Beachwood Close To Hiring New Law Director

BEACHWOOD, OH — L. Stewart Hastings is set to become the next Beachwood law director.

Hastings' hiring awaits approval by Beachwood City Council on Monday. Hastings comes from the city of Cleveland, where he was assistant director of law for 16 years.

“Mr. Hastings’s experience is an exemplary combination of municipal law, litigation, and the understanding of politics and political structures,” Mayor Martin Horwitz said in a statement. “He checks all the boxes for guiding Beachwood in legal matters.”

During his 16 year stint in Cleveland, Hastings handled a wide range of legal issues for the city. He defended home-rule authority, negotiated collective-bargaining agreements and counseled the administration on human resource issues. He was also lead counsel for all litigation related to the 2016 Republican National Convention and worked closely with agents and lawyers in the Secret Service and FBI.

Prior to joining the city of Cleveland's legal team, Hastings was in private practice for a dozen years, working for corporate and insurance-company clients. He was also elected to the Parma Board of Education from 1990 to 1997, spending 3 years as president and 3 years as vice president.

“Mr. Hastings brings a wealth of legal experience with him to the City of Beachwood from both the private sector and City of Cleveland. We know that our City and Law Department will be in good hands with Mr. Hastings’s counsel. I’d also like to thank CouncilmanSynenberg for leading the search process; his hard work led to a successful result,” said City Council President James Pasch.