Gudorf Law Group, L.L.C. v. Brannon

Citations

• 2019 Ohio 3529

Syllabus

The trial court did not err in entering summary judgment against the appellant on its complaint alleging breach of a written employment contract and a subsequent oral agreement. Under the terms of the written employment contract, the appellant, a law firm, was entitled to compensation if the appellee, a former employee, left the firm and took with him a client who was not a \direct client referral\ of the employee. The uncontroverted evidence established that the client at issue was a \direct client referral.\ Therefore, the trial court correctly held that the appellant was not entitled to compensation as a matter of law. The trial court also correctly held that an alleged subsequent oral agreement between the parties providing for the appellant to be compensated was precluded by an integration clause in the written contract. Finally, the trial court did not err in denying reconsideration of its summary judgment ruling. Nothing in the appellee's testimony during a sanctions hearing provided any basis for reconsideration. Judgment affirmed. (Froelich, J., dissenting.)