LerVal M. Elva

Biography

LerVal M. Elva counsels employers on a wide variety of labor and employment law issues. She primarily practices in the area of employment litigation and represents employers in claims arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), as well as other federal and state employment laws, including Ohio’s Public Records law. Ms. Elva also assists employers with their workplace safety and health needs by providing counseling on investigations and government inspections. Additionally, she speaks to local human resources managers on various employment law topics throughout the year.

Ms. Elva’s experience in the area of labor and employment law spans both sides of the spectrum. Prior to law school, she worked as a litigation paralegal for a well-respected Plaintiff’s firm in Philadelphia, PA. There, Ms. Elva worked on several nationwide employment and qui-tam class actions. During law school, she clerked at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington D.C. While at the EEOC, she gained an extensive knowledge of federal EEO laws, counseled employees, conducted extensive research and drafted several administrative opinions. Prior to joining Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan, Ms. Elva practiced management-side employment law at a national labor and employment law firm.

She is a member of the Labor & Employment Sections of the American Bar Association and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. She is also a member of the Norman S. Minor Bar Association and the Cleveland Employment American Inn of Court. Publications and media quotes include: SHRM Federal Court Report – “Job Trainee May Pursue Disability Bias Claim” (September 13, 2012); and Quoted in The Daily Reporter - “New Law Expands Work Leave for Military Families” (July 9, 2010).

In addition to her professional activities, Ms. Elva remains active in local community development organizations in the Cleveland area. She was elected to the Tremont West Development Corporation’s Board of Directors for the 2013-2015 term. Ms. Elva serves as a mentor for local high school and law students and participates in a monthly legal clinic that provides individuals with the legal and support services necessary to maintain self-sufficiency and obtain employment.

Ms. Elva earned her J.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where she was the Managing Editor of the Canada-United States Law Journal. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Ms. Elva is admitted to practice in the State of Ohio and the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio.

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

• Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D.
• Arcadia University, B.A.

Bar Admissions

• Ohio
• U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio

In the News

• 6/3/2013 - LerVal Elva Elected to Board
• 1/17/2013 - GSH Welcomes LerVal M. Elva

Publications