As a respected municipal lawyer who has been advising his public sector clients for over twenty years, Brian proudly serves as Law Director for the City of Pataskala, Legal Advisor for three townships (Brown Township, Orange Township, and Washington Township) and as Solicitor for several villages, including the Villages of Shawnee Hills, South Bloomfield, Bremen, Kirkersville, Thornville, Thurston, Glenford, and Brice. Over the years, many central Ohio cities have retained him as special counsel, including Upper Arlington, Gahanna, Groveport, Newark, Wilmington, and Sandusky. Brian has skillfully handled, and often lectures on, legal matters in the areas of municipal contracts, water and sanitary sewer agreements, zoning and land use, annexation, eminent domain, public meetings, and public records law. He also prosecutes criminal/traffic cases in Mayor’s Court and municipal court.
As a litigator, Brian understands R.C. 2744 immunity as well as Section 1983. He has successfully defended wrongful death claims, retaliation and discrimination claims, wrongful termination, First Amendment claims, and Fourth Amendment claims. Brian is an experienced trial lawyer who has tried state and federal bench and jury trials and appeared before administrative agencies, including the PUCO, the Board of Tax Appeals, and the Board of Revisions. He has argued before the Tenth District and the Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals as well as the Ohio Supreme Court.
Brian’s public sector experience transfers well into the private sector. Whether it’s complex contracts, difficult employee issues, or litigation, his legal proficiency shines in the private sector. Brian offers practical solutions and advice in the venture capital space and helps companies, like Cyrannus, navigate the legal challenges of raising money and growing startup companies.
Brian also has a passion for all things automotive and motorsport. Classic muscle or collector cars, the NHRA, corporate sponsorship, or the companies that supply aftermarket high-performance parts, like JEGS Automotive, all fuel Brian’s enthusiasm for this industry.
Within the firm, Brian serves as the Managing Partner, as well as Chair of the Public Law Practice Group. He has also held past leadership roles with the firm’s Lateral Hiring Committee and the Marketing Committee.
Articles & Presentations
Articles
• Brian Zets Named to Ohio’s 500 Most Influential Executives, January 21, 2026
• Drafts Are Public Records: A Reminder From the Court of Claims, October 1, 2025
• Newburgh Heights - Is this the End of Automated Traffic Cameras in Ohio?, June 7, 2022
• If It’s Part of the Sidewalk, You Are Immune, November 16, 2020
• Social Distancing and the Open Meetings Act, Can They Co-Exist?, March 16, 2020
• The Motion Matters - What is an Acceptable Purpose Under R.C. 121.22(G)(1)?, January 9, 2020
• Watch What You Say; Statements Made After County Terminated Employee, Are NOT Immune from Liability, August 6, 2019
• Chalking Tires Determined to be an Unreasonable Search, May 6, 2019
• New Year, New Council; Same Old Executive Session Mistakes, January 30, 2019
• New Credit Card Rules for Political Subdivisions, September 14, 2018
• On-line Retail Sales Have Changed Forever, June 25, 2018
• High School’s Protocol Requiring Searches of Unattended Book Bags Affirmed As Reasonable and Constitutional, June 2, 2017
• Employee Severance Agreements; Silence Is No Longer Golden or Allowed, Cyrannus Blog, March 2023
• So, You Want to Blow the Whistle?, Cyrannus Blog Post, June 2022
• HB 172 - the Fireworks Bill, Ohio Township News, January/February 2022
• “Your BZA Better (Thoroughly) Discuss those Duncan Factors”, Isaac Wiles Blog April 2021
• “If It’s Part of the Sidewalk, You Are Immune”, Isaac Wiles Blog, October 2020
• “HB 197; Opening Up an Already Open Meeting,” Isaac Wiles Blog, April 2020
• “Township Cemetery Law: What You Are Dying to Know,” Ohio Township News, September/October 2018
• “Summertime Hiring - Be Careful of These Pitfalls,” Ohio Township News, May/June 2018
• “What State’s Medical Marijuana Law Means for Ohio Employers,” Columbus Business First, February 2017
• “Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Law,” Ohio Township News, November/December 2016
• “Pre-Suit Mediation: An Often-Overlooked Risk Management Tool,” Public Risk Magazine, February 2009
• “The Ohio Supreme Court Agrees with Employers; Trade Secrets, Including Client Lists, Cannot Be Memorized and Used by Former Employees,” Courting Success, Spring 2008
• “Wallace v. Kato: The Supreme Court Invites Even More Federal Lawsuits Against your Municipality and Police Officers,” Public Risk Magazine, March 2007
• “To Enjoin or Not to Enjoin: The Supreme Court Will Decide,” E-Currents, 2006
• “Tort Law Update,” Cities and Villages: Journal of the Ohio Municipal League January/February 2005
Presentations
• Mastering Parliamentary Procedure, Ohio Township Association, Winter Conference & Tradeshow, February 2026
• Robert’s Rules of Order, Updates and Survival Tips, Ohio Township Association 2024 Winter Conference
• Robert’s Rules of Order, Updates and Survival Tips, Ohio Township Association Webinar, September 19, 2023
• Public Records & Open Meeting; Case Law Update 2023, Ohio Township Law Directors CLE, April 13, 2023
• Employment Law Issues in 2022 - Vaccines and Masks Mandates, Delaware County Township Officials Training, December 2021
• Ask the Expert: Workplace Management in a Post-Vaccine World, Part II, Ohio Judicial Conference Webinar, November 2021
• Ask the Expert: Workplace Management in a Post-Vaccine World, Ohio Judicial Conference Webinar, July 2021
• The Ethical Public Official, Mayors Association of Ohio Conference, June 2019
• Use of Competitive Bidding to Buy or Sell Township Property, Ohio Township Association,Winter Conference, February 2019
• Ohio Township Cemetery Law, Ohio Township Association Winter Conference, 2019
• Use of Competitive Bidding to Buy or Sell Township Property, Ohio Township Law Directors CLE, December 14, 2018
• The Fourth Amendment - Arrest and Search/Seizure, New Albany/Gahanna Citizens’ Police Academy, January 31, 2018
• Medical Marijuana Law Update, Delaware County Township Trustee Training, November 18, 2017
• Understanding Medical Marijuana in Ohio and the Effects on Commercial Real Estate, Co-presenter, NAIOP Central Ohio Chapter, August 9, 2017
• Case Law Update, OMAA Spring CLE Conference, March 2017
• The Fourth Amendment - Arrest, Search/Seizure, Use Of Force, New Albany Citizens Police Academy, 2017
• Dazed and Confused, Understanding Medical Marijuana, Ohio Township Association Winter Conference, 2017
• Medical Marijuana in Your Township, Ohio Township Association Law Directors CLE, December 2016
• Use of Executive Session, Ohio Township Association Law Director’s Group Meeting & CLE, 2015
• Social Media for Public Entities, Municipal Civil Law Institute, 2013
Honors
• Columbus CEO Top Lawyers, 2023-2025
• The Best Lawyers in America, 2025-2026
• The Ohio 500, Ohio Business Magazine, 2024-2025
• Ohio Super Lawyer 2015-2026
• Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star (Government / Cities / Municipalities), 2009-2011
• AVVO Rating, Excellent
AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him
or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.
Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely
respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.
