensed State

• Ohio
• California
• Florida
• New York

Education

• Ohio State University College of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Rollins College
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges