Thad represents clients in diverse matters related to state and local government, with an emphasis on land use and economic development issues, including municipal annexation, development agreements, and zoning applications. Thad’s variety of experience and his practical approach to helping clients solve problems informs his service as general counsel to the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority and law director for the City of Canal Winchester, Ohio.
In addition to advising his clients on public law matters, Thad’s litigation experience in state and federal courts includes defense of appeals and constitutional claims arising from local zoning decisions; Ohio Supreme Court litigation on local taxation, economic development, and elections issues; and representations in front of state and local agencies, including the Ohio power siting board.
Thad is a regular speaker and author for the Ohio Municipal League and Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association on a variety of local government law topics.
City of Athens, et al. v. McClain, Tax Commissioner, et al., 163 Ohio St.3d 61, 2020-Ohio-5146, 168 N.E.3d 411 (Ohio 2020): represented over 160 Ohio municipalities in a constitutional challenge to Ohio law that required centralized collection of local business income taxes and allowed the state to retain a percentage of those local taxes as a compulsory “fee” for the State; obtained a decision finding that the “fee” was unconstitutional and secured a refund from the State of over $600,000 for the municipalities.
City of Worthington (Ohio) Northeast Gateway project (2019-Present): represents the City of Worthington in 10 approrpiations proceedings in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to enable a major street realignment entering the city’s industrial gateway.
Rice v. Village of Johnstown, Ohio Fifth District Ct. of Appeals Case No. 2020CA0023 (2021); U.S. District Ct. Case No. 2:19-cv-504 (S.D. Ohio 2021): successfully defended village in state-court administrative appeal and in federal due process claim under 42 U.S.C. §1983, obtaining dismissal of state-court appeal and federal action in district court.
Ebersole v. City of Powell, 5th Dist. Delaware No. 18CAH 020013: represented the City of Powell, Ohio, including briefs and oral arguments to the Ohio Fifth District Court of Appeals in case arising from administrative appeal and declaratory judgment actions challenging City land-use decisions. The Fifth District held in the City’s favor and dismissed the appeals against the City.
State ex rel. Grove City Law Director v. Lee-Elle Management LLC, Franklin County Environmental Court No. 2017 EVH 60433: public nuisance declaratory judgment and injunctive action; obtained temporary restraining order for closure of motel with drug, solicitation, and felony activity.
City of Dublin v. Haimbaugh, Franklin County Environmental Court No. 2017 EVH 60605: public nuisance declaratory judgment and injunctive action; obtained judgment permitting demolition of fire-damaged nuisance residential structure.
City of Upper Arlington v. Cameron, et al., Franklin County Court of Common Pleas No. 14CV-4639: quiet title and declaratory judgment action resulting in summary judgment for City allowing it to sell unused right-of-way.
City of Upper Arlington v. Simpson, et al., Franklin County Environmental Court No. 2013 EVE 60023: foreclosure action on contempt judgment following property owners’ failure to comply with injunction to abate property maintenance code violations; forced sale resulted in $45,000 payment to City as well as payments to the State, County, and Federal governments for unpaid taxes and assessments.
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, J.D., 2012, cum laude
Miami University, B.A., 2009, cum laude, University Honors
Ohio Supreme Court
Ohio Courts of Appeal
Ohio Trial Courts
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch®, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, 2021-2025; Land Use and Zoning Law, 2021-2025; Municipal Law, 2021-2025
Selected for inclusion in Ohio Rising Stars®, 2021-2024
Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association (OMAA)
International Municipal Lawyers Association
Columbus Bar Association
Ohio State Bar Association
American Bar Association
Ohio State University Alumni Association: Ohio State Law Journal (2010-2012; Articles Editor 2011-2012); Moot Court Team, Corporate Law (2012)
Leadership Upper Arlington (2015 Class; Board President 2017-2018)
Ohio State Bar Association Leadership Program (2019 Class)
Leadership Dublin (2020)
Leadership UA Board of Directors (2015-Present; Vice President 2016-2021)
Oakstone Community School, Board of Trustees (2016-2021)
Upper Arlington Civil Service Commission (Member, 2018-Present)
Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association Conference, Member of Model Sign Ordinance Drafting Committee and Panelist (2016)
Ohio Municipal League, Income Tax Seminar (2018)
Author, “The First Amendment Protects Profanity in Yard Signs—Even for “the Queen-Mother of Dirty Words,” Ohio Municipal League White Paper, October 2020.
Author, “FCC Small-Cell Ruling Adds Federal Restrictions on Local Decision-Making.” Ohio Municipal League Cities & Villages. November/December 2018.
Co-Author with Stephen Smith, “Hotels Straining City Services” Cities and Villages Magazine, Ohio Municipal League, January/February 2018.
May 14, 2024 | Blogs
Pre-development costs on multifamily housing projects can be expensive, and many projects in today...
April 30, 2024 | Publications
Developers often bemoan the costs they incur before breaking ground on new residential projects. But...
November 28, 2023 | Publications
With the passage of Issue 2, many local governments are wondering what action must be taken with res...
January 13, 2023 | Publications
Signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine on January 2, Ohio Senate Bill 33 (SB 33) delivers significa...
April 29, 2022 | Publications
Background The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a long-overdue victory for local governments and their a...
January 7, 2022 | Blogs
The Ohio General Assembly passed House Bill 228, which will change the way municipal net profits tax...
March 17, 2021 | Publications
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Ariz., 576 U.S. 155, 135 S.Ct. 2218 ...
March 27, 2020 | Blogs
The sweeping changes brought about by Ohio’s Novel Coronavirus Response Bill will directly affect ...
July 17, 2019 | Publications
The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, with jurisdiction over Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennes...
February 15, 2017 | Press Releases
Frost Brown Todd announces the addition of Associate Attorney Thaddeus Boggs to the firm’s Gov...
February 6, 2017 | Publications
On January 20, 2017, the Sixth District Court of Appeals affirmed the Lucas County Common Pleas Cour...