Marie-Joëlle C. "Joëlle" Khouzam
An experienced legal advisor and litigator, Marie-Joëlle C. Khouzam provides clients with practical advice on a wide range of labor and employment issues, including discrimination, harassment, breach of contract, non-compete/restraint of trade, and other aspects of the employment relationship. Her focus is on providing pragmatic and straightforward support on personnel issues, helping management develop and implement realistic policies, and representing clients before courts and administrative agencies. For many clients, Joëlle is, in effect, their outsourced one-stop HR department.
Joëlle is also a firm believer in mediation, advocating on behalf of clients in mediations and also serving as a retained mediator (neutral). She conducts frequent in-house training to help management ensure legal compliance and avoid litigation, and is a frequent author and speaker on developing employment-law topics. Since before Ohio’s legalization of medical marijuana, Joëlle has been sought out by legislators, trade associations, and public and private-sector clients to advise them on the legal impact of this complicated issue at work.
Joëlle has served as the City Attorney for Grandview Heights since 2006. She chaired Bricker & Eckler’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee from 2014 to 2018 and continues her commitment to this work by offering training to clients and organizations that value diversity and inclusion.
- Alumni Award (Honors College), Bowling Green State University 2017
- Recognized, ChambersUSA, Labor & Employment with a Band 4 ranking, 2018–2020
- Multicultural Leadership Award, Ohio Diversity Council, October 2015
- Listed, Ohio Super Lawyers (Employment & Labor: Employer; State, Local & Municipal; Workers' Compensation: Employer/Insurance; Employment Litigation: Defense; Nonprofit Organizations ), 2007–2020
- AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell; Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers
- Honored, Grandview Chamber of Commerce established the Khouzam Workforce Development Scholarship, 2013
- Ohio Diversity Council’s Most Powerful and Influential Women in Ohio Award, 2009, 2017
- International Who’s Who of Management Labour & Employment Lawyers
- Northwest Rotary Woman of the Year, 2008
- Columbus Bar Association Community Service Award
Columbus, Ohio 43215-4291
