Vorys Elevates Six Attorneys to Partner
Vorys is pleased to announce that six attorneys — Brian Baxter, Daniel Bross, Brian Dressel, Robert Grise, Thomas Whaling and Ryan Wheeler — became partners on January 1, 2026.
COLUMBUS
Brian Dressel is a member of the firm’s labor and employment group. His practice focuses on a wide range of employment law matters. Brian has significant experience litigating a variety of employment cases, including discrimination, retaliation, trade secrets, wage-and-hour and FMLA matters. He has litigated matters in the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the Ohio Supreme Court. He is also a member of the firm’s appellate subgroup and has litigated several appeals in state and federal courts.
Thomas Whaling is a member of the firm’s litigation group. He represents individuals and companies in a wide variety of litigation matters, including complex business, commercial and contract litigation. Tom’s practice includes an emphasis on the construction industry, in which he advises owners, developers and contractors on disputed matters ranging from breach of contract claims and change orders to bonding, liens, delays and more. Tom also leads the firm’s cannabis, hemp and CBD practice.
Ryan Wheeler is a member of the Vorys eControl group. His practice focuses on eCommerce, brand protection, product diversion and intellectual property enforcement. Ryan counsels numerous consumer products manufacturers and brands around the world on strategies to strengthen their eCommerce business and avoid third-party disruption to their sales and distribution channels.
CINCINNATI
Brian Baxter is a member of the firm’s corporate group. His practice focuses on representing both public and private companies in corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities, periodic reporting and disclosure and corporate governance. He has represented Fortune 500 companies and other publicly listed companies in acquisitions and a range of other transactional matters across manufacturing, banking, transportation and other industries.
Daniel Bross is a member of the firm’s finance, energy and real estate practice group. His practice focuses on real estate financing transactions and general real estate matters, with experience in the development and sale of office buildings, lab and medical research buildings, apartment projects, industrial facilities and other commercial properties. He has particular experience representing lenders, owners and developers in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) transactions.
Robert Grise is a member of the Vorys eControl group. His practice focuses on counseling manufacturers and brands on issues related to eCommerce and online brand protection, including developing strategies to assist companies with product distribution issues, product diversion, unauthorized importation of grey market goods and counterfeit sales. He helps to protect clients’ brand reputation and value, allowing them to focus attention on expansion and growth.
About Vorys: Vorys was established in 1909 and currently has nearly 375 attorneys in 10 offices in Ohio, Washington, D.C., Texas, Pennsylvania, California, London and Berlin. Vorys currently ranks as one of the 200 largest law firms in the United States according to American Lawyer magazine.
